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The Berenstain Bears: We Love Trucks!

October 7, 2016

Tiresome book about trucks.

It's pretty simplistic. It kind of makes me think of Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things that Go, which my kid had a copy of and which was a lot more interesting than this book, but apparently a lot of fun to rip into pieces as well.

Message

Trucks are awesome.

The Berenstain Bears In the Dark

October 7, 2016

Frighteningly boring.

It's a good message, just not a very interesting story.

Message

The dark isn't scary, but it's okay to be afraid of it anyway.

The Berenstain Bears and the Sitter

October 7, 2016

Babysitters are a last resort, but not scary.

I'm not really sure what the message is. It seems to have a message, but then loses it.

Message

Don't be afraid of babysitters?

In the Forest

October 7, 2016

Mundane walk through the forest with fanciful animals.

There's no real message. It doesn't really go anywhere. The animals don't really do anything. There aren't any characters. Nobody really has a personality.

Message

None.

Bittle

October 7, 2016

Mom and Dad get a human baby.

It's a recognition of the important role that pets play in people's lives, understanding that just as it's difficult for children to accept new siblings, it's also difficult for the pets to accept it.

Message

Babies are a big change, but a positive one.

A Ball for Daisy

October 7, 2016

Just a dog and her ball.

It's a sweet, wordless book. The illustrations are incredibly good at getting across the emotions of the dog.

Message

Helping others makes them feel good.

The Berenstain Bears' Baby Easter Bunny

October 7, 2016

Tedious lift-the-flap book.

It's just supposed to be a lift-the-flap book, but I think by the time the kids are old enough to lift the flaps without just tearing them to shreds, they're kind of beyond this. Maybe most kids aren't as destructive as mine was.

Message

Baby animals are born in the spring.

Anatole

October 7, 2016

Ode to capitalism.

It presupposes a world where mice are intelligent and humans exist but don't realize that the mice are intelligent, which is kind of a difficult world to live in when you realize that we kill mice for pretty trifling things. But, you know.

Message

Everybody has some skill of worth.

The Berenstain Bears and the Missing Dinosaur Bone

October 7, 2016

Dogs sure do love bones, amiright?

And even if they were real bones, dogs don't just like love bones. In the same way that mice just don't love cheese. This is just inane. There's no real message. There's no real point.

Message

None.