Jan Berenstain - The Berenstain Bears Love Their Neighbors

Love your neighbor as yourself.
And who is my neighbor?

Luke 10:27-29

ZONDERVAN

The Berenstain Bears Love Their Neighbors

Copyright 2009 by Berenstain Bears, Inc.

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ePub Edition September 2009 ISBN: 978-0-310-86805-7

Illustrations 2009 by Berenstain Bears, Inc.

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zonderkidz, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Berenstain, Michael.

The Berenstain Bears love their neighbors / created by Stan and Jan Berenstain ; written by Mike Berenstain.

p. cm.

Summary: The Bear family learns a lesson about being a good neighbor when their car breaks down on the way to the Bear Town Festival.

ISBN-13: 978-0-310-71249-7 (softcover)

ISBN-10: 0-310-71249-1 (softcover) [1. NeighborlinessFiction. 2. Conduct of lifeFiction. 3. BearsFiction.] I. Berenstain, Stan, 19232005. II. Berenstain, Jan, 1923- III. Title.

PZ7.B44827Bgl 2009

[E]dc22

2007042522

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. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Zonderkidz is a trademark of Zondervan.

Editor: Betsy Flikkema
Art direction: Sarah Molegraaf

Table of Contents

The Bear family was quite proud of their handsome tree house home, and they worked hard to keep it neat and tidy. The trim was freshly painted, the front steps were scrubbed, and the windows were washed. The lawn was mowed, and the flower beds were weeded. Even the leaves of the tree were carefully trimmed and clipped.

Most of their neighbors took good care of their homes as well. The Pandas across the street were even bigger neatniks than the Bears. It seemed they were always hard at work sweeping and cleaning.

Farmer Bens farm just down the road was always in apple-pie order too. Even his chicken coop was as neat as a pin. A place for everything and everything in its place, thats my motto, said Farmer Ben.

The Bear family had a few neighbors whose houses were positively fancylike Mayor Honeypot, the bear who rode around Bear Town in his long lavender limousine. His house was three stories tall and built of brick. It had a big brass knocker on the front door and statues of flamingos on the front lawn.

Even more impressive was the mansion of Squire Grizzly, the richest bear in all Bear Country. It stood on a hill surrounded by acres of lawns and gardens. Dozens of servants and gardeners took care of the place.

The Bear family was proud of their neighborhood, and they got along well with all their neighbors.

Except for the Bogg brothers.

The Bogg brothers lived in a run-down old shack not far from the Bear familys tree housebut what a difference! Their roof was caving in, and the whole place leaned to one side. There was junk all over the yard. Chickens, dogs, and cats ran everywhere. A big pig wallowed in the mud out back.

Those Bogg brothers! Mama would say whenever she saw them. Theyre a disgrace to the neighborhood!

Yes, agreed Papa, They certainly are a problem.

One bright spring morning, the Bear family was working outside, cleaning up and fixing up, when the Bogg brothers came along. They were driving their broken-down old jalopy. It made a terrific clanking racket.

As they drove past the tree house, one of the Bogg brothers shot a big wad of spit out of the car. It narrowly missed the Bears mailbox.

Really! said Mama, shocked. Those Bogg brothers are a disgrace!

I agree, said Papa, getting the mail out of the mailbox. Im afraid theyre not very good neighbors.

Papa looked through the mail and found a big yellow flier rolled up. He opened it and showed it to the rest of the family.

Oh, boy! said Sister and Brother. Its like a big block party! Can we go? It certainly sounds like fun, said Mama. What do you think,Papa? Everyone in town will be there, said Papa. We ought to go too. Yea! cried the cubs.

So, on Saturday morning, they all piled into the car. They had a picnic basket and folding chairs. They were looking forward to a day of fun and excitement.

But, as they drove along, the car began to make a funny sound. It started out as a Pocket-pocketa-pocketa! But it soon developed into a Pocketa-WHEEZE! Pocketa-WHEEZE!

Oh, dear! said Mama. What is that awful sound the car is making?