Grin and Bear It

One of my favorite book series growing up (and still to this day) was/is The Berenstain Bears. We had dozens and dozens of them and I'm still collecting them today.

Each book was so simple and beautiful. There was always a nice moral to help children understand certain things about life (it might do many adults well to read some of them!):

When cubs start to twitch

or to scratch or to nibble

what they need is some help,

not a lecture or quibble.

-from "The Berenstain Bears and the Bad Habit"

One's sense of self-worth

is often undone

the first time one feels

left out of the fun

-from "The Berenstain Bears and the In-Crowd"

"Please" and "Thank you"

Help quite a lot

To make a polite bear

Out of one who is not.

-from "The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners"

When the TV is on

All day without rest,

Mama knows it's too much-

And Mama knows best.

-from "The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV

When Bear Country's cubs

learn pollution's a fact,

they help grownups learn

to clean up their act.

-from "The Berenstain Bears Don't Pollute (Anymore)

Mama Bear was always so wise in how she helped the cubs find the answer to their problems. I really hope that this is a series that will stand the test of time.

As we mourn the loss this past week of The Berenstain Bears' creator, Jan Berenstain, make it a point to introduce a child in your life to the Berenstain Bears (I've started my niece reading The Spooky Old Tree, my personal favorite and she loves it!)

Thank you for your wonderful stories Jan!