The Bear Scouts

Category:Former Groiler Beginner Book Series
Category:Beginner Books Read-Along and Cassettes
The Bear Scouts is a 1967 Beginner Book starring the Berenstain Bears. Written and illustrated by Stan and Jan Berenstain.
==Plot==
The Bear Scouts are going camping, and this time they don't need Papa. They have the Bear Scout Guidebook, which tells what the scouts need to know about camping. But Papa happens to know more than the guidebook. He tells the scouts that a smart bear always keeps his eyes open wide and never needs the guidebook.
Papa and the scouts stop at a bridge-out zone. When Papa asks them what they should do to get to the other side, the scouts read a page on the guidebook on how to tie a knot to a tree to cross a bridge-out zone. Papa manages to ties his own knot without the help of the book. The scouts swing to safety, but Papa ends up falling. The scouts pull the dad up to the ground.
The scouts come to a fork in the path; there's a long way and a short way. Papa knows that a smart bear is never supposed to take the long way. However, the scouts show him that the guidebook has a map, which shows that they should take the long way. Papa ignores the map and takes the short way, anyway, however, it has fierce alligators. Terrified, Papa decides to take the long way with the scouts.
The scouts approach a river. The guidebook shows the scouts how to build a canoe, but Papa manages to use a log to ride down the river. However, he is eventually sucked into a whirlpool. The scouts lasso him out, as a result of which he decides to go canoeing with them. The bears have finally made it to the Bear Scout Campgrounds.
Next, Papa shows the scouts how to create a fire by rubbing wood. He tries it his own way, until the scouts tell him that the guidebook says that's the wrong way to start a fire. They start it using the guidebook's instructions. With the fire already started, Papa cooks a stew using eggs, roots, weeds, and some other natural sights. The scouts see that it smells funny, so they tell Papa that the guidebook says they should catch fish for their meal. While the scouts go fishing, Papa tastes the stew and spits it out in disgust, causing him to decide to share the fish.
At sundown, the bears are now ready to rest. The scouts show Papa the guidebook showing on page 88 how to build a tent. Papa denies, as he thinks tents are for sissies, and goes off to a nearby cave, when a colony of bats frighten him out of the cave. He crash-lands headfirst and is injured. He orders the scouts to bring the book to teach them how to hospitalize him.
Papa is bandaged and put on a rescue sled and the scouts take him home.
== Translations ==
* Dutch: De Beren als Padvinders
== Trivia ==
* This book is currently out of print.
* Differences between the original cover and the 40th anniversary cover:
** Papa is wearing his normal clothes and is napping.
** The title is in a serif font (Egiziano Black).