Easter is coming up, and whether you are on the hunt for items for your little one’s Easter basket, or just need a few book recommendations before your next trip to the Library, we have compiled a list of some of our favorite Berenstain Bears Easter stories! We have added a few new books to our repertoire since our last Reading List in 2018, so check out our updated 2023 choices below and see what’s new

The Berenstain Bear’s Easter Sunday

Celebrate Easter with the Bear Family! In this Living Lights Story, Readers tag along with Mama, Papa, Brother, Sister, and Honey as they go to church services, have an Easter treasure hunt, and learn about Easter.

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The Berenstain Bears Meet the Easter Bunny

It’s springtime in Bear Country and the Berenstain Bears are excited to celebrate Easter! Colored eggs, sweet goodies, and beautiful flowers help make the holiday beloved. But when the Easter Bunny fails to deliver eggs on this special day, it’s up to the Bears to save the holiday!

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The Berenstain Bears and the Real Easter Eggs

Join Brother and Sister as they go on the Giant Beartown Easter Egg Hunt. The cubs are trying to collect the most Easter eggs, but when they discover a mama bird’s nest about to hatch, it’s the true meaning of the holiday that they find.

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The Berenstain Bears and the Very First Easter

Celebrate Easter with the Berenstain Bears family as they share the story of Jesus’ final days on Earth and His glorious resurrection. Join Mama, Papa, Brother, Sister, and Honey as they take you down that fond and familiar sunny dirt road, deep in Bear Country to discover the story of the very first Easter.

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The Berenstain Bears and the Baby Easter Bunny

On Easter morning, the cubs find the best surprise of all in their Easter basket: a tiny baby bunny. When the Bear family goes on an Easter egg hunt, the bunny has an idea of its own. It wants to find other Easter babies! Join Brother, Sister, and the baby Easter bunny as they explore flower patches, leafy bushes, and even Farmer Ben’s chicken coop in search of spring babies. Flaps on each page open to reveal a different animal family hiding underneath!

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The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story

Young Readers will discover that Easter is more than candy and egg hunts as they read about the Bear cubs at Sunday school learning about Jesus’ resurrection and salvation.

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The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Parade

Spring is here, the sun is shining, and the Berenstain Bears are getting ready for the Easter parade!

The Berenstain Bears are back in this Easter adventure. That is, everyone except Brother Bear, who just can’t seem to get in good spirits. What will bring a smile to Brother Bear’s face during this happy Easter celebration?

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The Berenstain Bears’ Easter Blessings

Join the Bear Family as they get ready for Church, and attend service with their Gramps, Gran, and close neighbors. Little ones will learn the true spirit o the holiday as the Bears enjoy their Easter church celebrations and favorite hymns.

This month marks the 60th birthday of the first Bear book from Stan & Jan Berenstain, The Big Honey Hunt! Since 1962 Stan, Jan, and later Mike Berenstain would go on to publish over 500 books about the Bear family, translated into 20 different languages, with over 350 million books sold to date. The Berenstain Bears have not only graced the pages of storybooks, chapter books, and board books, but over the past 60 years, they have also been found on bed sheets, clothing, shoes, puppets, TV screens, and even on the pages of People Magazine alongside their creators Stan & Jan.

This month as we celebrate the book-versary of The Big Honey Hunt, you can learn how the very first book came to be in our previous blog post from our 55th anniversary. We also want to honor the legacy of Sterling Lord, who passed away on September 2 at age 102. Lord was the Berenstain’s longtime literary agent who helped connect Stan & Jan to Bennett Cerf & Ted Geisel (Dr. Suess). These connections helped bring The Big Honey Hunt to life. Sterling worked with Stan & Jan Berenstain for the rest of their careers, and he launched not only the Berenstain Bears but also the career of Jack Kerouac. Below we have included a message from Mike Berenstain about Sterling’s impact and an excerpt from Stan & Jan’s Autobiography Down A Sunny Dirt Road.

My family’s literary agent of sixty years, Sterling Lord, passed away at the age of 102 . Sterling sold the very first Berenstain Bears book, The Big Honey Hunt, to Ted (Dr. Seuss) Geisel at Random House in 1961. I knew Sterling from childhood on through my own professional working life. He was a charming and distinguished gentleman of publishing. My parents wrote about their introduction to Sterling in their autobiography, Down a Sunny Dirt Road:

“It took us about two months to write and illustrate the manuscript of our children’s book. During that period, two things happened that governed the fate of both the manuscript and its authors. First, a group of editors with whom we were working decided we needed an agent. Their reason: too many legal questions were arising in the course of our helter-skelter cartooning/writing career. Did the ‘next book’ clause in our contract with Macmillan, our hardbook publisher, cover original paperbacks? Did we own the rights to our McCall’s cartoons or did McCall’s? Was the ‘greeting books’ project we were working on with Bantam in conflict with our Hallmark arrangement?

While the idea of giving up 10 percent of our earnings to our agent wasn’t anathema, it was worrisome to a couple of penny-counting overgrown depression-era kids. However, given the increasingly complicated job of negotiating contracts, the idea was beginning to sound attractive. But we didn’t know anything about agents. How would we find one? We asked our various editors – Al Hart at Macmillan, Arlene Donovan and Marc Jaffe at Dell, and Knox Burger at Fawcett – for suggestions They each gave us a list of three or four agents. The names meant nothing to us. But there was the odd circumstance that one name appeared on all of the lists.

‘Who is Sterling Lord? How come he is on all of the lists?’ we asked Darlene Donovan (who went on to become a leading movie producer, most notably, perhaps, of Places of the Heart, which won two Academy Awards). 

‘Well, it sort of makes sense,’ said Arlene. ‘What are you two? Are you cartoonists who write or are you writers who cartoon? You’re neither fish nor fowl. And Sterling is…well, flexible.’

‘Flexible how?’ we asked. 

‘He’s open to trying new things. Right now, for instance, he’s booking Jack Kerouac into coffeehouses for poetry readings.’ 

‘Oh,’ we said. 

‘Is there anything you’d like me to do for starters?’ asked Sterling at our first meeting when we told him about our grand plan for a children’s book about a family of bears, he said, ‘Fine. I’ll give Phyllis a call.’

‘Who’s Phyllis?’ we asked.

‘Phyllis is Bennett’s wife,’ he explained to the two hicks from Philadelphia. ‘She’s a publisher at Beginner Books.’ We did know that Bennett Cerf was chairman and co-founder of Random House. We watched him guess occupations every Sunday night as a panelist on What’s My Line. We sent Sterling the Bear manuscript. A couple days later he called and said he’d had a nice lunch with Phyllis. She loved our work in McCall’s and was sending a contract over by messenger. Wow! Woosh! So that’s how it was done! You got yourself an agent who was on a first-name, let’s have brunch basis with Phyllis Cerf and just like that, abracadabra, presto change-o, a contract was sent over via messenger.”

Earth Day is here, and the Berenstain Bears are ready to celebrate! The themes of eco-conservation, recycling, and “going green” have been a prominent part of the Berenstain Bears books, starting in the Berenstain Bears’ Science Fair published in 1977 (now a part of The Berenstain Bears Big Book of Science and Nature). In that story, Papa Bear highlights the importance of lessening our dependence on fossil fuels. After several books and two calendars, the Bear Family is still promoting taking care of our planet to this day. Below we share some of our favorite Books just in time for Earth Day, followed by a peek inside one of our “Earth Savers Calendars” from the early 90s.

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The Berenstain Bears Go Green

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The Berenstain Bears and the Big Book of Science and Nature

Discover fun facts about the natural world in the company of the Berenstain Bears and their friend, Professor Actual Factual, the foremost bear scientist of his time! This treasury of knowledge includes a complete almanac of the seasons and intriguing information about animals, plants, insects, and fish — plus fun for the whole family with simple science projects.

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The Berenstain Bears and the Coughing Catfish

Fishing in Lake Grizzly, the bear scouts are astounded when Lizzy reels in the ailing Old Jake, the Catfish King, who tells them that his people are becoming ill because of the lake’s polluted conditions.

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The Berenstain Bears Don’t Pollute

When careless citizens pose a threat to Bear Country’s environment, Brother and Sister Bear form the Earthsavers Club. Their spirited ecological efforts deliver a timely message about the urgent need to mend our polluting and wasteful ways.

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The Berenstain Bears and the Showdown at Chainsaw Gap

When there’s a clash between the lumber interests (including Papa Bear) and the environmentalists (who want to protect an endangered bird), the cubs have some tough decisions to make. 

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Swipe through to see some helpful “Green” tips from our Earthsaver’s Calendar!

You may have passed down holiday traditions but have you thought about trying out some new ones this year? A lot has changed in the past year and a half and we encourage you to embrace the change and try a few fun Christmas activities inspired by the Berenstain Bears that could soon turn into beloved family favorites. Check out our list below!

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Grab your extra wrapping paper, coloring supplies, or even use a potato stamp to create your own DIY Christmas cards! If you have little ones you can even make some hand print cards in holiday themed colors. The possibilities are endless and the card recipients will love seeing your family’s unique creations!

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We hope you have a happy and healthy holiday season, and a very Merry Christmas! If you try one new tradition, or all of them we are sure they will help you create wonderful holiday memories your family will cherish for years to come!

Spooky Season is here an we have the perfect reading list to get your cubs ready for Halloween! The Bear family dresses up, face their fears, and have lots of fun in all of these classic Berenstain Bears stories. Happy Reading and Trick or Treat!

The Berenstain Bears Big Halloween Party

It’s trick-or-treat season in Bear Country, and the whole neighborhood is getting together for the big Halloween party at the Bear family’s treehouse! There will be a big Halloween parade, ghoulish games, a monstrous costume contest, and trick-or-treating for everyone. Brother, Sister and Honey can hardly wait for all the ghostly goodies and fun! 

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The Berenstain Bears in the Dark

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The Berenstain Bears and the Haunted House

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The Berenstain Bears and the Ghost of the Theater

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The Berenstain Bears Go on a Ghost Walk

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The Berenstain Bears Trick Or Treat

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The Berenstain Bears and the Ghost of the Forest

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The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree

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The Tokyo Olympics kick off today, and to celebrate we’ve pulled together a companion reading list full of the Bear family’s favorite summer Olympic sports! From I Can Read storybooks for early readers, to chapter books for the more advanced, we’ve got options for all ages. We hope you enjoy the games this summer, and hopefully a few books!

The Berenstain Bears We Love Soccer

From passing the ball to scoring goals, there’s enough excitement on the soccer field to fill a sunny afternoon! But when Mama starts getting too involved, it’s up to the cubs to remind her what playing soccer is really all about. The Berenstain Bears: We Love Soccer! is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it’s perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences.

THE BERENSTAIN BEARS PLAY A GOOD GAME

In this faith-based storybook Coach Papa Bear wants his team to play fair. But the other coach just wants to win. The Berenstain Bears Play a Good Game shows that players and coaches should act in a way that is fair and sportsmanlike, following God’s word.

The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Tryouts

In this faith-based chapter book Sister Bear is eager to show off her soccer prowess. She is a super soccer player, so she should be a shoo-in at soccer tryouts … except for one little problem. Sister Bear is too small. Will Sister make the team despite her size?

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Bears on Wheels

The gradually increasing number of bears on wheels–unicycles, bikes, and trikes–engage in silly antics that will make beginning readers giggle as they learn beginning math skills. Step 1 Readers feature big type and easy words. Rhymes and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story. For children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading.

The Bike Lesson

Small Bear has a new bike, but before he can ride it, his dad insists on a teaching him about bike safety. From learning how to stop and turn to going down a hill and traveling roads you know, Small Bear has a lot to learn. And Papa Bear has an unforgettable way of showing his son all the tricks of biking. 

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Brother Bear and Sister Bear love to ride their skateboards. When their usual skating park closes, the only place left to ride is a neighborhood spot where helmets are not the fashion! Will Brother and Sister forget Mama’s advice about putting safety first?

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In this faith-based storybook Brother Bear is trying out for the Basketball team. The competition is stiff, and Brother soon discovers the lesson that God loves everyone because he made them, not because they’re successful.

In this faith-based chapter book, Brother Bear learns about the importance of choosing the right friends when he starts playing a pick-up basketball game out in the woods with Too-Tall and his gang.

In this Berenstain Bears chapter book the cubs get ready for the match-up of the season! Bully Too-Tall makes fun of Harry and calls him “Wheels” because he’s in a wheelchair. But Harry can handle it–he even challenges Too-Tall to a basketball game! See who comes out victorious, and if Too-Tall eats his words.

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It’s time for baseball tryouts in Bear Country and Brother is feeling the pressure. Will he be any good? Will Sister make the team over him? See how the Bear cubs fare in this classic Berenstain Bears Storybook!

The Bear family is excited take in everything the ballpark has to offer, from the seventh-inning stretch to catching a fly ball, but will Papa Bear get a chance to actually enjoy the game? The Berenstain Bears: We Love Baseball! is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it’s perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences.

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In this Berenstain Bears chapter book there’s a brand-new pool at Bear Country School, and all the cubs are raring to try out for the swim team. No one is more surprised than Sister Bear when she outswims every cub in every event–even the butterfly stroke! With visions of Bearlympics gold dancing in Papa Bear’s furry head, he insists on being Sister’s personal trainer as she prepares for the big meet. It’s a decision that everyone in the Bear family will live to regret, for Papa–armed with his trusty clipboard, whistle, and stopwatch–will stop at nothing to achieve victory! Whoever said it doesn’t matter whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game . . . that sure wasn’t Papa!

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It’s finally the Bear Family Big Track Meet! After years of training, Papa, Sister, and Brother are ready to race, jump, and climb their way to win gold. But there can only be one champion at the top of the podium. Who will it be? The Berenstain Bears’ Big Track Meet is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it’s perfect for children learning to sound out words and read full sentences.

During the summers of his childhood, Mike Berenstain remembers the annual trips he would take with his family to his grandparent’s beach house in Brigantine, NJ. The Berenstains’ fondness for the beach comes up often in the bear books, and can even be seen in their early “All in the Family” cartoons published years prior to their children’s books.

Although the Bear’s beach house has evolved over the years from the tiny bungalow seen in “Bears’ Vacation” to the roomier family home seen in “Pirate Adventure”, all of the Bear books that take place at the beach reference the Berenstain family experience in Brigantine.

To get ready for the summer, we have pulled together a reading list of our favorite Berenstain Bear books that take place at the Beach! We have them in chronological order, so you can see how the characters, the location, and the Bears’ activities evolve over the years!

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The Bears’ Vacation, 1968

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The Berenstain Bears By the Sea, 1998

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The Berenstain Bears’ Seashore Treasure, 2005

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The Berenstain Bears Go on Vacation, 2006

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The Berenstain Bears’ Pirate Adventure, 2016

Family time, lots of yummy food, giant pumpkins, what could be better? Here in Bear country we will be fitting as much Thanksgiving in as we can this November. So, to celebrate we have pulled together a reading list of our favorite Berenstain Bears Thanksgiving stories to get your family ready for the holiday. Enjoy, and we hope you have a very happy Thanksgiving!

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In The Berenstain Bears’ Thanksgiving, The Berenstain Bear family prepares for a special Thanksgiving celebration, unaware that the legendary monster of all monsters, Bigpaw, is coming to Bear Country.

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In The Berenstain Bears Thanksgiving Blessings, the Bear family is on route to Gran and Gramps’ house. It’s Thanksgiving Day and the cubs could not be more excited for pie, roast turkey, and all the trimmings. But Mama reminds them that there are more important things to be thankful for beyond the feast.

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The Berenstain Bears Thanksgiving All Around is a lift-the-flap format invites children to discover fall foliage, red apples, round pumpkins, and of course, a fine turkey alongside the beloved Bear family.

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The Berenstain cubs act out the first Thanksgiving complete with costumes, props, and a full Thanksgiving feast. But will Sister Bear’s pet turkey play the part of dinner? The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks teaches how God provided for the pilgrims and reminds children of God’s many blessings.

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In The Berenstain Bears and the Prize Pumpkin The Bear family might not win the blue ribbon for their entry in the pumpkin contest during the annual Bear Country Thanksgiving Festival, but they do gain a new appreciation of the true spirit of the holiday and all they have to be thankful for.

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Autumn is a beautiful time of year, and the folks of Bear Country are looking forward to everything the season brings. So when the Chapel in the Woods holds its first ever Harvest Festival, people gather at Farmer Ben’s for a wonderful time of family, friends, fun, and praising God for his gifts.

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Invite your kiddos into the kitchen and create new seasonal traditions by cooking together. Children of all ages will enjoy the 40 easy-to-follow recipes for Valentine’s Day, Easter, Fourth of July, fall holidays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas in The Berenstain Bears’ Holiday Cookbook.

Grandparent’s Day is September 13, and to celebrate we’ve pulled together some of our favorite stories featuring the Berenstain Bears and their beloved Gramps & Gran! Check out some of our favorites below, and be sure to thank the grandparents in your life this month!

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Brother and Sister’s visit to Gran and Gramp’s house takes an unexpected turn when they help clean up the attic and discover a dusty old family album. With Gramps, they look through old photos of Papa and Mama and learn fun, interesting stories about their family history.

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In The Berenstain Bears and the Week at Grandma’s, Mama and Papa have to go out of town, Brother and Sister get to go and stay with their grandparents. There the cubs have a fun-filled visit filled with eating cookies, exploring the attic, fish, and even attending a hoedown!

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Mama and Papa Bear are stunned when they receive a letter from Brother Bear’s teacher. Even though Brother Bear sits down diligently every night with an open notebook, he has “not” been completing his homework assignments. A visit to Gramps and Gran’s house shows brother where he should be focusing his attention.

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The Bears are having a family reunion, and all their relatives are invited. The tree house is ready, the tables are set, and the fun is about to start!

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In The Berenstain Bears Love is Kind, good manners have been wearing a little thin in the Bear family’s tree house. Maybe the bears just woke up on the wrong side of bed. Maybe they’re all so busy that they’re getting grouchy and cranky. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that things are on the wrong track in the politeness department. Grizzly Gran does not approve and aims to get things in the tree house back on the right track.

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While out of school for a few days with a cold, Brother Bear ignores his
make-up work. And when he returns to class, he discovers the consequences of
neglecting his responsibilities: he fails his division test. Grizzly Gramps
helps Brother learn that it’s never too late to correct a mistake.