PHILADELPHIA  —  The man who helped create the popular children's books about the Berenstain Bears has died.

Stan Berenstain was 82. He co-wrote and illustrated the books with his wife, Jan, after developing the series with the help of children's author Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss.

The first of more than 200 Berenstain Bears books was published in 1962, with the goal of teaching children to read while entertaining them.

In the more than 40 years since then, the books have helped children cope with trips to the dentist, eating junk food and cleaning their messy rooms.

A spokeswoman for HarperCollins Children's Books says Stan Berenstain died Saturday in Pennsylvania.