Book Review - The Berenstain Bears' Easter Blessing Board Book @TheBerenstains

The Berenstain Bears' Easter Blessings Board Book

By: Mike Berenstain
Publisher: Ideals Childrens Books
Publication Date: January 2016
ISBN: 978-0824919672
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: January 16, 2016

It’s Easter! The Bear family cubs sure are excited! All that food…and the candy! But Easter isn’t really about candy, is it? The Berenstain Bear cubs are about to find out exactly what Easter is all about.

As the story opens, the Bears are about to enjoy a scrumptious Easter breakfast. Before anybody can dig in, however, Mama reminds her cubs that “Papa will say grace.” The family holds hands while Papa says a brief prayer, and then they all enjoy the meal.

Next the Bears dress in their Sunday finest and off to church they go. The parents are carrying baskets of Easter ‘goodies,’ which thrills the children. As their excitement grows, they are reminded that the candy is for after church. First, they should count their Easter blessings. The cubs don’t realize just how lucky and blessed they are, so their parents and grandparents point out the many blessings they enjoy, such as the beautiful spring day and the love of family and friends. They truly are blessed.

In this new offering in the Berenstain Bear series, young readers are shown that while Easter candy is nice (no mention of the Easter Bunny), that’s not what the holiday is really about. Celebrating our many blessings is a far more important aspect of Easter. While there is a page in the book devoted to the risen Christ, “We give thanks for Easter blessings and for the greatest blessing of all – our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is risen!” the focus/main message of this simple story is to count your many blessings – an easy and important message for little cubs.

Quill says: A sweet book that will help very young readers understand the many blessings surrounding the celebration of Easter.