Author: Bergers Book Reviews

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children, dogs

Black Dog, Brown Dog

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Nina & Derek Zaragoza
Illustrator: Tominda Adkins
Publisher: Creative Curriculum Connections Publications
Genre: Children / Dogs
ISBN: 978-0-98432-408-8
Pages: 24
Price: $11.99

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Tasha and Lady are Labrador retrievers. Tasha is black, Lady is brown, and both dogs have their own distinct personalities.

Tasha is neat. She has nice manners and comes when called. But Lady likes the mud and wants to do as she pleases. Both dogs are loved by their owners, even though their temperaments are so different.

Black Dog, Brown Dog shares the differences between these two Labs in contrasting pages. But even though children love dogs and will readily pick this book up, it doesn’t have enough of a plot to hold their attention for long. The illustrations are very simple in neutral colors, and don’t add any additional dimension to the story.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

atlas, travel

The World

Bergers Book Reviews


Publisher: Hammond
Genre: Atlas
ISBN: 978-0843-709094
Pages: 288
Price: $19.99

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If you wanted to explore the world, you’d pull out your trusty atlas for guidance. And there is none better to reach for than one created by Hammond, the leader in maps.

The World is up-to-date as of 2009. This imitation leather travel guide is broken down into sections by continent. Within these sections, each country is shown with major cities labeled. The United States, Canada and Mexico are also shown at the state and province levels. In addition to these maps, the reader will find suggestions of places to explore, and a little history is also included.

Discover, explore and experience the world with Hammond. Maybe you’re only traveling in your armchair, or you’re planning to see some of these recommended sights in person. Either way, you can’t go wrong with this quality atlas.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

The Forever Friends Club

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Sue Gainor & Sarah P. Gibson
Illustrator: Miranda R. Mueller
Publisher: DRT Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1933084-02-2
Pages: 48
Price: $12.95

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Sam is thrilled when three new kids move to his street. Madison, Nick, and Isabel all become fast friends, and the four play together every afternoon. But one day Sam’s new friends decide to form a club – the adopted club.

Only trouble is, Sam is the only one who wasn’t adopted. He lives with his birth parents, and he feels left out of the club. But Madison, Nick and Isabel have a plan for Sam – a plan to adopt him as a member.

In The Forever Friends Club, Sue Gainor and Sarah P. Gibson offer a new twist on adoption. Sometimes adopted kids can feel awkward around kids who live with their birth parents, but in this story, Sam is the one who feels like he doesn’t belong. As family structures change and evolve, it’s important for all children to feel accepted. And in this story, being adopted – by their parents and by each other – is what makes them all special.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Christian, memoir

Saved By Her Enemy

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Don Teague and Rafraf Barrak
Publisher: Howard Books
Genre: Memoir
ISBN: 978-1-4391-5910-1
Pages: 321
Price: $24.99

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Don Teague, former news correspondent for NBC, was sent to Kuwait, just after 9-11. In his first visit, he spent several months traveling in and out of Iraq, reporting on items of interest. When he reached the end of his tenure there, he returned home, happy to be alive. But NBC still needed him to go back, and this time it would be to Baghdad.

Rafraf Barrak grew up in Baghdad with a strong nationalistic pride in her country, and a respectful fear of Saddam Hussein. She despised the Americans who had invaded, and thought they humiliated Iraq. But Rafraf spoke very good English, and she decided to put aside her prejudices and take a job as translator for NBC, when she was offered it. But then she found herself a target when Iraqi insurgents determined she was working for the enemy.

After one incident where both Don and Rafraf were nearly killed in a school explosion, Don decided he needed to get Rafraf out of Iraq. But this would prove more challenging than he initially expected, and keeping her in America would be even more difficult. But would Rafraf adjust to life in the US after so many years of repression in Iraq?

In Saved By Her Enemy, Don Teague and Rafraf Barrak tell their stories. Rafraf shares her experiences in Iraq, leading up to her decision to come to America, and how she ultimately converts to Christianity. Don explains how he knew God led him back to Iraq on that second tour of duty with NBC for the sole purpose of rescuing Rafraf and bringing her home with him.

Both Don and Rafraf are wonderful story tellers, and the backdrop of violence and fear in Iraq come alive for the reader. It’s easy to understand why Don felt protective of this intelligent and unique Iraqi woman, and why he would be willing to put himself out to ensure her survival. And Rafraf is strong and courageous in the face of unknown terrors.

We may never know what good things God has planned for our lives, when we leave ourselves open to His leading. Don followed the direction he knew he had been given, and was able to save Rafraf – both in body and soul. If you’re looking for an inspirational read with a great message and a happy ending, I highly recommend Saved By Her Enemy.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

bilingual, children, poetry

The Clumsy Stork

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Celina Penovi
Illustrator: Lucas Penovi Orjales
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Genre: Children / Bilingual
ISBN: 978-1-4490-2746-9
Pages: 32
Price: $17.50

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The stork has stayed out too late partying, but duty calls and he must bring three babies to their new homes. So he gets ready to go out and makes his first two stops. But then he rationalizes he has only one more baby to drop off and he has all day to do it. When he naps longer than he wants to, he suddenly has to rush to deliver his last little bundle of joy.

The Clumsy Stork is written in rhyme, in both Spanish and English. My high school Spanish is rusty at best, so I am not able to comment on how well it’s written, but it’s clear from the English section that Spanish is the author’s first language. Some of the phrases are “backwards” from an English speaker’s perspective, such as “a trip really long.” And the wording is awkward, in trying to force rhymes where they may not be any.

The illustrations are amusing, and the premise of a stork nearly missing his delivery is humorous. Kids will probably laugh at his near-disaster, knowing it would have been prevented if he hadn’t dawdled. And if they read along with the language that’s foreign to them, they’ll get to learn something new.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, health

Tony the Pony’s Big Dream

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Cindy Rice Andrea
Illustrator: Stan Jaskiel
Publisher: Dining in the Light Publications
Genre: Children / Health
ISBN: 978-0-9842717-3-3
Pages: 24
Price: $8.99

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Tony the Pony wants to be a cowboy and live in Texas. His idol is Cowboy Sam Washing Hands, so Tony tries to do everything Sam would do. He dresses like a cowboy, calls himself Tex instead of Tony, and even cooks the same things Cowboy Sam would eat.

And since Cowboy Sam knows how important it is to wash his hands while preparing food, Tony the Pony follows his example as he makes some chili. He and his friends can eat and enjoy it without worrying that anyone will get sick.

As one of the Green Apple Tales, Tony the Pony’s Big Dream focuses on food safety. These books teach food handling through a story where the main character shares a basic concept with kids.

This story has good intentions, but there is very little plot for kids to relate to, and the message is forced. The target age group would not relate to a character’s actions in cutting up food for chili. But the message of hand-washing comes through loud and clear.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Farewell Sadness

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Roxane Marie Galliez
Illustrator: Sandrine Lhomme
Publisher: Hammond
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0841-671393
Pages: 24
Price: $9.99

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Sometimes sadness strikes from out of the blue, and we’re not really sure why we feel the way we do. Kids feel sad, too, and don’t always know how to handle it.

In Farewell Sadness, Roxane Marie Galliez tells of a boy who feels sad. He works his way through the sadness and feels bigger for having faced it, but he still feels something is missing. That’s when he meets a friend, and they both laugh the sadness away.

Sandrine Lhomme presents sadness as a very large black squiggle that I think kids will easily relate to. How many children have sat down with a pen and paper, frustrated and sad, and scribbled their own black circle?

Facing emotions and learning how to deal with them is a skill even grown-ups haven’t yet mastered. It’s great to see a book that shows kids it’s okay to be blue, but there are ways to cope with it and even laugh at it later. Farewell Sadness would be a great addition to any child’s personal library.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

P Is For Please

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Lisa Tharpe
Illustrator: Ali Bahrampour
Publisher: Blueberry Ink Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9825320-1-0
Pages: 32
Price: $8.95

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Instead of the usual foods and animals corresponding to the letters of the alphabet, this unique children’s book shows us how to act politely. “P” is for please, along with “M” is for manners, “T” is for thank you, and “I” is for I’m sorry.

The animals who act out these concepts have names beginning with the letter for that page. The scene is presented using alliteration, to create an association with that letter’s sound. And Ali Bahrampour’s bright and colorful illustrations show us good manners in action.

I found this book to be fun and clever, but there was one scene that felt out of place in this delightful alphabet book. I would have preferred to see the fox dining on fiddlehead ferns, rather than on the frogs who served him their legs. Seeing a frog on a peg leg carrying his leg bone away from the fox’s table seemed a little too disturbing, but I may be more sensitive than most people.

If you’d like your kids to learn more than their ABCs when reading an alphabet book, P Is For Please would make a worthy addition to your library. And they’ll use “A” in asking for permission to read it over and over again.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

How to Do Nothing With Nobody All Alone By Yourself

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Robert Paul Smith
Illustrator: Elinor Goulding Smith
Publisher: Tin House Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9820539-5-9
Pages: 130
Price: $14.95

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Remember the days before TV and video games? Were you outdoors a lot, making things that were fun to play with? Did you split polly-noses to get to the sticky stuff inside, and then put them on your nose? (I did.) Did you make handkerchief parachutes? And did you play mumbly-peg?

Robert Paul Smith remembers the cool things he did as a kid by himself, and he has put them in writing for today’s kids to enjoy. But there is one very important rule — you can’t ask for help when you make these items. They’re to be done entirely by yourself. The only exceptions to this rule are you’re allowed to look things up in the library (it’s encouraged), and you have to ask your mom first before you borrow her sewing supplies. Well, there is another exception – if you want to show a friend, that’s also allowed.

In a conversational style with illustrations, Smith shares these nifty things he did as a kid, the way a dad would share them with his son. Although many of these would strongly appeal to boys, girls may also find them interesting and enjoyable.

Being alone can be lonely at times, but not when you have something fun to do. How to Do Nothing With Nobody All Alone By Yourself provides the ideas to stimulate the imagination, leading to hours of solitary pleasure. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to have some creative fun by himself.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

bilingual, children, humor, poetry

Scrambled Breakfast

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Celina Penovi
Illustrator: Dario Salvi
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Genre: Children / Spanish bilingual
ISBN: 978-1-4490-2743-8
Pages: 20
Price: $14.99

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The breakfast table is set and waiting. But what happens when the fork insults the napkin? In his haste to retaliate, the napkin misses hitting the fork, and this triggers a series of events that lead to quite a mess!

In Scrambled Breakfast, Celina Penovi tells this morning tale in rhyme in both Spanish and English. I can’t say if the Spanish version of the rhyme works well, since I have a very limited vocabulary in that language. The English version is amusing, although sometimes the rhyme is a little confusing. But the general premise of the story comes through clearly and is enjoyable to read.

Dario Salvi has done a wonderful job of illustrating this breakfast scene. These food items and silverware have expressive faces, and their actions come to life on the page in a fun way. Kids will enjoy the idea of these inanimate objects getting caught up in a morning squabble. And if they read along with the language that’s foreign to them, they’ll get to learn something new.

Reviewer: Alice Berger