Customer Reviews

The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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

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.

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...)

This will be a book read every Halloween and enjoyed by young children. It's also fun to embelish the story line with own family traditions or experiences.

The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat is a book I remember well from my childhood. The story starts out innocently enough with brother and sister bear comparing each other's costumes. Like most Berenstain Bears books, the story unwravels into a deeper subplot; a spooky elderly neighbor from across the street that brother and sister are afraid of. Papa tends to side with both, while Mama, being perhaps the only sensible family member of the series, tends to disagree with both as "appearances can be deciving" and that the cubs should give the women a chance.

When trick or treating comes along, Brother and Sister are still frightened by the whole ordeal, along with the other cubs coming along with them for their "trick or treat date". The Too Tall Gang, being much too trouble for their own good, randomly appear out of no where (as gangs tend to do) and have some plans of their own for the spooky neighbor, holding rolls of toilet paper in their hands for some good old Halloween fun. Brother and sister appear aprehensive about their plans for crimes, but decide to do so anyway. As the gang approches the house, they are stopped abruptly before the chance to toilet paper the women's house as she steps out to see what all the fuss is about.

The cubs are exsaperated with fear to be invited into the women's house. When they enter the house, however, they are shocked to be greeted by a batch of candy apples! Noticing none appear to have been take, Brother and Sister ask her about this, where she implies that no one had come all night. Brother and sister then realize how silly they were for being so biogted against their neighbor. Despite her old age and creepy looking tree house, she is a kind old lady who means well, with delicious candy apples for all. Both come home that night, shocking Papa out of his ignorance and having Mama Bear smile gloatingly in an "I told you so sort of way" as we learn along with the cubs that, indeed it's true, appearances are deciving.

It is when the book ends with Brother and Sister delightfully biting out of a candy apple, sinking their teeth into it's caramel coating that the book takes a disturbing turn for the worst. This is Halloween, not a day where all your family knows each other and gives you non poisioned, razor free treats. Well, maybe in Bear Country, where everyone seems to know each other, but no. The elderly women described in the book is a complete and absolute stranger. However, despite Mama Bear's strict warnings of staying in their own neighborhood as a hint of stranger danger for politically corret parents, Brother and Sister go into the house of a women they don't know, and Mama and Papa do not object to this. In fact, they encourage the chomping of their candy apples!

This is not a bad book, mind you, despite the poorly choosen aesop. The moral of the story is actually a pretty good one: Don't judge a book by it's cover. It also implies elderly respect since, as one can articulate, the women in this story is a creepy looking old hag, who tends to be a sweet caretaker with sweets for all who dare but enter. The only thing about this book that always got under my skin and just couldn't settle with me was the fact that a story about trusting a stranger is told amongst Halloween night. It's a rather weird and ironic message for the theme. And no, I'm not telling you this book is trash that should be disputed into a paper shredder by tomorrow night. It means well... it's just... another puzzling aspect of my childhood. But buy and it shall be a puzzling aspect of your child's life too.

We enjoy most of the Berenstain bear books and this was no exception. We read this before Halloween so my son who was just over 3 at the time, could get a sense of what he'd do when trick or treating. He enjoys the book and we're still reading it in January!

This is a great Halloween story. Of course, it's the Berenstain Bears - so it's almost a guaranteed hit - but it has a nice story too.

Brother and Sister Bear are preparing to go trick or treating with friends and are led astray - to the "haunted house" of the meanest bear in the town - but they learn the appearances can be deceiving!

Nicely written, a good moral, and yes, Papa Bear might not be the brightest Bear in the world - but he is just Papa - always himself, always honest, and very well balanced out by sensible Mama!!!

A definite find for the holiday!

Started holiday collection...this is my son's first one! I had them when I was little and they are the best!

My mom read these books to me when I was growing up and I loved these books! I know read these same books to my son and he love them too!

We bought this book for our 2 1/2 year old son and he loves it! He wanted us to read it every night before Halloween. It's great because it teaches a good lesson and isn't too scary for a young child. Definitely worth getting!