Month: April 2010

children, poetry

Galaxy Pizza and Meteor Pie

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Darren Sardelli
Illustrator: Pam Catapano
Publisher: Laugh-a-Lot Books
Genre: Children / Poetry
ISBN: 978-0-615-28469-9
Pages: 30
Price: $12.95

Author’s website

Could your school day be brightened with a hearty laugh? Maybe you’d like to be served Nebula Nachos and Asteroid Chips by the lunch ladies from Mars. Or listen to your teacher punish the tires on a bus. If that doesn’t help, you can always dream about endless recess.

In Galaxy Pizza and Meteor Pie, Darren Sardelli has put together one of the funniest collections of poetry I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading — all about our days in school. Illustrated in bright, comic pastels by Pat Catapano, these silly poems could make even the meanest teacher grin.

This collection is schoolroom humor at its best. When it seems as if the homework will never end, and you’re sure you’ve just flunked your most important test, these cheery poems will be sure to pick you up. This book is a fun addition to any classroom, library or personal collection.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

classics, fiction, graphic novel

Graphic Classics: Louisa May Alcott

Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Louisa May Alcott
Adapted by: Tom Pomplun, Trina Robbins, Rod Lott, Alex Burrows, Antonella Caputo
Illustrators: Toni Pawlowski, Anne Timmons, Molly Crabapple, Mary Fleener, Shary Flenniken, Pedro Lopez, Lisa K. Weber, Arnold Arre
Publisher: Graphic Classics
Genre: Fiction / Classics
ISBN: 978-0-9787919-8-8
Pages: 144
Price: $17.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Okay, I’ll admit it. I never read Little Women as a girl, and I’m sure there are quite a few other ladies who might say the same thing. So if you’ve come to realize you missed out on a classic others simply adore, there’s hope for you now. Graphic Classics has compiled the best of Louisa May Alcott’s writings in this volume.

Although Little Women is Louisa May Alcott’s best-known work, most of us are unaware she wrote some other rather unique tales. The Piggy Girl, The Rival Prima Donnas, A Whisper in the Dark, and Lost in a Pyramid may come as quite a surprise to those who expect domestic tranquility in her writing.

These dramatic stories are accompanied by detailed graphic artistry, enhancing the reader’s pleasure. If you already love Louisa May Alcott, you’ll want to include this volume in your collection, putting pictures to the words you enjoy. And if you haven’t read her work, Graphic Classics: Louisa May Alcott gives you the perfect opportunity to become acquainted with this talented author.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, fantasy

Imagia and the Magic Pearls

Bergers Book Reviews


Author & Illustrator: Monroe S. Tarver
Publisher: Wizarding World Press
Genre: Children / Fantasy
ISBN: 978-0-9723936-5-2
Pages: 112
Price: $6.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Imagia, the elf princess, has no friends. While others play in the forest, she is being groomed to be queen of the kingdom, and spends all her time studying with different teachers. One day an unexpected opportunity allows her to slip outside the palace walls. She meets a fluttery, Flutterwalk, and they play for hours with Imagia’s magic pearls. But the evil queen, Baddora, is watching in her scrying bowl, and sends one of her spies out to bring Imagia to the Green Towers.

Baddora has read a prophesy of three magic pearls, which when brought together will grant ultimate power. She holds one, and she believes Imagia has one, also. The third belongs to Treewind, the wizard. Imagia has no idea of the powers she possesses, but she finds out as she attempts to free herself from Baddora’s evil clutches. With the help of Treewind and Flutterwalk, she manages to escape.

Imagia and the Magic Pearls is the first in a series of the Tales from the Mapmaker, and features an all black cast of characters. This is a fun fantasy, with interesting creatures and a scary mission. The illustrations are beautifully done, with bright and unusual colors. But there were a couple of story points that didn’t quite work for me. Imagia ran off without giving any thought to where she was going, when she ended up at Baddora’s castle, which seemed odd. I was also disappointed that Treewind rescued her, rather than Imagia using her own wits and imagination to escape. Overall, though, this is a nice story with a happy ending.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, music

The Book About Tony Chestnut

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Laurie Monopoli
Illustrator: Wendy Sefcik
Publisher: Hug-a-Chug Books
Genre: Children / Music
ISBN: 978-0-615-31139-5
Pages: 48
Price: $19.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Tony Chestnut and his little sister Eileen are the new kids in town. When they arrive at the playground, they find that everyone is already playing. No one notices Tony and Eileen, so they sit on a yellow bench and watch.

When Eileen begins to cry, Tony Chestnut needs to do something quickly. His silly antics don’t stop Eileen’s tears, so he decides to sing his special song.

Tony Chestnut (Toe-Knee-Chest-Nut), the song, was released in 1997, and is a fun dance tune where kids point to various body parts while singing along. The Book About Tony Chestnut is the story of how this award-winning song originated.

A CD accompanies this book, with three read-along versions of the story, discussion questions for the classroom, and the original Tony Chestnut song. The discussion questions center on what it’s like to be the new kid, how to make other kids feel welcome, and being compassionate and kind.

The Book About Tony Chestnut has a great, positive message, while also being upbeat and fun. I highly recommend this delightful interactive teaching tool.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

The Red Scarf

Bergers Book Reviews


Author & Illustrator: Anne Villeneuve
Publisher: Tundra Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-88776-989-4
Pages: 40
Price: $17.95


Author’s website
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On a very ordinary gray day, Turpin the taxi driver picks up a mysterious passenger. Upon his departure, the man in a black cape and top hat leaves behind a red scarf. Turpin immediately goes after him, trying to return it.

His determination to return the red scarf brings him to the circus, where he runs into all sorts of unusual people, animals, and circumstances. The friendly circus folk lead him to the magician, and suddenly Turpin ends up in the middle of the act.

The Red Scarf contains only eight words, and the rest of the story is told completely in pictures. Bright and colorful illustrations remind us that this is anything but an ordinary gray day. As children follow the cab driver through his extraordinary adventure, they will happily find themselves in the center of the circus performance, along with Turpin.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, health

Delilah Washes Her Hands

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Cindy Rice Andrea
Illustrator: Stan Jaskiel
Publisher: Dining in the Light Publications
Genre: Children / Health
ISBN: 978-0-9842717-0-2
Pages: 24
Price: $8.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Delilah Duck and her friends play all morning at the playground. She swings high on the swingset, slides down the slide, and whirls around on the merry-go-round, taking occasional breaks to sip at the water fountain. They all even build sand castles in the sandbox and make mud pies.

So when a picnic lunch is ready, Delilah has very dirty hands, and she must wash them before she eats. Mrs. Duck explains there are germs on her hands, and she needs to be sure they’re all gone, so she doesn’t get sick.

Delilah Washes Her Hands is one of the Green Apple Tales — books designed to teach children good health and hygiene habits through fun stories. Kids will enjoy singing the alphabet song along with Delilah as they wash their own hands. Recipes for the picnic lunch are included, as well as a one-page summary of why it’s important to wash your hands.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

The Weber Street Wonder Work Crew

Bergers Book Reviews


Author & Illustrator: Maxwell Newhouse
Publisher: Tundra Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-88776-913-9
Pages: 24
Price: $17.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Weber Street is a clean and safe place to live. Kids there have learned to pitch in and help their neighbors while earning a little spending cash.

From gardening to walking dogs, helping someone keep track of friends online, and taking out the recycling, there’s always an expert around who can assist. And everyone is grateful that the Weber Street kids are willing to serve the community.

Maxwell Newhouse reminds us that there’s more to life than TV and video games. In charming folk art, he shows kids making a difference and putting other people’s needs ahead of their own. The Weber Street Wonder Work Crew provides a great example of how kids can get involved and help others.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

business

Happiness at Work

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Jessica Pryce-Jones
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
Genre: Business
ISBN: 978-0-470-74946-3
Pages: 256
Price: $24.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

How happy are you at work? If you are happy, do you know why? Or if not, what could be contributing to your unhappiness? Although employers seldom stop to think about happiness and how it affects their bottom line, Jessica Pryce-Jones has compiled some evidence that suggests this is something that businesses need to address.

Happy employees have more energy, are more engaged at work, are more motivated, have more confidence, achieve more of their goals, take less sick time, and contribute more than unhappy employees. They also tend to stay in positions longer, since they enjoy what they do.

In researching the factors involved in happiness at work, Pryce-Jones discovered 5Cs. Contribution, Conviction, Culture, Commitment, and Confidence are all explored in detail, with explanations of how these affect happiness. Some issues are dictated by company rules and policies, but some things are within an employee’s control, since they involve shifts in attitude or actions that can be taken to make work more tolerable.

But if you should find yourself in a situation that makes you very unhappy, the best thing for you and the company is for you to look for another job that is a better fit. No one should be so unhappy at work that it spills over into your health and personal life.

Smart companies understand the 5Cs and how these contribute to overall employee productivity and involvement. Happiness at Work is a useful and informative guide in helping employers create environments and structures that keep employees happy and productive.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, history

The Astonishing Journey of Teddy Bodain

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Melissa Forney
Illustrator: Dave Olson
Publisher: Buttery Moon Multimedia
Genre: Children / History
ISBN: 978-0-9790094-5-7
Pages: 214
Price: $17.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Theodosia (Teddy) Bodain and her family are moving from Mississippi to Florida. They’ve joined a wagon train, and their 1,000 mile journey will take about four months, if all goes well. The year is 1892, and Florida is a vast wilderness, just waiting to be developed.

Teddy decides to share her adventures with her best friend, Martha, through a series of letters. She tells of the people she meets, the sights she sees, and her experiences in traveling such a vast distance. But along the way, her family runs into trouble when illness strikes the wagon train and everyone is separated in the confusion.

Once Teddy finds herself alone, she must rely on her wits and the kindness of others to survive and ensure she makes it to her destination safely. But will evil strike Teddy along the way?

Melissa Forney has nicely captured the lure and excitement of this dramatic family move across the country. Although the Bodains seek their fortune and a happy future, nothing is certain when crossing such dangerous and unfamiliar territory. History, family and friendship are seamlessly woven together in this well-written and interesting tale. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

inspiration, self improvement

Three Feet From Gold

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Sharon L. Lechter & Greg S. Reid
Publisher: Sterling Publishing
Genre: Self-help
ISBN: 978-1-4027-6764-7
Pages: 256
Price: $22.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

In 1937, Napoleon Hill wrote the classic Think and Grow Rich after spending twenty years interviewing the wealthiest and most successful men of his time. Although this book is still as applicable today as it was when it was written, Greg S. Reid felt the need to update some of this wisdom, accounting for changes that have happened since Napoleon Hill’s day.

In Three Feet From Gold Reid and his co-author Sharon Lechter share the success secrets of some of today’s business leaders. Don Green, CEO of the Napoleon Hill Foundation, assisted and supported this venture in carrying on its founder’s tradition.

Although it’s told as a story, with several fictional characters added to give it some depth, the wisdom Reid and Lechter impart in this book are profound. Nuggets like “A dream is just a dream until it is written down — then it becomes a goal” and “Never make a major decision in a valley” are scattered throughout the text, as the main character learns from his new mentors.

Nothing can ever take the place of Hill’s classic work, but Three Feet From Gold is an inspiring book that picks up where Think and Grow Rich leaves off. This new classic belongs in every positive thinker’s library.

Reviewer: Alice Berger