Early Reader Review: Friendship Blessings Collection by Jan and Mike Berenstain

Source: From Booklook Bloggers and Zonder Kids in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

The Berenstain Bears: Friendship Blessings Collection by Jan and Mike Baranstain
Publisher: Zonder Kids
Publication Date:  April 4, 2017

 

Format:  Hardback

Rating: 


 



Goodreads Synopsis: 

The Berenstain Bears Living Lights, series continues to attract young readers through creative and engaging stories that not only entertain but teach values and life lessons. Now, five of the series’ favorite titles are available in a great new hardcover. This Berenstain Bears Living Lights treasury called Friendship Blessings Collection is sure to be a popular choice for Berenstain Bears fans.

Review: 
This was a collection of Berenstain Bears books all about blessings and friendship. There were 5 stories in the collection which had a good balance of characters. The stories presented different problems and solutions and there was one following Papa, two about both Sister and Brother bear, one from Sister's point of view and one from Brother's point of view. 

Each stories begins with a Bible verse, however the first 2 stories can be read and are not very religious unless you apply the verse. The last 3 tales all have verses in them and messages to learn from them, they also have questions and activities following the story for families. 

The collection included:

Perfect Fishing Spot - about Papa looking for a fishing spot to catch a good fish for dinner, this story also had rhyming. 
 
Reap the Harvest - about Sister and Brother wanting to find something to do over the summer and deciding on a job.
 
Faithful Friends - about Sister and her best friend having an argument, also about jealousy.
 
Kindness Counts - about Brother making model planes and sharing the experience.

God Made You Special - about the family having a BBQ and there is a young boy that is not quite like the others. 

All of these stories had good messages for families and readers. I found the last one to be very vague about why the boy is "special" and that really bothered me. The discussion in the end for families says to talk about it but I think that if you are going to raise the issue in a children's book it is good to be clear. From the way that it is written, it seems that the boy has Autism, but the message is just that God made him special.

Overall I enjoyed the book, I normally mention that I am not religious, however the messages are positive and that is all that really matters. 

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