The Berenstain Bears Get the Don't Haftas

The Berenstain Bears Jellybean Books

by Stan Berenstain, Jan Berenstain

I don't hafta, Sister insists when Mama asks her if she has to go to the bathroom before a long trip. "I don't hafta," Sister repeats as Mama checks and double-checks before they set out. But what do you think Sister says once they're on their way? You guessed "I HAFTA!"

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction

24 pages, Hardcover

First published July 7, 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

[Ray Flynn]

Peak literature. I think that it shows the dynamic between mama and baby bear really well, how Mama bear just wants the best for baby bear, despite baby refusing to acknowledge the good advice that mama was trying to provide, evidently ending in baby having to go to the bathroom during the drive to their aunts house. Thankfully though, everyone else had to go as well, so even though there should’ve been consequences to baby’s decision to not go before the drive, there wasn’t any. Half a star off for lack of any real consequences, and half a star off for letting baby be in the front seat, unsafe decision from both parents.

[Amara Tanith]

In The Berenstain Bears Get the Don't Haftas, the title is surprisingly apt. Mama Bear spends the entire book pestering Sister Bear to go to the bathroom before they leave for their car trip--and we all know how that's going to end, right? Sister Bear's going to have to pee, her parents are going to be annoyed, and the book is going to imply that this one incident has taught Sister Bear her lesson. Because teaching children to piss while they have the chance is as easy as turning the car around once. Yeah.

So it was refreshing to see Stan and Jan take a different route for once; it's not Sister Bear who suddenly realizes she has to pee--it's the whole family. The Bears all thought they "didn't hafta", which I admittedly didn't see coming. Normally these parents are so sanctimonious and superior, I'm always thrilled to see them shown as just as flawed as their children.

That--showing parents as people rather than saints sneering down their noses at their children--is the key factor in writing a moral picture book.

[Cyndy]

The Berenstain Bears are always good for a likeable story.

[Amy]

Typical Berenstain Bears teaching book. It encourages kids to use the bathroom before leaving the house.

[Leiba Ragoo-Medina]

Funny, short book on mothers care with her know it all family members.

[Emma]

I was pretty disappointed with this book in the Berenstain Bears series. Yes, it is a teaching method for children to used the restroom, but it was not as well written as other books in the series.