Author: Bergers Book Reviews

Author and book reviewer.
mystery, teen

Mr. Samuel’s Penny

Bergers Book Reviews

Mr. Samuel's Penny
Author: Treva Hall Melvin
Publisher: The Poisoned Pencil
Genre: Mystery / Teen
ISBN: 978-1-9293-4504-5
Pages: 264
Price: $10.95

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Lizbeth Landers is spending the summer of 1972 with relatives in Ahoskie, NC. Soon after arriving, she finds herself at the Danbury Bridge, looking on in horror as Mr. Samuel and his baby girl are pulled from his submerged car. His hand clutches a penny, which mysteriously vanishes from the police evidence the next day. The two deaths are determined to be murder.

Collecting pennies is Lizbeth’s passion, and she realizes this particular penny is special. After witnessing Mr. Samuel’s widow’s grief at losing her husband and baby, Lizbeth is determined to find the missing penny and discover the murderer. There are plenty of places to search for pennies, and she won’t rest until it’s in her possession.

Mr. Samuel’s Penny is not just a clever murder mystery, but also gives the reader a glimpse of the south during a time of racial unrest. As a black girl, Lizbeth feels discriminated against by some of the white members of society. Over the summer, she discovers that not everything is exactly as it seems.

Full of interesting plot twists and side stories, Mr. Samuel’s Penny is an enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more books in this new Elizabeth Parrot Landers mystery series.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Martian Mustache Mischief

Bergers Book Reviews

Martian Mustache Mischief
Author: Brian Rock
Illustrator: Joshua Dawson
Publisher: CreateSpace
Genre: Children
ISBN: 9781514777589
Pages: 30
Price: $9.99

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Mars is beginning to lose its red color, and soon fuzzy, ketchup-eating, caterpillar-looking Martians arrive on earth. When the earthlings laugh at their demand to turn over all their ketchup, the Martians try a new tactic.

Soon everyone in town is wearing a Martian mustache. And as the Martians devour all the ketchup, they turn red. How can the people stop them? Well, you’ll just have to read Martian Mustache Mischief to find out!

This cute tale will have kids giggling and attempting to try out the tongue twister, “Martian Mustache Mischief” along with the main character. They might even find themselves wearing their own ketchup mustache.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

romance, teen

Summer by Summer

Bergers Book Reviews

Summer by Summer
Author: Heather Burch
Publisher: Blink
Genre: Teen / Romance
ISBN: 978-0-310-72963-1
Pages: 288
Price: $12.99

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Summer is working as a nanny for a couple vacationing in Belize. When their oldest son, Bray, arrives, Summer takes an instant dislike to him. Bray is a college party guy, and Summer is a conservative and modest girl. Their values are far too different.

When a violent storm strands them alone together on a remote island, they’re forced to get along in order to survive. Both discover hidden depths in each other as they work through challenges in finding food, water and shelter. As the weeks progress, they find themselves falling in love.

Being a teen romance, Summer by Summer is full of drama and physical attraction between Bray and Summer. Since their whirlwind romance takes place over a mere month, there is little substance to their relationship. Summer’s faith in God and a purity promise hold them back from taking things too far, but Bray has no such restrictions, other than his respect for Summer.

Maybe I’m just a little too old for teen romances, or maybe the drama in this book is a bit too much. But although this is a fast and engaging read, the story left me feeling unsettled at the end. Summer and Bray are both too immature to be making a lifetime commitment.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, science

That’s What You Think!

Bergers Book Reviews

That's What You Think!
Authors: Jan Van Holleben, Michael Madeja, Katja Naie
Publisher: Little Gestalten
Genre: Children / Science
ISBN: 978-3-89955-725-1
Pages: 184
Price: $24.95

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Our brains are the computers in our heads that allow us to think, move, and keep our bodies functioning properly. But what exactly is a brain made up of, and how does it work?

That’s What You Think! shows us many facets of the brain in short, one-page or less snippets, each focusing on a single concept. What does a brain feel like? How does the brain send commands around the body? How do we store knowledge? Does the brain switch itself off at night? These and many more questions are answered in this book. Clever photos of kids in various positions imitating brain function are interspersed between the narrative sections.

This is not a true science book, although it does touch on scientific concepts. There is no bibliography or cited sources of any kind. As a result, I felt unsure of some of the statements it made, such as, “Scientists don’t exactly know if [a concussion] causes any real damage to the brain.” With all the discussions lately about sports safety and traumatic brain injury, this doesn’t seem to make sense. The book also attributes the creation of animals and humans to “nature” rather than God, which Christians will find objectionable.

If approached casually, this book is an easy read and interesting overview of how the brain works. But for serious study, it would be wise to consult a true science book.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Catholic, children, Christian, Saints

The Secret of the Shamrock (Chime Travelers #1)

Bergers Book Reviews

The Secret of the Shamrock
Author: Lisa M. Hendey
Illustrator: Jenn Bower
Publisher: Servant
Genre: Children / Catholic / Christian
ISBN: 978-1-61636-847-0
Pages: 128
Price: $5.99

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Patrick and Katie are working on their church’s cleaning team one Saturday morning when Patrick steps into the confessional. He discovers a copy of Butler’s Lives of the Saints and opens it to March 17th, the date of his patron saint. After closing his eyes for a short nap, he hears the church bells chime and the floor begins to rumble.

Patrick awakens in Ireland to find himself among some sheep being herded by a shepherd. He quickly realizes he’s hopelessly lost, and he’s even more surprised to find out that the shepherd is St. Patrick himself. But how will he ever get back home? Will he have to pray like St. Patrick does, so that God will provide the way?

When The Secret of the Shamrock opens, Patrick expresses some concerns about his Catholic faith to his sister, Katie. His experience time traveling forces him to look at his doubts and actions and decide what he needs to do about them. When he finally arrives back in the present, he has a much better outlook on his faith.

Kids will find Patrick refreshingly honest and likeable, and will be cheering for him to make it back home. Although this book has a great Catholic message about prayer, the Holy Trinity, and the sacrament of reconciliation, they have been presented in a non-preachy manner that children will relate to. I look forward to seeing more of the Chime Travelers series.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, mystery

The Mystery Hat

Bergers Book Reviews

The Mystery Hat
Authors: Rune Brandt Bennicke & Jakob Hjort Jensen
Illustrator: Jakob Hjort Jensen
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-62914-621-8
Pages: 32
Price: $16.95

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Beaver, Crow and Pig are out for a winter stroll through the woods when they discover a knitted hat in a puddle. Crow notices the hat looks familiar, and the three friends immediately think about the possibilities of how it got there. Finally, Pig solves the puzzle.

The Mystery Hat is a brilliant children’s mystery. The characters are adorable, the problem is kid-sized, and the possible solutions are amusing and creative. And even when kids know the ending, they will keep reading this cute story over and over again, just because it’s so much fun! I really love this one!

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Christian

Brimstone

Bergers Book Reviews

Brimstone
Author: Hugh Halter
Publisher: David C. Cook
Genre: Christian
ISBN: 978-1-4347-0653-9
Pages: 192
Price: $15.99

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How many times a day do you find yourself judging others? If you’re being as honest as Hugh Halter, it’s enough to be embarrassed about and to want to change. But doesn’t the Bible hold us accountable to point out others’ sins? Why should we keep silent when people do things that we perceive to be wrong?

As the text opens, Halter presents the following scenario: “In a small town there is only one bakery. Jesus is the baker. Two gay men walk in and ask Him to bake a cake for their wedding. Would Jesus bake the cake?” Throughout this book, Halter makes reference to the current controversy over same-sex marriage and the Christian response to this dilemma. But he takes this question much deeper when he explores the various ways Christians and the Church judge others and why we need to stop.

Jesus was the ultimate example of holy non-judgment. In Brimstone, Halter reminds us of our primary role of leading others to Jesus through our loving actions. If we study the gospels, we see that Jesus drew people to Him by the way He cared deeply about them and their problems. Studying this book will help Christians to emulate Jesus. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

mystery, thriller

Moscow Bound

Bergers Book Reviews

Moscow Bound
Author: Adrian Churchward
Publisher: Silverwood Books
Genre: Mystery / Suspense
ISBN: 978-1-78132-200-0
Pages: 336
Price: $16.99

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Scott Mitchell is an English human rights attorney living in Russia. When wealthy Ekaterina Romanova seeks his assistance in finding her missing father – a man she believes is being held against his will – Scott’s interest is piqued. But Ekaterina refuses to fully cooperate with him and withholds information he needs to help her in her quest.

After placing themselves at the site of a gruesome murder, Scott and Ekaterina find themselves dodging General Pravda, who is intent on discovering their motives. Pleading client confidentiality only goes so far in Russia, and Scott knows he could face a prison sentence. But when they uncover a highly confidential document, they suddenly find their lives in danger. Scott is determined to help Ekaterina find her father, no matter what it takes.

It’s evident that author Adrian Churchward is highly knowledgeable about Russian government actions, given the complexities of intrigue in this plot. The story is fast-paced and compelling, if at times a bit confusing to the average reader. Moscow Bound is the first book in The Puppet Meisters trilogy, and I look forward to seeing more in this series.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, science

ABC Universe

Bergers Book Reviews

ABC Universe
Created by: American Museum of Natural History
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books
Genre: Children / Science
ISBN: 978-1-4549-1409-9
Pages: 18
Price: $7.95

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A is for Astronaut, B is for Black Hole, and C is for Comet. Readers will discover this is no ordinary ABC board book. As children recite their alphabet along with the American Museum of Natural History, they’ll also be studying astronomy. Each letter corresponds to space phenomena or equipment used in exploring the universe. Stunning photos accompany the narrative text.

ABC books can be pretty boring and repetitive for both kids and adults. While ABC Universe is not really suited for very young children, it will help foster curiosity about the universe as they get older. And parents will find it a much more enjoyable read than A is for apple.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, mathematics

The Flying Birds

Bergers Book Reviews

The Flying Birds
Author: Eun-sun Han
Illustrator: Ju-kyoung Kim
Publisher: Tantan Publishing
Genre: Children / Mathematics
ISBN: 978-1-939248-05-3
Pages: 38
Price: $16.95

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An old carpenter walks through the woods, listening to the birds sing. He suddenly has an idea and gets to work quickly. Soon he has built several birdhouses, each attracting a pair of birds. And when the birds mate, there are eggs and baby birds.

In this unique mathematics picture book, kids will be multiplying the number of bird houses by the number of birds or eggs inside. Then they will be shown the same calculation as a repetition of addition. The last pages explain the math concepts shown and give teachers some activities to share with their students.

Math doesn’t have to be boring or hard. The Flying Birds repeats multiplication and addition scenarios over and over, making sure kids understand the concepts by the conclusion of the text. Counting birds and their young is much more enjoyable than working with abstract numbers and kids will appreciate learning math skills with this fun educational book.

Reviewer: Alice Berger