School Library Journal Reviews
PreS-Gr 2-Perennial favorites, the Berenstain Bears are back in a collection of six delightful vignettes. In "The Car Trip," the cubs are dreading the family trip to Bear Country's National Parks but soon learn that fun doesn't always require roller coasters and wave pools. In "The Wishing Star," Sister learns that it is not the power of her wish upon a star that makes her wishes come true, but the power within herself. In "By the Sea," the cubs learn an important lesson about family cooperation when the Bear family arrives at their vacation beach house and the cubs want to go swimming immediately without unpacking or cleaning. In "The Stinky Milk Mystery," the cubs learn the importance of telling the truth when they accidentally release Farmer Ben's cow. Mama teaches Sister that bears come in all shapes and sizes by taking her to a "House of Mirrors" when Sister thinks that her ears are too big. Finally, in "The Big Road Race," Brother and his friends learn that even though someone is the smallest, they may have the most to give. Each of these well-crafted tales teaches an important life lesson. Expert 2-D animation and strong characterizations will make this a hit with children and parents alike. Note that the video version contains only four of the vignettes. A strong addition to any collection.-Veronica Schwartz, Des Plaines Public Library, IL Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.