The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat [Paperback]

Stan Berenstain (Author), Jan Berenstain (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

As Brother and Sister Bear don their costumes to go trick-or-treating by themselves for the first time, they plan to avoid Miz McGrizz's spooky home. But during their Halloween outing, the cubs discover that appearances can be deceiving.  

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

As Brother and Sister Bear don their costumes to go trick-or-treating by themselves for the first time, they plan to avoid Miz McGrizz's spooky home. But during their Halloween outing, the cubs discover that appearances can be deceiving.  

About the Author

Stan and Jan Berenstain were both born in 1923 in Philadelphia.  They didn't know each other as children, but met later at school, at the Philadelphia College of Art.  They liked each other right away, and found out that the both enjoyed the same kinds of books, plays, music and art.  During World War II, Stan was a medical assistant in the Army, and Jan worked in an airplane factory.  When the war was over, they got married and began to work together as artists and writers, primarily drawing cartoons for popular magazines.  After having their two sons Leo and Michael, the Berenstains decided to write some funny children's books that their children and other children could read and enjoy.  Their first published children's book was called The Big Honey Hunt .  It was about a family of bears, who later became known as the "Berenstain Bears".  

Over 50 children's books later, Stan and Jan still plan all of their books together -- both write the stories, and both write the pictures.  They live outside of Philadelphia in the country.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (August 12, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679800913
• ISBN-13: 978-0679800910
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.2 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #178,763 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #50 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( B ) > Berenstain, Stan
  • #55 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Holidays & Festivals > Halloween
  • #63 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( B ) > Berenstain, Jan

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Two boys' review: Good read before you trick or treat, August 3, 2008

By 

Jared Castle (Roseburg, Oregon United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat (Paperback)

The book's message, "appearances can be quite deceiving," focuses on a spooky, old house with an elderly woman named Miz MGrizz. The little bears learn to not judge people unkindly by their appearance.

This is a tricky message as so much of the parental advice prior to Halloween is for kids to be on their guard.

The book does reinforce some great Halloween safety messages:

1. Stay in your own neighborhood.
2. Don't eat the treats until you get home and Mama Bear inspects them.


I also recommend these other Berenstain Bears' books:

The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Chores
The Berenstain Bears Forget Their MannersThe Berenstain Bears Get in a Fight
The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV
The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Childrens Book, December 1, 1999

By 

Ryan Craven (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat (Paperback)

The Berenstain Bears "Trick or Treat" is a good book for the 1st time readers. It tells the story of Brother and Sister on Halloween night. They are scarred to go to Miz McGrizz's house because they think she is a witch. They end up going there trying to cuase trouble but are suprised when they find out that she is a very nice person.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Appearances Can Be Deceiving, October 8, 2007

By 

Janet Boyer "Author, Blogger, Radio Host" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat (Paperback)

Like the book The Berenstain Bears' New Neighbors, The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat is a book tackling the subject of prejudice and not judging people by appearances.

However, like the other book, Papa's animosity and presumption is just too over the top--and, in my opinion, reinforces prejudice rather than challenges it.

For example, on the next to the last page, the kids are happily eating their take from Trick or Treating. Papa asks them where the beautiful candy apples came from. Brother and Sister inform him that they came from old Miz McGrizz.

"From that scary-looking old grouch puss that lives down Crooked Lane?", he asks. While the kids were surprised at Mizz McGrizz's kindness and friendliness and learned a lesson about rumors and assumption, the book ends on a rather sour note with Papa Bear's judgmentalism. In my opinion, it reinforces stereotype about the elderly and small-town rumors about "scary old people" who live in a "haunted house".

I feel that The Berenstain Bears and the Prize Pumpkin is a far better book to celebrate the Fall season (although that one is more about thankfulness/Thanksgiving).

This book has great illustrations because of the night scenes, to be sure, but I don't like how the ending focuses mostly on Papa Bear's insult against Mizz McGrizz (although it's great that the kids, at least, realized the error of their assumption based on neighborhood legend...)