The Berenstains' first bear story, titled "Freddy Bear's Spanking", arrived on the desk of Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, who had found phenomenal success in 1957 with "The Cat in the Hat" and was now editor of a Random House series called "Beginner Books". Geisel took on the manuscript, but spent the next two years ruthlessly challenging the Berenstains to make improvements to the writing and structure and to connect with their characters on a deeper level. He asked questions such as "What kind of pipe tobacco does Papa Bear smoke?" and urged them to analyze the relationship between Papa Bear and Small Bear, to which Stan responded, mystified, "Well, he's the father, and he's the son"; however, Jan attributed the inspiration for the characters' dynamic to the 1931 film "The Champ".