The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food (First Time Books(R))

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Amazon rating of 3.5 out of 5, Amazon sales rank: 32788

Mama Bear lays down the law when she notices that Papa and the cubs are getting too chubby. With the help of Dr. Grizzly's slide show on how the body works, the Bear family makes a healthful adjustment in their diet and fitness habits. "A most enjoyable introduction to good nutrition and exercise."--(starred) Science Books & Films.

Reader Reviews:

Bears are assassins.
Cold-blooded assassins.
They eat people of all ethnicities and persuasions.
Their rage is unrelenting and their hunger seemingly never diminishes.
You must never trust a bear or a bear family.
And don't ride them either. They're not dragons, after all.This is a cute book even without a message attached to it and it makes my little one laugh every time we read it. Dealing with eating too much candy and junk food is the subject and it starts with mama seeing that her cubs were eating all the time and getting quite chubby. So, after running into the family doctor at the grocery store, the bear family gets to see a slide show on the body and how it works. Plus, they learn the importance of eating good food and not the junk. The best part is something that all of us have difficulty doing. Mama bear throws out all the junk food in the house (actually, she puts it in the freezer) and provides only healthy snacks like carrot sticks, nuts and raisins. We've even tried this and believe me, it works. There's now a preference over candy for nuts and raisins (especially the yogurt ones!) and candy, well, it's just not that prevalent anymore. I highly recommend this one - it will stick with your children for life.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 no exception. Most people, especially kids, have a tendency to overindulge when it comes to junk food. This book shows that eating healthy is a lifelong pursuit (Papa Bear has the same troubles that the kids have). It's not intended as a primer on nutrition or exercize habits, but rather as a fictional story intended to promote conversations among families about healthy lifestyles. And for what it is, it's wonderful.Published in 1985, this book predates much of today's concerns about inappropriate weight management (anorexia, etc.). But even putting that aside, I did not like this book.

Objection #1: The story's approach to junk food is heavy handed: an all-or-nothing approach.

Objection #2: There is just something disturbing about the way the family deals with their junk-food cravings. For example, on one page, everyone but Mama is hovering around a candy display looking like they are so desperate for a sugar fix that they are going to steal the candy!

Objection #3: A visit to the doctor precipitates this all or nothing approach. And far from using the opportunity to explain why some foods are better than others, the doctor only admonishes the family to get some exercise.

Objection #4: The family decides to jog, which of course is not a bad thing. However, when they persevere and actually do well after entering a race... well, papa bear can't wait to celebrate with what?-junk food.

Now, the kids have figured it out and they don't think that sweets are the way to celebrate, which is good, but it does leave father in the position of looking like a knucklehead for not getting the message. And, personally, I think there are enough parents-are-dopes messages out there already.

In general, I just wish that they had associated being fat with watching television and playing too many video games and left junk food to be associated to feeling undernourished and fatigued.

Summary: This is not a book with a *modern* message. It's not a horrendous book, just not a great one. If you were looking for a first Berenstain Bear book I would purchase something else.This, like all other Berenstain Bears books, teaches a valuable lesson about eating healthy. It's a great story to inspire your child to eat healthy.
It all starts when Mama bear notices her cub are getting a bit chubby. So she takes all of the junk food in their house and locks it in the freezer. Well Papa bear wasn't too happy about this but he went along with it anyways. The next day the bears go to the grocery store. Mama Bear passes all the junk food and heads straight for the healthy food. At the checkout counter they run into their family doctor who tells them to stop by the next day. When they get there she shows them a slide show of how the body works and how much it needs healthy food. She also tells them to exercise.
This is a great story for kids who have a sweet tooth. It will show them that some healthy foods are good too. Also it can teach them that its good to have healthy food most of the time but a little snack is good here and there. Also it shows that exercise pays off, because in the end the bears are the only family to complete the Bear Country Marathon. I recommend this book to anyone. It's a great story and teaches a very valuable lesson. I am almost positive that you and your child will enjoy this book.
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