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Mike Berenstain

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Mike Berenstain
Berenstain in 2017
Born
Michael Berenstain

(1951-12-21)December 21, 1951(age 72)
Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupations
  • Writer
  • illustrator
Years active1976–present
ParentStan and Jan Berenstain

Michael Berenstain(born December 21, 1951) is anAmericanwriter and illustrator ofchildren's books.The son of the lateStan and Jan Berenstain,he is the current author of theBerenstain Bearsseries ofpicture booksfollowing the deaths of his parents.[1][2]

Biography

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Michael was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He studied atPhiladelphia College of Artand thePennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.[3]His earliest work in the U.S.Library of Congresscatalog was published in 1976:K'tonton on an Island in the SeabySadie Rose Weilerstein,which he illustrated as Michael Berenstain (Philadelphia:Jewish Publication Society of America). The third K'tonton book, it features "Adventures of a thumb-sized Jewish boy who must fend for himself when stranded on an island."[4]During the next three years he wrote and illustrated four instructive picture books published byDavid McKay,The Castle Bookand sequels on ships, armor, and lighthouses. He first collaborated with his parents by illustrating two picture books (The Day of the DinosaurandAfter the Dinosaurs--by Random House, 1987 and 1988). He wrote and illustrated several other dinosaur books --known as theI Love Dinosaursbook series-- himself (includingKing of the Dinosaurs,The Biggest Dinosaurs,The Spike-Tailed Dinosaur,The Horned Dinosaur,andFlying Dinosaurs). These five books are the five sequels toThe Day of the Dinosaur.

He is credited as a creator of his family's bear family beginning in 1995 as illustrator of the Bear Scouts subseries. Michael continued theBerenstain Bearswith his mother following his father's death in 2005, and took over sole authorship of the series after his mother's death in 2012.[1][5]His older brother, Leo Berenstain is involved in management of the franchise.[2]

Michael's father was asecular Jew,and his mother was anEpiscopalian.He and his brother were raised in a secular household. Berenstain began investigatingChristianityafter he married and sent his children toQuakerschools. He was baptized in aPresbyterianchurch and eventually partnered withZondervan,anevangelical Christianpublishing company, to produce faith-basedBerenstain Bearsbooks.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ab Bartlett, Jaye."Mike Berenstain talks about the Berenstain Bears' 50th anniversary"Archived2012-05-03 at theWayback Machine.The Celebrity Cafe. May 2, 2012. Retrieved 2013-07-05.
  2. ^ab Loviglio, Joann."50 Years Along, Berenstain Bears A Family Affair".Associated Press.The Washington Times.January 30, 2011. Retrieved 2013-07-05.
  3. ^ "Michael Berenstain Papers"Archived2013-07-10 atarchive.today.de Grummond Children's Literature Collection.University of Southern Mississippi. Retrieved 2013-07-10. Materials dated 1977–1978, received 1979, processed 2003.
  4. ^ "K'tonton on an island in the sea: a hitherto unreported episode in the...".Library of Congress catalog record. Retrieved 2013-07-05.
  5. ^ Langer, Emily."Jan Berenstain, co-creator of the Berenstain Bears children's books, dies at 88".The Washington Post.February 27, 2012. Retrieved 2013-07-05.
  6. ^"Berenstain Bears Author Uses Talents for God in Faith-Inspired Series".www.christianpost.com.14 June 2011.
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