Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The Berenstain Bears may save Christmas, but even the Bears' best behavior does not breathe life into this overly long and plodding picture book. Much to the chagrin of Santa Bear, as well as wise Mama Bear, the holiday season in Bear Country has become a crass commercial competition, encouraging the "Christmas greedies." Santa's prepared to cancel the whole shebang until he witnesses Mama and her brood exhibiting genuine restraint, hospitality and goodwill. The clan's all here, but the Bear family's personalities remain oddly de-emphasized, in a rhyming text that often does not scan well. While the chestnut of a theme, er, bears repeating, Berenstain fans will likely miss the energetic humor, silliness (and even the sibling bickering) of previous outings. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3-From e-mails he receives from cubs, and by observing on his scanner machine, Santa Bear concludes that Christmas has been ruined: families are rude and competitive and the "-Christmas greedies were spreading through the land." He sets out, incognito, to search for the true spirit of the season. Luckily, Mama Bear has already put the brakes on, and the Bear family has reformed when disguised Santa arrives. Once again, a moral imperative is pounded home in the Berenstains' familiar, formulaic way. Problems of the overlong text, the meter that doesn't scan, and the canned illustrations will hardly matter to the Bears' many fans.-S. P. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In this long-winded sermon masquerading as a story, Bear Country has gone bonkers for Christmas's material trappings, so Santa Bear goes AWOL to search for the holiday's true spirit. Considering their theme and rhyme scheme, the Berenstains trod pretty hard on [cf2]Grinch[cf1] ground and, in doing so, draw an unfavorable comparison. The cartoony images of Bear Country, this time holiday bedecked, are benign as always. From HORN BOOK Spring 2004, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
