Bergers Book Reviews

Yogurt the Ogre: The Big Tale of the Not-So-Tidy Whale

Author: David Rendimonti
Illustrator: Agnes Garbowska
Publisher: pdo!nk
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-09868013-0-3
Pages: 32
Price: $17.99

Author’s website
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Yogurt the Ogre likes to pretend he’s a big whale. But whales are messy, splashing water on unsuspecting creatures, tracking mud through the house, and sloshing tub water onto the floor while bathing. Yogurt is not a tidy whale, and his parents scold him for his behavior.

After a good night’s sleep and time to reflect on what they’ve said, Yogurt decides an apology is needed. He makes amends to all those he had unintentionally harmed the day before. Now he knows it’s great to have fun, but only if his fun doesn’t cause problems for others.

Kids don’t mean to be untidy, so they need to learn how their behavior affects others. Yogurt the Ogre shows them how to act, in a gentle and non-preaching manner. This series is a fun read for all children.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

February 15, 2012 Posted by Alice | children | Leave a Comment

The Rose and the Lily

Author: Susan Ross
Illustrator: Megan Stiver
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9810634-6-1
Pages: 36
Price: $12.99

Author’s website
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Poor King William is desperate to marry off his spoiled daughter, Rose. Suitors come from near and far, but no one is good enough for her. She finally agrees that Prince Sterling might be a potential husband, but only if he brings her the perfect hairpin.

Prince Sterling is enchanted by Rose’s beauty, and gladly sets off on a quest to find her hairpin. But each time he returns to see her, she rejects him and his gifts. Lily, a plain and simple village girl, helps Prince Sterling by taking care of his horse and chatting with him about his quest. As the Prince gets to know both ladies, he finds Rose gets uglier and Lily prettier every day.

It’s a well-known truism that beauty is only skin-deep. In The Rose and the Lily kids will see this for themselves, as Lily’s beauty shines brightly from the inside. As this story clearly demonstrates, character will always be more important than appearance.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

February 14, 2012 Posted by Alice | children | Leave a Comment

Good Food

Author: Jean Elliott Junis
Publisher: Hameray
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-60559-343-2
Pages: 8
Price: $3.95

Buy it from Hameray

Kids seem to gravitate toward cookies and salty snacks. They may not realize that fruits and vegetables taste good, and they’re healthier, too. In Good Food, kids are photographed eating these healthy snacks, while saying “I like to eat…” the items pictured.

This simple book is easy to read while also conveying helpful information. And by showing kids smiling while eating, it also shares the message that this food is really tasty. Good Food would be a great addition to classroom discussions on nutrition.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

January 20, 2012 Posted by Alice | children | Leave a Comment

The Puppet Master

Author: Paul Blum
Publisher: Hameray
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-60559-024-0
Pages: 48
Price: $9.95

Buy it from Hameray

Something strange is going on at Greenock School. Is it just coincidence, of does it have anything to do with the school’s unusually high test scores? The FBI wants to know, so they send in two of their best agents to find out. But what they discover shocks them both.

Puppets appear to be running the school, but what kind of control do they have? How are they able to ensure that everyone complies with their demands?

The Complete Set of The Extraordinary Files includes 16 titles in this high interest, low vocabulary book series, suitable for ages 10-14, but reading at a grade 2-3 level. Each has its own story and stand alone plot and a clear resolution. The stories are linked by subplots or themes which gather momentum as the series progresses. These tales of danger and intrigue will keep the reader hooked until the final page.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

January 19, 2012 Posted by Alice | children | Leave a Comment

Yogurt the Ogre: A Magical Tale in Mudd Hollow

Author: David Rendimonti
Illustrator: Agnes Garbowska
Publisher: pdo!nk
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9868013-5-8
Pages: 32
Price: $17.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Yogurt the Ogre and his friends are excited to put on a magic show at Poplar Peak. They bring props, costumes, and snacks for all to enjoy. And when the day is over, they leave their things behind for a future magic show. But the wind blows everything around that night, creating a big mess.

Poplar Peak is a public park, and Yogurt realizes that what they left behind was litter. So he and his friends start a new magic show – this time making the litter disappear.

Yogurt is a whimsical creature who just wants to have fun. Unfortunately, he doesn’t always realize how his actions impact others. In A Magical Tale in Mudd Hollow, he learns an important lesson in keeping public places clean for everyone to enjoy.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

January 9, 2012 Posted by Alice | children | Leave a Comment

The Huggles’ Hug

Author: Joy Cowley
Illustrator: Richard Hoit
Publisher: Hameray Publishing Group
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-60559-303-6
Pages: 16
Price: $5.95

Author’s website
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Huggles loves to hug. He gives a hug to the dog, and another to the cat. But where does Huggles’ hug go? In this adorable picture book, the reader watches as the hug is passed around from one person to the next, finally ending up back at Huggles.

Since this book is meant for classroom use, lesson pointers for teachers are provided for guiding discussions about this story. Features like punctuation, alliteration, circular story, and text written in the present tense are summarized at the end of the book.

Kids know how nice it is to receive a hug. But in this story, they learn that hugging someone else can have far-reaching consequences of goodwill. I highly recommend this fun teaching tool for kids.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

December 14, 2011 Posted by Alice | children | Leave a Comment

Yogurt the Ogre: The Colorful Tale of the Creative Crayon

Author: David Rendimonti
Publisher: pdo!nk
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9868013-2-7
Pages: 32
Price: $17.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

It’s raining, and all of Yogurt the Ogre’s friends are busy. In frustration, Yogurt decides to draw with his crayons, but paper is much too small for his artwork. When he chooses a much larger surface, he’s surprised to find out that his parents don’t approve of his choice.

Yogurt learns how difficult it is to remove crayon when he’s told he needs to clean up his drawings. He is determined to keep at it until all traces of crayon marks are gone. And when he’s finished, his parents rewards him for his diligent efforts.

Kids usually learn the hard way that crayons belong only on paper, and they’ll easily relate to this amusing tale of Yogurt’s messy mistake. They’ll also learn that being responsible for their actions can mean some nasty clean-up, but the end result is worth it. Yogurt the Ogre: The Colorful Tale of the Creative Crayon provides a light-hearted reminder for kids to think before they act. Messes they don’t make are a lot easier to clean up!

Reviewer: Alice Berger

November 17, 2011 Posted by Alice | children | Leave a Comment

Viku and the Elephant

Author: Debu Majumdar
Illustrator: Lynn Wolfe
Publisher: Bo-Tree House
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0983222705
Pages: 54
Price: $12.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Viku lives with his parents at the edge of the Shapnobahn Forest in India. His family is poor, and every day his parents go out looking for work so they can buy food. One day Viku gets so hungry that he decides to search for food on his own. When he ventures into the forest, he encounters an elephant – Haatee – in distress. The two become friends and explore the forest together.

In their travels, Haatee brings Viku to the elephant graveyard, where there are many tusks. Because of their value, evil men try to force Haatee to lead them to the tusks, but Haatee and Viku outsmart the villains. And Haatee’s kindness to Viku and his family ensure that they will never be poor again.

Viku and the Elephant is a heart-warming story of friendship and loyalty. Viku shows deep respect for Haatee’s sacred place, only taking what is offered to him when Haatee insists. And Haatee’s gratitude for Viku’s actions is demonstrated in how he cares for Viku and his family. This delightful tale will leave readers cheering as good triumphs over evil.

Debu Majumdar shared his thoughts with us in an interview. Please be sure to read what he has to say!

Reviewer: Alice Berger

November 14, 2011 Posted by Alice | children | 1 Comment