The Berenstain Bears and the Wheelchair Commando

The Berenstain Bears

by Stan Berenstain, Jan Berenstain

Illus. in black-and-white. 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!  

Genres: Childrens, Juvenile, Disability

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Stan 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.

Reviews

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a long chapter book, not a simple storybook like most of the Berenstain Bears books. It took me about 45 minutes to read it out loud to my special needs teenage son. There were parts of this story that was repeated over and over again which got kind of old, but overall this is a very good book. Teaching very good lessons to readers, both 'disabled' and not. This shows emotions and feelings from both a little boy (bear) in a wheelchair and Brother, Sister and their friends who are healthy. Teaching readers that everyone has some type of disability. For sister it was trouble with her math, with Papa it was he can't teach anyone and couldn't become a teacher like he wanted. For "wheels" he can't walk; but Brother and Sister soon break down the wall he has build around himself and they become friends. Even the school bully learns a lesson from Wheels and vice versa.

Being a mother of two special needs boys and needing to use wheelchairs when they go out in public I can see how Wheels felt the way he did, and how his parents felt. But also I could see how Mama and Papa felt as well trying to teach the cubs to accept the new cub for who he is not what you see with your eyes.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Misconceptions are addressed and resolved in this little book of 104 pages. Readers are able to see how disability is viewed from a variety of people including: parents of a child with a disability, fellow classmates & their parents, a teacher, and the person with a disability. The parents say, `Harry's got to learn to get along with non-disabled cubs too'. One classmate seeing Harry for the first time says, `he's going to need a lot of help from the rest of us - a lot of help'.

The term `cripple' or "the C-word" is talked about is this book and its' use is discouraged by the school teacher. Although `the H-word' is used several times within a few pages near the end of the book, it is only used as a noun not referring to a person such as: `everybody's got a handicap'.

The Wheelchair Commando is also a good introduction to wheelchair sports! I would say the Berenstain's have done a very good job with this story, especially considering that this book is now over 15 years old!

[Mary Mecham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up first because my daughter LOVES Berenstain Bears and second because I love all books that are disability inclusive. Though the language is somewhat outdated now (it was written about 30 years ago, and a LOT has changed in the disability community since then), but it does do a great job describing the typical reaction an individual with a physical disability has to the over-nice, over-help they sometimes get.

My favorite part was:
"Suppose everyone kept reminding you about something you can't do very well... like math," said Mama.

"But I'm good at all kinds of things!" cried Sister. "Science, English, History, baseball, hopscotch, jump rope, roller-skating, dancing!... It wouldn't be fair if people kept reminding me about math!"

Mama smiled. "Exactly," she said.

"Exactly what?" asked Sister. "What's it have to do with Harry McGill?"

"It has everything to do with Harry McGill," said Mama. "Everyone must do that very thing to him all the time. When they meet him for the first time, they ask or say something about the most obvious thing he can't do- walk. And they probably don't give a moment's thought to the things he can do."

Another part I liked:
"Forget about Too-Tall and the gang," Brother told Harry one day at recess, after a morning of the gang's teasing. "They just don't realize that everybody's got a handicap, even them."

"How do you mean?" asked Harry.

"My papa has a hard time explaining homework problems to Sister and see," said Brother. "Teacher Bob has trouble with computers. Sister has to study extra hard to do well in math. Freddy's no good at sports. And I am a klutzy dancer. Our handicaps just aren't as easy to spot as yours."

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new child is moving into the neighborhood. A ramp is built by the door. The children learn that the boy is in a wheel chair. Throughout the story, sister tells her mother things she will ask the new boy, and mother advises her not to ask those kinds of questions. The cub in the wheelchair is very angry, and is very curt with the teacher and the students. Brother and sister find ways to make friends, and he becomes very popular with the other students. He challenges Too-tall to a wheelchair basketball game, and he loans T00-tall a wheelchair for a week, so he can practice, and then they sell tickets to the game, in order to buy modems for the computer lab. Too-tall gets beaten very badly, but wants another challenge, in something they are both good. It turns out that they both love playing chess, so they become friends through this activity.

Nice story.

[Chrystal D. White-Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent for at-home or school story time

Wonderful book from wonderful authors.!!! My 7yo & I (who have been wheelchair bound for going on 3years now) really enjoyed this book & it's underlying theme/messages. I chose this book specifically because of my current physical disability to open a dialogue with my daughter about it & any questions/concerns she may still have about it as I move toward recovery. She understands that even for those for whom recovery is not an option, they are still capable of living rich, fulfilled lives, making contributions to society, & being genuinely happy (with themselves & in spite of their physical limitations). This is a very well-written, age-appropriate, feel-good story, & I highly recommend it, not only for at-home reading but I'm the classroom setting as well.

[Kaitlin Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cub who happens to be in a wheelchair moves to the school. He's pretty grumpy about meeting other cubs, but eventually relaxes and challenges teasing Too Tall to a basketball game. A simplistic story that teaches everybody has some form of disability and you want to known for what you can do rather than what you cannot.

[Latoshia Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

Loved it. Great book. Would recommend to anyone. Would read again. Can't wait to read the next one. Great ending.

[Lucy]

Had an important message of how we should look beyond someone's disabilities and focus on their abilities.

[Keren Shen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

This book is very enjoyable and educational at the same time. We loved it!!!!!! One of our favorites Berenstain Bears book.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book that I think all children should read to know how to treat others who are disabled!

[teezlover · Rating 5 out of 5]

gracias a este libro pude salir de un bloqueo lector , el libro tiene personajes divertidos y marcadas personalidades , el final es muy lindo

[Jerome Otte · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable and interesting Berenstein Bears tale. A new kid (Harry) arrives in town, and his defining characteristic for the local kids is his being confined to a wheelchair. This leads the schoolkids to adopt a pitiful, sympathetic and somewhat condescending attitude, which Harry despises, and he constantly feels the need to prove himself. At the same time, the Too-Tall Gang finds Harry to be a natural target and dubs him the “cripple.” Unfortunately for them, Harry also happens to be a very skilled basketball player, which gives him a way to prove Too-Tall wrong as well as to eventually connect with the other kids.

An intriguing novel with well-draw characters and thoughtfully handled themes.

[Twyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

a new kid went to bear country school. he was in the wheelchair and had no friends and then he got alot and a bullie became his friend.Auryn 7yo