Author: Bergers Book Reviews

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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

children, music

Sunday in Kyoto

Bergers Book Reviews


Songs written by: Gilles Vigneault
Performed by: Patrick Watson, Coral Egan, Thomas Hellman, Ndidi O & Jessica Vigneault
Illustrator: Stephane Jorisch
Publisher: The Secret Mountain
Genre: Children / Music
ISBN: 978-2-923163-56-7
Pages: 36
Price: $16.95

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Take a trip to Japan and other foreign lands with Sunday in Kyoto. Written by Gilles Vigneault, one of Canada’s premier music figures, and sung by Patrick Watson and others, these fun and cheerful tunes take you on a tour around the world.

If You Bump Your Knee reminds us of a Japanese haiku, Sunday in Kyoto presents music from the orient, and in Yoshi and His Boat, the boat is paper and made using origami. Other tunes also have an international feel, but there are some that are just pure fun. Kids will giggle along with One, Two, Three, ABCD as old man McGee’s cow farts and pees.

The Secret Mountain is dedicated to creating the highest quality children’s books and music. Sunday In Kyoto includes the audio CD, plus a beautifully illustrated book with the story of the title track, and lyrics for the rest of the songs so kids can sing along. Fun and international flair go hand-in-hand in this delightful set.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

dogs, mystery

Dino Vicelli Private Eye

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Lori Weiner
Publisher: Dorrance Publishing
Genre: Mystery
ISBN: 978-1-4349-0294-8
Pages: 98
Price: $10.00

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In an alternate-reality version of New York City, dogs can talk and mingle with humans as if human themselves. Dino Vicelli, an Italian greyhound, is a private eye who takes on what seems to be a missing persons case. But he has no idea that what he’s really investigating is an illegal cloning experiment.

With a beautiful Afghan accompanying him, he attempts to evade the police while tracking down the perpetrator of this scheme. But things get complicated when he doesn’t know who he’s chasing – the originals or the clones?

Dino Vicelli Private Eye presents a unique twist on the usual private investigator novel with the main character a dog. But I found that some of the things that happened to Dino puzzled me. I never understood why the police were after him so unexpectedly, with no evidence or even a motive. The story moves quickly – maybe a little too quickly – and the scenes and characters aren’t developed fully. This is an intriguing plot, but I felt it needed a little more editing before being published.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Abbey’s Turn

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Dana Lurie
Illustrator: Phil Montelone
Publisher: Tomgirlz Enterprises
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9768012-1-4
Pages: 116
Price: $5.95

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In this sixth book in the Tomgirlz series, Mackey and her friends have gone to camp for a week. When they find the camp activity center is closed, they come up with their own plan to make sure all the kids have fun anyway. They always love to make new friends, and when Abbey joins them, they’re thrilled to have her around.

But Abbey is concerned about her weight, and other girls tease and bully her. Tomgirlz won’t stand for anyone being mistreated, so they all stand up for Abbey, making sure she feels welcome at their games.

Bullying is an ongoing and troubling problem kids often face. While it may sometimes seem like harmless teasing, it can leave lasting scars. Abbey’s Turn shows kids that it’s not okay to bully someone because of a perceived defect, and the right thing to do is try to stop it when it happens. The Tomgirlz try to be friends with the bullies, which isn’t always possible, but they make sure Abbey knows they accept her just as she is. And most importantly, Abbey learns to like herself too.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

humor, poetry

On the Edge With Coolhead Luke

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Jennifer White
Illustrator: Colin White
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing
Genre: Poetry / Humor
ISBN: 978-1-4392-5983-2
Pages: 58
Price: $14.99

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What do you get when you team up a son who likes to draw faces with a mom who’s a whiz at poetry? On the Edge With Coolhead Luke, which combines the best of both.

When Jennifer White saw her son’s drawings, they sparked the idea to work on a book together. She then matched her own poetry to the faces with surprising results. In this sequel to Coolhead Luke, patrons visit a restaurant with an operatic chef, the Metta Four sisters share a lesson, and Uncle Marvin presents a Thanksgiving feast fit for a king.

Most of these poems are written in some form of rhythmic meter, with some more unusual styles thrown in for fun. There is a glossary of terms included, as well as discussion questions about the overall messages and styles of verse.

These are fun and well-written poems, with quirky and unique drawings accompanying them. I admire what Jennifer White and her son, Colin, have achieved in On the Edge With Coolhead Luke. Not only have they created interesting works of literature, but they’ve also nurtured the creative bond between them. Now that’s about as cool as it gets!

Reviewer: Alice Berger

self improvement

Purposeful Action

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Towanna B. Freeman, CDC,DD & Barbara H. Pellegrino, CEC
Publisher: iUniverse
Genre: Self improvement
ISBN: 978-1-4401-6387-6
Pages: 148
Price: $24.95

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It’s hard to have a goal and not be able to achieve it. Unfulfilled dreams keep us frustrated, always knowing our lives could be better if we only knew what to do. Purposeful Action was written for women by two women who believe they may be able to help. In this book, Towanna B. Freeman and Barbara H. Pellegrino offer guidance in reaching your goals.

In the first section of this book, several questions are addressed. What will make you happy? What can prevent you from achieving your goal? And when do you want to accomplish it? A life balance wheel is provided, and maintaining balance is strongly encouraged. The last section is their suggested seven steps to fulfillment. These are presented as a cycle: celebrating, affirmations, contemplation, visualization, acknowledgment, gratitude and asking.

Both of these women are life coaches, and they share some insights from their clients’ experiences. They also suggest you may benefit from your own coach, in working through this process. If you’re looking to make important changes in your life, you may find this workbook helpful in clarifying your vision before you take action.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, health

Gabby’s Sore Throat and the Cherry Chocolate Cupcakes

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Cindy Rice Andrea
Illustrator: Stan Jaskiel
Publisher: Dining in the Light Publications
Genre: Children / Health
ISBN: 978-0-9842717-2-6
Pages: 24
Price: $8.99

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Everyone loves Gabby’s homemade cherry chocolate cupcakes, and she’s been looking forward to baking them for the tea party. But now she’s sad because she’s getting a cold and can’t make them after all. Gabby knows how illnesses spread, and she doesn’t want her friends to get sick. She’s staying home from school so she won’t give them her germs.

Kids are notorious for bringing their colds to school, getting their classmates sick in the process. Gabby teaches them how to cough and sneeze safely, so they won’t spread germs. She also shares her favorite cupcake recipe, so everyone can enjoy it.

Gabby’s Sore Throat and the Cherry Chocolate Cupcakes is part of the Green Apple Tales series. These books are designed to teach kids about food safety in a fun way. Perfect for the classroom or a doctor’s waiting room, they’re enjoyable to read without being preachy.

Reviewer: Alice Berger