Month: January 2010

children, poetry

Sail Away With Me

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Jane Collins-Philippe
Illustrator: Laura Beingessner
Publisher: Tundra Books
Genre: Children / Poetry
ISBN: 978-0-88776-842-2
Pages: 32
Price: $15.95

Buy it at Amazon

The lure of the sea calls to young and old with its many tales of adventure. In Sail Away With Me, Jane Collins-Philippe has collected many of our favorite poems about the sea, as well as creating some new ones of her own.

Timeless classics like “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod,” “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean,” and “The Owl and the Pussycat” are featured. And kids will also enjoy new poems like “The Good Ship Royal” about a ship with a crew of animals, and “Mary Goes to Sea” about a woman determined to find a space on a crowded boat.

Illustrations by Laura Beingessner enhance these poems, bringing to mind delightful summer afternoons and evenings by the shore. Whether you’re a landlubber or an old salt, you’re sure to enjoy this book of sea poetry.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

fitness

My Gym Trainer

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: LeAura Alderson & Jill Coleman, MS, ACSM, CPT
Publisher: MTF Publishing
Genre: Fitness
ISBN: 978-0-9821822-1-5
Pages: 80
Price: $50.00

Author’s website

Choosing and following a workout program can be confusing and overwhelming, especially to those who are new to fitness. But hiring a personal trainer can be expensive. LeAura Alderson and Jill Coleman have come up with an alternative, in their My Gym Trainer program. Consisting of three levels, these guided workouts provide several months of training programs, tailored to beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

These books are set up in a three-ring binder, with sturdy laminated pages, each providing a full workout. The binder is arranged in four week sections, with six workouts per week. Each week you’ll work out the upper body, the lower body, and the core twice, in addition to a cardio workout every day.

I received the beginner level workout program and began instituting it in my own gym. I liked the portability of the cards, since they’re meant to be removed from the binder and carried with you. But I found that the photos of the exercises were very small, and I wasn’t always sure what I was supposed to be doing. This program assumes that you’re very familiar with both your gym and the exercises themselves, and I would have liked to see a section just for explanations of the exercises.

I also found that the cardio program was much too difficult for a beginner. On day four, the treadmill intervals involved running, and I’m not sure how many beginners would want to advance much beyond a brisk walk at this stage.

If you’re not that new to fitness and you’re looking for a change of pace in your workout, or you’ve simply been away from the gym too long and want to get back, this program will help structure your program for you. But if you’re a total novice to working out, you may find it doesn’t adequately address your needs.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

mystery, sports

Sudden Death

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Michael Balkind
Publisher: Pero Thrillers
Genre: Mystery / Sports
ISBN: 978-1563154041
Pages: 224
Price: $14.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Reid Clark, golf pro, has just received a threat on his life. When his agent, Buck Green, suggests he hire Jay Scott to investigate, Reid readily agrees. If he wins the Masters, he’s fine, but the next time he wins, he’s going to die. Jay brings in his best men, determined to protect Reid from harm.

In the midst of this investigation, Reid wants to win the Masters. He has issues with anger over the press invading his turf, and a new lady in his life complicates things further. And a huge endorsement contract with a leading manufacturer of golf balls is an added incentive to win. But if winning will cost him his life, is it really worth it?

As an avid sports fan and mystery lover, I looked forward to reading Sudden Death, but I was a little disappointed. The investigation, for the most part, is only a very small part of the story, and takes place behind the scenes. Most of the plot development revolves around Reid’s experiences on the golf course and his interactions with family and business. I also expected this to be more of a thriller with a lot more action and danger, but it was a fairly straight-forward story, with only a hint of the threat Reid faced.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, education

Dan’s Lost Hat

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Joy Cowley
Illustrator: Annie Hayward
Publisher: Hameray Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-60559-219-0
Pages: 16
Price: $4.95

Author’s website
Buy it from publisher

Dan has lost his flying hat. Where could it possibly be? The answer will surprise Dan, and also the man who has lost his cat! But how will they get the cat and the hat back? Dan is clever, and he outsmarts the cat. Now everyone is happy.

Rhyming verse is used to tell this amusing tale, and bright and cheerful illustrations by Annie Hayward bring it to life.

Since this book was written especially for teachers, a guide for classroom use is located in the back. Features include vocabulary, the use of rhyme, questions about the story itself, and ideas to spark the imagination. Dan’s Lost Hat is a sure hit in the classroom, and I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

romance

Sins of the Flesh

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Caridad Pineiro
Publisher: Hachette Books
Genre: Paranormal Romance
ISBN: 978-0-446-54383-5
Pages: 336
Price: $6.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

A brain tumor has already claimed Caterina Shaw’s sight, and it’s only a matter of time before it will claim her life. So when she’s offered the opportunity of an experimental gene therapy that may save both, she jumps at the chance. But she doesn’t count on the costs.

After one of the doctors at the facility she’s treated at is brutally murdered, Caterina finds herself on the lam as the primary suspect in his death. And Mick Carrera, hired to find her, is hot on her trail. But Mick has his doubts as to whether the beautiful cellist could have committed such a murder.

Mick quickly finds out there are others who are after her, and they’d prefer she be brought in dead rather than alive. He and his sister battle the forces at work in Caterina’s body, along with some deadly enemies, while Mick fights the growing attraction he has for Caterina.

Although very vulnerable while she copes with her body’s strange changes, Caterina won’t let Mick fight her enemies on his own. And Mick expects others to see only his dark side, but his family can easily see through him when he does all he can to take care of them and Caterina.

Sins of the Flesh is a fascinating read, as Caridad Pineiro explores the effects of scientific experimentation with a human body. Mick and Caterina are strong characters, both searching for true love they haven’t been able to find, and the attraction between them sizzles. And the ending reveals new questions that can only be answered in the sequel. I highly recommend this book for all who love a good romance combined with a little science.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Jo Ann Hernández of Latino Book Tours http://latinobooktours.com organizes Book Tours for authors of all genres (including YA with teen bloggers). If you are interested in having a tour or being a blog host, contact her at JoAnn@latinobooktours.com. Enjoy the rest of the tour!

Mon Jan 11: BronzeWord Latino Authors
Tues Jan 12: Julia Amante
Wed. Jan 13th: Latino Books Examiner
Thurs Jan 14th: Babbling About Books and More
Friday Jan 15th: Heidenkind
Mon Jan 18: Una in a Million
Tues Jan 19: Pagan Spirits
Wed Jan 20: Bergers Book Reviews
Thurs Jan 21: Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell
Fri Jan 22: Chasing Heroes

children, history, tween

Mrs. Kaputnik’s Pool Hall and Matzo Ball Emporium

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Rona Arato
Publisher: Tundra Books
Genre: Kids
ISBN: 978-0-88776-967-2
Pages: 192
Price: $9.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Moshe Kapustin has no idea he’s just traded his family’s firewood for a pet dragon, when he receives the mysterious egg from the peddler. But when the dragon, Snigger, saves them from the Cossacks and allows them to leave Russia for a new life in America, the family decides he will have to come with them. So they depart for New York on a quest to find their father, who has already arrived in America five years earlier.

A mistake at Ellis Island changes the family name to Kaputnik, and life becomes challenging as they adjust to life in New York. In 1898, immigrants faced hardship and struggle in their new country, but when you also have a dragon, things get even more complicated. Somehow, just as in Russia, Snigger seems to have a knack for making things better.

Mrs. Kaputnik’s Pool Hall and Matzo Ball Emporium is a light-hearted story of a Russian Jewish immigrant family to New York. Shoshi and Moshe want to help their mother be successful in their new country, but they also struggle with what they left behind. Living in America is so different from Russia and at times they miss their old country.

Many kids today have no idea what their immigrant ancestors faced when they came to the United States. Although this novel doesn’t paint the dire situations many had to deal with, it doesn’t show life as all rosy either. In a fun and humorous way, Rona Arato has shown us life at the turn of the last century, and given us a glimpse into our own history books. I highly recommend this delightful story.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

health

Womenopause: Stop Pausing and Start Living

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Lovera Wolf Miller, M.D. and David C. Miller, M.D.
Publisher: O-Books
Genre: Women’s Health
ISBN: 978-1846943218
Pages: 320
Price: $24.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

The years a woman goes through “the changes” come with several unique challenges. We may feel our bodies have betrayed us, as what has always seemed normal suddenly goes off-kilter. So it’s understandable that we reach for support during these turbulent years. In Womenopause, authors Lovera Wolf Miller, M.D. and David C. Miller, M.D. explore some of these changes, and offer their suggestions in how to handle them.

A score sheet is offered for a woman to determine how much difficulty she’s having in certain areas: Hot Flash Fever, Mood Matters, Sexercise, Vagina Sahara, Skinny on Skin, Insomnia Queen, and Plumbing & Pain scores combine for a total wScore. The higher the wScore, the worse the symptoms.

Menopause hormone therapy (MHT) is recommended in almost all cases where symptoms are problematic. Drugs like cycle regulators (birth control pills), anti-depressants, and others are presented as ways for women to cope with the difficulties of these body changes. In addition to the drug remedies offered, lifestyle changes are suggested, such as quitting smoking, getting more exercise, eating only “real” foods, and losing weight.

While the subtitle suggests that this book is about lifestyle, I found that it read more like a medical pharmaceutical textbook. If you’re looking for guidance in taking prescription drugs to manage menopause, you’ll find some good information here. But if you’re like many women who believe menopause is nothing more than a natural body change, and prefer to skip the drugs, you’ll find very little that will help.

Take the quizzes for yourself and let your own body be your guide. Ultimately, it’s up to you what decisions you want to make, and how you plan to handle this life transition.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

travel

Good Night and God Bless

Bergers Book Reviews


Author:  Trish Clark
Publisher:  Hidden Spring
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 978-1-58768-053-3
Pages: 242
Price: $20.00

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Traveling around Europe on a budget doesn’t have to mean skimping on accommodations. Sure, you could stay at a youth hostel, but you might find it more cozy at one of the many convents and monasteries who accept overnight guests. And you’ll be surprised by the many health spa amenities they offer, in addition to lodging.

In Good Night and God Bless, Trish Clark provides a guide to travel in Austria, the Czech Replublic, and Italy. Within each geographic section, there are open houses who welcome everyone, some that are only open to women or men, and those who also offer spiritual refreshment to travelers. Descriptions and contact information for each of the convents and monasteries is provided, along with some interesting sites to see while visiting.

Overall, this is a great travel guide with lots of information that would be hard to find anywhere else. But there were two things this book lacked, in my opinion. I would have loved to see some photos of the accommodations offered, and website addresses would have been helpful, even though many of the sites are written in other languages.

Trish Clark clearly did a lot of research on this subject, and has created a helpful and comprehensive travel guide. If you’re thinking of visiting these countries and are interested in great, inexpensive lodging or a spiritual retreat, I highly recommend this book.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

fantasy, reference

An Illustrated Guide to Mythical Creatures

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Anita Ganeri
Illustrator: David West
Publisher: Hammond World Atlas
Genre: Mythology
ISBN: 978-0843-716696
Pages: 48
Price: $15.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Stories of mythical creatures have been handed down from generation to generation, since the beginning of time. But where did these legends originate, and who are these fantastic beings? The Illustrated Guide to Mythical Creatures provides a wonderful journey through the past, stimulating the imagination.

This beautifully illustrated reference work is broken up into categories of dragons, flying creatures, chimera, half-human and half-beast, giants, shape-shifters, demons, and others. Within each category, the various mythologies, religious beliefs, and legends are shared with the reader, accompanied by pictures of what these creatures might have looked like.

If you are fascinated with these unusual and unique beings, you’ll find the Illustrated Guide to Mythical Creatures a comprehensive and interesting resource. I highly recommend it for children and adults.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, Christian

Big Box, Little Box: How One Little Box Finds His Way

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Damien K.H. Nash & Kathy Nash
Illustrator: Steve Miller
Publisher: Friends of Faith
Genre: Children
ISBN: 9780984172931
Pages: 68
Price: $13.99 (book) / $8.99 (DVD)

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Little Box is afraid of the heaviness he feels inside. Big Box explains that this is his potential, and then explains how he can develop it, as they travel together through the Potential Delivery Center.

Using the metaphor of shipping boxes, Big Box shows Little Box all about labels, and how they can be used. If the wrong label is applied, potential can be diminished, so Little Box needs to recognize how special he is. Then he won’t be affected by a bad label. Little Box also learns how to rely on others around him as a support system. And he meets the Perfect Label-Giver, who is symbolic of Jesus Christ.

It’s easy for us to accept the labels we’re given as children, and often we look back at a wrong label and wonder why we ever believed it. But since those labels carry so much power, it’s important for kids to reject the bad ones as soon as possible. Big Box, Little Box provides an opportunity for discussion about these labels, and for kids to learn to reject bad labels with the help of their parents.

Although this video and book are targeted to young children, the message may be a little hard for that age group to grasp. Parents will need to spend time explaining the idea of labels, and let kids know that Emmanuel, the Perfect Label-Giver, represents Jesus, since this is not obvious.

The DVD is a video version of the text of this book, and it’s subtitled in English, French and Spanish. This cute tale packs a powerful message, and I think kids will enjoy the story of this mentor box and his young protege.

Reviewer: Alice Berger