Stan and Jan Berenstain are the creators of the beloved Berenstain Bears series of children's books.

The first Berenstain Bears book, The Big Honey Hunt, was published in 1962, and it quickly became a favorite with young children first learning how to read. Since then, over 150 Berenstain Bears titles have been published to both critical and popular acclaim. Today, the Berenstain Bears are among the most widely recognized and loved characters in the United States.

The Berenstain Bears Scouts series first appeared in October of 1995. The series, which is published simultaneously in English and Spanish, now includes nine titles. In addition to continuing their work on children's books, Stan and Jan, along with their sons Michael and Leo, have written several Berenstain Bears animated television specials.

The Berenstains have received many awards and honors for their books over the years. These include the Ludington Award from the Educational Paperback Association for their contribution to children's literature, the Drexel Citation from Drexel University, several Philadelphia Literary Children's Roundtable Honors, and many other state reading association awards.

Stan and Jan Berenstain met in 1941 on their first day of classes at the Philadelphia College of Art. Married in 1946, Stan and Jan began their collaborative career drawing cartoons for popular magazines such as the Saturday Evening Post and Collier's.

On November 26, 2005, Stan Berenstain died of complications from cancer at his home in Bucks County, Pa. He was 82.

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