Month: August 2012

children, dogs

Boomer Explores Annapolis

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Angelique Clarke
Illustrator: Jim Hunt
Publisher: Schiffer Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-7643-4008-6
Pages: 32
Price: $12.99

Schiffer Books
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Boomer the dog loves to explore. One day the front gate is left open, and he decides to explore his hometown, Annapolis. As his owner, Bridget, tries to track him down, Boomer dashes off to see the many interesting sights.

Boomer Explores Annapolis shows the reader this historic city in whimsical illustrations, as Boomer darts from place to place. Fun facts about the various locations Boomer visits are also included as side notes. If your family plans to visit Annapolis soon, kids will find this book helpful in locating landmarks during your vacation.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, education

Sing Into School

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Jack O’Leary
Illustrator: Steve Simpson
Publisher:Sing Into Life
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9871510-0-1
Pages: 12 (includes CD)
Price: $9.99

Sing Into Life Website
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How may kids get excited about going off to school? For those with special needs, it may be even harder to face the day. The Sing Into Life series was developed to reach these children in a new way.

Sing Into School is a simple book detailing the steps involved in getting ready for school. An accompanying CD introduces the main character, a sock puppet named Bo Jingles. Then the text is sung and also read aloud. The concluding tracks summarize the steps to get ready and say goodbye to the listener.

This series of musical social stories was designed in consultation with children, parents, therapists and teachers to respond to specific needs. Music makes everything more fun, and a reluctant child may find himself singing along to the music while happily following the eight steps to get ready for school. Responding to ordinary challenges can be difficult, so having the right social skills is important for a child’s self-esteem and self-confidence. I highly recommend this unique series.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

classics, graphic novel

Graphic Classics Vol. 22: African-American Classics

Bergers Book Reviews


Editor: Tom Pomplun
Publisher: Eureka Productions
Genre: Literary
ISBN: 978-0-9825630-4-5
Pages: 144
Price: $17.95

Graphic Classics
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African-American Classics presents comic adaptations of great stories and poems by America’s earliest black authors, illustrated by contemporary black artists. These adaptations are designed to utilize as much of the author’s original language as possible, while also being visually appealing for an enjoyable read.

Volume 22 includes the following:

  • The Reward by James Weldon Johnson / Illustrated by Mac McGill
  • Two Americans by Florence Lewis Bentley / Illustrated by Trevor Von Eeden
  • On Being Crazy by W.E.B. DuBois / Illustrated by Kyle Baker
  • The Negro by Langston Hughes / Illustrated by Stan Shaw
  • Danse Africaine by Langston Hughes / Illustrated by Afua Richardson
  • A Carnival Jungle by Alice Dunbar Nelson / Illustrated by Lance Tooks
  • The Castaways by Claude McKay / Illustrated by Glenn Brewer
  • America by Claude McKay / Illustrated by John Jennings
  • Lawing and Jawing by Zora Neale Hurston / Illustrated by Arie Monroe
  • Lex Talionis by Robert W. Bagnall / Illustrated by Jim Webb
  • Becky by Jean Toomer / Illustrated by Randy DuBurke
  • In the Matter of Two Men by James D. Corrothers / Illustrated by Kenjji
  • Sympathy by Paul Laurence Dunbar / Illustrated by Lance Tooks
  • We Wear the Mask by Paul Laurence Dunbar / Illustrated by Larry Poncho Brown
  • Buyers of Dreams by Ethel M. Caution / Illustrated by Leilani Hickerson
  • The Bronze Legacy by Effie Lee Newsome / Illustrated by Keith Mallett
  • The Goophered Grapevine by Charles W. Chestnutt / Illustrated by Shepherd Hendrix
  • Sanctum 777 N.S.D.C.O.U Meets Cleopatra by Leila Amos Pendleton  / Illustrated by Kevin J. Taylor
  • De Cunjah Man by James Edwin Campbell / Illustrated by Masheka Wood
  • Filling Station by Zora Neale Hurston / Illustrated by Milton Knight
  • The Ghost of Deacon Brown by James Weldon Johnson / Illustrated by Jeremy Love
  • Aunt Chloe’s Politics by Frances E.W. Harper / Illustrated by Titus V. Thomas
  • Shalmanezer by Frances E.W. Harper / Illustrated by Lance Tooks

Once again, Graphic Classics has created a wonderful collection of stories and illustrations to introduce the modern reader to great African-American literature.  I highly recommend it.

Reviewer:  Alice Berger