The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree (Bright & Early Books)

Three little bears, one with a light, one with a stick, and one with a rope, set out to explore the spooky old tree near their home in this early reader from the Berenstains. Encountering many dangers along the way, they make their way through the interior of the tree, eventually finding their way home again...

Like many American children, I grew up reading about the Berenstain Bears, and I have happy memories of entering their ursine world, so like the human one. I particularly enjoyed looking at the interiors of the tree houses in that world, and The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree provides an especially interesting arboreal house for the little bears to explore. Simple text and appealing illustrations make this an excellent show more Halloween-time title for kids just getting going with their reading. show less

Okay, this one is such a quick little read but it’s fun because the kids get into the “do they dare?” part every time. It’s a little repetitive, but that’s what makes it work it’s like a mini adventure. Honestly, it feels old-school in the best way, and i love the spooky theme.

This book is awesome in so many ways. It is a really great book to read to kids because it keeps them guessing. The story starts with the young bears going to investigate a spooky old tree. They set out to go see what is so scary about it. This grabs the kids attention and makes them anxious to see what will happen next. Once the bears get to the tree they are chased out by a very scary bear/monster. This book is really good for kids because as they are being chased and each character is doing something different, the text is located right next to the action that they are doing, resulting in the readers being able to associate the action with the words. The main idea of this book is to show kids that they can be brave no matter how show more scary something is. Overall this book is wonderful for kids to read, especially around Halloween. show less

I liked this book for several reasons. The language is patterned, very clear, and easy to understand. Certain statements are repeated throughout the story, such as, “One with a light. One with a stick. One with a rope.” Another sentence frame that is repeated is “Do they dare go into that spooky old tree? Yes, they dare.” The part that states “spooky old tree” is constantly replaced with the current situation the bears are facing throughout the story. I liked the writing in this story because it is organized and flows very well. The sentences on each page are short, simple, and accompanied by illustrations, which is great for a young reader. I think that the characters are very believable. There are three sibling bears that show more are curious to explore the inside of a spooky tree. Children today are normally curious explorers. However, children may be spooked in creepy situations, much like these bears. The bears’ fear is evident in the story when the book reads, “And one with the shivers.” I enjoy the plot because it is suspenseful. As the three siblings explore the dark spooky tree, many things spook them. The inside of the tree is portrayed to be very scary through the use of language and illustrations. Suspense is built up when the bears try to escape the tree. Suspense is resolved when the bears slide out a door, run home, and are comforted by their mother. I believe the illustrations are perfect for the mood of the story. The book contains drawings of a haunting tree with spooky staircases and dark rooms. This makes the reader fearful for the bears and wants them to get out of the tree as soon as possible. One example of how the illustrations enhance the story is when the book reads, “And two with the shivers.” Two of the bears are drawn squiggly with their mouths open to represent shivering with fear. I was always scared and full of suspense reading this story as a child. The big idea of the book is home will always be your safety net. This is evident at the end of the story when the book reads, “Home again. Safe at last.” show less

This is one of the earlier Berenstain Bear books, and it shows. The bears are less stylized and cutesy than the bears in the newer books, and the story is halfway between an early reader and the newer, longer read-alouds they do now.

It's a cute little story about three cubs going out with a light, a stick, and a rope to explore. Of course, they lose all three items and run screaming home to mom - and with good reason, that spooky old tree is *really* spooky.

There are only a few words per page, with a basic vocabulary, so it's great for early readers.

I think that The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree is a good children’s book. I liked the book because of the language the authors use. The authors use repetitive phrases that children will be able to follow along with and repeat aloud with the reader. For example, throughout the story the authors write, “Three little bears… One with a light. One with a stick. One with a rope,” which are simple enough for young children to read and creates an element of entertainment for the reader. I also like the illustrations because they are animated, yet realistic. The bears are dressed like actual children with overalls and bows. This makes the bears seem more human like and more relatable for children. The main idea of the story is show more to be careful of curiosity because it can lead to trouble. show less

This is a great book to get the thrills for Halloween especially for preschoolers! There aren't much words and most are repetitive which is a good change for kids to read along with you. Great to use with actual frightened expressions as kids will definitely stay engaged.