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The Berenstain Bears
The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV
Come for a visit in Bear Country with this classic First Time Book® from Stan and Jan Berenstain. Papa, Brother, and Sister have a new favorite hobby . . . watching TV. But when Mama feels like they are missing out on all the wonderful things around them, she makes a plan to get them away from the TV and into the outdoors. This beloved story is a perfect way to teach children that there can be too much of a good thing.
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 1984
146 people are currently reading
2823 people want to read
About the author
Stan Berenstain
905 books701 followersStan and Jan Berenstain (often called The Berenstains) were American writers and illustrators best known for creating the children's book series the Berenstain Bears. Their son Mike Berenstain joined them as a creative team in the late 1980s.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews
September 8, 2018
The Bears have become TV zombies. Mama steps in and connects them to nature again. This is pretty good and TV is addictive. They should really run some AA meetings for TV addiction. I could have used that at one point in my life. I can easily get sucked into TV world.
The kids love the bears so this was a favorite in our house, although the kids weren’t crazy about the message. The nephew is a TV zombie. He will detach after awhile, but he loves TV and the Niece likes TV and she gets bored of it after a while. The Nephew couldn’t understand what was wrong with TV. I like Mama having the kids watch the stars come out. The kids did not want to do that.
A fun book from 1984.
The kids love the bears so this was a favorite in our house, although the kids weren’t crazy about the message. The nephew is a TV zombie. He will detach after awhile, but he loves TV and the Niece likes TV and she gets bored of it after a while. The Nephew couldn’t understand what was wrong with TV. I like Mama having the kids watch the stars come out. The kids did not want to do that.
A fun book from 1984.
May 1, 2022
Read with my Grandson tonight. It reinforces what my son is trying to teach him. The Berenstain bears 🐻 are always great for a good lesson and learning experience, this was no exception.
October 10, 2022
Brother and sister bear have started watching TV every day after school for hours and papa bear joins them too. Initially, mama bear didn't mind it but when it has become a habit she steps in and tells them that they aren't allowed to watch TV for a week including papa bear.
They use their no TV week to sit outside under the stars, talk among themselves, go shopping and get the things that they want. Turns out that the brother and sister bear seem to really enjoy those activities but papa bear does not.
I loved the simple story and the message at the end. The pictures are cute and colorful in line with other Berenstain Bears books.
4 stars
They use their no TV week to sit outside under the stars, talk among themselves, go shopping and get the things that they want. Turns out that the brother and sister bear seem to really enjoy those activities but papa bear does not.
I loved the simple story and the message at the end. The pictures are cute and colorful in line with other Berenstain Bears books.
4 stars
March 31, 2009
Papa Bear wouldn't stop watching TV. At the end, he watched the fish jump and tv. It was very very very very very very funny!
March 20, 2023
A classic book from they days when I was a kid, but the premise still applies. Swap out TV with tablet/phone/computer and the message is the exact same. There is a whole world out there to discover and enjoy. Sometimes you just need a kick in the butt from Mama Bear to get out there and do it!
November 13, 2018
Somewhere in this story is a load of painful irony for parents reading a book written three and a half decades ago for children, which is still very relevant today. Although it is another fun and great read from the Berenstains, it is also a bit sobering. Netflix. Smart phones. Video games (Fortnite for starters). The addictiveness of video screens in any format has only increased since the 1980s. And the battle for parents to keep their kids from turning into zombies is not only fiercer, but now they have to win the battle for themselves too. Because it is not only kids that are becoming detached form society now, but adults as well. The screens are allowing us to interact only cursorily with real people, often while we are still have ear phones on/in and have our head bent down over our phones. Having a front row seat to high school students and see the constant barrage of video game and music input and overload is daunting. The ability to function without being plugged into some form of entertainment is quickly receding from our country. Without going on to much more, if you are concerned at all about this for your kids, Too Much TV is a place to start which I highly recommend.
December 2, 2009
Life-changing. Kill your television.
April 9, 2015
When the TV is on
All day without rest,
Mama knows it's too much
And Mama Knows best.
Mama decides that the family is watching too much TV and decides to have a week without TV.
Papa Bear seems to have a problem with this and keeps trying to sneak in some TV. My husband pointed out that Mama Bear shouldn't have imposed the no TV rule on Papa Bear unless he was willing to consent to it considering he's the head of the household. At the very least, the "no TV" restriction should have been discussed between the two parents before confronting the cubs with it so the parents would have provided a united front for the children. Needless to say, this is one of the Berenstain Bear books he doesn't like and I'm inclined to agree.
All day without rest,
Mama knows it's too much
And Mama Knows best.
Mama decides that the family is watching too much TV and decides to have a week without TV.
Papa Bear seems to have a problem with this and keeps trying to sneak in some TV. My husband pointed out that Mama Bear shouldn't have imposed the no TV rule on Papa Bear unless he was willing to consent to it considering he's the head of the household. At the very least, the "no TV" restriction should have been discussed between the two parents before confronting the cubs with it so the parents would have provided a united front for the children. Needless to say, this is one of the Berenstain Bear books he doesn't like and I'm inclined to agree.
February 16, 2009
"Don't watch too much television."
February 13, 2018
Trigger warning: you might feel a little convicted by how much you're using the TV as a babysitter.
:) Seriously, when the kids were small we had PBS Kids on from when they went on the air until they went off. Every day. Yes, it was easy, and because it was all 'educational' programming it was easy to justify. Because the stuff the Bears did the week the TV was off requires, you know, time and interaction with the kids (cubs). So yeah, turn off your TV and get out and do stuff!
I love how Papa Bear had the worst time with this. It's nice to see the adults have issues with TV watching as well. Yeah...we could have done some things better. I wonder how the Berenstain Bears would confront social media today...
:) Seriously, when the kids were small we had PBS Kids on from when they went on the air until they went off. Every day. Yes, it was easy, and because it was all 'educational' programming it was easy to justify. Because the stuff the Bears did the week the TV was off requires, you know, time and interaction with the kids (cubs). So yeah, turn off your TV and get out and do stuff!
I love how Papa Bear had the worst time with this. It's nice to see the adults have issues with TV watching as well. Yeah...we could have done some things better. I wonder how the Berenstain Bears would confront social media today...
January 8, 2012
I think there's a very good reason that this book series has spanned decades and maintained popularity. It gives children the chance to think on their own and make their own choices for behaviors that carry over into their adult lives. Many of these issues will be ones that will persist through their lives, just on different levels of course.
I know I still have times when I watch a lot of television and start to wonder if I'm becoming a couch potato. Books like these at least make me *think* about it now as an adult.
*Review also posted to Amazon
I know I still have times when I watch a lot of television and start to wonder if I'm becoming a couch potato. Books like these at least make me *think* about it now as an adult.
*Review also posted to Amazon
April 14, 2020
#53 of 2020
Such a great lesson about bad habits in this gem of a book.
Such a great lesson about bad habits in this gem of a book.
July 22, 2025
A great idea! No TV for an entire week. The Bear family watches way too much TV and our household is very similar to theirs in this regard; now we just have to convince "Papa Bear" to go without for a whole week. Hmmmm... In any case, it's a great reminder of all the many things you can do without the boob tube on.
April 12, 2017
The great thing about all the Berenstain Bear books is that they are topical and timely, no matter what age your child is when reading them. Too much TV is something my wife and I have both relayed to our little one lately, so once she saw the effects it had on Sister and Brother bear, it made it a little easier for us to deliver the message. It also didn't hurt to have the weather turn nice.
September 10, 2008
I read a ton of these books when I was little, but this is the one I remember most because, well, I watched too my TV and my parents thought this would get through to me. It didn't, but I did love those bears!
Read
March 4, 2009this book is about when brother bear and sister bear and papa bear are waching to much t.v. then mama bear gets really mad at them because they are waching when they get home from school. then it goes to far. what will mama bear do?
August 28, 2009
I love all the Berentstain Bears books but this one in particular because Mama Bear thinks the "Cubs" are watching too much TV and so they have to read instead. What a great project to do with our students. Have them turn off the TV of a whole week have them document what they do instead-like read!
February 22, 2008
my mom got this one to teach my brother and i a lesson i think. don't think it worked as i loooooove tv. even when i read....i watch tv.....
May 20, 2009
Another I recall with much affection. Makes me realise even more how absolutely awesome my mother is too, for reading me so many books as a littlie! ♥ Could not have asked for a better mum.
July 21, 2009
I liked this book too and it should be read to or with kids so they can learn to do more than watch TV!!
August 31, 2009
Great one for those who are trying to cut back on watching t.v. - for kids
March 11, 2010
These books are great for families trying to teach children valuable life lessons, this book helps teach kids why watching too much tv is bad.
January 3, 2011
The Berenstain Bears are classic books for childhood, even the more modern ones such as TOO MUCH TV. This is a good message for young children from characters they already love and respect.
August 16, 2011
My kids love all the Berenstain Bears books, and they don't realize there are important lessons in each story.
June 5, 2025
Kids classic. I think we all read this one!
March 10, 2022
There is a pattern in these books of mama bear laying down the law and having to nag papa and the kids and I don’t love it. She unilaterally decides everybody’s watching too much tv and we’re going cold turkey on tv for a week. It’s a bit much.
That being said the pacing and writing of this book is in the sweet spot. Early Berenstain bears books are pretty sparse and a little out there, later ones (esp the Mike Berenstain ones) are fine but get a little TOO anodyne and mellow. Everyone gets a little snarky in this one.
What’s fun about this one is it actually shows them getting a color tv for the first time. And papa bear putting out new fangled tech (an antenna) to get more “programs.” Imagine mama doing this today! It’s a lot more complicated taking everybody’s computers, tablets and phones! And there’s a lot more out there than “The Bear Stooges” and “Nutty Bear” these days.
I feel pretty old these days but I have no idea what “Nutty Bear” is even referencing and it makes me feel a tiny bit younger. I’ll take it.
That being said the pacing and writing of this book is in the sweet spot. Early Berenstain bears books are pretty sparse and a little out there, later ones (esp the Mike Berenstain ones) are fine but get a little TOO anodyne and mellow. Everyone gets a little snarky in this one.
What’s fun about this one is it actually shows them getting a color tv for the first time. And papa bear putting out new fangled tech (an antenna) to get more “programs.” Imagine mama doing this today! It’s a lot more complicated taking everybody’s computers, tablets and phones! And there’s a lot more out there than “The Bear Stooges” and “Nutty Bear” these days.
I feel pretty old these days but I have no idea what “Nutty Bear” is even referencing and it makes me feel a tiny bit younger. I’ll take it.
February 17, 2025
Great message!
March 3, 2025
I love my shows!
August 10, 2018
It's probably for the best that this book was written back in the simpler days of 1984; I think Mama's head would have exploded with the advent of cable, DVRs and streaming. Although Mama probably should have consulted with Papa before instituting an edict of no TV for a week, it's a perfectly good idea and allows for the family to explore other enjoyable screen-free activities. I like that Brother pointedly asks Mama what her issue is with TV as well as her reasonable response to explain her stance which allows for compromise.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews