Author: Bergers Book Reviews

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children

Aaron’s Adventures

Bergers Book Reviews


Author & Illustrator: Amy Paulson
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-615-36693-7
Pages: 82
Price: $8.95

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Aaron the elf makes new friends easily, but his parents wish he wouldn’t always bring them home with him. Do they really need a frog, a mermaid and an alien living with them?  Aaron’s ideas aren’t always the best, although he tries hard. He just can’t seem to get things right.

Aaron’s Adventures includes six short stories describing this mischievous little elf’s experiences. Although the illustrations are well done, these tales are too tame to be called adventures. Aaron never finds himself in any danger, other than from the wrath of his parents, and he never leaves the safety of his home turf.  I would have preferred to see more excitement and less of his parents in these stories.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

fiction

A Boy Born From Mold and Other Delectable Morsels

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Lorin Morgan-Richards
Publisher: A Raven Above Press
Genre: Literary
ISBN: 978-0-615-35964-9
Pages: 75
Price: $20.00

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A boy comes to life, mysteriously born from some mold in an old quilt in the basement. Watching the family from a distance, he comes to think his name is Ruin (or Rune proper), and stays in hiding until a tornado forces him out.

A vampire named Zoog is allergic to blood. Fearing his parents’ displeasure, he drinks it anyway, with terrible gastronomical results. A woman feeds her 100 cats on a strict schedule and a precise diet, until one day she runs out of cheese. And a strange little man is mistaken for a garden gnome.

A Boy Born From Mold is an unusual look at some of the stranger things in life. Printed using soft acid free blue linen paper and faux leather, this book is completely handmade by the author.

In a style reminiscent of Edward Gorey, Lorin Morgan-Richards presents these gloomy tales of dark humor. They serve as a reminder that no matter how bad our lives may seem, they’re nowhere near as bad as they could be. At least we can still laugh at the absurdities of life.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

cartoon, nature

Green Pieces: Green From the Pond Up

Bergers Book Reviews


Author & Illustrator: Drew Aquilina
Publisher: Mariposa Press
Genre: Cartoon / Nature
ISBN: 978-0966689976
Pages: 197
Price $19.99

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Iggy: a turtle who suffers from claustrophobia
Radic: a dragonfly who likes to “bug” everyone, especially Iggy
Cabby: a frog with short legs and an overly enhanced brain
Roc: a rogue raccoon who always seems to find the trash

Green Pieces: The cartoon which somehow manages to bring these odd characters together, while also promoting care for the environment.

This comic strip takes a funny look at life at the pond, from the perspective of these four zany characters. Problems like turtle salmonella, a cartoon lawsuit demanding that these cartoon animals wear pants, and worries about how to survive hibernation keep them all busy. But ultimately preserving their little home is the most important thing to worry about, and they don’t take environmental issues lightly.

Green Pieces is a humorous look at life at the pond through the eyes of those who live there year-round. The pictures are well-drawn, and the clever plot lines keep the reader entertained, while often laughing out loud at some of these characters’ antics. I highly recommend this environmentally friendly cartoon book.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Meet the Malamites

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Jeffery Richards
Illustrator: Max Stasuyk
Publisher: Trafford Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-4269-0597-1
Pages: 24
Price: $12.95

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The Malamites love to spend time together having fun, and there’s no better time to do this than on Family Day. King Monty and his son, Prince Marvin, spend the day visiting the sites on their hovercrafts, until they have an unexpected accident. They then travel with the speedy Snorse Malamites by land.

As they explore this beautiful countryside, they meet friends along the way. Drimble, the Trundle Malamite takes their hovercrafts for a tow. Huggy, the Shnapple Malamite says hello. And Brita the Gooba Malamite gives them treats.

Their travels are illustrated in bright candy-colored illustrations, demonstrating the rainbow goodness of this planet. Nothing goes wrong, everyone is kind to one another, and happiness abounds.

Meet the Malamites is sweet, wholesome fun. Although this story is pure fantasy, it’s great for kids to simply imagine life in all its perfection as these folks celebrate their Family Day.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

classics, graphic novel

Graphic Classics: Edgar Allan Poe

Bergers Book Reviews


Illustrators: Carlo Vergara, Dan Dougherty, Rick Geary, Gerry Alanguilan, Milton Knight, Pedro Lopez, Matt Howarth, Joe Ollmann, Lance Tooks, J.B. Bonivert
Publisher: Graphic Classics
Genre: Graphic Novel / Horror
ISBN: 978-0-9825630-0-7
Pages: 144
Price: $12.95

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Edgar Allan Poe’s classic horror stories are brought to life in this eerie graphic novel adaptation. Illustrated in all black and white drawings, these tales take on a new creepiness, as the reader can now see in vivid detail the images he was only able to imagine.

The following stories are contained in this volume:

  • The Pit and the Pendulum
  • The Raven
  • The Black Cat
  • William Wilson
  • The Imp of the Perverse
  • The Premature Burial
  • The Tell-Tale Heart
  • Annabel Lee
  • The Fall of the House of Usher
  • The Cask of Amontillado
  • Never Bet the Devil Your Head

A word of warning must be given – Poe’s writings are not for the faint of heart. But for those who enjoy a touch of the macabre, these graphic stories will be sure to entertain.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, holiday

A Dangerous Christmas

Bergers Book Reviews


Author & Illustrator: Hedley Griffin
Publisher: DangerSpot Books
Genre: Children / Christmas
ISBN: 978-0-954656506-0
Pages: 32
Price: £5.99

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Harey the rabbit is impatient to get things done, so he doesn’t always think about how dangerous his actions might be. Does the fairy have to be put on top of the tree? No problem – Harey will pile up books on top of a chair to place it there. Have the Christmas lights stopped working? Harey will stop in the middle of washing his hands to see how he can fix them.

Harey doesn’t realize he can get hurt, but his friends know better. They remind him – after he’s already made a mistake – that he needs to think first. But poor Harey will end up at the hospital before Christmas is over.

In the excitement of Christmas Day, kids may not realize they also need to be careful. Reading this funny story about Harey’s accidents will keep them more conscious of safety while enjoying their holiday. Who knew Christmas could be so dangerous?

All DangerSpot books include stickers to place on dangerous items as a reminder for kids to stay safe. These books also include practical tips at the end, so parents can be sure no one gets hurt.

Reviewed by: Alice Berger

children

Whitey On the Ranch

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Stayton Weldon
Illustrator: Susan Anderson-Shorter
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-4490-5474-8
Pages: 52
Price: $9.00

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Whitey the truck lives on a ranch with his owner, Brilliant. As a new truck, he has no idea what to expect from ranch life, but he soon finds out! Before long he’s driving over rocky roads with potholes and wearing a heavy coat of manure.

When Whitey first meets Brilliant, he is sure he’s really a very smart man – after all, Brilliant picked him. By the end of this tale, Whitey isn’t quite as convinced about his intelligence anymore, and his names for the man change. But he remains his loyal white truck through it all.

Whitey can laugh about the lifestyle he’s forced to endure, and he tells his story in a humorous way. Anyone who’s ever owned a ranch, thought about ranching, or raised a farm animal will chuckle over some of the predicaments Whitey finds himself in. And if you’ve never been around a ranch, you’re sure to learn about some things you can expect to find. Boys will especially enjoy the descriptions Whitey gives us of some of his modifications.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

tween

Summer Sanctuary

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Laurie Gray
Publisher: Luminis Books
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-1-935462-34-7
Pages: 200
Price: $11.95

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Matthew’s best friend, Kyle, has gone away to spend the summer at a farm. His younger brother has reached a growth spurt and is now bigger than he is. And his mom is pregnant. Again. Since Matthew is being home-schooled, he doesn’t even get the summers off, and he has to write a research paper on Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. It was going to be the worst summer ever – until he met Dinah.

Dinah is on the run from Child Welfare, waiting for her mom to come home and get her. But until then she needs a place to hang out and hide. Matthew takes an instant liking to Dinah, and offers her his friendship and a sanctuary. The two new friends share ideas, laughter, music and companionship over the next few weeks, forging a strong bond in the process.

Matthew never expects to get so close to this homeless girl, and their time spent together is all too brief. Will they stay in touch by email, as Dinah suggests, or will time apart bring inevitable distance? But in the moments they do have together, they touch each other in ways neither could anticipate.

Summer Sanctuary is a warm and tender story of two teens who find true friendship in a world that is often much too harsh. Matthew and Dinah are interesting and deep characters, and I enjoyed getting to know them both. I highly recommend this beautiful story for all who long to still find caring and goodness in humanity.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

cats, children

Said the Kitty to the Cat

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Vincent Spada
Illustrator: Steve Whitlow
Publisher: Top That! Publishing
Genre: Children / Cats
ISBN: 978-1-84956-101-3
Pages: 32
Price: £5.99

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An adorable mother cat nestles on the couch with her kitty. They both eye a box full of wonderful treats, and try to find a way to open it. They look for help from the bird, the dog and the fish, but no one is available, and they must wait until their owner arrives to find out what’s inside.

This simple text is written in repetitive rhyme, so children can join in as their mom or dad reads aloud. The illustrations are soft and bright, and kids will want to reach out and touch these sweet, fluffy cats. My one small concern with this story is that the cats are trying to get into a box of candy. Rather than using “sweets,” I would have preferred to see “treats,” to be sure no kids start giving their cats chocolate after reading it.

Said the Kitty to the Cat is a cute, easy to read story that kids will enjoy. And cat lovers will find these darling felines irresistible.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

How Bunnies Got Their Cottontails

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Barbara Prignano
Illustrator: Jennifer K. Okubo
Publisher: Eloquent Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-60860-675-4
Pages: 20
Price $11.95

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Ever wondered how bunnies got their cottontails? Well, according to Barbara Prignano, they didn’t start out that way. When a little boy decides to cut down the time on his chores, he accidentally gives the bunnies their cotton tails. In How Bunnies Got Their Cottontails, we find out the story behind those tails.

The idea behind this book is cute, since kids love bunnies and especially their tails. But this story lacked substance, and the illustrations were too simplistic. I would have preferred if the way the bunnies had gotten their tails had been a little more involved, with some interesting and fun plot twists. Kids would find it more engaging, and could then read it more than once.

Reviewer: Alice Berger