Author: Bergers Book Reviews

Author and book reviewer.
children

Astro Socks

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Leigh M. LeCreux
Publisher: iUniverse
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-595-46375-6
Pages: 75
Price: $9.95

Buy it at Amazon

Chris has always known he could do anything he set his mind to do. But when baby sister, Rachel, comes along, he finally encounters a problem he can’t solve. Why do her socks always come off her feet, and how can he fix this for her?

After spending the afternoon working on the puzzle, he sends an email to NuPont to ask a question. His email sparks a chain of events that lead to unusual and wonderful surprises.

Chris is a smart kid, and it’s great to see him approach a problem looking for a solution. He doesn’t rely on others to solve it for him. But this solution seemed to come out of nowhere for him. He simply asked a question and found himself in the middle of patent paperwork declaring him an inventor.

While I think this story was wonderful in concept – that kids have the ability to do anything they want to do – I didn’t feel Chris put enough effort into solving the problem. I’d have loved to see more research and even a special sock design submitted before he was approached for a patent.

Also, there were many typos in the text, and the foreword, introduction, and testimonial statements of classroom students detracted from the actual story, which should stand on its own. With a little tweaking, Astro Socks has great potential, but it’s just not quite there yet.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

The Squirrel, the Worm and the Nut Trees

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Jimmie Powell
Illustrated by: Bobbi Switzer
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-4327-1326-3
Pages: 42
Price: $15.95

Buy it at Amazon

Mr. Worm and his friends are determined to keep Mr. Squirrel and his family from getting any nuts. The worms have covered the nuts in webs and they’ve all rotted. Now Mr. Squirrel needs to come up with a plan to get his nuts before Mr. Worm can get to them each year.

Though his plan is not particularly clever, he and his family are able to outsmart Mr. Worm and get their nuts. And Mr. Worm is never any wiser.

This story has great potential as a problem-solving attempt by a family of squirrels. But the solution is very ordinary, and the problem itself is puzzling. Why did the worms want the squirrels to starve? No answer is provided.

The brightest contribution to this story is the illustrations by Bobbi Switzer. Cheerful and colorful, these delightful squirrels come alive in their forest habitat.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Julie & the Lost Fairy Tale

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Janie Lancaster
Publisher: Star Publish
Genre: Children’s
ISBN: 1-932993-60-6
Pages: 108
Price: $10.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Every kid knows there are treasures waiting for them in Grandmother’s attic. When Julie goes up to investigate, she expects to find baby squirrels. Instead she discovers a lost fairy tale.

The original owner of the manuscript came to the United States fifty years ago with the goal of seeing it published. Since she wasn’t able to complete her mission, Julie takes over for her, making a promise to see the fairy tale in print.

Julie’s quest to fulfill her promise sets in motion her own magical fairy tale. The reader will delight in her enthusiasm and determination in achieving her mission. And this story, just like the best fairy tales, has a happy ending that will leave you smiling.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

home

Don’t Throw It Out

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Lori Baird
Publisher: Yankee Publishing
Genre: Home & Garden
ISBN: 1-59486-577-9
Pages: 386
Price: $17.95

Buy it at Amazon

Landfills in the US are full to bursting, and the economy is heading into a recession. How can one person make a difference? Lori Baird and the editors of Yankee Magazine have the answers in Don’t Throw It Out: Recycle, Renew, and Reuse to Make Things Last.

This comprehensive book addresses the items in every room in the house, plus outdoors. Want to make your appliances last longer? Tips and tricks help you keep them running in top shape for as long as possible. Has something reached the end of its useful life? Then re-purpose it. With a little creativity, you can find many more ways it can be used.

Proper wood cleaning techniques and solutions are explained, designed to keep your furniture in great condition. And if your wood furniture has already suffered neglect, don’t despair. It can be given new life with some nifty cosmetic touch-ups.

There are times when an item is simply beyond repair, or has become too expensive to operate. “Fix-it or Forget-it” tips show you when it’s time to simply let go. And fun quizzes test your domestic know-how.

Don’t Throw It Out has changed the way I look at my home. It’s so easy to implement the suggestions, and it feels great to know I’m conserving energy and creating less waste. One person really can make a difference. Pick up a copy and you can, too. The planet will thank you.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

spirituality

Gateways to the Otherworld

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Philip Gardiner
Publisher: New Page Books
Genre: Ancient Mysteries / New Science
ISBN: 978-1-56414-925-1
Pages: 264
Price: $17.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Is there life after death? And is there a way the living can cross over and reach that place? These questions prompted Philip Gardiner’s search through history for answers. What he discovered is revealed in Gateways to the Otherworld.

Ancient cultures left clues to this puzzle, and the first to cross through this gateway was most likely the shaman. Using the forces of nature, he was able to harness earth energy in ways man today has long since forgotten.

This well-written and well-documented book explains new scientific discoveries that confirm what man once knew from his own experience. Various theories about the Great Pyramid, crystals, round towers, energy grids and the serpent are presented in detail, with many references to scientific proof and ancient knowledge.

Though this may appear on first glance to be new age fluff, there is hard science behind the author’s conclusions. A quick read and a fascinating book, Gateways to the Otherworld may answer some of your own questions about life after death – or it may raise some new questions – but it will definitely make you think.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

business

Lead Like a Pirate

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Christopher Novak
Publisher: Cornerstone Leadership Institute
Genre: Business / Team Performance
ISBN: 978-0-9798009-1-7
Pages: 88
Price: $14.95

Cornerstone Leadership Institute website
Buy it at Amazon

Ahoy, mates! Lead Like a Pirate is about to take you on a team building pirate adventure. Comparing a pirate ship to a business unit, five key business areas are covered. These are: Captain, Crew, Mission, Strategy, and Treasure.

A brief summary of a pirate ship’s take on these key areas is presented in a fun and light-hearted way. Then the group is asked to read three possible scenarios to determine the best fit for each area. A scoring system determines who’s next in line to be promoted to Captain.

The team leader is encouraged to make this exercise fun by having employees dress in character and role-play. Pirate-themed movies can also be viewed and discussed, to see how each of the key elements appears in the movie.

Although there’s not much new material presented here, this approach is novel and interesting enough to help participants see these concepts in a different way. If you work for an organization that welcomes unique team building ideas, this book would provide a fun learning experience.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

teen

What Your Mother Never Told You

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Richard M. Dudum
Publisher: Island Publishing
Genre: Self-help / Teens
ISBN: 978-1-4196-7869-1
Pages: 245
Price: $14.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Teen girls today face situations that their parents couldn’t even anticipate, let alone warn them about. Richard M. Dudum has worked with teens for twenty-eight years, and he knows what’s really going on. What Your Mother Never Told You shares his observations with girls, so they can survive this turbulent time in their lives.

Teen girls need to recognize just how special they are. Several chapters focus on the importance of maintaining a good reputation and always putting your best foot forward. A girl needs to honor and respect herself so she can make sure she doesn’t put herself in positions where her reputation will suffer.

Next the issues of sex, drugs and alcohol are covered, but not by using a lecture. Dudum doesn’t condemn or condone their use. Instead he guides girls to “trust their stomach.” He doesn’t tell them not to drink, though he does strongly encourage them to avoid alcohol. Instead he advises them on how to handle drinking – to never get so drunk that they don’t know what’s happening around them.

He talks straight on sex, explaining how boys manipulate girls just to get into their pants. And he tells them how to know when to tell a boy that he’s full of sh*t. No girl owes a boy anything – no matter what he’s said or given them.

This is a true survival guide, since many girls find themselves in very grave danger, through careless decisions or in places they have no business being. Dudum provides statistics and stories on girls who ended up either dead or sexually molested, as a reminder that there are consequences to every action.

Although it saddened me to see what teen girls face every day, this book was a wake-up call that I think girls can relate to. Dudum talks straight, in no-nonsense terms, as an adult figure they can trust. I believe this brilliant and well-written book can help girls to stay true to themselves, and avoid destructive behavior that will mar their reputations or possibly end their lives.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

self improvement

Just Snap Your Fingers and… Bingo You’re Sober!

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Maurice “Mo” Murray
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Genre: Self-help
ISBN: 978-1-4343-2881-6
Pages: 87
Price: $10.49

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Your true love, Ethyl, is dead. Ethyl Alcohol, that is – or Jack Daniels, if you prefer. And now it’s time to change your “Order of Loves.” In this recovery workbook, Mo Murray will guide you in learning to live without your first love.

Murray is a former substance abuse counselor who is also in recovery. Speaking from his years of personal experience and in counseling, he uses both humor and the truth about excess drinking to reach the alcoholic who still suffers. Several questions guide the reader through his own feelings and experiences of what his drinking has done to his life.

This book isn’t an early recovery guide, and it assumes that the reader has had some experience already in AA. Murray refers to the twelve steps and other program materials shared in AA, and without having attended meetings, the reader may find these references confusing.

The final chapter presents a self-hypnosis session, which allows the reader to reprogram his thinking and make an attitude adjustment. Murray believes that this positive affirmation statement will help the still-suffering alcoholic to rise above his limited thinking and achieve sobriety.

This is a fairly light-hearted book on a relatively serious subject, but recovery has its humorous moments, and learning sometimes comes easier with laughter. This book, by itself, probably won’t get someone sober, but along with the AA program and a sponsor working together, it would be a helpful guide in recovery.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Windows of Gold

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Marianne Mitchell
Publisher: Rafter Five Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9673497-1-8
Pages: 126
Price: $9.95

Author’s website

Are you looking for great bedtime stories to read to your kids before you tuck them in for the night? Windows of Gold is a collection of twenty short stories, many of which first appeared in Highlights for Children. Told in folk tale style, these delightful stories will entertain your children for many nights to come.

Some of these charming tales take place in the southwest, with such colorful characters as Coyote, Rabbit, and Puma. Another has mysterious purple footprints left at the scene of secret acts of kindness. The title story demonstrates that not everything is exactly as it seems. And there’s the occasional troll and leprechaun to captivate the reader.

Marianne Mitchell is a master at telling folk tales. These vibrant stories come alive, and invite you to journey through foreign lands and magical places. You and your children will definitely enjoy the ride.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

self improvement

Happy For No Reason

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Marci Shimoff
Publisher: Free Press
Genre: Self-Help
ISBN: 978-1-4165-4772-3
Pages: 336
Price: $24.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Are you truly happy from the inside out? If you’re like many people, you might say you’re happy, but is it only because things are pretty much going the way you like them? And what if your life isn’t perfect right now? Marci Shimoff believes it’s possible to be happy no matter what your circumstances are, and this book will show you how.

Research has shown that we all have a certain level of happiness that we seem to feel comfortable at. This set-point is partially genetic, but we have the ability to change the rest. By following the seven steps presented in this book, we can better control our happiness set-point and learn to be happy for no reason.

Marci Shimoff interviewed what she calls the Happy 100 to discover their secrets to staying happy in every circumstance. These steps outline their experiences, with deeply moving personal stories to demonstrate them in action. Fun exercises are also provided on how to use these steps in your own life.

The positive energy of Happy For No Reason is contagious. Marci Shimoff is one of the teachers featured in The Secret, and it’s obvious she lives what she teaches. If you want to be happy for no reason, you’ll find this book to be an inspiring and valuable guide.

Reviewer: Alice Berger