Happy New Year! I thought something nice and calming like the Berenstain Bears would help us ease into the routine of a new year and 2025!
Growing up, I loved to read. I started reading books at a very young age and just kept on reading. I currently have a stack of about 12 books that I have bought to read, but I haven't started on any of them. One day, I'll have the time to just sit and read like I used to, but until then, I'll keep collecting books!
In any event, I grew up reading a lot, and some of my favorite books were the Berenstain Bears! I loved the artwork accompanying the stories; some of the earlier ones, specifically The Berenstain Bears' Picnic, were favorites of mine.
This collection of trading cards, or more accurately, "story cards, " was produced in 1992 by the Ken-Wis company. There were six different packs to collect. With 12 cards per pack, the entire set consisted of 72 different story cards, 11 stickers, six newsletters, and five "how to draw" cards.
One of my favorite things about the Berenstain Bears is how cross-generational the stories are. They always teach children a lesson, but in a fun and creative way that all generations have enjoyed since the 1960s.
Created by Stan and Jan Berenstain and now continued by their son Mike, the books feature a family of grizzly bears who learn a lesson through the course of each story. Since the first story in 1962, The Big Honey Hunt, the franchise has written over 400 titles, selling 260 million copies worldwide in 23 languages.
Five animated television specials featuring the Berenstain Bears were created, as well as an animated series that aired from 1985 to 1987 as part of CBS' Saturday Morning Lineup. In 2002, the animated series returned with 40 additional episodes and a theme song performed by country singer Lee Ann Womack.
As we venture into the new year, I hope you enjoy this look back at classic children's literature. The set below depicts the story "Life with Papa," although you'd need another pack to finish the story!
I'd also like to just say, that no matter what the current "timeline" says, they'll always be the Beren-STEIN Bears to me! :)
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Comments
Loved the Bernstein Bears as a kid!
ReplyDeleteMy mom was an elementary school teacher and I remember when I stuck in her classroom (either after school or when she was setting up at the end of summer) I often used to pass the time reading this books. She taught 2nd grade, so she had a lot of these books in her classroom library.
It’s just one of those things I took for granted growing up. Now days, I don’t even see those books anymore - even in my own school’s library. Maybe they do have some copies, but I’ve never noticed it. I know I definitely don’t have those in my classroom library, but I teach slightly older kids.
If I ever run into any in the school library, I’m definitely going to steal it (checkout/borrow) to show my students and see if they’ve ever even heard of the Berenstain Bears. I would be surprised if any do, though… even one of the young TEACHERS I work with didn’t recognize Mr. Rogers the other week.
And… I can’t edit my post. Jeff, what was the point in me signing up for an account if I can’t fix my typos! =P
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check the local library to see if they have any. We have our originals, and since the son is still making new books, we've bought a few for our daughter off of Amazon. Let me know if you ever see any!
DeleteYou're in my wheelhouse now. The Berenstain Bears have been in my life for the last 40 years or so. Mom would buy the books for me when I was young, and I would check out the hardbacks from the school library.
ReplyDeleteThe ones at the library were the early ones. They were more simple to read for a younger crowd I guess, and the ones Mom bought were the ones we probably all remember. The ones like "Go To Camp", "No Girls Allowed", and "Trouble With Money".
I remember the CBS Saturday Morning cartoon, and was excited for it when I first saw the commercial that it was coming.
Years and years later, when we were expecting our first child, Mom gave me all of my old books, as she had held onto them and I never knew it. My daughters grew up having Berenstain Bear books read to them at bedtime, and before bed it was a nightly routine to watch the 2002 series as part of Sprout's Goodnight Show.
I still have all of my original books that both I and my kids enjoyed. And one day, if I'm a lucky man, I'll have grandchildren to share them with too.
I know exactly what you mean about the older books. My favorite was "The Picnic," where Papa took the family all over creation before ending up back home. The artwork on those older ones is amazing. My daughter loves them just as much, and she even gets into the cartoon series now and then.
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