Product Description

Happy Holidays!

Well, maybe not so happy as far as Mama Bear is concerned. She misses Christmas past, when her family gathered together around a little tree, with feelings of love and goodwill. But this year it seems as if everybody in Bear Country has gone Christmas-crazy -- fighting for the last toy on the shelf, jamming the roadways with honking cars, and covering Bear homes with enough Christmas lights to blot out the stars.

Mama Bear isn't the only one who thinks this Christmas lacks the true holiday spirit. Someone is watching the Bears on his scanner-machine -- someone who knows more about Christmas than anyone and doesn't like what he sees one bit. It is Santa Bear, of course, and he's ready to take drastic action! Only the Berenstain Bears can change his mind, but will they be in time to save Christmas?

Like the Bear family, Stan, Jan, and Mike Berenstain have the true Christmas spirit in their hearts, and they prove it with this merry holiday story.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #369981 in Books
• Published on: 2003-10-01
• Released on: 2003-09-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 48 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780060526702
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3-From e-mails he receives from cubs, and by observing on his scanner machine, Santa Bear concludes that Christmas has been ruined: families are rude and competitive and the "-Christmas greedies were spreading through the land." He sets out, incognito, to search for the true spirit of the season. Luckily, Mama Bear has already put the brakes on, and the Bear family has reformed when disguised Santa arrives. Once again, a moral imperative is pounded home in the Berenstains' familiar, formulaic way. Problems of the overlong text, the meter that doesn't scan, and the canned illustrations will hardly matter to the Bears' many fans.-S. P.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Stan and Jan Berenstain were already successful cartoonists for magazines and adult humor books when they had a great idea for a children's book. Their sons, Leo and Mike, had just begun to read, and they decided to create a funny family who would have the everyday adventures children really want to read about. Then, as the Berenstains explain, "We chose bears because they can stand up, they look good in clothes, and they are fun to draw." The first story starring the Bear family, the big honey hunt, appeared in 1962. Since then more than 250 Berenstain Bears books have been published, and over 240 million copies sold, making the Berenstain Bears arguably the best-selling children's book series ever.

Over the years the stories have expanded to include picture books, beginning readers, and chapter books, and writing and illustrating the books has become a Berenstain family affair. Leo is the author of several of the chapter books, and Mike has illustrated more than forty Berenstain Bears books -- including this one. He has also written thirty-odd books on his own. The Bear family has expanded over the years as well. Sister Bear arrived in 1974, and another new baby joined the family in 2000.

Stan and Jan and Mike Berenstain live in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where they continue to write and illustrate wonderful new adventures for Mama, Papa, Brother, Sister, and Honey Bear.

Customer Reviews

A new "tradition" in our house
This book would be great for any family that is feeling overwhelmed with Christmas! It is a reminder to us all that Christmas has been lost in the decorating, the endless "I want" lists, artificial trees, light shows, etc... Santa Bear sees all of this happening in Bear Country and is very saddened by this and considers cancelling Christmas...One family shows him that their simple family Christmas still exists and Santa Bears faith in the old fashioned Christmas is renewed...The rhyming makes it easy for the kids to follow

a good christmas story with values
a good story reminding young ones that Christmas isn't all about getting presents. It does not have a religious overtone, so if you're looking for something more spiritual, keep looking.

Badly written
There really isn't much to be said for this book. It is written in the style of The Night Before Christmas but the wording is very tedious and does not flow at all. As another poster mentioned, it needs a rewrite.

This book does not mention god, rather dances around the topic. Personally as an atheist (yes, one who enjoys the season), I was glad for that and yet the message was very watered down. There was no warmth and joy, or perhaps it just seemed that way because I so hated reading it.

I usually don't hesitate in choosing Berenstain Bears, but now I'll look twice.