Lift the Flaps as The Berenstain Bears Trim the Tree

The Berenstain Bears have been around for a long time, long enough to have several books dedicated to their Christmas celebrations. These include The Berenstain Bears’ Christmas Tree, The Berenstain Bears Meet Santa Bear and The Berenstain Bears Save Christmas. More recent than any of these is The Berenstain Bears Trim the Tree, a book that is not so much about the story as it is about the pictures, and finding little surprises in the illustrations.

This lift-the-flap book aims at a slightly younger audience than the typical Berenstain book, with little in the way of narration and less in the way of plot or character. For a book of this format, such things can afford to be a bit lacking, since it’s really all about lifting up those stiff bits of paper and unearthing whatever is hidden underneath. The reason for the peeking in this story is that various items keep disappearing, prompting inquiries of “Where is [the missing object]?”

Like most books in the series, this one is full of colorful illustrations, both above the flaps and below. Each page has just a single flap, so it’s not a book that’s likely to keep youngsters occupied for long periods of time, but it’s a start. A trek up to the attic for ornaments is fun and may inspire kids to check out their own attics, if they’re lucky enough to have them, for long-lost treasures. There’s also a Christmas light-untangling scene that should ring true with anyone who has ever hung those delightful but dastardly decorations.

Another nice element of this book is the fact that it includes Honey Bear, the youngest member of the Bear family who has only been a part of the series for about a decade. There’s a mildly chaotic feel to the book, but on the whole it’s rather uneventful. Additionally, because it’s not a board book, it might not hold up too well with vigorous young readers. But at least for the first couple of times through, The Berenstain Bears Trim the Tree is a fun option for young Berenstain Bears fans.