The Berenstain Bears Get Their Kicks

The Berenstain Bears

by Stan Berenstain, Jan Berenstain, Sitan Bodan

English-Chinese Bilingual Edition

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

15 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1998

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

[Samuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good because it is a Berenstein Bears book! But it wasn't very good because I'm not a fan of soccer. But it is just my opinion so it will be different for other people!

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm back to trying to read all the rest of the Berenstain Bears books and started here, with this one I couldn't find last time around. I can see why this might not be the most popular title anymore. The main story is about how the kids (and Mama) want to play soccer but how Papa Bear has no idea what soccer is about and thinks it's a waste of time. Of course, he comes around by the end of the story, but his entire attitude is pretty jerkish.

The thing is, I remember back when this book was written how soccer felt like a very new thing. Sure, it had been around forever, but it gained popularity in the 90s and there were a lot of parents who felt the way Papa Bear did, unable to see the point of the game or to understand why it was so popular. Even I felt that way for a time (but then when your grandfather played for the Chicago Cubs, you know baseball is the only way to go...)

Still, the problem with stories like this is they don't age particularly well. I gave this four stars because I rated it within the historical context of the time period in which it was written. In truth, though, today I'd give this 2 or maybe 3 stars just because Papa Bear feels hopelessly out of touch.

[Kelly Wickham · Rating 3 out of 5]

All of my kids have gone through their Berenstain Bears phase. Now Marcos is really into the Berenstain Bears and he has his own system of keeping track of the 20+ Berenstain Bears books that we have and making sure that we read a different one each day. There are a handful of Berenstain Bears books that are overly wordy and long and not enjoyable to read. This is one of those! Also, soccer tryouts are not an interesting theme to me. Sister and Brother are getting ready to tryout for soccer teams, which is confusing to Papa Bear who is not familiar with soccer and wants his kids to be interested in baseball instead. Although he is proud when they make the team and decides that and old bear can learn some new things.

[Karah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that Stan and Jan Berenstain included Mama Bear and Sister Bear in the athletics. Papa Bear, ever the traditionalist, feels disappointed when the cubs try out for soccer. Papa Bear initially finds soccer simplistic. After failing to kick a soccer ball, it dawns on him that soccer has value. In short, Brother and Sister Bear make the team. Who expects them to fail?

The Berenstain Bears need to be read by people who love winners and joyous endings.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Continuing the grand Berenstain read and get rid of. Don't remember this one. And really why would I? There's not much to it but surface-y stuff. You get to see Papa Bear being not completely inflexible. And the idea that Mama Bear might have done stuff in the past. And soccer. It was okay, but nothing special.

[Amara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hah! I feel like this book speaks to lots of families. Especially in the South where soccer is kinda frowned upon and football and baseball are king. Great book for dads to read to their soccer playing kids (especially if dad is "traditional" sports fan).

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does *not* deal with boys and girls playing on the same soccer team. The GR description is incorrect.

Standard BB fare. A good lesson for parents on letting their "cubs" try new things.

[Tony Primeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cheating on the Reading Challenge. Lol!

[Athena · Rating 3 out of 5]

We like the Berenstain bears. They are good stories and teach character building as well.

[Huratio · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite part was when Papa went OOF!!

[Stef · Rating 2 out of 5]

Papa Bear is a MAN'S MAN, gang, so don't try to tell him that soccer is a real sport. Sure, he comes around at the end, but the beginning is a little cringe.

[Coralie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy the Berenstain Bears for many reasons. They're clean, uplifting, and usually emphasize a moral or teach a lesson. This was a cute addition to the series, even if you're not a sports nut. :-)

[Amara Tanith · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I'm surprised by a Berenstain Bears book, it's rarely ever pleasant. This installment, luckily, was a refreshing divergence from the typical expectations of its series.

Rather than Mama Bear trying to get her kids to stop enjoying themselves and calmly "appreciate" things instead (as was the warped moral of the last BB book I read), here we have one of the stifling, old-fashioned parents learning to loosen up and enjoy life.

In The Berenstain Bears Get Their Kicks, Papa Bear is astounded by and disapproving of his children's decision to play soccer. The first half of the book focuses on his antics as he tries to pursuade his children that the sport they and their mother so enjoy is ridiculous and pales in comparison to his "old-fashioned" sports like baseball. They aren't buying it, of course, and a sulking Papa Bear follows them to their team tryouts.

He's impressed by his childrens obvious talent at the sport, which he even grows to enjoy himself. By the last page, he's learned that there's certainly enough room in his life for soccer and the "old-fashioned" sports the family also enjoys.

Frankly, it was wonderfully refreshing and incredibly astounding for one of the self-righteous Berenstain parents to learns lesson for a change. (And I found if oddly amusing that the Berenstains actually wrote a book speaking out against the odd anti-soccer vendetta some Americans seem to harbor.)

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really appreciate the message in this Berenstain Bears book. Too many parents are like 'Papa' and force their children to play the sport they like and not what the child likes. Papa learns about the sport that he can't believe the children enjoy and then in the end supports them and grows to enjoy it to. More parents should do what Papa has done.

[Yanik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book because i also like soccer and because they have also go on adventeurs to have fun.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

read this to Ella for night night

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's nice to see how Papa Bear is accepting of his cubs wanting to do something different than what he'd like and that he tries to be supportive of them.

[Miri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Papa Bear learns that new things are just as good as old things and soccer can be just a much fun as baseball or football.

[Danette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read with Naomi.

[Pinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Papa Bear tries to teach the cubs baseball instead of soccer.