Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Susan Grigsby
Illustrator: Alexandra Miller
Publisher: Shenanigan Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-934860-12-0
Pages: 32
Price: $15.95

Author’s website
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Wisteria likes to think of herself as the Queen of Show and Tell, but lately she’s been known as the Queen of Disasters. Bees’ nests and snakes don’t make good show and tell objects, and the school has had to develop some new rules as a result. But now she needs to find something really old for show and tell, and she has no idea what to bring.

A neighbor helps her out with her quest, and Wisteria brings a covered wagon to school, eager to show off her find. But will this attempt also end in disaster?

Wisteria’s Show and Tell Spectacular is not nearly as spectatular as I would have liked it to be. The objects Wisteria brings to school end up being pretty ordinary, and the “disaster” created is minor in comparison to the ones mentioned in passing. I would have enjoyed this story more if it had only focused on one very large, full-blown disaster. The bee hive or snake incidents might have made for a more interesting read.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Young Henry and the Dragon

November 14, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Jeanne Kaufman
Illustrator: Daria Tessler
Publisher: Shenanigan Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-934860-11-3
Pages: 32
Price: $15.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Young Henry, the squire, is traveling through the forest late at night. When he stops to rest, he wants to warm himself and cook some of his favorite dinner. Since he has no fire, he decides to locate a nearby dragon and borrow a flame from him.

The dragon is uncooperative, so Henry decides to try to make him laugh. A good snorting bellow would blast flames and Henry would have his fire. But Henry couldn’t possibly foresee the humorous results of his attempts.

Told in rhyming verse, Young Henry and the Dragon is a delightful tale of ingenuity and boldness. I loved the way Henry stood up to the dragon, asking for what he needed. And the surprise ending makes it a really fun read.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

mystery

Outrageous October

November 12, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Barbara Levenson
Publisher: CreateSpace
Genre: Mystery
ISBN: 978-1480093669
Pages: 306
Price: $11.99

Author’s website
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Mary Magruder Katz has just discovered her hot, Latin lover, Carlos, in a cozy restaurant booth with his ex-wife. After ending the relationship by mail, she packs up and heads to Vermont for a long stay at a friend’s vacation home.

As soon as she arrives, she discovers there was an unsolved murder a year ago in a neighboring home. Her client’s daughter disappears under mysterious circumstances. And a battle over property rights suddenly turns ugly, when one man’s hidden past is revealed.

Mary does everything she can do to forget Carlos, including allowing herself to become involved with Dash, the local attorney. Working for him, she settles into the small town lifestyle. Will she ever return to Miami, or is she destined to stay in Vermont forever?

Outrageous October is the third in this cozy mystery series. However, this story lacks the sizzle of the first two, with the absence of Carlos. Mary’s actions are also questionable and at times not very honorable. Numerous typographical errors are distracting, and the mysteries seem to solve themselves, with little input from Mary. I hope to see Mary back in Miami with Carlos in the next installment.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Christian

Concordia’s Complete Bible Handbook (2nd edition)

November 8, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author/Editor: Edward A. Engelbrecht
Publisher: Concordia Publishing
Genre: Christian / Bible
ISBN: 978-07586-4357-5
Pages: 688
Price: $24.99

Buy it at Amazon

Any serious student of the Bible needs a good quality handbook. When trying to understand the historical background or underlying message, it’s helpful to have some guidance. Whether you are a youth or adult, this handbook is a perfect complement to your studies.

Written from a Lutheran (Missouri Synod) perspective, Concordia’s Complete Bible Handbook offers a book by book summary of the Bible. The editor’s intent is to show how the whole Old Testament points toward Jesus, and how He is fully present in the New Testament.

This is a wonderfully readable handbook that doesn’t attempt to pull the Bible apart verse by verse. Instead, it focuses on themes and key points in each book. It doesn’t attempt to sugar-coat the message into something more palatable for society, but stays true to God’s word. A detailed dictionary of people, places, events and important facts is also included.

I highly recommend Concordia’s Complete Bible Handbook for all who are serious about studying the Bible.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

creativity

The Art of Getting Started

November 6, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Lee Crutchley
Publisher: Perigree Trade
Genre: Creativity
ISBN: 978-0-399-16407-1
Pages: 160
Price: $15.00

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Do you have trouble starting a new creative project? Is the blank canvas or screen too intimidating to face, so you try to avoid it? Do you wish and hope you could be an artist, but never follow through on your dreams? If so, The Art of Getting Started might be able to help you in your creative pursuits.

This unique book on jump-starting creativity doesn’t spoon-feed good ideas and suggestions for moving past blocks. Instead, it’s chock-full of exercises designed to get you out of your head and onto the page. While encouraging us to make messes and allow our work to be less than perfect, it forces us to take action and not sit around waiting for inspiration to strike.

It’s risky to start a new project when we don’t know the outcome. But if we never start, we can never know the joy of completion and the chance of success. If you work through the exercises in this book, you may find some of your creative blocks vanishing, leaving you free to create.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

art, creativity, parenting

The Artist’s Way for Parents

November 5, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Julia Cameron
Publisher: Tarcher
Genre: Creativity / Parenting
ISBN: 978-0-399-16372-2
Pages: 288
Price: $26.95

Author’s website
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The Artist’s Way is one of the best-selling and most helpful books on developing creativity. But a special book was needed to help parents teach their children to honor their own creative gifts. In The Artist’s Way for Parents, Julia Cameron shares some of the secrets she learned in being the parent of a creative daughter.

The basic structure of this volume is similar to other “Artist’s Way” books. Broken down into twelve chapters with headings such as Cultivating Curiosity, Cultivating Limits, and Cultivating Independence, Cameron explores sub-topics within this framework. An exercise for parents and/or children is included after each lesson. Familiar tools are utilized, such as morning pages and creative expeditions (artist’s dates) along with something new – sharing highlights of the day with your child.

Allowing a child to have a safe environment to create in is key to maximizing his highest potential. But this may not come naturally, and guidance from an expert can be helpful. If you want to nurture your child in exploring his creativity, The Artist’s Way for Parents would be a valuable resource. I highly recommend this book and the others in the “Artist’s Way” collection by Julia Cameron.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

All Kinds of Fears

November 2, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Sheri Safran
Illustrator: Emma Brownjohn
Publisher: Insight Editions
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-60887-161-2
Pages: 12
Price: $12.99

Buy it at Amazon

Facing new or unpleasant circumstances can cause children to fear the experience. But when they don’t face the fear head-on, it can only make the problem worse. All Kinds of Fears presents some of these common childhood fears in a fun pop-up format.

Letting children know it’s okay to feel their feelings is important in dealing with those fears. And this book also provides resources and guidance in moving past the fear. Any child who is afraid of something would be helped by knowing that he’s not alone, and that others also suffer from and have successfully overcome similar fears.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

cats, tween

Anton and Cecil: Cats at Sea

November 1, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Lisa Martin & Valerie Martin
Illustrator: Kelly Murphy
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Genre: Middle-grade / Cats
ISBN: 978-161620-246-0
Pages: 256
Price: $16.99

Valerie Martin’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Anton and Cecil are two cat brothers living near the docks in Nova Scotia. Cecil loves to visit the sailors on the ships, while Anton prefers remaining on shore. Cats are often captured and forced aboard the ships to rid them of rats, and Anton suddenly finds himself out at sea. Cecil, intent on rescuing his brother, boards the next ship out. But the sea is a wide-open place, and he has no idea how to find Anton.

Dolphins, whales, and a mouse, as well as another seafaring cat, all become companions of these two cats at sea. Is there also a kind and powerful force looking out for them all, and will they finally be reunited? Storms, pirates, rats, and menacing birds all threaten their safety, but legend has it that cats at sea are protected by a mysterious eye.

Unfortunately, this legend is presented in obscure quotations and eye sightings, and not fully explained. The disappearance of a ship’s entire crew is also not explained, and in researching, I discovered this had actually happened on the Mary Celeste, a real ship found abandoned near Gibraltar in 1872. A small reference to this might have made the incident feel more plausible.

Cats at Sea is full of adventure, as Anton and Cecil learn to live on the sea. Overall, it’s a fun read with a happy ending. Kids will enjoy the way these three cats and an unusual mouse relate to each other, and the strong friendships that develop.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

audio book, children

Johnny No Cash

October 30, 2013October 30, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Anna-Christina
Produced by: Busy Bees Publishing

Music Audio Stories

Johnny the hamster has just heard from Robin that Cowboy Dan has a terrible cold. Johnny has always longed for adventure, so he sets out immediately to cheer up his friend. But he has no cash on him, and will have to figure out how to get there on his own.

The musical accompaniment to Johnny No Cash becomes a part of the story, as the dramatic melody surrounds the narrative. As Johnny navigates the journey, he runs into helpful and unsavory characters, but he’s determined to get to Cowboy Dan.

As Music Audio Stories says on their website: “These special audio books can be enjoyed by children of all ages but are tailored for the blind as well. They can also be a useful learning tool for children with impaired vision or vision disabilities.” Johnny No Cash is a humorous adventure tale that kids will enjoy hearing over and over again.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, holiday

Peanuts (Kohl’s Cares for Kids)

October 22, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

A Charlie Brown Christmas
Author & Illustrator: Charles M. Schulz
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Genre: Children / Christmas
ISBN: 978-07624-5145-6
Pages: 48
Price: $5.00 at Kohl’s

Buy it at Kohl’s

The timeless Christmas classic is presented in a hardcover book format. No household should be without it!

Be Yourself!
Author & Illustrator: Charles M. Schulz
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-07624-5146-3
Pages: 48
Price: $5.00 at Kohl’s

Buy it at Kohl’s

These Peanuts characters are happy doing what pleases them, showing kids that it’s great to be themselves.

Kohl’s Cares for Kids: Kohl’s sells kid-friendly cause merchandise, with 100 percent of the net profit donated to support kids’ health and education initiatives in communities nationwide. Since 2000, more than $231 million has been raised nationwide.