The Birds, The Bees, and the Berenstain Bears
By Stan and Jan
Berenstain
Random House Books for Young Readers, $3.35
ISBN 0679989595

Say Night-Night
By Stan and Jan
Berenstain
Random House Books for Young Readers, $4.99
ISBN 0375805214

It's Bathtime
By Stan and Jan
Berenstain
Random House Books for Young Readers, $4.99
ISBN 0375804803

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Children's Authors

Arlene Alda
Graeme Base
John Bemelmans Marciano
Stan and Jan Berenstain
Elise Primavera
Maurice Sendak
David Shannon
David Wiesner

Title of your new book:
The Birds, The Bees, & The Berenstain Bears

Describe your book in 50 word or less:
When Sister Bear learns that the reason Mama Bear's lap is getting smaller is because a new cub is growing in her womb, she is curious about how it will get out. Mama takes her with her to Dr. Grizzly, who explains that she (the doctor) will be there to help when the baby comes down the birth canal. J.B.

The facts of life are given in a manner a young child can accept comfortably & with equanimity. S.B.

What has been the biggest influence on your writing and artwork:
Lots of reading helps me to write, and going to art school was a great help to me as an artist. S.B.

I was intrigued with how rhyme helped me learn new words as a child. Also, I went to the same art school that my Dad went to so that I could draw as well as he -- and that's where I met Stan. J.B

What was your favorite subject in school? Why?
Mine was art! Because I loved drawing & painting. J.B.

Mine was art, also, because I was drawing and painting since I was a kid - and couldn't stop! S.B.

Who was your childhood hero?
Mine were all the great painters of history. S.B.

My Dad - he taught me how to draw a tree when I was five.

What books did you read as a child?
I read the whole Tom Swift Series, as well as the Tarzan Series and some Horatio Alger Books. S.B.

I read "A Child's Garden of Verses," "The World Book of Nursery Tales" & "Janice Meredith," a book I was named after & others. J.B.

Do you write and/or illustrate other types of books? If so, what kinds?
I'm writing a novel about an art student who is also a terrific jitterbug - in between writing & illustrating our bear books. S.B.

I'm working full time on bear books. I just created the new baby cub. J.B.

If you could trade places with one extremely famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
We're both having so much fun living & working with our bears, neither of us can imagine leaving them even for a day. J.B.

What message would you like to send to all children?
We'd both like to encourage them not to give up on developing their own individual special interests & skills so that they can enjoy accomplishment. S.B.