The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat (First Time Books(R)) (Paperback)

by Stan Berenstain (Author), Jan Berenstain (Author) "The sights and sounds of autumn were all around as Mama Bear pushed her shopping cart along the path that led to the Bear family's..." (more)
Key Phrases: Crooked Lane

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
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.






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.  

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (August 12, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679800913
• ISBN-13: 978-0679800910
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 7.7 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #188,068 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #80 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( B ) > Berenstain, Stan
  #81 in	Books > Children's Books > Holidays & Festivals > Halloween > Fiction
  #90 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( B ) > Berenstain, Jan

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	Janet Boyer "JanetBoyer.com" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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...)

2 of 2 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

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.

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Halloween Book, September 24, 2008

By	P. Smith (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Yes, there is a moral to the story, but mostly my boys just enjoyed it because it was a fun Halloween story. It's one that's been requested by both of them over and over which is a real stamp of approval! Actually, I think this was the book that got each of them interested in the Berenstain Bears - and they're five years apart so each at a different point in time. Don't buy this one for the moral to the story; buy it because it's fun!