Bergers Book Reviews

Dying to Know

July 7, 2014 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: TJ O’Connor
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Genre: Mystery
ISBN: 978-0-7387-3950-2
Pages: 384
Price: $14.99

Detective Oliver “Tuck” Tucker has suddenly found himself in an unusual position – he’s dead and investigating his own murder. Finding his killer is important, but protecting his wife is his highest priority. Now if only interacting with the living wasn’t such a real challenge.

As Tuck figures out how to function in his new existence, he discovers clues about the events leading up to his own death. Those he always trusted have turned to suspects, and he doubts his own reasoning. But he has to learn the truth and somehow manage to stop his wife from being the next victim.

Dying to Know provides an unusual twist from the standard detective novel. As a ghost, Tuck is able to jump from place to place without any fear of detection, and can easily overhear conversations he normally wouldn’t, if he was alive. Yet his ghostly limitations provide drama and suspense, as the reader hopes he can step in to save the day. I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to seeing more of this series.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

cats, humor

Copycat and a Litter of Other Cats

July 2, 2014 Bergers Book Reviews

Author & Illustrator: David Yow
Publisher: Akashic Books
Genre: Humor / Cats
ISBN: 978-1-61775-270-4
Pages: 160
Price: $23.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

The letters “C-A-T” form parts of dozens of words in the English language. Using this as his premise, David Yow has combined his love of both cats and puns in Copycat and a Litter of Other Cats. This unique book shares a cat-inspired phrase with Yow’s drawings of cats in situations representing the pun.

Grumpy Cat, Felix the Cat, Top Cat and Sylvester the Cat make guest appearances, joining Alley Cat, Tomcat, and Bobcat in this parade of bright-eyed cats. Copycat is a fun and whimsical book that any cat lover will enjoy.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Howard B. Wigglebottom and the Monkey on His Back

June 29, 2014 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Howard Binkow
Illustrator: Susan F. Cornelison
Publisher: Thunderbolt Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9826165-2-9
Pages: 32
Price: $15.00

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Howard B. Wigglebottom is in trouble. He told a lie to cover his friend’s mistake. Then he lied when his baseball hit an angry man’s car. And he lied to hide the fact he didn’t want to play soccer. But when he lied to his dad, he knew Papa was very disappointed in him.

Howard doesn’t like to lie, but every time he lies, it seems to get easier. And the monkey on his back gets heavier and heavier. Howard realizes his lies are weighing him down, and vows to only tell the truth. As soon as he does, he feels so much better. Being honest is the right choice.

Howard B. Wigglebottom and the Monkey on His Back presents some very realistic scenarios kids might find themselves in, where it seems easier to lie than to tell the truth. The discussion guide offers opportunities for parents or teachers to go over these situations and ask kids what they would do. This is a great book to teach kids the importance of always being honest.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Secondhand Horses (S.A.V.E. Squad: Book 3)

June 26, 2014 Bergers Book Reviews

Authors: Lauraine Snelling & Kathleen Damp Wright
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Genre: Children / Horses
ISBN: 978-1-61626-569-4
Pages: 160
Price: $5.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

This sequel to Dog Daze and The Great Cat Caper features Sunny, who has an annoying problem of starting Great Ideas but never finishing. When she is sent to her Uncle Dave’s ranch, she is expected to help him clean it up while also making sure to keep up on her school work.

Luckily for Sunny, she has the S.A.V.E. squad to help her, especially when she finds herself the new owner of a small traveling zoo. But there’s something strange about this zoo, and she suspects that an intruder is lurking around the ranch, snooping in the barn. It will take a team effort to figure out what’s going on and put a stop to it.

The S.A.V.E. Squad series features four girls from different backgrounds who have become best friends and work together for good causes. Although they have their squabbles, they stick with each other, no matter what. Modeling faith, friendship, and service, this series is also a fun read for young girls.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

fitness

The Psychology Behind Fitness Motivation

June 24, 2014June 25, 2014 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Dr. Kim Chronister
Publisher: CreateSpace
Genre: Fitness
ISBN: 9781493709830
Pages: 138
Price: $9.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Each of us has an underlying motivation for why we may or may not choose to exercise. In this book, Dr. Chronister attempts to dissect the thought process behind our fitness choices. However, this is not a book for the common person looking for motivation. Instead, it reads more like a doctoral dissertation full of typos and grammatical errors.

Focusing almost exclusively on the motives of depressed people, Dr. Chronister presents her own process in attempting to prod them into activity. This is done through a series of questions designed to root out the reasons why they’re not exercising, and then encouraging them to begin.

When I picked this book up, I was expecting a readable explanation of why we generally choose not to exercise, some sort of motivational pep talk, and a step by step guide to starting and maintaining a regular workout routine. If that’s what you’re looking for, you won’t find it in The Psychology Behind Fitness Motivation.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, history, science

Good Question!

June 21, 2014 Bergers Book Reviews

Good Question! history and science books provide fascinating glimpses into specific topics using question and answer format. Each book is filled with fun facts and beautiful illustrations.

Title: Why Does Earth Spin? And Other Questions About Our Planet
Author: Mary Kay Carson
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books
Genre: Children / Science
ISBN: 978-1-4549-0675-9
Pages: 32
Price: $5.95

Buy it at Amazon

How big is the earth? How old is it? What creates our weather? What is the hottest, coldest, highest or deepest place on earth? Why is the moon important to earth?

Title: How Does a Seed Sprout? And Other Questions About Plants
Author: Melissa Stewart
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books
Genre: Children / Science
ISBN: 978-1-4549-0671-1
Pages: 32
Price: $5.95

Buy it at Amazon

What is a seed? Do all plants make seeds? What is a plant’s secret weapon? Does a plant ever stop growing? Why do some flowers smell bad?

Title: How Many Planets Circle the Sun? And Other Questions About Our Solar System
Author: Mary Kay Carson
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books
Genre: Children / Science
ISBN: 978-1-4549-0669-8
Pages: 32
Price: $5.95

Buy it at Amazon

Which planet in our solar system is the hottest? Which has the shortest year? Are there other planets beyond our solar system? Why is there life on earth? Why are there footprints on the moon?

Title: How Does a Caterpillar Become a Butterfly? And Other Questions About Butterflies
Author: Melissa Stewart
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books
Genre: Children / Science
ISBN: 978-1-4549-0667-4
Pages: 32
Price: $5.95

Buy it at Amazon

What is a caterpillar, and how did it get its name? What do butterflies eat? How do butterflies help plants? What do caterpillars do all day?

Title: How Does the Ear Hear? And Other Questions About the Five Senses
Author: Melissa Stewart
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books
Genre: Children / Science
ISBN: 978-1-4549-0673-5
Pages: 32
Price: $5.95

Buy it at Amazon

Why are two ears better than one? Why do your ears stick out? What causes an itch? Why can’t you tickle yourself? Do all animals see the way people do?

Title: Who Were the American Pioneers? And Other Questions About Westward Expansion
Author: Martin W. Sandler
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books
Genre: Children / History
ISBN: 978-1-4027-9047-8
Pages: 32
Price: $5.95

Buy it at Amazon

Who were the mountain men of the west? What was gold fever? What did the pioneers use to build their first homes? What did pioneers do for fun? How did railroads help America’s westward expansion?

Title: What Was America’s Deadliest War? And Other Questions About The Civil War
Author: Martin W. Sandler
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books
Genre: Children / History
ISBN: 978-1-4027-9046-1
Pages: 32
Price: $5.95

Buy it at Amazon

Who fired the first shots of the Civil War? Why did the south rebel? Why were horses so important in the war? Why did so many people die in the war? How did America’s deadliest conflict end?

teen, western

True Grit

June 20, 2014 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Charles Portis
Publisher: Overlook Juvenile
Genre: Teen / Western
ISBN: 978-1-4683-0125-0
Pages: 240
Price: $7.99

Buy it at Amazon

True Grit was first published in serial format in The Saturday Evening Post in 1968. The following year it was released as a film starring John Wayne. This Young Readers Edition presents the adapted story along with reader’s guide discussion questions and commentary specifically written for teens.

Mattie Ross is a strong-willed fourteen year-old girl, intent on avenging her father’s murder. After hiring US Marshal Rooster Cogburn to assist her, and finding that Texas Ranger LaBoeuf will be joining them, she heads out into the wilderness to hunt down and convict Tom Chaney.

The idea that a fourteen year-old girl would join these men on such a dangerous mission is preposterous, but Mattie’s pluck and determination, as well as her obvious intelligence, make this story believable. This classic western novel would be a great read for all teens.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

boys, tween

Surviving Seventh Grade

June 19, 2014 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Glenn K. Currie
Publisher: Snap Screen Press
Genre: Middle-grade
ISBN: 978-0-9779675-7-5
Pages: 92
Price: $19.95

Buy it here

In this sequel to A Boy’s First Diary, we meet our main character again as he attempts to navigate the perils of seventh grade. It’s the 1950s and things are a bit scary at school, but with his best friend, Billy, he struggles to survive.

Problems include the cafeteria, rope climbing, French class, a bully named Arnold, and his sworn enemy, Snobby Donna. Girls are much more complicated now, and he and Billy attempt to figure them out. But as the school year progresses, he is growing up, and his relationships begin to change.

Although today’s kids may not have even heard of Brylcreem, they will understand a boy’s fascination with Kleenex stuffed bras, and the importance of learning how to undo clasps with one hand. And they can certainly relate to avoiding teachers and school administrators, as well as class bullies, whose only intent is to torment seventh graders. Surviving Seventh Grade is a fun read for everyone.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

art, children

Alexander Girard Color

June 18, 2014June 18, 2014 Bergers Book Reviews

By: Alexander Girard and Gloria Fowler
Publisher: AMMO Books
Genre: Children / Art
ISBN: 978-162326004-0
Pages: 58
Price: $16.95

Buy it at Amazon
Blocks

Alexander Girard was an architect, furniture and textile designer, and artist. Color is a children’s book showcasing some of his work combined with rhyming text.

In a style completely opposite of traditional children’s books of color identification, Girard’s creations are bright splashes of color or stark contrasts in black and white. Geometric design is also featured. Parents will want to be aware that there is abstract female nudity, although if I hadn’t been alerted to this by an Amazon reviewer, I might never have noticed it.

Color was designed for young children, but parents will need to read this aloud. Kids may also need assistance in identifying the colors in such multi-colored pictures. This is an interesting book, but the art may be too unusual for youngsters. Matching decorative blocks are also available, but these are not sturdy enough for small children.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, cooking

Ella’s Kitchen: The Big Baking Book

June 13, 2014 Bergers Book Reviews

Publisher: Hamlyn
Genre: Children / Cooking
ISBN: 978-0-600-62844-6
Pages: 192
Price: $19.99

Website
Buy it at Amazon

In the follow-up to Ella’s Kitchen: The Cook Book, this yellow one is chock-full of baking ideas. But it’s not limited to just desserts. Lots of baked lunch and dinner creations are also included.

Ella’s Kitchen cookbooks are designed with children in mind. Kids are actively encouraged to participate in the assembly process, and tips are included, showing which steps are best left to little hands. Full-color pictures of the completed dishes fill the book, along with smiling children’s faces expressing how much fun it is to make and eat healthy food.

Recipes are healthy, low in sugar and salt, and in some cases gluten-free. They also include an abundance of mild spices, fruits and vegetables, designed to tantalize young taste buds and encourage them to eat a variety of foods. If you’re looking for a healthy cookbook that you can share with your kids, Ella’s Kitchen: The Big Baking Book would be a wonderful addition to your collection.

Reviewer: Alice Berger