The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room

I firmly believe all of life's problems can be solved by the Berenstain Bears. The messy room is an all time favorite of both "cubs" and parents. Most mothers can relate when mama bear loses it and starts throwing toys out much to the Cubs horror. I also appreciate the fact that in this book papa bear comes to the rescue and solves the problem. In the Berenstain bear books papa is often treated as the parent who makes all the mistakes in a bumbling and lovable way. It is nice to see papa bear receive the respect he deserves and the realization that mama bear isn't perfect all the time.

Z: aw man
a classic

R: I don't want to ruin the ending, but... it's SO satisfying

Z: when they put all those hooks up to hang things and boxes organize things?

R: YES!!!!!!!!

Z: I almost cried.

R: I know... it was so magical
I always dreamed my room would look that way
(it never did)

Z: Never before has the fantasy world of literature been so painfully separate from reality.

R: TRULY, though.
one of the great heartaches of my childhood

Z: I feel like we should post this conversation in a review for this book on amazon.

I read this book when a child, and still remember it at age 25. Now, it didn't turn me into a neat person, but with fond memories of this book in my heart, I plan on having a clean room ... one of these days.

I loved the Berenstain Bears books when I was a kid and was super excited to share some of them with my classroom. Unfortunately some of the printing was messed up on my copy. Not a huge deal to have some white at the bottom of the page but it does cut off some of the writing at the tops of the pages. Still a wonderful book and comes with a sheet of adorable Berenstain Bear stickers, I just wish some of the text wasn’t cut off.

The world lost a real gem of a writer when Stan Berenstain passed on November 29. Together, Berenstain and his wife, Jan, and eventually their two sons, created books featuring lovable but flawed characters who tackle just about every real issue that faces families.

This book is an excellent example. Very few children are naturally hyper-organized, most of them have messy room problems at some point in their young lives. This book shows by example that it is possible to keep a room clean and organized without too much work, and that life is so much more fun when a room is clean! It also shows that even adults sometimes have trouble keeping themselves organized, and that cleanliness and organization are lifelong pursuits. Like all of the Berenstain Bears books, it presents a problem and a solution with a moral lesson included in a style that children will find entertaining and even funny. Really, a great book!

I grew up reading the Berenstain Bear books and we only have a few of them at my mothers house. When my daughter got old enough for them I was so happy to be able to find them for her. :) We are slowly building up her collection of books. Figured we would start with the ones with the correct message for her attitude right now.

I love this one because it teaches about organization and taking responsibility for your space but it also shows that adults can be emotional and overwhelmed. I especially love that Momma Bear is the one who gets fed up and Papa Bear comes in and helps settle the situation dn comes up with the solution. Often in these books Momma Bear is the one who fixes it.

My 3 yr old is having a hard time understanding the importance of cleaning up and this sure helped!! Showing that when there is so much clutter, enjoying a room and finding what you want isn’t really easy and when mother got fed up it also relates that we all can ‘loose our tempers’. Then helps solve the problem with practical solutions and is a great example for all messy room kids!

Like all Reagan-era kids, I was brought up on this formulaic, over-sweetened, fruit-flavored homily dressed up as a children's book. Somehow my fellow Americans can't see through this sermon for what it really is; sexist and emasculating at the same time.

After reading The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room I had the urge to say “why are you so hung up on your kids’ room being messy?” For goodness sake, have you ever seen a children's room that wasn't messy? I don’t recall ever seeing a couple that had school-age kids AND a spotless house, unless the entire family were anal. You can't raise happy kids and have your home looking like Martha Stewart's latest masterpiece at the same time. When Mama Bear gets fed up and storms into the cub's room with a big box, I have this desire to throw her in it. This is one anal bear we’re dealing with!

Next on the list, particularly the one I'd like to shoot and send to the taxidermist, is Papa Bear. Despite his massive size, he's a passive and spineless wuss who lets Mama Bear be his boss. When he breaks one of Mama Bear’s house rules (for interrupting) he gets a punishment. From my experience, I think most husbands would respond with “forget it,” but no, Papa does the punishment (dust downstairs) and more. I also have to wonder what Mama Bear was thinking when she drew up the “Bear family politeness plan” and then sat the family down to see it, without asking the father’s input? Kind of shows a lack of respect for her husband.

As for Mama Bear, why is she wearing that lame housedress in the post-feminist age? By the 1980's, with TV shows populated by yuppies, "career-women," and various female characters both smart and attractive at the same time, Mama Bear looked like one of the Little-House-On-The-Prairie women after going through menopause. It's no wonder they don't have another child (excuse me, I mean "cub") until the 1990's; there's no way Papa Bear could be sexually attracted to her.

I was so pleased when the cubs break Mama Bear's lamp in the book where they tell a fib. After the initial cheering, I wished Brother Bear would yell "come off it you big sow" when she says how disappointed she is. Mama Bear's sole interest is in keeping her home clean rather than keeping the kids happy in it. With all the wonderful children’s books out there, this thing should've gone out of print. Or maybe Stan and Jan Berenstain should write a book called The Berenstain Bears and the Family Therapist? Or The Berenstain Bears and the Runaway Cubs? Or the best thing that could happen to this family, The Berenstain Bear Cubs Hit Puberty and Mama and Papa Bear Divorce Because They Can’t Agree on How to Handle It!

This book is in terrible condition. Its poorly printed, from the front cover to the pages where words are almost.totally cut off. The pages arent even attached to the cover properly.

This book describes the messy fast paced life of most children. It is cute and has a good lesson behind it. This book can be used in the classroom to help with student organization. Sometimes classrooms, especially in younger grades, can get really messy because things aren't put back where they are supposed to go, and kids get in such a rush they forget to clean up. So by reading this book and showing that cleaning and organizing can have a positive impact you and your students can start an annual cleaning day for each month. Start that day by finding a place for everything, get the students input, have them help make colorful and creative labels, and then sit back down and admire your handiwork. Then for the res of the month make sure to have students put things in their places as best as they can. By the time the next cleaning day comes around, the better job they did putting things away each day, the less they have to clean on cleaning day. And as the Bears said, it is a lot more fun to play and work in a clean environment.