Author: Bergers Book Reviews

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children

Fun and Fruit

Bergers Book Reviews

Fun & Fruit
Author: María Teresa Barahona
Illustrator: Edie Pijpers
Publisher: Cuento de Luz
Genre: Children
ISBN: 9788416078325
Pages: 24
Price: $16.95

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Two little girls live in a town where magical trees grow wonderful fruits with thousands of different colors and aromas. One day they decide to pick a color each day of the week. Then they will eat fruit with that color and make up a story about those fruits. Finally, they envision a rainbow of fruits so yummy to eat.

Fruit is vibrantly colored and delicious, but children often pass it up, preferring to eat sugary sweets instead. Fun and Fruit demonstrates that fruit is tasty and even fun, encouraging them to enjoy more of it. There is no preachy message in this cute book, and kids will enjoy reading it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Christian, tween

Catie Conrad: How to Become the Most UNPopular Girl in Middle School (Desperate Diva Diaries Series #2)

Bergers Book Reviews

Catie Conrad - How to Become the Most UNPopular Girl in Middle School
Author: Angie Spady
Publisher: B&H Kids
Genre: Middle grade girls / Christian
ISBN: 978-1-4336-8461-6
Pages: 304
Price: $8.99

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Catie Conrad’s diary continues where Faith, Friendship and Fashion Disasters left off. As she vents to her diary, she gets better perspective on her problems and relieves some of her frustrations.

Catie’s least favorite holiday – Valentine’s Day – is fast approaching. Her little brother, Jeremy, offers to watch his friend’s bearded dragon while he’s away for a few weeks. Her best friend Sophie is competing as part of the academic team, and has new friends and less time for Catie. And her worst enemy – Maranda Maroni – is determined to make Catie’s life miserable. How can she possibly cope?

Middle school is one of the most stressful times in a young girl’s life, and Catie Conrad’s reactions to the turmoil around her are very realistic. But Catie turns to God when things get tough, and that makes all the difference in how she handles things. The Desperate Diva Series sends very positive messages to girls, reminding them that God is in charge, and to just hang on for the ride.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, science

Jake’s Bones

Bergers Book Reviews

Jake's Bones
Author: Jake McGowan-Lowe
Publisher: Ticktock Books
Genre: Science / Children
ISBN: 978-1-84898-852-1
Pages: 64
Price: $12.99

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Jake has an unusual hobby – he’s the world’s youngest bone collector. When he finds a bone, he identifies the animal it belonged to, records the time and location he found it, and preserves it in a plastic storage box. He also takes pictures of the bones he finds and posts them on his website.

Since Jake loves his hobby, he wants to share it with other young bone collectors. This book covers interesting facts about bones and bone collecting, along with lots of pictures of his unique finds. From dinosaurs to the squirrel in your own backyard, he touches on all kinds of animal bones.

Kids are always fascinated when they see dinosaur skeletons displayed in museums. If they’ve ever wanted to know more about the study of bones, Jake will guide them. Jake’s Bones is a great book to keep in classrooms for science lessons, but kids will also enjoy reading it simply for pleasure.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Christian

When Grace Sings (The Zimmerman Restoration Trilogy – Book 2)

Bergers Book Reviews

When Grace Sings
Author: Kim Vogel Sawyer
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Genre: Christian Fiction
ISBN: 978-0-307-73133-3
Pages: 352
Price: $14.99

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Alexa has finally gotten to meet her mother’s family in When Mercy Rains. After working to restore her grandmother’s old farm house, she turns it into a bed and breakfast. Her first long-term guest is Briley Forrester, a tabloid reporter from Chicago. But Alexa doesn’t know Briley’s hidden motive in visiting the Old Order Mennonite community.

Although Briley’s stay causes Alexa some grief, she is even more worried about her cousin Anna-Grace’s visit. Anna-Grace is adopted and unaware of the identity of her birth parents. But Alexa knows, and if Anna-Grace discovers the truth, it could threaten her own position in the family.

In this second volume of the Zimmerman Restoration Trilogy, we get to know the younger Zimmermans who have been affected by the family secrets. More layers of the truth unravel, and the family continues to heal. When Grace Sings is an enjoyable read, and I look forward to seeing the conclusion to this wonderful trilogy.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Rufus Goes to Sea

Bergers Book Reviews

Rufus Goes to Sea
Author: Kim T. Griswell
Illustrator: Valeri Gorbachev
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books
ISBN: 978-1-4549-1052-7
Pages: 32
Price: $14.95

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Rufus the pig really loves school. When summer arrives and the school doors are locked, Rufus knows just what to do. He needs to find a new adventure. After reading a bit, he decides to go to sea, but the pirate captain doesn’t think a pig would make a very good shipmate. Rufus needs to prove exactly how valuable he really is.

Rufus Goes to Sea is a cute story of a very determined pig. Although the captain insists that a pig doesn’t belong on board a pirate ship, Rufus is sure he’ll succeed if he keeps trying. Kids will love Rufus in his latest adventure.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

mystery

Chaos Theory

Bergers Book Reviews

Chaos Theory
Author: M. Evonne Dobson
Publisher: Poisoned Pencil
Genre: Mystery
ISBN: 978-1-9293-4508-3
Pages: 294
Price: $10.95

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Kami has no intention of getting involved in Daniel’s problems. He’s been accused of selling drugs – the drugs that killed his sister, Julia – and the whole school is whispering about him. But when Kami notices that Daniel’s actions are inconsistent with the crime he’s supposedly committed, she realizes he can’t possibly be guilty.

Gathering her friends together, as well as a reluctant Daniel, Kami is determined to find out what really happened. As the group meets for strategic planning in their “Bat Cave” in the library, they review the events of the last months of Julia’s life. Someone gave Julia those drugs, and it wasn’t Daniel. But who was it, and did that person intend to kill her?

Chaos Theory is a fast-paced mystery with great characters. Although the mystery takes center stage, Kami and her friends have unique personalities, and it was great fun getting to know them all. I really enjoyed this mystery, and look forward to reading more of this new series.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Gorillas in Our Midst

Bergers Book Reviews

Gorillas in our Midst
Authors: Richard Fairgray & Terry Jones
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-63220-607-7
Pages: 32
Price: $16.99

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“You should always carry a banana with you,” Gorillas in Our Midst wisely advises. Gorillas can be found everywhere and are really hard to spot. They’re masters of disguise and often have jobs that let them wear masks. Sometimes small gorillas go to school. You can tell that there are a lot of gorillas in your town if the grocery stores are always out of bananas.

Kids may not realize gorillas hide right in their midst. And they might not know that the child in their class is really a gorilla in disguise. They never know where a gorilla might appear, so it’s best to be prepared. Always carry bananas.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

teen

The Walls Around Us

Bergers Book Reviews

The Walls Around Us
Author: Nova Ren Suma
Publisher: Algonquin
Genre: Teen
ISBN: 978-1-61620-372-6
Pages: 336
Price: $17.95

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Amber is living at a correctional facility for girls, surrounded by hardened criminals, murderers and drug dealers. After one bizarre evening, she suddenly acquires a new cellmate. But Ori isn’t like the rest of them, and the girls wonder at her story.

Violet is a ballet dancer, headed for Julliard. But three years ago, she was responsible for Ori being sent away. What really happened out behind the theater, in the tunnel made of trees? Only Vi and Ori know.

The Walls Around Us tells Amber and Vi’s stories, weaving them together through their common bond with Ori. As their secrets come out, the reader sees their true motives and desires, and exactly what they will both do to accomplish them. This spooky psychological thriller is a page-turner with a surprising and satisfying conclusion.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

business

Becoming Generation Flux

Bergers Book Reviews

Becoming Generation Flux
Author: Miles Anthony Smith, MBA
Publisher: Kompelling Publishing
Genre: Business
ISBN: 978-0-9884053-3-2
Pages: 188
Price: $16.95

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Those who cling to traditional employment models are struggling to survive in our current economic climate. Today’s generation doesn’t have the luxury of linking up with a solid employer and working up through the ranks over the next few decades until retirement. Instead, they may have to switch jobs every two or three years in order to generate a better income.

Becoming Generation Flux addresses the challenges faced in finding meaningful and financially rewarding employment. This guide tackles difficult topics such as whether or not to go to college, how to find and keep a job, and how to know when it’s time to leave. And it offers tips on how to handle living on a reduced income during those times of transition between jobs.

As the economy demands specific skills for open-ended positions, today’s worker will need to learn to adapt to those new needs or risk becoming obsolete. This book provides an interesting and informative overview of what to expect and how to cope in this new global workplace.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, sports

Little Mouse’s Adventures at Fenway Park

Bergers Book Reviews

Little Mouse's Adventures at Fenway Park
Author: Brittany Bang
Illustrator: Caitlyn Knepka
Publisher: CurlyQ Press
Genre: Children / Sports
ISBN: 978-1941216-00-2
Pages: 32
Price: $16.95

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Little Mouse is excited because today is The Big Day. No, it’s not her birthday or Thanksgiving. It’s Opening Day at Fenway Park and she can’t wait to enjoy her special day!

Scurrying to the top of the Green Monster, she surveys the sights below. Next stop is the famous Red Seat. Then it’s off to find refreshments, before heading to the scoreboard to check out its secret message. There is so much to do and see at Fenway Park. And when it’s all over, she knows she has the whole season of fun ahead of her.

Little Mouse’s Adventures at Fenway Park is a cute introduction to this historic baseball stadium. It would make a great gift for the young Red Sox fan in your life.

Reviewer: Alice Berger