If there is one cartoon family from a book that typifies my childhood, I'd have to pick the Berenstain Bears. I grew up on this family, went through all of their trials and tribulations and even read about the birth of Sister Bear. Recently, my mom-in-law gave me a box full of books that were my husband's when he was a little boy. In this box was The Berenstains' B Book. Who better than the Berenstain Bears to introduce this letter?

Stan and Jan Berenstain are the creative forces behind the Berenstain Bears. They got their start in 1956, when they did a cartoon feature for McCall's and Good Housekeeping magazines. In the early 60's, as their children were beginning to read, they became interested in early reader books. They came up with the Berenstain Bear characters because they could stand up and they looked good in clothes. Their first Berenstain Bear Book, The Big Honey Hunt, was published in 1962. And the rest, as they say, is history!

As the title states, The B Book deals with the letter B. The Berenstain's make a whole book out of alliteration! It's charming for an adult, but does tend to get confusing for a child at times. Here's an example:

Big brown bear, blue bull, beautiful baboon blowing bubbles biking backward, bump black bug's banana boxes and Billy Bunny's breadbasket and Brother Bob's baseball bus and Buster Beagle's banjo-bagpipe-bugle band...

It is even hard for me to follow! Luckily there are pictures to help describe the confusion. Another plus dealing with the text is how large it is. This is ever so important for young readers to be able to decipher individual letters. While reading, I ask my son to point out to me various letters (not just "b") and it helps that the text is adequately sized so that there is no mistaking which letters I'm pointing out for him.

Though the text can be trying, the pictures are fantastic! All are drawn simply and fill the page with their largeness. You will immediately recognize the Berenstain style. On the first page, you will find a close up shot of brown fur, then we see the bear's face, next is the brown bear being tapped on the back by a blue bull and then we are treated to the brown bear who's being tapped by the blue bull who is being tapped by a beautiful baboon dressed as...can you guess...a ballerina! After this we are introduced to so many other characters it becomes overwhelming.

When used as a teaching tool for the letter "B" I can see where this book can be used effectively. If you are someone who enjoys a good story and plot, even in children's books, I'd say try another one. This book's focus is on a letter, one letter, and beyond that it is skimpy.

Important Information

Published in 1971
ISBN: 0394823249
Price: New: $7.99
Half.com: Used, in Like New Condition: .75

Recommended: Yes