Customer Reviews

The Berenstain Bears' Bedtime Battle

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

We are huge Berenstain Bears fans in our family. When we learned of a new book coming, we were thrilled. And to have a subject that we deal with every night in our own house, well, even better. But there are some things that didn't line up with the normal Berenstain Bears that we love. The drawings, for instance, are not the normal crisp and clear ones as usual. These are fuzzy and seem out of focus. The story itself is true to the real bedtime battles we all face, but there is no moral behind the story, also something new to the Bear family. Brother and Sister don't learn how to make bedtime easier for themselves or their parents. And Papa and Mama don't learn anything about handling the cubs bedtime better. Strange. All in all, it's an OK story book but if you are looking for a little help at bedtime, this is not the place you'll find it.

Like other reviewers, I was disappointed with this book. We've come to expect much from the Berenstain Bears -- foremost: a lesson. This book details a frustrating situation that leaves the parents exhausted. Instead of going to bed like Papa Bear instructs, the kids dilly-dally around with toys, baths, books and more. The parents present a disunited front and the kids respond with chaos. In the end, Brother and Sister put Mama and Papa to bed then stay up to read books. The respect and obedience usually present in these stories is missing. In its place is whining, excuses and procrastination.

I may have liked the book more, if I had bought it with different expectations. But with these loved characters, this story merely disappoints. I'm returning the book before reading it to my children.

I wish I had read the reviews before purchasing this book. I love the Berenstain Bears and thought this book would offer my children some insight into dealing with our own "bedtime battles." Isn't that what our beloved Berenstain Bears books do? Teach a lesson? There is no moral in this book; Mama and Papa simply fall asleep reading to the cubs. Thus, the message this book seems to send is that if a child dawdles and fusses long enough, he/she can stay up all night reading books. I'm disappointed. I bought this book to address the problem, not to reinforce it.

I am having those bedtime battles and this book generates a conversation when we read it. She loves the Berenstein Bears and relates to the stories so it works for us!

My family and I are HUGE fans of the Berenstain Bears books- mostly for the lessons they teach. This particular volume didn't teach much of a lesson. Brother and Sister Bear were having "Bedtime Battles" every night and it was resolved by Mama and Papa Bear going to sleep before them. I think the older Berestain Bears books are better for lessons than the new ones.

Brother and Sister bear do not want to go to bed. They are told to pick up their toys but putts at it so they can stay up later. Papa puts in too much bubbles in their bubble bath. They argue over which stories to have read. In the end, Mama and Papa are asleep and the cubs lay in their beds reading.

My wife and I enjoyed reading this book to our kids, 4 and 6. They laughed out loud at the picture of the pink bath bubbles getting out of hand. The story also sends a good message for families--try to see things from the other family members' point of view and try to have some sympathy for them. The fact that Mama and Papa Bear get so tired that they fall asleep while trying to put their cubs to bed is very cute and true to life. Brother and Sister Bear are concerned about them and don't want to disturb them. I think the message of "givie your parents a break!" will get accross to kids very effectively in this charming book.

I would love to ask the authors what in the world they were thinking!!! Absolutely terrible book. Berenstein Bears are known for having a LESSON to be learned - I don't understand what the heck happened with this tale! It ends with mom and dad falling asleep after being so worn out by one stalling tactic after another and brother and sister bear staying up reading in their bed!! WHAT?!?! I couldn't believe it when I read the story - that is seriously how this ends?!?! No helpful lesson, no wise words to encourage your child why to skip the bedtime battle and just go to bed like mom and dad ask - nope, apparently the lesson here is if you run your parents ragged enough, they'll fall asleep and you can stay up. I was stunned and still can't believe this is actually a Berenstein Bears book. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY LIKE I DID!!!

We bought this for our one year old daughter. She isn't quite into this type of book yet but my husband & I loved these books when we were kids and we're collecting them for our daughter.

I agree with the other reviewers that there is something lacking in this story...no real obvious lesson to be learned, unlike what the Berenstain Bears are usually known for. However, we purchased this one since we were frequently having trouble getting our 5 year-old son ready for bed (plus he loves the Berenstain Bears). The story didn't mirror our situation exactly, but did hit close enough to the mark that it made an impression on him. After reading the book, we were able to process it further with him about what happened, how Papa and Mama were feeling (developing empathy) and what they all could have done differently. Since reading the book and addressing it further, our own bedtime battle has diminished greatly!