Author: Bergers Book Reviews

Author and book reviewer.
children

Patulous the Different Caterpillar

Bergers Book Reviews

patulous
Author: A. Volta
Illustrator: Diane Lucas
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9711040-1-3
Pages: 24
Price: $11.99

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Patulous lives with other caterpillars who start to notice his green skin is developing splotches. They make fun of him and send him away because he’s different.

Other creatures in the garden welcome and befriend him. They accept him as he is, and let him play with them.  His new friends also introduce him to tasty flowers to eat. But soon it’s time for him to enter his chrysalis and become a butterfly. He has no idea how spectacular his colors will be when he emerges.

A fun take on the Ugly Duckling story, Patulous the Different Caterpillar reminds that we’re all different, but it’s our differences that make us unique, special and beautiful.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Where Things Are From Near to Far

Bergers Book Reviews

where1
Author: Tim Halbur & Chris Steins
Illustrator: David Ryan
Publisher: Planetizen Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9789329-2-3
Pages: 24
Price: $19.95

Author’s website
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While Hugo plays in a city park, he looks up at the skyscrapers and wonders how they got there. His mom then takes him on a trip through the city, into the suburbs, then the country, and finally the wilderness, explaining each as they go. How does she know all this information? She’s an urban planner.

Written in rhyming verse, this book explores the role of an urban planner in building cities, and determining which buildings go where. The illustrations by David Ryan show the details of each place they visit.

Many books have been written that explain some of the more popular professions, but nothing shows the role of a city planner. Where Things Are From Near to Far plugs that gaping hole in a fun way, and kids will enjoy reading this book. It’s also nice to see that it’s mom, not dad, who has this interesting job.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

cats, children

Kitten Up a Tree

Bergers Book Reviews

kitten
Author: Melanie Abel
Illustrator: Anne Lederhos
Publisher: E & E Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 0-9791606-4-2
Pages: 28
Price: $15.95

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Kitten is scared and runs up a tree. The mailman, the gardener and the newsboy all try to get her down, but she just climbs higher and higher. But little David thinks he knows how to coax her down.

After David waits patiently for several days, kitten finally climbs down. And now she and David are friends.

Anne Lederhos has created charming illustrations for Kitten Up a Tree. Children have always loved to rescue cats in trees, despite the fact they seldom need rescuing. This cute story will appeal to kids and cat lovers alike.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Ralphina the Roly-Poly

Bergers Book Reviews

roly-poly
Author & Illustrator: Claudia Chandler
Publisher: Leathers Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-58597-462-7
Pages: 32
Price: $24.95

Author’s website
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Ralphina the roly-poly is lonely. She wants the little boy who lives in the house to notice her, so she busily goes to work in their garden to make the tulips grow. Her efforts are successful and he becomes her friend.

Since the little boy doesn’t know anything about roly-polies, Ralphina tells him all about herself and her crustacean relatives. There is also an informational section at the end, which provides facts about rainbows.

This is a cute tale about friendship that is also educational, with bright and cheery rainbow colored illustrations. However, it’s very light on plot. Not much happens in this story, and children may become bored upon subsequent readings, once they learn about roly-polies.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

finance

Rich Is a Religion

Bergers Book Reviews

rich
Author: Mark Stevens
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Genre: Personal Finance
ISBN: 978-0-470-25287-1
Pages: 192
Price: $24.95

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Congregants of the religion of the rich share important philosophical principles. They have learned to treat money with the reverence and respect it deserves. In Rich Is a Religion, author Mark Stevens shares some of the principles he’s discovered, both from living them himself and from watching others who practice them. He also shares the stories of the “atheists” of the religion of the rich, and their ultimate financial destruction.

If you’re looking for information on how to get rich, this book won’t provide it. You won’t find investment strategies, business ideas, or any other means of developing wealth. But what you will find is a way of looking at money that can help you hold onto what you do have, while inspiring you to create more.

Don’t let the title put you off – this is not a book about worshiping money. Instead, it’s a book about living a quality lifestyle without needless expenses and a keeping-up-with-the-Jones mentality. Practical and inspiring, Rich Is a Religion is a voice of common sense in this age of greed.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, nature

Sharks

Bergers Book Reviews

sharks
Author: Martin Kasso
Illustrator: Matthew Jeffirs
Publisher: Intervisual Books Inc.
Genre: Children / Science
ISBN: 978-158117-797-8
Pages: 24
Price: $19.95

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Sharks are probably the most feared ocean creatures, but how much do we really know about these magnificent beings? What triggers a shark attack? Are all sharks dangerous?

Sharks attempts to dispel some of the myths we have about sharks, while sharing some interesting facts. Pop-up and other interactive pages enhance the learning experience for kids. Pictures and descriptions of the many different kinds of sharks are also provided.

It’s natural for humans to fear these awesome creatures, but we also need to remember they have their place in nature and serve an important function. The author reminds us that many sharks are endangered, and that conservation efforts are now in place.

Well-written, informative and kid-friendly, Sharks is a great classroom or library resource on these ocean-dwellers. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Marshall and His Green High-tops

Bergers Book Reviews

marshall
Author: Camille Blue Amy
Illustrator: Lorena Pugh
Publisher: Camille Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9801353-0-5
Pages: 32
Price: $9.95

Author’s website
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Marshall and his family live high in the attic above the laundry room. One day Marshall spies a pair of green high-tops that one of the children in the house owns. He thinks they’re really nifty and wishes he could have a pair just like them.

After begging and pleading with his family, he finally receives them as a birthday gift. But the sneakers don’t give him the results he expected.

Marshall and His Green High-tops is a cute story that reminds us all that we need to be very careful what we wish for. And illustrator Lorena Pugh has created a charming little mouse family in bright vibrant color. While we may think we know best, sometimes things just don’t work out the way we want them to.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

cats, inspiration, self improvement

Choosing to Be

Bergers Book Reviews

choosing-to-be
Author: Kat Tansey
Publisher: iUniverse Star
Genre: Visionary & Metaphysical
ISBN: 978-1-935278-13-9
Pages: 148
Price: $19.95

Author’s website
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I have lived with several Zen Masters — all of them cats. ~ Eckhart Tolle

During a rough spell in her life, author Kat Tansey picks up a copy of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Her cat, Poohbear, a Zen Master himself, offers to show her the way to her Buddha nature if she is willing to learn from him. But first she needs a kitten to observe, which leads to Catzenbear joining the family.

As the author works on her practice, Poohbear shares his wisdom with her. An expert at sitting, he offers his thoughts on why Tansey struggles at times. When she clings, he suggests she let go. And when she starts to feel successful, he reminds her that she still has a long way to go. Always gentle and loving, he pushes her to go farther along than she believes possible.

Choosing to Be was classified as fiction because of the author’s conversations with Poohbear. But this was simply the style she used to get her ideas across in a friendly and easily accessible manner.

If you’ve ever thought you’d like to get in touch with your own Buddha nature, this enjoyable and enlightening book will start you on your journey. And if you can, find a cat who’s willing to join you.

Update: Choosing to Be has been included in Wisdom Notes, featured picks by Colin Lewis. It joins such classics as The Prophet, The Science of Getting Rich, and Tuesdays With Morrie.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

fantasy, tween

The Magic Scales

Bergers Book Reviews

scales
Author: Sam Wilding
Publisher: Olida Publishing
Genre: Fantasy / Tween
ISBN: 978-0-9558789-0-9
Pages: 336
Price: $19.99

Author’s website
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You don’t find a talking goldfish every day – especially one who calls himself a wizard from another planet. So when James encounters Mendel, he is understandably surprised. But James thinks Mendel and his planet might have something to do with his father’s disappearance, so he willingly follows him to his home planet, Denthan.

But Denthan’s sun is about to explode. Mendel disappears soon after he, his friend Craig, and Craig’s dog, Bero, arrive. Now they find themselves alone to fight strange beings and look for Mendel so they can try to save the city. And everywhere he goes, James expects to find signs his father is there.

Full of intrigue, magical creatures, and wars between menacing beasts, The Magic Scales is a fast-paced, exciting adventure, with good triumphing in the end for a satisfying conclusion. A great read!

Reviewer: Alice Berger

self improvement

Simply Irresistible

Bergers Book Reviews

simply
Author: Ellen T. White
Publisher: Running Press
Genre: Nonfiction
ISBN: 978-0-7624-2673-7
Pages: 264
Price: $14.95

Author’s website
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I heard about a book written particularly for women entitled Simply Irresistible. After reading a short synopsis and the author’s take, I found the book to be, well, simply irresistible.

I’m of the male persuasion, but I read it even though the book was written specifically for women. But one that promised to help you “unleash your inner siren and mesmerize men?” Sure. I’m all for learning about “sirendom” especially “with help from the most famous and infamous women in history.” The opportunity to learn about female/male relationships by reading case histories of some of the most intriguing and seductive women of our time is alluring indeed. And the book does not disappoint.

Ellen T. White, writing in a lively and invigorating style, divided the book into two sections: Finding Your Inner Siren and Personalizing Your Appeal. In the first part, the reader discovers White’s explanation of what it truly takes to be a siren. She also reveals that women generally fall into five categories or archetypes she labels: the goddess, companion, sex kitten, competitor, and mother. Each category features a representing albeit appropriate study of a woman of well-known stature.

The second part features tips and suggestions on how to hone the skills necessary to develop the desired archetypical role. Here too the reader will find examples of such players as Mae West, Nicole Kidman, Jacqueline Kennedy, and even Queen Elizabeth I. Their lives offer a myriad of ideas and unique personal character traits to help cultivate and improve your siren ways.

I admit to knowing less than nothing about these female archetypes until now. But I hope women will believe me when I say this book may present the opportunity to become the siren they always aspired to be. If not, they will have received one heck of history lesson on some pretty interesting women, and perhaps a little insight into their own personalities as well.

Reviewer: Gene Berger