Review - The Berenstain Bears: Bedtime Devotional

ZonderKidz; 160 pages; $12.99; Amazon

During my early elementary days in the late 1980s, I was a big fan of The Berenstain Bears books by Stan and Jan Berenstain. I tried to collect every little picture book I could find in the series. Eventually, I got interested into other books and the Berenstain Bears titles just rested on a bookshelf collecting dust. Later, I let my aunt borrow the books for her kids to read, but I never saw the books again. Over the years, I have recollected several of those books; most of them I found at thrift stores.

Now available in bookstores from ZonderKidz is "The Berenstain Bears: Bedtime Devotional" by Mike Berenstain, the son of the late Stan and Jan Berenstain. It features 90 different devotions for young readers.

The small-size book kicks off with a one-page "Bedtime Prayer." The rest of the book is divided between nine chapters/sections - "God Loves You Very Much," "Be Kind and Helpful to Others," "Be Forgiving," "God's Gifts and Blessings," "Be Thankful," "Be Courageous," "Be a Good Friend," "Have Faith," and "Be Joyful."

Each devotion features one Bible verse, followed by a short story involving either Brother, Sister or Honey. Almost all the devotions have a "Carry, On Cub!" paragraph, which basically sums up the life lesson that was in the story. There is also a short rhyming prayer with every devotion.

Final Thoughts: All the stories and illustrations in the 160-page book have appeared in other Berenstain Bears titles, so there's nothing really new here; though I'm not for sure if the "Carry On Cub!" parts are reprints or something written just for this title.

The book itself has been nicely put together with a cute cover art and an attached blue ribbon bookmark inside the book. Yes, the stories do have Christian themes, but none of them feels forced upon the reader. The stories all have great life lessons for kids, for example: helping your parents clean the house, helping your neighbor rake leaves, helping a classmate carry their book bag, etc..

Overall, The Berenstain Bears: Bedtime Devotional is a cute little book that will easily appeal to younger children. My only complaint is that the book should have also been available in pink for girls. Nevertheless, I'll be giving this devotional book to my little cousins.

Note: I'm referring to different cousins in this review!

*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.