Legendary 'The Berenstain Bears' Children's Author Jan Berenstain, Dead At 88

It's a sad, sad day in Childhood-Nostalgia Land.

Jan Beranstain, who co-authored the long-running "The Berenstain Bears" line of children's books, died Friday at 88 years old following a stroke this past Thursday, according to her son Mike Berenstain and Entertainment Weekly.

Right alongside the likes of Maurice Sendak, Shel Silverstein and Dr. Seuss, the book series she co-authored with her husband Stan Berenstain have been read by children and by parents to children for 50 years. The pair met in art school at 18 years old in 1941, and published their first "The Berenstain Bears" book - called "The Big Honey Hunt" - in 1962.

In the 50 years that followed, the couple published more than 300 titles that have been translated into 23 languages. Even after Stan passed away in 2005 at 82 years old, Mike continued producing the books alongside his mother. According to EW.com, more recent titles went beyond simple truths about sharing, forgiveness, kindness, hygiene and eating healthy that early titles addressed, and into more recent pressing issues such as internet safety.

In every sense, Mike said, it was her life's work.

"Every day she was very productive," he told the Associated Press. "She was working on two books and had been doing illustrations until the day before she passed away."

The adventures of Mama, Papa, Brother and Sister Bear were inspired by her and Stan's own children and grandchildren. That inspiration lives on in the form of more than 260 million printed copies. Though there's been nothing to report since, "Night at the Museum" director Shawn Levy signed on to generate a feature-film adaptation that combined live action and computer animation.