The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Birthday

The Berenstain Bears

by Stan Berenstain, Jan Berenstain

This classic Berenstain Bears story is a perfect way to teach children about birthdays and what’s most important about them!

Come for a visit in Bear Country with this classic First Time Book® from Stan and Jan Berenstain. Join Papa, Mama, and Brother, as they help Sister celebrate her birthday. The special day is not all fun and games when Sister becomes overwhelmed by all of the festivities. Includes over 50 bonus stickers!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Animals, Family, Classics, Young Adult

32 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1986

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

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's Sister bears birthday and so there is a big party with all the games and such. One thing I learned from the story was there is an old saying with blowing out birthday candles that the amount you blow out in one blow is how many children you'll have. Strange aye.

It's a cute enough story about stuff to learn about birthdays. Another good Berenstain Bears story.

Open library still works out well.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used to read these with my parents all the bloody time! Most of them were so loved that they had all fallen apart.

[Erin McCarty · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://www.epinions.com/content_43551...

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every parent of a small child can relate to this story. And it doesn't take a great big birthday extravaganza to make for 'too much birthday.' The idea that a birthday can be totally overwhelming is a great topic to talk about. I'm wondering if this book is perhaps meant as a tongue in cheek warning to the parents reading it their child.

Poor Sister! I remember crying through my own birthday party when I was six for much the same reason (and mine was much more tame - birthday cake, presents, a half dozen girls from kindergarten. Trust me, that was enough to set me off!) I love how understanding Mama Bear is in all of this!

[chucklesthescot · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it was really mean not to give Sister the prize for pin the tail on the donkey because it was her party and it wouldn't be polite! That was hardly fair to poor Sister when she won fair and square and lost every other game! No wonder she started to cry!!!

[Liesl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book examines a topic that is all too often forgotten in children's books: the birthday party and its effect on young kids. How much party is too much and what makes a perfectly well behaved child dissolve into tears at their own celebration? It's certainly a subject worthy of discussion.

Something that I've noticed while revisiting these books as an adult is that Papa is too often portrayed as completely clueless, many times needing to learn the same lessons as Brother and Sister, and Mama is the sensible voice of reason with all of the answers to everyone's problems. These roles are once again in effect here, although not as wildly exaggerated as usual. I am left with one burning question upon finishing: what kind of birthday party for a six-year-old includes a rousing game of Spin the Bottle?!

[Shacoria · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the 11th Berenstain Bears book that I have read. In this story sister bear has a birthday party and everything goes wrong but then later on her parents and her brother make her feel better and everything works out. Sister bear is sort of a whiny brat in this book. I just noticed while reading this book that brother and sister bear sleep in the same bedroom. I think it's a little weird that a 6 year old girl and an 8 year old boy share a bedroom. I also think it's weird that the kids are playing 'spin the bottle' at the birthday party since sister bear is only 6 years old. That's a little inappropriate. I also don't like the title of this book. It just sounds weird.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Papa Bear, brother bear and sister are planning a huge birthday celebration for sister. Moma Bear has her doubts, warning that there can be too much of a good thing. Good lesson about balance, and that more is not always better.

[Sam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why are they playing kissing games at a six-year-old birthday party? Of course Sister Bear would be upset. Please!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Berenstain Bears family books are just fun books to read. There's always a life lesson woven into the story but the art and how the story is presented is fun and entertaining. This one is about how Sister Bear got too overwhelmed at her own birthday party and had a meltdown. This teaches children and parents alike how to cope when their youngster freaks out and has a crying tantrum of a meltdown. There's always a moral to these stories but sometimes they're actually quite helpful and it helps teaches kids how to act, behave or what you should say and do to help make things easier in life.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this story, because the lesson is so very important and often overlooked in children's books - that is, the childhood experience of being TOO excited, too dreamy, and anticipating a perfect party until the expectations are exhausting and the kid just loses it. As a young reader, I didn't particularly like hearing about a birthday party that was too much fun to handle - "More perfect Cinderella-like parties, please!" - but it's necessary that children learn about it.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

My five-year-old son picked this book out from the library last week. He wanted yellow books, and this book has a yellow cover.

I've never been a fan of the Berenstain Bears, not even as a child, but I still think the writing has devolved over the years. This rather lengthy book was about a whole lot of nothing. The story didn't even make sense. The illustrations are much as they always have been, which means the bears look nothing like bears.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

We read this since Brooklyn's birthday is coming up next month! Ironically, Sister Bear's birthday is in September too, so it was great! We will have to read this book every September in anticipation of Brooklyn's birthday. It's a good book because it reminds you that you really don't need a bunch of fancy things to have a fun celebration. Sometimes you can have too much that causes an overwhelming feeling. It's a good book that we'll read for her birthday every year.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can there possibly be a thing as too much birthday?? Maybe that saying about to much of a good thing isn't good is true. Sister, Brother and Papa Bear get carried away with birthday plans. The guest list gets longer and longer and the activities and decorations get grander and grander. Can 6 year old Sister handle all the excitement?

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sister bear is disappointed with how her noisy birthday party is going. Then her family makes her feel better by teaching her the importance of birthdays. This book could be read to describe to students the way we will celebrate birthdays in our classroom. This book can be read to students of all ages.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought that Sister Bear acted very spoiled in this book. The fact that she was upset that she couldn't win any of the games because it was her party, etc but then started to feel better when she started opening her presents. I mean, really?!? And why were they playing spin the bottle at a six year olds birthday party? Creepy.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, really neat book to give to a child turning 6. As sister's birthday is coming up and Momma wants just a simple party for her but it turns out really big and it overwhelms Sister. But in the end she enjoys the day.. Good way to learn that there really can be too much birthday

[Victoria Dimmitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun story to read to younger children. The story is about sister bear who just gets overewhelemd with her birthday. It's a good story to demonstrate to kids that too much of one thing is never good.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Years and years ago. The title has evolved in our family to a general message of "too much fun" - as in, "Don't have too much fun!" which is to be hollered out as a child leaves the house for an evening of what I'm quite sure was exactly that!

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

We took this one on vacation with us this year, right before my daughter's third birthday. It didn't deter her much from asking for multiple birthday parties and presents. Oh well. Can't win them all.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really brings back memories. I really related to the characters because my little brother and sister had all the fun.

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to Eleanor tonight, as it's Gwennie's birthday tomorrow.

She carried it around for the rest of the night.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the first big party
We sometimes forget
That the birthday bear
May end up upset.

Sister has a big 6th birthday party but it ends up being too much partying.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great series of books that teach little ones important lessons.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A party with games, games, games.”
Yes. 5 stars. All day.

[Trevor Bouma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story about The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Birthday with words and pictures by Stan & Jan Berenstain. I like the Berenstain Bears Books because they all have a message that you can think about. This book is about Sister Bear's 6th Birthday and how she has a Big Birthday Party. She invites lots of friends and they play lots of games and eat lots of treats. But Sister Bear cries when she blows out the candles on her cake because the PARTY is TOO BIG!!!!! There are too many guests and Sister Bear feels overwhelmed and overstimulated. I wouldnt like a big party like that because it would make me too anxious. Sometimes... It's better to celebrate your Birthday going to a nice restaurant or having a small party. Kids need to remember that bigger is not always better. This is a book to help kids learn.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Berenstain Bears don’t disappoint in Spanish, but for a native English speaker, it is much harder to read out loud! Hermana Osa and Hermano Oso, Papa Oso and Mama Osa etc. The child to whom I read this several times turns four in two months and this entertained her and got her thinking about her own party. What happens when a party is too much of a good thing, and a child ends up disappointed?Or is there any way even the best-planned party can help but be at least a trifle disappointing?

[Kasmarine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is a good introducation and preparation for birthday party.
It helps children to deal with different emotions that come along with birthday and celebration.
Moreover, it inspires chidlren to think what they have learn since their previous birthday and what should they do
throughout the year.

[Tommy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The boys like to look at the pictures in this one. Mom and Dad dislike the text, so the kids get a redacted version of the story.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

We love all berenstain bear books!