Customer Reviews

Berenstain Bears and the Wheelchair Commando (Berenstain Bears First Time Chapter Books)

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

 

 

Brother and Sister Bear's new friend uses a wheelchair and the cubs have many questions for their mother about it. The concerns and questions they have are well explained and the story moves beautifully towards the conflict where the new cub proves himself. The story is well thought out and is very well geared toward children. The story's conflict and resolution are delightful.

When Brother and sister hear that there is a new cub in town. They are all hoping thatit will be someone who is good at basketball so that they can beat the pants off of too-tall. When they find out that the new cub is in a wheel chair. They feel so strange around him. Worst of all the new cub is so touchy about his wheelchair.

Will the cubs be able to make friends with the impossible cub?

It is a very good book that teachs kids that all cubs are the same and that it doesn't matter if you can walk or not.

Misconceptions are addressed and resolved in this little book of 104 pages. Readers are able to see how disability is viewed from a variety of people including: parents of a child with a disability, fellow classmates & their parents, a teacher, and the person with a disability. The parents say, `Harry's got to learn to get along with non-disabled cubs too'. One classmate seeing Harry for the first time says, `he's going to need a lot of help from the rest of us - a lot of help'.

The term `cripple' or "the C-word" is talked about is this book and its' use is discouraged by the school teacher. Although `the H-word' is used several times within a few pages near the end of the book, it is only used as a noun not referring to a person such as: `everybody's got a handicap'.

The Wheelchair Commando is also a good introduction to wheelchair sports! I would say the Berenstain's have done a very good job with this story, especially considering that this book is now 15 years old!