What do you think?
Rate this book
The Berenstain Bears
Bears in the Night
The Bears' adventures take them in, out, around, and about. "A good job of combining words and pictures into a slapstick but cohesive story."--School Library Journal.
36 pages, Hardcover
First published August 12, 1971
99 people are currently reading
876 people want to read
About the author
Stan Berenstain
880 books698 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 200 reviews
June 7, 2018
An early Berenstain Bears book. I like this one better than Inside, Outside, Upside Down for prepositions. I grow up with the Inside book. This one has more atmosphere and the night-time sneakiness is more memorable. I wish I had had this one instead, but I can pass it to the next generation instead. It’s nice to see a book older than me still around.
Great illustrations. I enjoy them. It’s funny, the story doesn’t make a lot of sense accept that it is trying to show over, around and under over and over again.
The kids really enjoyed this book. The nephew wanted to read it again.
Great illustrations. I enjoy them. It’s funny, the story doesn’t make a lot of sense accept that it is trying to show over, around and under over and over again.
The kids really enjoyed this book. The nephew wanted to read it again.
November 6, 2021
I read this as a beginner reader over 40 years ago, really enjoyable, lovely illustrations and simple but enjoyable text. The illustrations are fun and animated, the bear characters are easy to identify with and the story takes you on an adventure. So sad they don't make beginner readers of this calibre anymore.
Read on open library.
Read on open library.
June 11, 2015
Although I really loved Green Eggs and Ham, I think this was my most-ever-favorite I Can Read By Myself book. Ok, this and The Berenstains' B Book.
I had this book memorized. I could perform it dramatically for anyone, anytime, anywhere. I still remember "To the window...at the window...out the window. Out the window, down the tree" And there's over the wall and around the lake and UP SPOOK HILL...and so on.
Not only is this book a great introduction to prepositions and spatial relations but it makes for a dynamic monologue for young actors. Plus, it teaches the dangers of sneaking out at night. I probably should have read this to my younger siblings more often and made it scarier; maybe then we could have saved on bail money.
After the end, there's a picture of the ten million (I think there are seven) little bears snug in their bed and Mama Bear is downstairs, knitting. It's all quite cozy and comforting.
I had this book memorized. I could perform it dramatically for anyone, anytime, anywhere. I still remember "To the window...at the window...out the window. Out the window, down the tree" And there's over the wall and around the lake and UP SPOOK HILL...and so on.
Not only is this book a great introduction to prepositions and spatial relations but it makes for a dynamic monologue for young actors. Plus, it teaches the dangers of sneaking out at night. I probably should have read this to my younger siblings more often and made it scarier; maybe then we could have saved on bail money.
After the end, there's a picture of the ten million (I think there are seven) little bears snug in their bed and Mama Bear is downstairs, knitting. It's all quite cozy and comforting.
September 8, 2012
For the record, I am NOT a Berenstain Bears fan.
BUT... this book and Inside, Outside, Upside Down are two of our favorite bedtime stories. ESPECIALLY Bears in the Night. I guess it's because the text is so easy even the smallest child can memorize it and "read" along with you. And, there is no storyline about an idiot dad.
We.... start..... with.... our.... voices..... low........ and.. slow........ until the hoot owl says WHOOOOOO! And then we read really fast as the bears run back into bed. We all laugh and giggle, and I usually get "Read it again!" two or three times.
Sometimes it's not what you're reading, but the enjoyment for both you and your children that makes it worth it. ;) And if they learn things like over, under, etc. - well... that's okay too.
BUT... this book and Inside, Outside, Upside Down are two of our favorite bedtime stories. ESPECIALLY Bears in the Night. I guess it's because the text is so easy even the smallest child can memorize it and "read" along with you. And, there is no storyline about an idiot dad.
We.... start..... with.... our.... voices..... low........ and.. slow........ until the hoot owl says WHOOOOOO! And then we read really fast as the bears run back into bed. We all laugh and giggle, and I usually get "Read it again!" two or three times.
Sometimes it's not what you're reading, but the enjoyment for both you and your children that makes it worth it. ;) And if they learn things like over, under, etc. - well... that's okay too.
July 11, 2017
Good practice for prepositional phrases. And fun, too.
November 6, 2021
Seven little bears sneak out of their house one night in this prepositional adventure, hot in pursuit of the "Whoooing" noise they hear. Out the window, down the tree, over the wall, under the bridge, around the lake, between the rocks, through the woods and up Spook's Hill they go, until they get such a scare that they turn right around and make for home...
Although I have many happy memories of reading both the Berenstain Bears books and Dr. Seuss' Beginning Books for Beginning Readers collection as a girl, I never happened upon Bears in the Night until very recently. I feel sure that this spooky adventure, with its element of rebellious fun - sneaking out at night! - would have made quite an impression on me back then. Reading it now as an adult, I appreciate the way in which it is constructed - the language is very simple, uses a great deal of repetition, and centers prepositions at every stage - and that the linguistic lesson it is teaching is communicated in such an entertaining way. Recommended to fans of the Berenstain Bears, to beginning readers who enjoy spooky stories, and to teachers looking for fun titles featuring prepositions.
Although I have many happy memories of reading both the Berenstain Bears books and Dr. Seuss' Beginning Books for Beginning Readers collection as a girl, I never happened upon Bears in the Night until very recently. I feel sure that this spooky adventure, with its element of rebellious fun - sneaking out at night! - would have made quite an impression on me back then. Reading it now as an adult, I appreciate the way in which it is constructed - the language is very simple, uses a great deal of repetition, and centers prepositions at every stage - and that the linguistic lesson it is teaching is communicated in such an entertaining way. Recommended to fans of the Berenstain Bears, to beginning readers who enjoy spooky stories, and to teachers looking for fun titles featuring prepositions.
March 29, 2020
Woooooohoooooo!!
This book is so much - just as I will not eat green eggs and ham, I will not eat them Sam I am. The same sort of repetitive prose following our bears as they adventure out into the night.
The words and illustrations are clear and simple making this a great learning to read book and a guilty pleasure for the older generations - Come on we all secretly have a 'geek' band we sing along to when we hear their stuff.
Read it, read it again, read it out loud or with a friend. Don't be shy, give it a try.
Woooooohooooo! !
This book is so much - just as I will not eat green eggs and ham, I will not eat them Sam I am. The same sort of repetitive prose following our bears as they adventure out into the night.
The words and illustrations are clear and simple making this a great learning to read book and a guilty pleasure for the older generations - Come on we all secretly have a 'geek' band we sing along to when we hear their stuff.
Read it, read it again, read it out loud or with a friend. Don't be shy, give it a try.
Woooooohooooo! !
April 12, 2020
#49 of 2020
Very cute children's book.
Very cute children's book.
July 7, 2023
I really loved the artwork in this one. So simple yet so fun to look at. Really helped make the story. So charming!
December 30, 2024
My favourite childhood book with the cute wee cartoon bears! I still have my original copy! Ah the memories as you watch the wee bears get out of their beds and go on a spooky journey to find out what is making the noise in the woods...the bears expressions are so cute and I still enjoy looking at it and chanting along with the story!
June 5, 2024
Used to love this book when I was 3. Just reread it and it’s fine. Lacking dialogue
July 22, 2021
We’ve probably read this a million of times. Still a favorite.
November 24, 2015
Hoo! Hoo! I a spooky owl. Don't worry, I no eat people. I just smell flowers.
April 30, 2017
A short book about little bears sneaking out of the house and heading to Spook Hill, only to rush home when they encounter a hooting animal. Building on a number of action, only the reverse them to get home, the characters tell an action-packed story. Neo liked it, but vows never to sneak out of his room at night.
April 11, 2018
My son loves the Berenstain bears, me not so much, they're very wordy books. But this one is absolutely perfect! So little words, yet so much to learn and explore. One of the best repetitive books we've read.
April 24, 2009
Another treasure from the Berenstains! It is a clever story the builds as the bear cubs venture out at night. A cute way to introduce prepositions too!
May 4, 2017
My kids have been really enjoying this book. It's very simple and linear, and a great way for kids to learn about prepositions.
February 2, 2018
Great book for younger children to start thinking about prepositional language.
May 16, 2019
I read this book as a beginner and it was well Written n ;)
December 26, 2024
I basically remember this one. Another fun one. Especially if you ignore the sneaking out at night bit. Clever text. The twist hits just a little early, but it ends well.
December 24, 2017
A great way to learn prepositions
2 August 2013
The cover of this book identifies it as being a Beginner Book for Beginning Beginners, which sort of puts me way, way, way out of its category. This book is pretty much designed for people who are learning to read (though surprisingly, there are probably more people my age who are at this level, and have spoken English most of their lives, than the government is willing to admit).
Hey, I'm not going to knock this book because as a kid I loved it. The sentences were very short, and related well to the pictures, so it enables us to identify the sentence and the action with the picture that it relates to. It also repeats the same phrase regularly so, as a kid who is learning to read, it helps put these concepts into our minds. Also, it is useful for training in the use of prepositions, because each of the actions relates to one of the bears in relation to an object (over the wall, under the bridge, between the rocks).
It makes me wonder though if the way that language is constructed, and Wittginstein indicated just that, that the whole concept in and of itself, is relative. Things only have names because we give them names, but the name itself, of an object or an action, is pretty much relative. In fact, even the preposition that is used to define the relationship between two nouns, is also pretty relative. I wonder, as I read this book, whether I can actually translate it into German, which may be a good exercise as I attempt to learn the language.
2 August 2013
The cover of this book identifies it as being a Beginner Book for Beginning Beginners, which sort of puts me way, way, way out of its category. This book is pretty much designed for people who are learning to read (though surprisingly, there are probably more people my age who are at this level, and have spoken English most of their lives, than the government is willing to admit).
Hey, I'm not going to knock this book because as a kid I loved it. The sentences were very short, and related well to the pictures, so it enables us to identify the sentence and the action with the picture that it relates to. It also repeats the same phrase regularly so, as a kid who is learning to read, it helps put these concepts into our minds. Also, it is useful for training in the use of prepositions, because each of the actions relates to one of the bears in relation to an object (over the wall, under the bridge, between the rocks).
It makes me wonder though if the way that language is constructed, and Wittginstein indicated just that, that the whole concept in and of itself, is relative. Things only have names because we give them names, but the name itself, of an object or an action, is pretty much relative. In fact, even the preposition that is used to define the relationship between two nouns, is also pretty relative. I wonder, as I read this book, whether I can actually translate it into German, which may be a good exercise as I attempt to learn the language.
November 12, 2016
Unnecessary explicit preposition instruction.
Well, that was a complete lack of a story. An older Berenstain Bears book with an updated cover. Oddly enough, no Papa Bear, and there seem to be seven Bear children, all sleeping in the same bed. They hear a noise; they go investigate it; it's an owl; they run back home. But this needs to be told in very simplistic language, describing everything they are doing on the way, and using a lot of different prepositions. "In bed", "Out of bed", "To the window", "At the window", "Out the window". Very repetitive.
This is from a time when people thought that you had to explicitly teach people these things. You don't! You don't need to explicitly teach children prepositions. They will pick them up on their own, and if they don't, then they will ask you. They're not learning a foreign language; it's a little different.
The best part: The last page where Mama Bear is obliviously sitting in a rocking chair, sewing a handkerchief or something, and all seven bears are back in bed fast asleep.
For more children's book reviews, see my website at http://www.drttmk.com.
Well, that was a complete lack of a story. An older Berenstain Bears book with an updated cover. Oddly enough, no Papa Bear, and there seem to be seven Bear children, all sleeping in the same bed. They hear a noise; they go investigate it; it's an owl; they run back home. But this needs to be told in very simplistic language, describing everything they are doing on the way, and using a lot of different prepositions. "In bed", "Out of bed", "To the window", "At the window", "Out the window". Very repetitive.
This is from a time when people thought that you had to explicitly teach people these things. You don't! You don't need to explicitly teach children prepositions. They will pick them up on their own, and if they don't, then they will ask you. They're not learning a foreign language; it's a little different.
The best part: The last page where Mama Bear is obliviously sitting in a rocking chair, sewing a handkerchief or something, and all seven bears are back in bed fast asleep.
For more children's book reviews, see my website at http://www.drttmk.com.
November 22, 2013
While this book will win no awards I still think it would be very appealing for children. Its simple language will be easy and fun for kids to read. It also contained many site words that it is important for children to start to recognize. A book like this would be great for that because it repeats a lot of words. It could also be used to teach directions such as up, down, and over. Also children might be interested because there are many other Berenstain Bear books. The illustrations did an alright job at showing the emotions of all the little bears. I felt only two emotions were truly conveyed scared and mischievous. One thing I did like was how the pictures covered the entire page and the words were scattered throughout it. This helped to keep me entertained. I do think this book would be a good book to include in a classroom library because it is simple and would attract readers at lower reading levels.
July 24, 2008
This is one of the earlier Berenstain Bear books, and it shows. As you can see on the the cover, the bears are less stylized and cutesy than the bears in the newer books, and the story is an early reader instead of a longer read-aloud.
It's a cute little story about several cubs (sharing a bed - cosleepers take note!) who sneak out of home one night to investigate a mysterious WHOOOOOOO.
There are only a few words per page, with a basic vocabulary, so this one is perfect little-little ones learning to talk as well as for early readers. The vocabulary is largely prepositions of direction - up, down, in, out, that sort of thing. And the illustrations really sell it, very cute.
It's a cute little story about several cubs (sharing a bed - cosleepers take note!) who sneak out of home one night to investigate a mysterious WHOOOOOOO.
There are only a few words per page, with a basic vocabulary, so this one is perfect little-little ones learning to talk as well as for early readers. The vocabulary is largely prepositions of direction - up, down, in, out, that sort of thing. And the illustrations really sell it, very cute.
September 20, 2009
The bears sneak out of bed and go outside to look for adventure.
Using prepositions written in large print to accompany the illustrations, the authors tell the tale of where the bears to and then reverse the order as they run back home to jump safely into bed.
Great for story hour, this book is easily memorized enabling children to use it as a reference or wordwall to help them spell preposition words.
I like to use it as part of my Go Away Big Green Monster Unit Study to try to help kids find ways to overcome fears.
Using prepositions written in large print to accompany the illustrations, the authors tell the tale of where the bears to and then reverse the order as they run back home to jump safely into bed.
Great for story hour, this book is easily memorized enabling children to use it as a reference or wordwall to help them spell preposition words.
I like to use it as part of my Go Away Big Green Monster Unit Study to try to help kids find ways to overcome fears.
August 22, 2016
I love Bears in the Night. It's a very easy read, but it has a fun way of building on itself, so that the string of phrases gets longer with each page. Sort of like the song "The Green Grass Grows All Around". It also helps young kids with understanding prepositions - over, under, around, etc.
It also has a bit of suspense. One of the bears sneaks out of the window and night and travels through the countryside until something frightens him and he has to retrace his steps back home. This book is a natural easy reader with a fun story, unlike some many of the easy reader/step type books made today.
http://www.momsradius.com/2016/07/juv...
It also has a bit of suspense. One of the bears sneaks out of the window and night and travels through the countryside until something frightens him and he has to retrace his steps back home. This book is a natural easy reader with a fun story, unlike some many of the easy reader/step type books made today.
http://www.momsradius.com/2016/07/juv...
March 27, 2018
A Berenstain book all about prepositions, as told through the adventures of some nighttime wanderers.
Another look back on my childhood as I reorganize my bookshelves.
And yes, it's Berenstain. It's always been Berenstain. This book is copyright 1971, and it's BerenSTAIN. The only time it was BerenSTEIN is when the publisher relied on outside vendors (such as the VHS publishing) and they got it wrong. Seriously, I have a VHS tape that spells it BerenSTAIN on the cover and BerenSTEIN on the tape itself. No conspiracy, just an unexpected spelling that we all confused in our heads because we expect it to be Berenstein instead of Berenstain. It's Berenstain.
Another look back on my childhood as I reorganize my bookshelves.
And yes, it's Berenstain. It's always been Berenstain. This book is copyright 1971, and it's BerenSTAIN. The only time it was BerenSTEIN is when the publisher relied on outside vendors (such as the VHS publishing) and they got it wrong. Seriously, I have a VHS tape that spells it BerenSTAIN on the cover and BerenSTEIN on the tape itself. No conspiracy, just an unexpected spelling that we all confused in our heads because we expect it to be Berenstein instead of Berenstain. It's Berenstain.
October 6, 2008
Grades: K to 3 Genre: Animals
A bunch of bears sneak out of the bed at night to explore Spook Hill. They are startled by an owl and run back home to hide in their beds. This simple story is great for the earliest readers. Each page has just a few sentences that often build on the last sentence. The repetition will help young readers feel more confident by the end of the book. The simple paintings of the bears as they explore the night are full of each of the elements of the story and do a good job of building the atmosphere of the world at night.
A bunch of bears sneak out of the bed at night to explore Spook Hill. They are startled by an owl and run back home to hide in their beds. This simple story is great for the earliest readers. Each page has just a few sentences that often build on the last sentence. The repetition will help young readers feel more confident by the end of the book. The simple paintings of the bears as they explore the night are full of each of the elements of the story and do a good job of building the atmosphere of the world at night.
April 16, 2013
This is a book about little bears sneaking out of their house at night to go explore. When they are out they go all over and around until they get to a spooky hill and race back home because they are too scared. We would use this book in our classrooms not to necessarily teach about the dark but also to teach that you shouldn't leave the house without your parents. It is a perfect book for early readers because there is a lot of repetition that would allow for the students to be more involved in the reading. This is a great book for the classroom shelves.
December 3, 2016
While reading this book, I really appreciated all the illustrations as I'm sure it's not easy to make the bears look so realistic, as if they were people. However, the book was too simple wording wise that I wouldn't use it in my classroom, but just a story to read to my niece and nephew growing up. It describes actions more than it tells a story in a flowing manner. The bears are in bed, they hear a sound of an owl, then the book goes through where they seem to go in order to figure out where this sound is coming from, and then once they know they come back the same route again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 200 reviews