- Ondrea Keigh
- Nov 1, 2024
- 3 min read
The Berenstain Bears are headed to the moon! In this adorable little story, the two cubs in the Berenstain Bear family take their pup and head to space on a trip to the moon and back again!
Review
The Berenstain Bears were a common site when I was growing up. They even had their own TV show! This particular book was written and illustrated by Stan and Jan Berenstain and published in 1985. The Berenstain Bears: On the Moon was a favorite growing up, and, as you can see in the photo, this copy was well-loved! Thanks to the space theme, this book could be considered the first sci-fi book I ever read! And these days, I am a big sci-fi fan!
My favorite thing about this story is how it touches on all the elements of space that kids love, the things that stir the imagination! The floating in the ship, moon jumps, driving around on the moon, and, of course, collecting rocks! I also love that the bear siblings brought their dog along for the trip. It’s a personal touch that I think many kids can relate to.
The illustrations are also a wonderful element of this children’s book! I know from personal experience that there is something about these drawings that stick with you as a child. The shapes of the steering wheels on the spaceship and the uniforms they wear on their trip are small details, but for some reason, I remember them well! The spaceship itself reminds me of those air-powered rockets people used to play with, the ones with the pump you would jump on, and the rocket would shoot up into the air! Put simply, this book’s illustrations add wonder and excitement to each page of the story that will stick with you for years to come!
This short children’s story can produce some nostalgia in adults who read it growing up, and it contains so much fun content for children listening and looking at the illustrations. Overall, I think this book is a great children’s story, and I give it five out of five stars! But don’t just take my word for it! Let’s see what our family reviewers thought!
Family Reviews
Kate and Josiah
Kate gave this book a five-star review, saying she loves “all things space!” Her son seemed to agree with her, giving this book five hearts! Josiah said his favorite part was when they “digged into the moon,” explaining that he liked that part because they could “make blocks to play with.”
Emily, Christine, and Peter
Emily also gave this book five stars, saying, “The rhymes were enjoyable and not forced, and I loved that the book introduced some scientific concepts with a fun, imaginative story. I love getting to introduce real life through picture books!”
Christine gave this book four out of five hearts, saying her favorite part was when they “did moon jumps.” When asked why this was her favorite part, she said, “I think it would be fun to do. I think on the moon I could jump over a big rock, and as far as the length of our dining room table.”
Christine’s younger brother Peter also loved the book, reportedly giving it 100 hearts! When asked what his favorite part was, he replied, “My favorite part was the whole part when they were on the moon, because I like space because it’s fun to jump on. You jump high in the sky. I would try to jump as high as from the floor to the ceiling. I would go as far as our whole living room.”
Alyssa, Chandler, and JJ
Alyssa gave this book four stars, saying she loved “the kid’s reactions,” quoting the character’s motto, “To the moon or bust!” Chandler gave this book five hearts, saying her favorite part was the “moon rock totes!” JJ also seemed to enjoy the book, and though he didn’t give a heart review, Alyssa shared that “JJ’s favorite part was the ‘rocket airplane’ that was hot! (Then he blew on the pictures of the fire).”
