The Berenstain Bears Keep the Faith Review

The Berenstain Bears Keep the Faith (Berenstain Bears/Living Lights) Description:

Brother and Sister Bear’s friend Ferdy Factual loves science. Brother and Sister like science too. They like digging for fossils, examining the moon through their telescope, and peering at tiny things under a microscope. But Ferdy tells Brother and Sister that he doesn’t believe God created the world. In fact, he doesn’t believe in God at all. This is a new idea for Brother and Sister. Together with Mama and Papa, they visit Preacher Brown to find out what it means to have faith and learn a lesson from Daniel who had faith in a den of lions.

My Review:

I grew up reading the Berenstain Bears, and I am pleased to be able to share them with my children as well. When both Stan and Jan Berenstain passed away I was sure the series was over.  And yet their son, Mike, is continuing the adventures.  Keep the Faith is just such an adventure.

In typical Berenstain fashion, Brother and Sister are faced with a situation that leads to a moral or Biblical lesson.  In this case, their friend Ferdy doesn't believe God created the world.  

When they question Mama about it she tells them, "Well, some folks don't believe in God the way we do," which brings about the inevitable question, "Why do we believe in God?"  This leads to having faith and a visit to Preacher Brown.

Preacher Brown uses a Bible story to illustrate what it is to have faith and the Bear family leaves the meeting with the understanding that, "their faith in God was important for them".

I have to say that a part of me was a bit disappointed in this book.  Brother and Sister were never told and never decided, how best to respond to Ferdy Factual or other friends who may not believe God created the world.  I felt like that was an important element of the story and it was just left hanging....

What I did like was the definition of faith given by Preacher Brown-trusting in God's love.  Simple and easy enough for any child to understand.  I also liked the "activities and questions from Brother and Sister Bear" at the end of the book.  It guides mom and/or dad in ways to dig a little deeper with your child.  

All in all it's not a bad book, but not a great one either.  It does leave on open door for parents to discuss a serious topic with their child but I wish the book had gone a little further than it had.