Berenstain Bears Jobs Around Town

The Berenstain Bears

by Stan Berenstain, Jan Berenstain, Mike Berenstain (Contributor)

Young readers will enjoy reading about the different jobs everyone has in Bear Country in this addition to the Living Lights™ series of Berenstain Bears books. Children will be encouraged to imagine where their own God-given gifts will take them as they grow. The Berenstain Jobs Around Town — part of the popular Zonderkidz Living Lights series of books—is perfect The Berenstain Jobs Around Town is an addition to the Living Lights™ series

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Animals, Juvenile

32 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1982

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

[Athena Shardbearer · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Berenstain Bear books were one of my favorite books growing up. I grew up with a little brother in a troubled family and our escape was books. I use to read these to my brother at night before bed(he didn't learn to read till fifth grade), so this was our us time. I have continued this tradition with my daughter. I read to her every night, sometimes a repeat of The Berenstain Bears(the older versions I grew up on), or other stories. She loves Dracula and Frankenstein. So reading this book wasn't different from any other night. I had yet to read this story and thought I should finally give it a try. I did, and I did not like the message.

I am in no way against religions or anyone's belief, but I do not like when I am not told I'm going into a story centered around God. The edition I'm reviewing is not the same edition I read. It's a newer "revised" version.

The concept is great, wonderful, awesome but only if we leave it in God's hands to choose those jobs for us. I don't agree with that. Why can't we become what we feel is right. Why can't we be who we know we are? Without relying on God to make those choices for us. I don't know what I believe in to be honest. I grew up Greek Orthodox, my daughter and brother are baptized Greek Orthodox. I celebrate Easter, I go to church when I can. I get communion when I feel like it. I know I'm not perfect, but I'm not a horrible person either. I just did not like the message this book was sending to my daughter. I know I'm going off the handle here, but I think I deserve to know what my daughter is reading and how it's influencing her. When she is old enough to understand then I will let her choose. And if that means she becomes a devoted Christian than that is her choice. But to shove down the throat of my five year old that she can be a scientist, carpenter, mechanic, police officer only if God chooses that for her, I will not allow that to influence her.

I had to stop reading to see if this was in fact the same Berenstain Bears book I read as a kid. I think the son is taking this series in a new direction and I'm sorry to say that I can not continue reading this series. I hate to see it go, but I will not have someone influence my daughter in this way.

Now, if it was marked as Christian children's book I would of stayed away, but it wasn't and it's so different from the original books.

[Jasmine from How Useful It Is · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for my toddler’s bedtime. Sister and brother bear explore the different jobs around Bear Town.

Read from kindle unlimited.

[Huratio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to be a woodworker.

[Asho · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was an unpleasant surprise. L likes to read Berenstain Bears books sometimes so she brought this home from the library. I figured it was going to be your typical Berenstain Bears story: formulaic and not all that exciting, but fine. However, this is some sort of newer edition and for some reason Christian undertones and talk of God were sprinkled throughout the book. The theme is that we all have God-given gifts and that God has a plan for us and through God we will discover the job that is right for us.
My family is Christian and I wouldn't have minded this if the kids brought it home from Sunday School, but I really, really disliked the overtly Christian religious messaging being crowbarred into a seemingly-normal Berenstain Bears book. (It was only after I looked at it very closely that I realized it had a tiny little icon on the front from what is obviously some sort of religious publishing house.) Now I guess I'm going to have to pre-read all the Berenstain Bears books to make sure there isn't religious messaging in them. Who knows how many have been altered! I actually wonder if our public library is even aware that they have this religious version on their shelves, because apparently there's an earlier edition published in the 1980s without all the God talk.
If I could I would give this book zero stars based on being underhanded and sneaky.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book, without a lot of substance. But then substance is not always needed. Here the cubs learn about all kinds of jobs in Bear Country, and talk about what they'd like to be (or even CAN be) when they grow up. Fun illustrations, and a great little look around into their community which is nice, because I enjoy seeing more of their world fleshed out.

I like that they actually gave some time to the farmer, as not enough people really appreciate what farmers do and we need more young people interested in agriculture.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lame text. Not especially interesting art. But not a bad tour of jobs. And the jobs are not especially gendered, though you can tell genders by how the person dresses. Kind of boring but not bad. 2.5 of 5.

[Carisa Winchester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Book for Community Helpers Week

This book was a very good resource for teaching about community helpers. My favorite thing about this book is the reminder that God has given us all special talents and if we let Him He will lead us to the perfect job.

[Danielle Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

[Mary T · Rating 4 out of 5]

#cbad 2018-2019 - 5th grade SCA - 5/24/19 - average rating 4.4 (student guest reader AY)

[Kierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read!

I enjoyed the pictures, the many jobs that were revealed, and the overall message. This was a great book to read with my kiddos.

[Stef · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow. Wow. This book is the one that firmly cemented my disgust with Mike Berenstain and what he did with the Berenstain Bears franchise. I've never read "On the Job," but was it really necessary to rewrite it just to stuff a bunch of mentions of God in it? I couldn't even concentrate on this book, I was so pissed. There is nothing wrong with writing Christian children's books—Mike should absolutely do that if he wants to; there's an audience for that. My problem is he inherited an established series that touted morals and decided that to make them overtly Christian, despite that his father, Stan Berenstain, was Jewish. WHY WAS THAT NECESSARY! Why was "On the Job" rewritten to spout things like, "God will help you find the right job"? What is so wrong with saying simply that there's a job out there for everyone? It's completely jarring to the reader, and if you once thought that the Berenstain Bears and their moral, lesson-riddled lives were schmaltzy and annoying at times, now they're insufferable and needlessly so. The Berenstain Bears and their morals and lessons were once accessible to everyone—now they pander to only 30 percent of the population.

[Brittany Messer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the book, "The Berenstain Bears on the Job" by Stan Berenstain. This is a great book to teach Primary children they can get jobs that help others on in this case help the elderly. You don't have to of age to get a job helping others. I love how this book takes Brother and Sister bear and they help out one of their neighbors instead of helping out Mom or Papa bear. It shows that helping others can make a difference on you as a person and on the person you are helping. This is a great story that all Primary children should read. The illustrations depict a great picture for the audience to follow and also to help them draw on their own pictures in their head. All Primary children should have to read The Berenstain Bears because of the great lessons they teach young children.

[Tyffani Mine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fictional narrative is a part of a series that cover the adventures of two young bears. In this particular story, the sibling bears tour their community to see what types of jobs individuals hold and to discover what job would be right for them. They visit firefighters, police bears, bank tellers, bakers, scientists, and other working members of their community. As a teacher, I could use this text to teach about various jobs that are within the community. It is also a rhyming book so I could use the text for the development of phonemic awareness.This story could also be used to teach about community service and about helping others.

[Brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grade Levels: P-K
* A good reading center/class library book that can be used during the first few weeks of school (or any time of the school year really) for young readers to introduce them to different occupations that they can have when they become older
* Have a class "career day", and ask students to dress up as someone that they would like to be when they become older (e.g. doctor, firefighter, police officer, sports player).

[Evelyn Matias · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a cute book allowing for students to know what surrounds them in their community. It also can give encouragment that they can be whatever they want to be when they grow up. I also like that this book gives them confidence to choose things that they may want to be even if others think it silly. I would keep this in my classroom for free reading.

[Adrienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't think this one was as interesting as most of the other Berenstain Bears books I've read, but I think kids would still like it and it could be a good lead-in to a discussion about different jobs and what kids want to be when they grow up.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really thought I'd written a review for this book ... maybe I didn't hit 'Post'?

As I remember, there's a lot of opportunity for discussion with this book, and I must have liked it better than other 'job' books since I gave it 4 stars. (I no longer have this book, so I can't re-read it.)

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not so much a story book this time around, this one was more fact-based and a little drier. Not a favourite!

[Brianna Dietz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book for kids of younger ages. Is a part of a series.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book I read with my 4yo. Love that the book opens with a scripture (Matthew 5:16) and talks about using your God given talents to help you decide what you can be "when you grown up."

[Charul Palmer-Patel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Could have done without the word God on every other page. There wasnt even a story line! So far havent been impressed with these newer works