Stan and Jan Berenstain
| Stan Berenstain | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Stanley Melvin Berenstain September 29, 1923 West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | November 26, 2005 (aged 82) Solebury Township, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Lymphoma |
| Occupation | Writer, illustrator |
| Spouse(s) | Jan Berenstain (m. 1946–2005) |
| Jan Berenstain | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Janice Marian Grant July 26, 1923 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | February 24, 2012 (aged 88) Doylestown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Stroke |
| Occupation | Writer, illustrator |
| Spouse(s) | Stan Berenstain (m. 1946–2005), his death |
Stan and Jan Berenstain were American writers and illustrators best known for creating the children's book series The Berenstain Bears.
Stanley Melvin Berenstain (September 29, 1923 – November 26, 2005) was born and raised in a neighborhood of west Philadelphia and died of cancer in Solebury Township, Pennsylvania. Janice Marian Berenstain (née Grant; July 26, 1923 – February 24, 2012) was born in Philadelphia and was raised in west Philadelphia and attended Radnor High School. They met on their first day of class at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art in 1941. During WWII, Stan served as a military medical illustrator while Jan was a draft artist for the Army Corps of Engineers in addition to working in an aircraft factory. She fashioned a pair of wedding rings from spare aluminum collected at the latter job, and the two married on April 17, 1946. Jan died February 24, 2012, after suffering a massive stroke. They are survived by their two sons, Mike and Leo Berenstain.
In an interview about the books, the Berenstains said that a big reason behind their inspiration was some of the difficulties parents faced, as well as some childhood tribulations when they were kids themselves. The Berenstains also noted there were some issues which seemed to appear in every generation, such as kids throwing tantrums in public places, which made important subject matter for their stories. However, they deliberately wanted to steer clear of overly heavy issues, such as violence. In their later years, critics sometimes dismissed the books for having social attitudes stuck in the 1950s along with the bears' clothing styles and penchant for activities such as playing jacks and hopscotch, even though they did change with the times somewhat by introducing things like video games and cell phones.
After the birth of their son Michael (now Mike) in 1951, the couple published The Berenstains' Baby Book, which dealt with the issues of pregnancy and child-rearing. Although containing practical advice, the book used humor and reminded parents not to take every situation too seriously. They would go on to publish another two books on parenting, How to Teach Your Children About Sex Without Making a Complete Fool of Yourself and Have a Baby, My Wife Just Had a Cigar!.
...
Wikipedia