We love the Berenstain Bears in this house. My husband and I both grew up reading the books and it's a delight to see Mike Berenstain continuing the tradition, especially in these books that address moral and religious questions. So this title specifically caught my attention.
Brother and Sister Bear start to have some questions when they spend time with Ferdy Factual, a scientist friend who doesn't believe in God. Mama and Papa take them to Preacher Brown to discuss some of their questions, as they search out what faith truly is.
Berenstain starts this book in typical bear fashion. There's a certain rhythm that goes along with Berenstain Bear books and this one continues in the same tradition. And we're lulled quickly into the story. I appreciate that Mama and Papa were willing to admit that they didn't have all the answers and consult another adult, their pastor. He too shares with Brother and Sister Bear, illustrating his point with the well-known story of Daniel.
I struggled slightly with the ending of this book. It felt like the story ended abruptly. Preacher Brown shares that faith is trusting in God's love. And although Brother and Sister still struggle with their questions, they come to see that their faith is important to them. With the story so well-developed, the ending was rushed.
And although I would have like to have seen the point better developed, it certainly opens up for a lot of discussion. In a way that's the point. We all certainly struggle with our faith from time to time. It's the searching out that makes us stronger. And sometimes it's our children's questions that initiate that searching. So this is a great place to start the conversation with our kids. Hope you find this title as challenging as we did.
*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
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