Berenstain bears, creator to visit South Side bookstore
Papa Bear and Mama Bear, of the beloved Berenstain Bears, will be visiting a SouthSide Works bookstore on Sunday, along with the man who creates them.
Michael Berenstain -- the second-generation author of the popular children's book series that began in 1962 and has produced more than 250 books -- will be visiting Joseph-Beth Booksellers. The visit is part of a national tour to promote the newest round of books from Zonderkidz, a division of HarperCollins Publishers. Berenstain, a native Pennsylvanian, will read aloud from "The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks," themed around the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, and do a drawing demonstration for kids. The costumed bear parents will greet visitors during the event.
The five books being released this month, along with the four released earlier this year, have a faith-based theme, which in some books is specifically Christian. Berenstain says this new flavor perfectly fit the bears, who always have shown kindness, goodness and love of family.
"This is something that I wanted to do. I'm Christian, so it's something that's meaningful for me and my history," says Berenstain, of Bucks County, near Philadelphia. "It's something close to my heart."
Fans of any religious background should love the books, and their universal themes about goodness, Berenstain says. The positive response to the books, he says, has been overwhelming.
Along with "Give Thanks," the new books being released this month are: "The Berenstain Bears Faithful Friends," "The Berenstain Bears Love Their Neighbors," and "The Berenstain Bears Play a Good Game." Zonderkidz this month also is releasing a reprint of a classic, "The Berenstain Bears' Christmas Tree."
The book series has remained popular for nearly five decades, Berenstain says, and has been passed down from grandparents to parents to today's children. The popularity comes from the focus on the nuclear family, the humor, the illustrations and the wholesome factor for young children, he says.
"Their relationships with their parents and interaction with the family group is what's most important to them," Berenstain says. "We try to be very funny in our books. ... We try to tell stories from a child's perspective."
Additional Information:
Berenstain Bears author book signing
When: 1-3 p.m. Sunday
Admission: Free
Where: Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 2705 Carson St., South Side
Details: 412-381-3600 or Web site
