The Berenstain Bears Meet Santa Bear

The Berenstain Bears

by Stan Berenstain, Jan Berenstain

How can Santa's sleigh land when there's no snow on the ground? How can he possibly fit down all those skinny-minny little chimneys? And how come every mall has a different Santa? These are just some of the highly delicate issues handled in this classic First Time Book that's back in print with a cheery new cover for a new generation of Bear fans.  From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Holiday, Animals, Classics

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1984

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 3 out of 5]

The theme of this book is there is more joy is giving a gift than joy in getting a gift. Sister Bear has a lot of questions on how Santa Claus works. They also visit Santa in the Mall.

A cute little book. The kids still enjoy these books. Holiday Cheer.

[Prabhjot Kaur · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is Christmas time in bear country. When the whole bear family is out shopping, they see that the mall is all fully decorated for Christmas and brother and sister bear start to make a list of things that they want for Christmas. Sister bear writes a very long list but brother bear tells her that since Santa bear has a lot of other cubs to look after, he won't have time to get all the presents on the sister bear's list. Then sister bear amends her list and she also thinks of the times she hasn't been good.

Brother bear also tells the sister that they have to buy presents for mama and papa bear, so they get money from their savings. This was a sweet story about Christmas and the joy of giving with beautiful pictures.

4 stars

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book brought back memories! I wasn't sure if I'd read it or not; my sister was the one who was really into these books when we were kids. But as I read it, I kept getting twinges of memory; I think I did read this at some point, or it was read to us. I especially remembered the presents that the cubs asked for (and gave).

It's actually one of the stronger holiday picture books I've read so far this year, with a nice message and cute illustrations. I would recommend it, but with a caveat: it is a bit dated. Mama Bear laments the early start of the Christmas season... two days after Thanksgiving! (She should see the frenzy now! Some stores start winding up for Christmas before Halloween.) Brother Bear gives his father a pocket calculator for Christmas. (Would kids today even know what that is?) And there's a bit of an elitist attitude when it comes to the poor, when Papa Bear explains that "the needy" are creatures like squirrels who didn't put enough aside for the winter. To me, that read like blaming the poor for being poor. (Maybe the squirrels couldn't find enough nuts to put away during the year! That's hardly their fault.)

Aside from that, though, this is a cute story that emphasizes giving over receiving, and gently steers kids away from the greed that's so easy to get caught up in at this time of year. I can see why this book has endured and is still available for new generations to discover and enjoy.

Quotable moment:

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My nieces and nephews can't get enough of these books.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, a kid's Christmas book that doesn't try to lay in a heavy-handed message about giving to others (though it's a sweet and subtle theme) but instead addresses some of the other worries of a small child - mostly about the Santa at the mall. Visiting him becomes something that isn't scary with this book, and all those pesky questions about reindeer are answered finally in a sensible way.

Overall, this one is one of my favorites, as it really does hearken back to the time when I was taken to see the Santa at the mall and it was more about a chance to meet and talk to him, and less about a fancy portrait.

[alana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another adorable 80s book that teaches kids that Christmas is about giving to others. As usual with Berenstain Bears books, I was more interested in studying and recreating the drawings of their treehouse than I was in paying attention to the moral of the story.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this really made me realize how anxiety inducing the whole Santa concept can be. Being judged as naughty or nice? Being told you're being too greedy and selfish by family members? Trying to process all the contradictions and impossibilities of the Santa mythos?

I shudder to think of the children raised under the next level reign of terror of the Elf on the Shelf.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mama mentions that Christmas starts earlier every year and Papa says "isn't it great?" And she responds with "I'm not so sure. I'm concerned about Brother and Sister Bear. Too much excitement isn't good for cubs." Are you kidding me?
They pass the toy store and 'didn't look the least bit calm and sensible.' What kids do??
It says 'after a while it looked like this--'
And then on the bottom of the page it says (To see the rest of Sister's list, please turn the page). As if we wouldn't naturally turn the page to see it.
I'm surprised Brother warned her that her list was too long and Santa might not bring her anything, and that he had all the cubs in the world to think about.
They broke their nom's favorite lamp and they made up a story of a bird coming into the house. Haha!
"Presents for Mama and Papa is OUR job, silly!"
It's funny they were walking out, and brother pulls Sister back to go buy presents for their parents.
I thought there could have been better gifts than tea and a calculator from Brother Bear.
This is too similar to their other book. There's a Help the Needy drive, like the Salvation Army. 
"His job is to collect money to help the needy--birds who need seed, squirrels who didn't put enough aside for the winter."
I was surprised the bear drive wasn't for bears, and was for birds and squirrels!
Their house is pretty at night, with the garland around it.& the tree showing. & the squirrel and birds hanging wreaths and bows. There could have been some lights on their house though.
'&how can the sleigh land if it doesn't snow?"
Sister Bear looks cute standing on the porch looking up as the snow falls down.

[Dusty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meet Santa Bear is the first and probably the most secular of the Berenstains' several Christmas stories, and it teaches a fairly predictable lesson about the importance of giving, rather than receiving, presents at Christmastime. The book appeared during the authors' creative apex in the early/mid 1980s and includes references to classic titles like The Truth, Get in a Fight, and The Messy Room. It isn't quite as inventive or memorable as these other, stronger titles, but it is beautifully drawn. I particularly love the image of Sister Bear standing on the porch on Christmas Eve, looking wonderingly into the sky as the snow begins to fall.

[Coralie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Berenstain Bears are classic. They are a favorite of mine from my childhood. I love that they create real life situations, and explain things down on the kids' levels. This particular addition is a fun little story about Christmas and the spirit of giving, rather than receiving. There aren't any harsh Santa spoilers for parents and kids who want to propel that side of Christmas, but it addresses the true spirit of joy and giving that comes with Christmas.

[Johnboy Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never get tired of the bears
My childhood

[Chester Richmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes place during the Christmas season and teaches the lesson of giving. The children in the book come to realize that Santa has one of the greatest jobs that exists because he gets to give to people. They learned that their is a great deal of fulfillment in making someone else happy.

In your classroom you could use this book simply around Christmas time as a seasonal book. Otherwise you could use the book to teach the moral importance of giving and could especially use this book if your class has a hard time sharing or giving.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mama and the Papa bear talk about Christmas celebrations coming earlier every year, and Mama worries about the children having too much excitement. Papa doesn't think that will happen. The little bears go a little crazy at the mall, and sister bear writes a really long list of things she wants Santa to bring her. Brother bear tells her if her list is too long, Santa might not bring her anything. The bears go through a lot of thinking about Santa, and the big job he has, and who will bring gifts to Mama and Papa? The list of sister bear gets smaller, and they think more of others.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

We enjoy Brother and Sister Bear and all the different books and lessons they learn. In this book Sister gets caught up in the commercial side of Christmas and makes a huge list of what she wants from Santa. Brother says he doesn't want Santa to think he is greedy. Sister also worries about all the times she wasn't good. Sister revises her list to be just a few items and understands that Santa doesn't expect kids to be perfect just good.

[Jenny Houle · Rating 5 out of 5]

That moment when you pick up a kids' book you don't remember having read, and then are flooded with a rush of childhood memories...

While I remember reading ALL of The Berenstain Bear books as a child, this one is filled with the most vivid memories for me because I got it for Christmas Eve the year I turned three. It is the first real book I have memories associated with as a child, but I didn't realize it until I re-read it just now.

[Genevieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was about Santa and sister made a really, really, really, really long list and so she made a new one and also got stuff for papa and mama bear. The cubs were really nice they got lots of money and they did it for their parents. I loved the book because I like Santa. My favorite character was Santa cause I like Santa. I would recommend this book to others because they would like Santa, right?

[chucklesthescot · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is the first time that Sister Bear has had the chance to meet Santa Bear at the Mall and she starts to worry that with so many presents on her wish-list, she might look greedy and get nothing at all. But Brother Bear has met Santa Bear and has plenty of advice for Sister which gets her thinking about the meaning of Christmas.

[Catarina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year at my house. We try to keep the spirits up all year long counting the days for Christmas and so Christmas books have a special place in my heart.
This particular one was very sweet and simple and right to the point. I liked it a lot. It's my favourite BB so far.

[Gabriel Wallis · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I've read a Berenstain Bears book. I had just as much fun reading it now as I did when I was a child. Brother and Sister are impatient for Christmas to arrive, and in their impatience they meet Santa Bear. Both Brother and Sister write their Christmas lists and, eventually, get what they desire. Ah, Christmas. Whatever happened to the story of Christ?

[Kelsi Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of the Berenstain Bears books when I was young and enjoyed them so much! This one is about Christmas and the little bears have so many questions about Santa! I think this would be a great read aloud for before Christmas break, or even a book that children would love to receive for Christmas from their parents. You can never read too many of these books. I rate this one a 5 out of 5.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah, sweet memories of my parents reading this book to me right before the holidays. I (rather reluctantly) learned that Christmas lists were not about going through the toy catalog and highlighting everything I wanted and for that it was an invaluable story.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really liked this book. It contains some Christmas "traditions." This book does a really good job in teaching how to not be greedy and to give more than you receive. It teaches some good lessons to younger children.

[Jeannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical Stan and Jan fare. But what I like about this one is the message that the giving moments are often the quietest and seemingly least noticed--yet these are the moments that bring us the greatest joy. Stan and Jan did a great job of presenting this truth without having to moralize.

[Sarah Winters · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a little longer (more words) of a story but I think some students would enjoy it. It isn't ideal because it talks about Christmas which some students can't relate too. Recommended for second to fourth graders.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite holiday books. This is a seasonal book that can be used to teach students about Christmas, and also teach other students with different cultures about Xmas. This is also go to encourage students to share love by giving gifts.

[Katie Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brother Bear and Sister Bear have some important questions about Santa that are concerning them. How are there so many different Santas? How will Santa be able to land his sleigh without snow on the ground? This book answers some of these important questions for children.

[Benjamin Plume · Rating 4 out of 5]

As is often the case, not quite so great of a seasonal story

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I still have a copy of this book to this day, great book to read to little kids around the holidays!!

[Amber Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Berenstain Bears. This book was so cute! I love to read this one to the kids!

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great holiday book for kids, addressing things like not being greedy, having a giving spirit, helping those less fortunate, even how Santa gets his job done, and the magic of Christmastime.