The Berenstain Bears Learn to Share

by

Stan and Jan Berenstain with Mike Berenstain

Table of Contents

Cover Page

Title Page

Epigraph

Begin Reading

Copyright

About the Publisher

Share Your Thoughts

For God loves a cheerful giver.

—2 Corinthians 9:7

Begin Reading

I’m Sister Bear. I’m here to say that what I like to do is PLAY.

I run.

I skip.

I jump.

I climb.

I have myself a great old time!

Who’s the one I play with best, pray and sing with more than the rest?

Just turn the page and you will see my favorite playmate— little me!

It’s lots of fun to play you see. I ask my dolls to come to tea.

I have my games all to myself, and every toy on each big shelf.

But Mama says almost every day, “Take time to share. Take time to pray.”

But there are times I do not care. My things are mine! They aren’t to share!

I take each turn on my red truck.

I do not share my pull-toy duck.

I say inside, “It’s all mine!” But then I wonder, is that kind?

Is this the way that I should be? A bear that only thinks of me?

Then I know it’s time to share my playthings with my fellow bear.

One is fun, but it is true that many games are best with two.

When I am sure I need another, I go look for my big brother.

We play checkers,

beanbags,

pick-up-sticks.

Spending time with Brother I get my kicks.

Look! Here come Liz and Bob and Clem. Now we can share with all of them.

I ride Bob’s bike. He rides my trike. It’s great. We share and share alike.

So, sharing’s fun. It’s good to do, and lots of times—it’s easy, too.

And if you share it’s also true your fellow bear will share with you!

We share our time when we’re together. We run, we hide, skip stones—whatever.

We share our books.

We trade our cards.

We visit one another’s yards.

Now we are more than three or four. We’re five, six, seven, and lots, lots more!

Here come Millie, Mike, and Nat. Anna May has brought her cat.

Here comes Fred with Snuff, his terrier! This way, friends! The more the merrier!

This way, cubs! Come one! Come all! We’ll choose up sides to play baseball.

A game of ball is lots of fun. We pitch. We bat. Look! Too-Tall hit a big home run!

It works out well if you can share your playthings with your fellow bear.

The ball is mine. It’s Freddy’s bat. Lizzy brought a glove and hat.

She’ll share her hat but not her glove. Uh-oh! Fred gives her a little shove.

We all saw that little shove! It was not showing God’s care and love.

Soon, there are lots of arguments.

Of course, I put in my two cents.

This is not the way. It’s not right! We should all be sharing, not in a fight.

And so to keep the peace between us, all our friends go home.

“Please think of Jesus. He would want us to share and show we love our fellow bear.”

Meanwhile, friends, it’s still today. And there is still some time to play. So turn the page, and you will see…

Brother, will you play with me?

Copyright

ZONDERKIDZ

The Berenstain Bears Learn to Share

Copyright © 1992, 2010 by Berenstain Bears, Inc.

Illustrations © 1992, 2010 by Berenstain Bears, Inc.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Zondervan.

ePub Edition August 2010 ISBN: 978-0-310-42357-7

Requests for information should be addressed to: Zonderkidz, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Applied for

ISBN 978-0-310-71939-7

All Scripture quotations unless otherwise noted are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan.

Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers printed in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

Zonderkidz is a trademark of Zondervan.

Editor: Mary Hassinger

Art direction: Cindy Davis

About the Publisher

Founded in 1931, Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Zondervan, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, is the leading international Christian communications company, producing best-selling Bibles, books, new media products, a growing line of gift products and award-winning children’s products. The world’s largest Bible publisher, Zondervan (www.zondervan.com) holds exclusive publishing rights to the New International Version of the Bible and has distributed more than 150 million copies worldwide. It is also one of the top Christian publishers in the world, selling its award-winning books through Christian retailers, general market bookstores, mass merchandisers, specialty retailers, and the Internet. Zondervan has received a total of 68 Gold Medallion awards for its books, more than any other publisher.

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Table of Contents

Cover Page

Title Page

Epigraph

Begin Reading

Copyright

About the Publisher

Share Your Thoughts