Author: Bergers Book Reviews

Author and book reviewer.
children

Ryan & Robbie’s Bike Ride Adventure

Bergers Book Reviews

ryan & robbie
Author: Roger Hackett
Illustrator: Jared Beckstrand
Publisher: Ryan and Robbie
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9820254-6-8
Pages: 64
Price: $15.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Ryan and Robbie have new bikes, and can hardly wait to have some adventures. But before they leave, their mother has a special gift for them. She is Chinese, and she gives them each a pendant with a symbol on it, and shares a bit of secret wisdom. As they bike around the neighborhood with their dad, they discover situations that require this wisdom, and they use it to solve problems together.

I liked the fact that this is a multi-cultural family, and that their Chinese mom wants to share her traditions with her children. The message of teamwork and being a good older sibling is also presented in a non-preachy manner. But I had a hard time seeing this bike ride as an adventure. Nothing particularly adventurous happens and their dad is with them the whole time.

Ryan & Robbie’s Bike Ride Adventure also comes with a read-along CD, so kids can listen as they read. Jared Beckstrand’s illustrations are bright and crisp, and complement the text well. Overall, this story is a good read for kids.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

parenting, teen

The Lake That Stole Children

Bergers Book Reviews

lake
Author: Douglas Glenn Clark
Publisher: CreateSpace
Genre: Fable
ISBN: 978-1438243580
Pages: 50
Price: $6.25

Buy it at Amazon

The fisherman knows only discipline and strict obedience in raising his two children. Although his son also wants to fish in the river, he is repeatedly denied his heart’s desire. Until one night he goes against his father’s wishes and faces the river by himself.

The lake claims the son, who joins other children inside a large glass fish. Their common bond is sadness, and the adults on the shore don’t want to face their part in the children’s disappearances. But the fisherman wants his son back, and he’s brave enough to face the glass fish.

Written in fable style, The Lake That Stole Children shows us many facets of our emotions and personalities. In this tale, the father recognizes his own limitations, and makes positive changes as a result of losing his son. And in seeing his father change, the boy grows up learning how to be a better father.

While the author intended this story to be a harrowing thriller for young adults, I didn’t feel there was enough action to grab the teen audience. But as a short story for adults, it packed a powerful message. Parents always need to be aware of their kids’ emotions before they disappear into their sadness, lost to us forever.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

journal, travel

CruiseMinder Journal

Bergers Book Reviews

cruiseminder
Author: F.E. Wilkins
Publisher: MemoryMinder Journals
Genre: Journal
ISBN: 978-0-9637968-5-1
Pages: 144
Price: $16.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

You’ve just booked the cruise of a lifetime, and although it may be months in the future, you know you’ve got a lot of planning to do before your big trip. The CruiseMinder Journal was created with all your needs in mind.

Divided into four sections, this journal is designed to make sure you stay organized. The first part is the anticipation section, which includes information on packing, planning your agenda, a mini address book for postcards you’ll send, and anything you’ll need to do once you get home again. The next section is your daily diary, where you can record any activities you participated in, along with general thoughts about the day. The third section allows you to record information about the ship, the crew, expenses incurred, and any new friends you’ve made while on the cruise. And the reference section has helpful nautical terms and maps.

The journal pages are of high-quality paper, with a spiral binding and sturdy cover. An introductory section explains how to use this journal for maximum effectiveness. This pretty and useful little book will record the details of your cruise for a lifetime of memories.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

humor

Roastbeef’s Promise

Bergers Book Reviews

roastbeef
Author: David Jerome
Publisher: Smack Books
Genre: Fiction / Humor
ISBN: 978-0-9815459-1-2
Pages: 312
Price: $23.95

Buy it at Amazon

What do you do when your father’s last dying wish is to have his ashes sprinkled in all forty-eight contiguous states? If you’re Jim “Roastbeef” Hume, you do your best to fulfill it, no matter what it will take.

Roastbeef’s Promise chronicles Roastbeef’s fifteen month journey around the country in his quest to carry out his mission. Along the way, he runs into car troubles, theft of nearly all his possessions, and even manages to get arrested. But that doesn’t deter him from having as much fun as he can possibly get away with.

If you’re a college student thinking of taking a cross-country trip, or if you secretly longed to make one before entering the “real world,” you’ll find Roastbeef’s adventures hilarious. Join him vicariously as he travels the US, meeting interesting new people and seeing the sights, before ultimately finding his life purpose.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, health, parenting

Peeper Has a Fever

Bergers Book Reviews

peeper
Author: Charlotte Cowan, M.D.
Illustrator: Susan Banta
Publisher: Hippocratic Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 0-9753516-2-1
Pages: 32
Price: $17.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Peeper really wants to go with his family to the big picnic, but he’s woken up with a 104F fever. After a call to Dr. Hippo, his mom says he needs to stay home, so his dad stays with him to keep him company. Keeping cool will make him feel better, so Peeper takes a bath and eats ice cream and popsicles. And since the diving contest is postponed, he recovers in time to participate.

Peeper Has a Fever is part of the Dr. Hippo series, designed to explain illnesses to children so they understand what’s happening to their bodies. This book shows us the stages of Peeper’s illness and how he gets better by taking his medicine, resting and cooling off.

In addition to the story, a guide for parents is included, which explains what to look for when a child has a fever, and how to handle it. I highly recommend this cute and informative story for all families with young children.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Gretchen Asks, “How Do Cars Work?”

Bergers Book Reviews

gretchen
Author: Angel Neuschwander
Illustrator: Becky Johnston
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-4389-2886-9
Pages: 24
Price: $12.99

Buy it at Amazon

Have you ever wondered how your car operated? Seven year-old Gretchen isn’t shy, so she asks her mother – an engineer. What follows is mom’s explanation of the internal workings of an automobile.

Using simple illustrations, she shows Gretchen how a car operates similarly to her bike. But unlike the bike, which uses pedals to move it forward, the car has an engine. She then explains how pistons move, acting like bike pedals.

More of an educational tool than a story, this unique book explains cars in an age-appropriate manner. Since I know very little about the inner workings of an engine, I found myself reading as a child might, and found the information easy to comprehend. The illustrations and diagrams provide additional understanding.

I was also pleased to see a little girl asking her mom, rather than the more traditional boy and father. Gretchen Asks, “How Do Cars Work?” would be a terrific resource both in the classroom and the library.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

cats, children

The Secret Adventures of Louie V

Bergers Book Reviews

louie
Author: Tracey Delio
Illustrator: Kit Grady
Publisher: The P3 Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-933651-36-1
Pages: 24
Price: $14.99

Author’s website

Louie V is alone, now that his human mom has left for work, but he has no intentions of sleeping all day. Feeling particularly sassy, Louie V decides on a day of shopping. Since he can’t go out, he visits his mom’s closet instead. What will she find when she gets home?

Kids often wonder what cats do when no one is around to watch them, and Louie V offers a clue. His dress-up game in the closet is whimsical and fun, and the colorful images of this Siamese cat and his playthings add to the charm. The Secret Adventures of Louie V would be a delightful read for any child who loves cats.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

health, journal

MaintenanceMinder

Bergers Book Reviews

minder
Author: F.E. Wilkins
Publisher: MemoryMinder Journals
Genre: Journal
ISBN: 978-0-9637968-6-8
Pages: 192
Price: $16.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

You’ve finally reached your weight loss and fitness goals. Congratulations! But now you face a new challenge – keeping the weight off.

The creators of DietMinder and BodyMinder recognized this, and designed MaintenanceMinder with your new needs in mind. This journal provides a place for you to record important information for the day to help keep you on track.

Each journal entry includes space for your daily weigh-in, your plan for the day, and an end-of-day recap asking how well you stuck to your plan. A week’s check-ins fits compactly on an easy-to-read two page spread, with room for notes in the last section of the journal.

The journal pages are of high-quality paper, with a spiral binding and sturdy cover. An introductory section explains how to use this journal for maximum effectiveness. Motivational quotes are sprinkled throughout the pages, and a space for before and after photos is included, to help remind you of how far you’ve come.

If you’ve reached your fitness goals and want to be sure you don’t undo all your hard work, MaintenanceMinder will be a valuable tool in making sure you stay fit, trim and healthy.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

romance

Lizzie’s Rake

Bergers Book Reviews

lizzie
Author: Hazel Statham
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Romance
ISBN: 1-60154-465-0
Pages: 232
Price: $11.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

When Maxim Beaufort, Earl of St. Ive, finds himself owner of a property in Yorkshire, his first inclination is to dispose of it. But he has no idea that Elizabeth Granger and her younger siblings are still living there and would have no place to go. Although a notorious rake, Maxim also has a heart, and refuses to cast them out.

Maxim doesn’t expect to find himself irresistibly drawn to Lizzie, even to the point of wanting to settle down with her as his wife. But his troubles only begin when he proposes. Lizzie has no reason to trust that he has reformed, and that he would make a suitable husband.

Lizzie is a sensible girl, but she also feels her growing attraction to the Earl. How can she marry him when his reputation follows him everywhere?

Hazel Statham has created a charming story set in England in the early 1800s. In a perfectly proper courtship, Maxim woos Lizzie, trying to convince her of his sincerity. And when London society tries to sway her against him, she must determine who she wants to believe.

Lizzie’s Rake is a delightful read for anyone who enjoys a good romance.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Auntie’s House

Bergers Book Reviews

auntie
Author: Dawn Aldrich
Illustrator: Michael Aldrich
Publisher: Halo Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-097974297-2
Pages: 32
Price: $12.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Mommy is going to work, so a little girl goes to visit her Auntie for the day. After bringing some toys down from the attic, they play all day. But where is Mommy? Will Mommy come back to get her?

Auntie’s House was written to address a fear that children often have – that their parent has abandoned them. At the end of the day, this little girl’s Mommy picks her up from Auntie’s house, reassuring her that she hasn’t been left behind.

I liked the theme of this book, in addressing this common childhood fear in a positive way.  But I would have preferred to see this story written in prose, since I’m not a big fan of rhyming books unless superbly done. Illustrations by Michael Aldrich are bright, colorful and cheerful.

Auntie’s House is a fun read for young children.

Reviewer: Alice Berger