I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A family of bears engage in the conversation and decisions surrounding social security in the United States of America in author Burt Williamson’s “Social Security and the Three Bears”.

The Synopsis

Mama and Papa Bear Bear have built a successful fishing business in the Great River Valley, and they have many of the same concerns about Social Security as most Americans. Mama tells stories of family members who had difficult situations in retirement, which worries her to no end. She meets a financial planner at a seminar, who turns out to be the only guide Papa will listen to.

Meanwhile, Baby Bear grows up and takes over the business along with a human partner. Thanks to Baby’s girlfriend, he later helps to solve the Social Security funding crisis once and for all.

The short story helps demystify the essential aspects of Social Security. It will appeal especially to women who are married, divorced or widowed, as the majority of the important decisions about Social Security for retirement apply to them.

The Review

This was a fun, heartfelt, and insightful blend of financial education meets fairy tales and was playful and engaging. The fast pace of the narrative and the relatable character development of the humans and the bears were playful and engaging, as they thoroughly represented all of the talking points surrounding our nation’s social security issues. The descriptive nature of the setting and actions the main cast of characters found themselves in allowed the reader to picture this fun story playing out in their mind’s eye.

The heart of the story, however, was the education and insight that the author provided to younger readers about this important program. The history of the program’s creation and purpose, along with the issues and fears that many have surrounding the program’s future, were expertly addressed in this book, which allowed both kids and adults to come together to better understand their own futures as well.

The Verdict

Memorable, thoughtful, and entertaining author Burt Williamson’s “Social Security and the Three Bears” is a must-read children’s fairy tale meets financial educational and retirement planning book. The development of this bear family, their engagement with the Social Security program, and the lessons readers will gain from this book make it a fantastic story to get lost in. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Burt is an award winning financial planner and a Certified Financial Planner (TM). He’s the owner and Retirement Specialist at PlanPrep. His goal is to teach important concepts people really need to know in ways that makes it easy and FUN for them to learn.

His daughter used to ask him to tell her bedtime stories rather than read them to her. Each night, the stories were about different characters in unusual situations. The stories here try to capture that magic with a spin on them.