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The Berenstain Bears
The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Friends
This beloved story is a perfect way to introduce children to the importance of friendship, sharing, and problem solving!
Come for a visit in Bear Country with this classic First Time Book® from Stan and Jan Berenstain. A new cub, Lizzie, has moved to town and Sister can’t wait to become her friend. But when bossiness enters the mix, Sister and Lizzie’s new friendship might be in trouble.
Come for a visit in Bear Country with this classic First Time Book® from Stan and Jan Berenstain. A new cub, Lizzie, has moved to town and Sister can’t wait to become her friend. But when bossiness enters the mix, Sister and Lizzie’s new friendship might be in trouble.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
131 people are currently reading
773 people want to read
About the author
Stan Berenstain
879 books697 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 117 reviews
December 14, 2020
Sister bear wants to play with her dolls but brother bear doesn't want to play with sister's dolls. Since all of sister's friends live far away. she doesn't have any playmates until a new family moves in and they have a cub the same age as the sister.
The two hit off well until they both want to outdo the other. It turns out that they are both bossy and have a tiff. But mama bear tries to help sister by saying that it is better to have friends that be on your own and the two friends come up with an agreement to take turns.
It was a nice story that's mainly focused on the sister bear and her trouble with friends. Although I did enjoy it, I do have to say that it isn't all that good compared to a lot of the others I have read in this series.
3 stars
The two hit off well until they both want to outdo the other. It turns out that they are both bossy and have a tiff. But mama bear tries to help sister by saying that it is better to have friends that be on your own and the two friends come up with an agreement to take turns.
It was a nice story that's mainly focused on the sister bear and her trouble with friends. Although I did enjoy it, I do have to say that it isn't all that good compared to a lot of the others I have read in this series.
3 stars
December 31, 2016
when you babysit and are desperate to finish your reading challenge...
February 14, 2019
The new cub in the neighborhood, Lizzy Bruin, is the same age as Sister
Bear--and she's also just as bossy. After a fight threatens their budding
friendship, both cubs learn that you can't always have your own way if you want
to have friends.
Bear--and she's also just as bossy. After a fight threatens their budding
friendship, both cubs learn that you can't always have your own way if you want
to have friends.
October 20, 2014
The picture book, the Berenstain Bears and the Trouble With Friends, was a very good book. It starts with Sister bear asking Brother bear to play tea party with her. Brother does not want to play with her because he is embarrassed people will make fun of him. He then leaves Sister bear all alone to play by herself. Just as Sister is feeling sorry for herself, a moving truck comes down the road. Sister is hoping it is a girl her age that she can play with. It turns out it is! Sister goes over there and introduces herself to Lizzy- her new neighbor. Lizzy invites Sister to come over and play with her. They start playing, but it turns out both of them are very bossy and don't play well together. They start fighting and neither of them bothers to try and make it better. Sister storms off and goes home. Mama meets her at home and Sister tells her all about what happens. Mama tells her that in order to keep friends, you don't always get what you want. You won't be able to always be the boss and tell them what to do. As that is happening, Lizzy comes over and brings a toy Sister forgot at her house. Sister accepts the toy and then apologizes to Lizzy. She accepts the apology the girls go off to play together again.
I had a few reactions to this book. One if them being that this book can be applied to anyone's life, really. It is not just for kids. Sometimes you have to push past what you want so your friend doesn't get mad. At the time it might seem like a big deal, but eventually you will look back and realize the friendship was worth it. Another reaction I had to this book was that your mom does really know what she is talking about. Just like Sister bear in this book, I doubt what my mom says a lot. Sister kept giving her mom reasons why she would be fine playing by herself, but deep down she knew it wouldn't be the same. I think your mom knows thing that you won't realize till later. This children's book had many good lessons that could be applied to anyone's life.
Sister bear changed during this book. In the beginning she was bossing Brother bear around and telling him to play with her. He left her and then she started feeling sorry for herself. Then when she became friends with Lizzy she started being bossy and stubborn again. When she was talking to her mom she was very bitter about it, but when Lizzy came over they talked it out and realized that they need to compromise when they argue. Even thought this was a children's book, I enjoyed it.
I would recommend this book to anyone three years old and up. I read these books to the little boys I babysit a lot and they really like them. I also like them so that is why I would recommend it to anyone who can understand it.
I had a few reactions to this book. One if them being that this book can be applied to anyone's life, really. It is not just for kids. Sometimes you have to push past what you want so your friend doesn't get mad. At the time it might seem like a big deal, but eventually you will look back and realize the friendship was worth it. Another reaction I had to this book was that your mom does really know what she is talking about. Just like Sister bear in this book, I doubt what my mom says a lot. Sister kept giving her mom reasons why she would be fine playing by herself, but deep down she knew it wouldn't be the same. I think your mom knows thing that you won't realize till later. This children's book had many good lessons that could be applied to anyone's life.
Sister bear changed during this book. In the beginning she was bossing Brother bear around and telling him to play with her. He left her and then she started feeling sorry for herself. Then when she became friends with Lizzy she started being bossy and stubborn again. When she was talking to her mom she was very bitter about it, but when Lizzy came over they talked it out and realized that they need to compromise when they argue. Even thought this was a children's book, I enjoyed it.
I would recommend this book to anyone three years old and up. I read these books to the little boys I babysit a lot and they really like them. I also like them so that is why I would recommend it to anyone who can understand it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2008
Summary: Growing up, I owned and read every single Berentain Bear book ever written.At the beginning of the story, Sister Bear doesn't have anyone her own age to play with. Then, a new family with a little cub just her age moves in next door. Sister Bear and her new friend Lizzy become best friends, and do everything together. Until one day, when Lizzy and Sister Bear get in a fight about taking turns being the teacher when they play school. At the end of the story, Sister Bear and Lizzy make up and they realize that they can compromise so that they can still be the best of friends!
Audience: K-4
Genre: Picture Book
Topic: Friendship
Theme: Compromise
Curricular Uses: Read-Aloud, Independent Reading
Reading Level: Transitional Readers
Literary Elements: Sequential plot, dialogue, rhyme, humor
Illustrations: The illustrations in Berenstain Bear books are always great! They definitely support the text and help the reader while reading the text.
Additional Comments: These books always send great messages to young readers. There is always a moral on the first page of the book that rhymes. Would definitely use any of the Berenstain Bear books in the classroom to introduce a variety of topics.
Audience: K-4
Genre: Picture Book
Topic: Friendship
Theme: Compromise
Curricular Uses: Read-Aloud, Independent Reading
Reading Level: Transitional Readers
Literary Elements: Sequential plot, dialogue, rhyme, humor
Illustrations: The illustrations in Berenstain Bear books are always great! They definitely support the text and help the reader while reading the text.
Additional Comments: These books always send great messages to young readers. There is always a moral on the first page of the book that rhymes. Would definitely use any of the Berenstain Bear books in the classroom to introduce a variety of topics.
October 22, 2012
This book was perfect and I'm glad that I owned it. I watch a little girl throughout the week while her mommy is at work and then another two girls (sisters) on Friday and Saturday night. The little girl (I will refer to her as "the one") is an only child and has a hard time sharing. I pulled this book off the shelf the next time that it was just her and I and sat down and read it a second time just to go and see if the story of these two little girls not sharing and getting in a fight would hit home. So far so good. Thanks Stan & Jan Berenstain.
March 20, 2021
I get to read a few similar books in a row, and I can tell that my preferences are clearly relative. This one is not as good as my first few 3 star reviews of this series, nor as bad as the two star. Mostly the problem in this one is that it is about two somewhat bored 6 year old girls. And there's just not enough story for me to care about. It's not bad. Just not enough there. 2.5 of 5.
May 22, 2017
“The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Friends”, written by Stan and Jan Berenstain, is a classic children’s book that we have all read if not heard about. In this book, Sister Bear wants to play games and hangout with her older brother, but he seems to have outgrown her little games and starts to hang out with his same aged friends. Sister Bear is sad about this and that’s when her new neighbors show up. Sister Bear lucks out, the new neighbors have a cub her own age named Lizzy, and they instantly become friends. Everything is well until Lizzy starts to boss around Sister Bear which turns into a big scuffle. They come to a peaceful agreement and learn how to play with each other fairly.
The main theme apparent in this book is when making friends it is necessary to compromise. Friendship is another theme that comes up in this book because there isn’t a lot of things you can do without a friend in hand.
I thought this book was a good classic lesson for younger children to learn how to play with one another. It has comedy and good illustrations to keep the interest of the reader or audience. The Berenstain Bears are classics when it comes to children’s literature.
I recommend this book because it has all the parts of a good book for children who want to read for fun and for parents trying to teach their children a valuable lesson. The pictures and short length keep the kids’ attention throughout the story.
The main theme apparent in this book is when making friends it is necessary to compromise. Friendship is another theme that comes up in this book because there isn’t a lot of things you can do without a friend in hand.
I thought this book was a good classic lesson for younger children to learn how to play with one another. It has comedy and good illustrations to keep the interest of the reader or audience. The Berenstain Bears are classics when it comes to children’s literature.
I recommend this book because it has all the parts of a good book for children who want to read for fun and for parents trying to teach their children a valuable lesson. The pictures and short length keep the kids’ attention throughout the story.
August 17, 2024
D'awwwww!
What a cute story within a story.
Sissy learns both how to be a friend and how to recognize some of her own faults...well, okay, maybe she doesn't recognize them, but the reader does which is what makes this a cute little teaching story.
I also really enjoy mama bear. One thing I don't like about a lot of modern books, take the last one I read 'Uni the Unicorn', is that parents are portrayed so negatively. In that book, the only thing the parents do is look down condescendingly on their child because they 'know' that Unicorns don't exist, but they actually do, so not only are they condescending, but they are stupid. Their knowledge is denigrated, their wisdom nonexistent. I'm not even a parent and I can see why continuing to read books to your children that are full of useless parents might possible affect that child negatively. So I appreciate mama bear being portrayed as wise, and pushing back on her child's assumptions, even while offering that child the comfort and care that she needs. It's possible to do both simultaneously, and keeping in mind that 'my child is not always right' is probably a good thing.
Story: Cute
Art: Quintessential
Price: $2.50
What a cute story within a story.
Sissy learns both how to be a friend and how to recognize some of her own faults...well, okay, maybe she doesn't recognize them, but the reader does which is what makes this a cute little teaching story.
I also really enjoy mama bear. One thing I don't like about a lot of modern books, take the last one I read 'Uni the Unicorn', is that parents are portrayed so negatively. In that book, the only thing the parents do is look down condescendingly on their child because they 'know' that Unicorns don't exist, but they actually do, so not only are they condescending, but they are stupid. Their knowledge is denigrated, their wisdom nonexistent. I'm not even a parent and I can see why continuing to read books to your children that are full of useless parents might possible affect that child negatively. So I appreciate mama bear being portrayed as wise, and pushing back on her child's assumptions, even while offering that child the comfort and care that she needs. It's possible to do both simultaneously, and keeping in mind that 'my child is not always right' is probably a good thing.
Story: Cute
Art: Quintessential
Price: $2.50
November 2, 2023
Sister wants to play with Brother bear but she's a little bossy and Brother doesn't really want to play the same things she does. Brother is older and wants to play with his friends. Sister is lonely until a new neighbor moves in next door, Lizzy. Sister plays with Lizzy and it's fun enough until Lizzy starts being bossy and braggy. They play school and Lizzy gets to be teacher when Sister wants to be too! Sister can't stand it anymore and leaves. Will Sister end up lonely by herself again?
The sibling conflict is something lots of kids experience, so it's nice to see that played out here. The conflict between Sister and Lizzy is realistic too, which is good to see how something like that can get resolved.
Older sibling not wanting to play with younger sib
Two bossy girls trying to play with one another while not liking the other's bossyness.
The sibling conflict is something lots of kids experience, so it's nice to see that played out here. The conflict between Sister and Lizzy is realistic too, which is good to see how something like that can get resolved.
Older sibling not wanting to play with younger sib
Two bossy girls trying to play with one another while not liking the other's bossyness.
August 11, 2020
I thought this was a great book to teach young children about sharing with others and the joys that can come with it. While many at a young age have a difficult time in understanding this, they may find Sister someone that they can relate to. I would recommend this book to young children who are starting to find their friends or are even beginning school for the first time, where they will start making more and more friends. The illustrations in this book are also very good and detailed as well. There are different pieces included in the images that can be relatable to children as well.
October 24, 2022
This is such a classic example of the ups and downs that children go through in relationships with their friends. It is so hard to learn to play together and share, yet on the flipside, it is so exciting and kids want nothing more than interactions with each other. As always, the Berenstain Bears tell another great story that relates to our real-life experiences. Along with a great story, the illustrations are also fun, vibrant, and detailed.
April 8, 2018
Sister Bear finds out that sometimes what's worse than not having a friend, is having one. Learning how to get along with others is sometimes a complicate process, especially in learning the give and take that comes in deciding whose toys you play with and how you play with them. As always, Mama Bear has all the wisdom, and Sister Bear does find a way to work things out.
March 7, 2025
This book is just what the Doctor ordered. The kiddo is having issues with some friends at school and this book was great to show that we do not always get along and sometimes we need to compromise. One of the best parts of the book is how Mama Bear tells Sister Bear that it is sometimes fun to play by yourself, but not all games are fun to play alone.
September 9, 2017
This is another book that also is a tv show. This book also teaches valuable lessons to children and talks about things that happen at their age. This book is very educational and also fun for children to read.
April 17, 2018
Great Bedtime Read
This, and other Berenstain books, are good stories to read to little ones as they are going to bed or if they just need to hear your voice to calm down for nap time.
This, and other Berenstain books, are good stories to read to little ones as they are going to bed or if they just need to hear your voice to calm down for nap time.
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August 4, 2020 The Berenstain Bears books were a staple in my house.
Often being bought by my parents to teach me a lesson.
Every little kid at some point is going to fight with their friends, its good to let them know that an argument doesn't have to end a friendship
Often being bought by my parents to teach me a lesson.
Every little kid at some point is going to fight with their friends, its good to let them know that an argument doesn't have to end a friendship
April 8, 2022
Two girls with so much similarity that it caused friction. Lizzy Bruin and Sister Bear bonded and trauma bonded on the same day of meeting. The friendship deepened with swiftness. Thankfully, Lizzy and Sister become true friends. Lizzy appears in other Berenstain books.
August 18, 2017
Of all the Berenstain Bear books, this one used to be my favorite---maybe as a kindergartner I could make some really strong text to self connections ;)
April 25, 2019
"When making friends, the cub who's wise is the cub who learns to compromise."
June 15, 2019
Love the Berenstain Bears books! They are great for all ages
July 24, 2019
Love rereading my favorite childhood series!
December 7, 2019
This really shows how not everyone will be in agreement even if they are your best friends.
July 16, 2020
Compromise. Compromise. Compromise.
Take turn. Take turn. Take turn.
Share. Share. Share.
I don’t.
Take turn. Take turn. Take turn.
Share. Share. Share.
I don’t.
August 31, 2021
Similar to the dinosaur book about playing with friends, this book would be excellent to have in a classroom to demonstrate the consequences of your actions that could hurt a friend's feelings.
September 21, 2021
Lincoln's reading of this was hilarious!
May 14, 2022
This is a fun story about little sister bear making a friend and learning about compromise.
August 8, 2022
I love this Berenstain Bears Audiobook on CD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2022
This whole series was so great. I just re-read this one and I remembered why I loved these so much. There is always some type of mini lesson involved in each book.
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July 16, 20233115
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews