What do you think?
Rate this book
The Berenstain Bears Living Lights
The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible
Join Papa, Mama, Brother, Sister, and Honey Bear as they read favorite Bible stories together as a family and imagine what it would have been like to see Adam and Eve in the garden, watch Noah build the ark, and listen as Jesus tells a parable to the people. Told with words and pictures in the beloved Berenstain style, twenty-three Old and New Testament stories come alive for young readers.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published October 22, 2013
5 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Jan Berenstain
913 books230 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 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 3, 2024
This book gets a 5 star for engagement with my kids, but a 3 star for content of the bible. This is Papa bear reading the kids bible stories before bed. The stories are VERY basic and don't fully explain anything or provide much for application, but it was fun to see familiar stories in the context of the bears.
June 14, 2018
The text is comparable to your basic children's story bible, but without any clear presentation of the gospel or any unifying theme. The framing device is the Berenstain family reading the bible together and imagining that all the characters in it are bears like them ... which means Adam and Eve are bears (Adam the Bear even names a bear), and Noah is a bear (leading bears onto the ark), and Moses is a bear, and David is a bear (as is Goliath), and the angels are bears, and Mary and baby Jesus are bears, and, yes, *a bear Jesus hangs on a cross* (sort of in shadow, but still visible).
Which I found fairly unsettling, honestly. Not that the characters necessarily look like any of their depictions in any of the other story bibles, either (particularly the cartoony ones or the ones where everyone is mysteriously Caucasian), but at least those depictions are still recognizably *human*. I mean, I grew up watching Veggie Tales, with Dave and the Giant Pickle, etc., but a) at least early on, it was clear that Bob & Larry & Co. were acting out the stories, and b) I'm pretty sure they never showed a Veggie Jesus. All of which to say, I don't have clearly articulated reasons why Bear Jesus is not okay; I just feel like Bear Jesus is probably not ok.
But whatever you conclude about Bear Jesus, there are many superior children's bibles on the market that do not involve anthropomorphized animals. Some of our favorites include The Big Picture Story Bible and the Jesus Storybook Bible, and, for slightly older readers, the Gospel Story Bible--all of which tie Old and New Testament stories to the overarching theme of the gospel, and none of which feature talking bears.
Which I found fairly unsettling, honestly. Not that the characters necessarily look like any of their depictions in any of the other story bibles, either (particularly the cartoony ones or the ones where everyone is mysteriously Caucasian), but at least those depictions are still recognizably *human*. I mean, I grew up watching Veggie Tales, with Dave and the Giant Pickle, etc., but a) at least early on, it was clear that Bob & Larry & Co. were acting out the stories, and b) I'm pretty sure they never showed a Veggie Jesus. All of which to say, I don't have clearly articulated reasons why Bear Jesus is not okay; I just feel like Bear Jesus is probably not ok.
But whatever you conclude about Bear Jesus, there are many superior children's bibles on the market that do not involve anthropomorphized animals. Some of our favorites include The Big Picture Story Bible and the Jesus Storybook Bible, and, for slightly older readers, the Gospel Story Bible--all of which tie Old and New Testament stories to the overarching theme of the gospel, and none of which feature talking bears.
September 13, 2022
It was fun to read this! The pictures made me giggle at times, seeing everyone like a berenstain bear.
October 30, 2013
First thoughts, before reading - just getting my hands on it, it's bigger in size than I expected, but thinner in size that I expected. Interesting. I'm wondering how it compares to the standard Berenstain Bears books or the new 3-in-1 or 5-in-1 treasuries. I'll have to check that. I think it's different because at a glance it is not square, however I do think it is as tall.
I've been looking forward to this one for a long time! This is the one that the girls keep out in their room and reference daily. Definitely I think it is true to say that The Berenstain Bears are their favorite characters.
Is there anything that I looked forward to more in the juvenile Christian genres than the Berenstain Bears Bible?! Illustration-wise I'm delighted. Story-wise there was at least one retelling that gave me pause. However overall I'm in love. This one is slightly larger than the standard 4-7 age range Bibles lately, but it's not quite the 9x9" we're used to from The Berenstain Bears series either. No matter the size it is cuddle-worthy and definitely spark-worthy of getting those Berenstain Bears loving kids into scripture.
Now onto the audio. In general I'm a pretty positive reviewer. Most often I love the Berenstain Bears and products that come from Zondervan, but goodness this audio narration is HORRIBLE! She speaks way too slowly and exaggeratedly in a bad form that is ridiculously annoying to listen to. With that said, it doesn't seem to phase my girls and they listen to it almost daily. Yet for myself, I cannot stand to be in the room with it and I'm almost willing to record a new version of it myself. *sigh*
I received this product free for the purpose of reviewing it. I received no other compensation for this review. The opinions expressed in this review are my personal, honest opinions. Your experience may vary. Please read my full disclosure policy for more details.
August 17, 2019
The Berenstain Bears series (or Berenstein, for you extradimensional exiles) was always centered around moral lessons for children, likely influenced to an extent by authors Stan and Jan Berenstain's religiosity. The problem with taking the Berenstain Bears' type of stories and applying them to actual bible tales as this book does is that the secular lessons of the normal books and the religious lessons of the bible aren't inherently stylistically compatible. A typical Berenstain Bears story teaches a specific moral about friendship, sharing, telling the truth, working hard, etcetera; however, The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible retells bible stories, most of which by their nature as two-thousand year old mythology lack a comprehensible moral:
A couple ate some fruit, so God threw them out of a garden.
Some bad apples misbehaved, so God murdered everyone on the planet in a flood, except for one guy who got to build a boat.
Folks built a big tower without knowing that it would make God angry, so he made them all speak different languages.
Joseph's brothers threw him in in a pit and stole his jacket, then changed their minds and sold him into slavery, but he got loose and later turned the tables by having them arrested, only to eventually change his mind and let them go.
Samson had his hair cut and lost his magic strength, but then regained it for the express purpose of killing himself and everybody along with him.
Jesus walked on water.
Saul was just riding around doing his job, but then Jesus blinded him for no reason like a jerk.
Due to their religious nature, these apparently didn't rate a moral either in the Iron Age or in this book beyond the unspoken black cloud of "fear/love/die at the whim of/obey God," but that means each of these chapters is incomplete when compared to your average Berenstain Bears story. The denouements of all the other books provide some context with a Berenstain family debriefing, but the bears' presence here is limited to a framing device of a few pages at the beginning and one page at the end, leaving the bible stories to speak (poorly) for themselves. All the reader is left with is a Berenstain Bears book with weirder stories and no clearly delineated pro-social messages to take away.
Credit where it's due, though. It's impressive that Mike Berenstain managed to illustrate this full hardcover, given that it's ten times larger than the average Berenstain Bears paperback.
A couple ate some fruit, so God threw them out of a garden.
Some bad apples misbehaved, so God murdered everyone on the planet in a flood, except for one guy who got to build a boat.
Folks built a big tower without knowing that it would make God angry, so he made them all speak different languages.
Joseph's brothers threw him in in a pit and stole his jacket, then changed their minds and sold him into slavery, but he got loose and later turned the tables by having them arrested, only to eventually change his mind and let them go.
Samson had his hair cut and lost his magic strength, but then regained it for the express purpose of killing himself and everybody along with him.
Jesus walked on water.
Saul was just riding around doing his job, but then Jesus blinded him for no reason like a jerk.
Due to their religious nature, these apparently didn't rate a moral either in the Iron Age or in this book beyond the unspoken black cloud of "fear/love/die at the whim of/obey God," but that means each of these chapters is incomplete when compared to your average Berenstain Bears story. The denouements of all the other books provide some context with a Berenstain family debriefing, but the bears' presence here is limited to a framing device of a few pages at the beginning and one page at the end, leaving the bible stories to speak (poorly) for themselves. All the reader is left with is a Berenstain Bears book with weirder stories and no clearly delineated pro-social messages to take away.
Credit where it's due, though. It's impressive that Mike Berenstain managed to illustrate this full hardcover, given that it's ten times larger than the average Berenstain Bears paperback.
March 25, 2026
A Fun and Faith Filled Activity Book That Keeps My Kids Busy for Hours
I am always looking for books that entertain my kids without involving a screen, and The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find has become one of my absolute favorite finds. This book checks so many boxes at once and has been picked up again and again in our house since the day we got it.
The search and find format is something my kids already love, so combining it with Bible stories and the familiar Berenstain Bears characters was a winning combination right from the start. My 4-year-old and 6-year-old can both enjoy it at the same time even though they are at different skill levels. My younger one loves spotting the easier objects while my older child challenges herself to find everything on the list before her brother does.
What I really appreciate as a parent is that the activity is actually building real skills while the kids think they are just playing. Concentration, attention to detail, and counting are all being practiced naturally as they search each page. And because the scenes are based on Bible stories, they are also absorbing faith content without even realizing it. That combination feels really valuable to me.
The artwork is classic Berenstain Bears all the way. Every page is detailed, colorful, and packed with things to look at, which is exactly what you want in a search and find book. The hand drawn style gives it a warmth and character that feels different from a lot of activity books out there today.
This book has survived road trips, waiting rooms, and quiet Sunday afternoons without losing its appeal. My kids keep coming back to it.
For the price and the hours of engagement it delivers, this is an easy recommendation for any parent of young children. A genuinely wonderful book.
I am always looking for books that entertain my kids without involving a screen, and The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find has become one of my absolute favorite finds. This book checks so many boxes at once and has been picked up again and again in our house since the day we got it.
The search and find format is something my kids already love, so combining it with Bible stories and the familiar Berenstain Bears characters was a winning combination right from the start. My 4-year-old and 6-year-old can both enjoy it at the same time even though they are at different skill levels. My younger one loves spotting the easier objects while my older child challenges herself to find everything on the list before her brother does.
What I really appreciate as a parent is that the activity is actually building real skills while the kids think they are just playing. Concentration, attention to detail, and counting are all being practiced naturally as they search each page. And because the scenes are based on Bible stories, they are also absorbing faith content without even realizing it. That combination feels really valuable to me.
The artwork is classic Berenstain Bears all the way. Every page is detailed, colorful, and packed with things to look at, which is exactly what you want in a search and find book. The hand drawn style gives it a warmth and character that feels different from a lot of activity books out there today.
This book has survived road trips, waiting rooms, and quiet Sunday afternoons without losing its appeal. My kids keep coming back to it.
For the price and the hours of engagement it delivers, this is an easy recommendation for any parent of young children. A genuinely wonderful book.
January 13, 2024
Well everyone LOVES a Berenstain Bears book! These characters are just so classic, so loveable, and so special to families.
This search and find is such a great way for children to be introduced- or reminded of- important stories in the bible, while participating in a fun "I spy" on each page!
Our family loved this book, and I am excited to have it in our school library. I know families will enjoy reading this one together, and siblings & friends can join in to search for each item!
This search and find is such a great way for children to be introduced- or reminded of- important stories in the bible, while participating in a fun "I spy" on each page!
Our family loved this book, and I am excited to have it in our school library. I know families will enjoy reading this one together, and siblings & friends can join in to search for each item!
October 11, 2021
We were gifted this copy. My boys enjoyed it more than some others we have. We love The Berenstain Bears, and this one was a good one to add to the collection, both of the Berenstain Bears and storybook Bibles.
March 4, 2017
My daughter loved the drawings. The stories were good, but a little too simplistic at times.
July 10, 2021
A short summary of more popular bible tales and characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2022
A wonderful way to introduce the bible to little kids.
November 17, 2023
Quick and easy read for our little ones. I loved this.
February 22, 2024
Mend & Tu B'Shvat 2024
April 11, 2025
Checked out from FW Library in TX
November 25, 2025
This was an enjoyable book To listen to with my children
July 27, 2021
Read pages 78-135. Read the exodus and Ten Commandments story and wanted to read more, so we read about Samson and David and Goliath too.
Interested enough that they asked to read more. We read pages 120-185 the next day.
Picked it out for bedtime snack story and read pages 1-77.
Interested enough that they asked to read more. We read pages 120-185 the next day.
Picked it out for bedtime snack story and read pages 1-77.
July 27, 2021
Read pages 78-135. Read the exodus and Ten Commandments story and wanted to read more, so we read about Samson and David and Goliath too.
Interested enough that they asked to read more. We read pages 120-185 the next day.
Read for bedtime snack story and read pages 1-77.
Interested enough that they asked to read more. We read pages 120-185 the next day.
Read for bedtime snack story and read pages 1-77.
January 27, 2016
Originally posted on Creative Madness Mama.
First thoughts, before reading - just getting my hands on it, it's bigger in size than I expected, but thinner in size that I expected. Interesting. I'm wondering how it compares to the standard Berenstain Bears books or the new 3-in-1 or 5-in-1 treasuries. I'll have to check that. I think it's different because at a glance it is not square, however I do think it is as tall. Updated thoughts there, it is a different size. It is a different size than the most of the typical Berenstain Bear books which are often 8x8" whether hardcover or saddle-stitch paperback. It is also a larger size than most Zonderkidz hardcover Bibles, in the end it is 7.5x8.5".
I've been looking forward to this one for a long time! This is the one that the girls keep out in their room and reference daily. Definitely I think it is true to say that The Berenstain Bears are their favorite characters.
Is there anything that I looked forward to more in the juvenile Christian genres than the Berenstain Bears Bible?! Illustration-wise I'm delighted. Story-wise there was at least one retelling that gave me pause. However overall I'm in love. This one is slightly larger than the standard 4-7 age range Bibles lately, but it's not quite the 9x9" we're used to from The Berenstain Bears series either. No matter the size it is cuddle-worthy and definitely spark-worthy of getting those Berenstain Bears loving kids into scripture.
After quite a bit of time, and others to choose from, I can still contest that my children's favorite audiobook Bible to listen to while reading along in their own Storybook Bible is from The Berenstain Bears Deluxe Storybook Bible. This set includes the exact same Bible you would purchase along, but in a slipcover case with a sleeve including an audio CD.
This is not my favorite. I do truly enjoy the prose of the Bible and the storybook as it is told by Mike and Jan Berenstain, but I think the narrator chosen was dreadful in their presentation. I suppose it is because of the audience that she is addressing, but I cannot stand to be in the room while my children listen to it. It is so slow and halting. The Bible is awesome, the audio track - not so much. Yet as I said, my girls love it.
View all my reviews
This review was originally posted on Creative Madness Mama.
February 27, 2013
The world of children's Bibles can be a crowded place, and trying to find one that stands out from the crowd can be a difficult task indeed. Enter, "The Berenstain Bears, Storybook Bible. My children were so enamored with it I had to intervene as they were arguing over who would be able to look at it next! I loved how the authors created a space to present the Bible as if populated by the world of Berenstain Bears. They start the book by pretending that Papa Bear is offering up some of the best stories ever, the ones from the Bible, and Brother, Sister, and Honey bear are all excited. As they listen to the stories, they are able to imagine the characters from within the world as they see it. There is definite truth to that, because as any of us listen to the Bible we can picture ourselves in the story and see how the eternal truths can apply to our own lives!
My children raved about the colorful and action-oriented pictures, and especially liked how their favourite stories came to life. All of their most loved stories are included in this book, including the creation story, the story of Noah and the Ark, or the story of Queen Esther. The stories are quite faithful to the Bible, although of course many details are missing compared to the real version. Sometimes I missed some of the details the original story has. For example, in the story of Noah as depicted in the Storybook Bible, the authors state that the people are puzzled that the ark is being built; in the actual story, Noah makes it very clear why the ark is being built and why the people need to turn from their sin. However, I recognize that it would be impossible to include every detail in a children's version of the Bible, and I am very pleased overall with how accurate the Storybook Bible is.
I have no doubt that this version of the Bible will be asked for by my children over and over again in the coming years. Though we have a number of children's Bibles in our home, this one definitely provides a unique and fun way to present the truth. I award it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
My children raved about the colorful and action-oriented pictures, and especially liked how their favourite stories came to life. All of their most loved stories are included in this book, including the creation story, the story of Noah and the Ark, or the story of Queen Esther. The stories are quite faithful to the Bible, although of course many details are missing compared to the real version. Sometimes I missed some of the details the original story has. For example, in the story of Noah as depicted in the Storybook Bible, the authors state that the people are puzzled that the ark is being built; in the actual story, Noah makes it very clear why the ark is being built and why the people need to turn from their sin. However, I recognize that it would be impossible to include every detail in a children's version of the Bible, and I am very pleased overall with how accurate the Storybook Bible is.
I have no doubt that this version of the Bible will be asked for by my children over and over again in the coming years. Though we have a number of children's Bibles in our home, this one definitely provides a unique and fun way to present the truth. I award it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
August 25, 2016
I have absolutely loved this Storybook Bible and this has by far has been my son's favorite! It's the only one our family has read where he was fully interested throughout each chapter! There were plenty of times to point out different emotions, animals, and counting items/people/animals! Every page is bright and colorful with wonderful drawings!
However there is one huge complaint that I have and that is the story concerning Jesus' arrest and death. I felt that they did not accurately portray the real story of how Jesus got arrested concerning Judas. I know that they were trying to tell the story in a way that children can understand, but I felt they made inferences that could cause a child to misinterpret this part of the Gospel story. For some people this might not be an issue, but saying that Judas betrayed Jesus because he was angry and that Pilate hung Jesus because he didn't want him as king does not agree with me.
Now would I recommend this Storybook Bible? Yes, but with a hint of caution. I have found the authors to be Biblically accurate except what I explained in the paragraph above and otherwise feel they do a great job in explaining the Gospel!
I give The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible a 4 out of 5 stars!
However there is one huge complaint that I have and that is the story concerning Jesus' arrest and death. I felt that they did not accurately portray the real story of how Jesus got arrested concerning Judas. I know that they were trying to tell the story in a way that children can understand, but I felt they made inferences that could cause a child to misinterpret this part of the Gospel story. For some people this might not be an issue, but saying that Judas betrayed Jesus because he was angry and that Pilate hung Jesus because he didn't want him as king does not agree with me.
Now would I recommend this Storybook Bible? Yes, but with a hint of caution. I have found the authors to be Biblically accurate except what I explained in the paragraph above and otherwise feel they do a great job in explaining the Gospel!
I give The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible a 4 out of 5 stars!
Read
March 28, 2013This book was published after the passing of both Stan and Jan Berenstain. I am happy to say that their son, Mike, lives up to his parents' legacy of writing and illustrating children's stories.
February 17, 2014
Both my girls just love the Berenstain bears! They also love the bible stories so the two together are perfect!
March 3, 2016
I just like that it is a Christian Bible
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews