Author: Bergers Book Reviews

Author and book reviewer.
thriller

Godsent

Bergers Book Reviews

Godsent
Author: Richard Burton
Publisher: Arcade Publishing
Genre: Thriller
ISBN: 978-1-61145-706-3
Pages: 464
Price; $24.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

When Kate finds herself pregnant, her immediate thought is, “How can that be? I’ve had no relations with a man.” Confirmation from the angel, Gabriel, lets her know she’s carrying God’s son – the second son. Based on Mark 8:38, which states that the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with the holy angels, this is interpreted to mean that her son, Ethan, is the second son of God.

It’s a lot harder to announce yourself as the son of God in today’s technologically advanced society, especially when there are those who would like to see you perish quickly. Caught in the crossfire between the Congregation – a modern version of the Inquisition by the Catholic Church, and Conversatio – a group eagerly awaiting the second son, Ethan is forced to rely on his great-grandfather, Papa Jim, for protection. But Papa Jim is not the man he pretends to be, and he is more concerned about himself than Ethan. Using a whirlwind tour around the country and podcasts from his website, Ethan proclaims his message to the world. But what really is his message? Filled with compassion for the hurting people he encounters, he struggles with his desire to help, while also allowing them free will.

As a devout Catholic, I was really disappointed with this book. First, I don’t interpret this Bible verse in the way the author did. But more importantly, I felt that there was a wonderful opportunity to reinforce and uphold traditional Christian values through Ethan, but instead he chose to lean toward a much more liberal interpretation of morality. Ethan actually has the audacity to say that God was wrong, and that he had made mistakes! And he rejected, for all of humanity, the ultimate gift Jesus gave us, in offering Himself as the sacrifice for our sins.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, dogs

Daniel the Miracle Beagle

Bergers Book Reviews

Daniel the Miracle Beagle
Authors: Joe Dwyer & Douglas Levison
Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing
Genre: Children / Dogs
ISBN: 978-1-4575-1381-7
Pages: 34
Price: $14.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Daniel survived the gas chamber, and soon became known as the miracle beagle. Adopted into the Dwyer’s loving home, he has been living the good life. But not all dogs are so fortunate, and many find themselves in shelters, eventually succumbing to the fate Daniel miraculously lived through.

Daniel the Miracle Beagle brings a message of hope and peace to everyone. Encouraging us to live each day to the fullest, love each other unconditionally, and believe in ourselves, he hopes to spread joy to the world. And his deepest wish is for no dogs anywhere to have to suffer the horrors of the gas chamber ever again.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, education

I Love Reading Phonics: Tick-Tock Books – Level 3

Bergers Book Reviews

A series of educational books by Tick Tock Books featuring level three reading. A brief summary of the books and their word focus are included below. This is a fun series kids will enjoy, while also learning how to read. Please also see posts on level one and level two information.

Snail Trail
Snail Trail
Author: Sally Grindley
Illustrator: Mike Phillips
Publisher: Tick Tock Books
ISBN: 978-1-84898-763-0
Pages: 24
Price: $3.99

Buy it at Amazon

Level 3-A: The snail leaves a trail of paint, and Gail, the maid is not happy.
Focuses on ai words.

Queen Ella's Feet
Queen Ella’s Feet
Author: Sally Grindley
Illustrator: Sandra Aguilar
Publisher: Tick Tock Books
ISBN: 978-1-84898764-7
Pages: 24
Price: $3.99

Buy it at Amazon

Level 3-B: Queen Ella’s feet are cold. When she asks for a sheet, she ends up with a sheep!
Focuses on ee words.

Puff Flies
Puff Flies
Author: Sally Grindley
Illustrator: Valentina Mendicino
Publisher: Tick Tock Books
ISBN: 978-1-84898-765-4
Pages: 24
Price: $3.99

Buy it at Amazon

Level 3-C: Puff, the dragon, wants to fly. A magic spell works for a while. Then he learns the secret.
Focuses on ie words.

Goat in a Boat
Goat in a Boat
Author: Sally Grindley
Illustrator: Mike Phillips
Publisher: Tick Tock Books
ISBN: 978-1-84898-766-1
Pages: 24
Price: $3.99

Buy it at Amazon

Level 3-D: Goat wants to cross the moat to catch the coach, so he gets into a boat. Toad joins him and makes a mess.
Focuses on oa words.

The Pop Duet
The Pop Duet
Author: Deborah Chancellor
Illustrator: Alex Paterson
Publisher: Tick Tock Books
ISBN: 978-1-84898-767-8
Pages: 24
Price: $3.99

Buy it at Amazon

Level 3-E: Jess asks Zack to join her in a pop duet at a big venue. The bus breaks down and they sing to the passengers.
Focuses on ue words.

Bart's Go-Cart
Bart’s Go-Cart
Author: Deborah Chancellor
Illustrator: Garyfalia Leftheri
Publisher: Tick Tock Books
ISBN: 978-1-84898-768-5
Pages: 24
Price: $3.99

Buy it at Amazon

Level 3-F: Mark likes Bart’s new go-cart. He takes it for a spin and drives until dark, only stopping when he crashes.
Focuses on ar words.

Ernie and Hermie Visit Earth
Ernie and Hermie Visit Earth
Author: Lucy George
Illustrator: Claudia Venturini
Publisher: Tick Tock Books
ISBN: 978-1-84898-769-2
Pages: 24
Price: $3.99

Buy it at Amazon

Level 3-G: Space creatures Ernie and Hermie spend the day on earth. Hermie gets a perm. Ernie enjoys the opera.
Focuses on the er sound.

Dina the Rapper
Dina the Rapper
Author: Lucy George
Illustrator: Andrew Geeson
Publisher: Tick Tocks Books
ISBN: 978-1-84898-770-8
Pages: 24
Price: $3.99

Buy it at Amazon

Level 3-H: Dina works in the diner, but wants to be a rapper. When T-Rex comes in, Dina finally gets her lucky break.
Focuses on the er sound.

children, dogs

Noah and the Search Dogs

Bergers Book Reviews

Noah and the Search Dogs
Author: Patricia Abrams
Publisher: The Peppertree Press
Genre: Children / Dogs
ISBN: 978-1-61493-031-0
Pages: 20
Price: $12.95

Buy it at Amazon

Noah was adopted by the Abrams family on Valentine’s Day. He knew he wanted to be a search dog, so his new family encouraged him to go to school and learn all about his new job. In his training, Noah learned important skills in safety, obedience, and service.

Noah and the Search Dogs doesn’t actually show Noah at work.  Instead, it takes the life skills Noah learns in school and encourages kids through his actions. Great pictures of Noah in his training are included.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

mystery

Footprints in the Sand

Bergers Book Reviews

Footprints in the Sand
Author: Mary Jane Clark
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Mystery
ISBN: 978-0-06-213544-5
Pages: 384
Price: $25.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Piper Donovan is happy to be joining her beloved cousin in Florida to celebrate her upcoming wedding. But a shadow lingers over the joyous event when one of the bridesmaids mysteriously disappears, and her body later turns up, buried in the sand. After it is revealed that she had been involved in some shady business regarding a large real estate transaction, many suspects emerge.

Piper is naturally curious, and soon immerses herself in the investigation, making some questionable moves along the way. Her propensity to blurt out information regarding the murder, and her desire to post her thoughts on Facebook, make her an easy target for the murderer.

Footprints in the Sand is a fun cozy mystery, with an interesting cast of characters and intriguing motives. But Piper’s extraordinarily dangerous behavior is over the top at the times, and made me question her intelligence. Overall, though, I enjoyed this mystery.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

All Kinds of Festivals

Bergers Book Reviews

All Kinds of Festivals
Author: Sheri Safran
Illustrator: Rachel Fuller
Publisher: Insight Editions
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-60887-162-9
Pages: 12
Price: $12.99

Buy it at Amazon

Different countries celebrate different holidays. In Mexico, November 2nd is the Day of the Dead. The Japanese Yokaichi Giant Kite Festival is in May. And the Bikaner Camel Festival is held in India in January. In this book, these and many other festivals are explained, using colorful illustrations and pop-up images.

In this multi-cultural world we inhabit, there are so many interesting and unique festivals being celebrated each month. All Kinds of Festivals is a fun introduction for kids to learn about other countries and their special holidays.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

animals, children

Hickory

Bergers Book Reviews

Hickory
Author: Palmer Brown
Publisher: The New York Review Children’s Collection
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-59017-627-6
Pages: 56
Price: $14.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Hickory lives with his siblings, Dickory and Dock, in the foot of clock. Living in the farm house is warm and safe, especially once he discovers how to disable mousetraps. But as he grows up, he becomes curious about the outside world, and one day he makes the choice to move to the field.

His family is supportive of his decision to strike out into the world, but once he arrives there, Hickory discovers he’s lonely. A grasshopper named Hope saves him from a cat, and the two become best friends. But, although mice can survive through winter, grasshoppers can’t, and the days soon grow colder.

Hickory is a delightful tale of friendship, in the tradition of Charlotte’s Web. Illustrations are in the old style of colorized pen and ink. The sad ending is a reminder to not take our loved ones for granted, and to enjoy every moment we have with them. I highly recommend this charming book.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, nature, science

Balloon Trees

Bergers Book Reviews

Balloon Trees
Author: Danna Smith
Illustrator: Laurie Allen Klein
Publisher: Sylvan Dell
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-60718-6243
Pages: 32
Price: $9.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Do you know where balloons come from? You may be surprised to find out that they come from trees – rubber trees. A spout is used to collect the milky liquid inside the rubber trees. Then it is processed to become the substance we see in balloons, tires, and other products we use every day.

Balloon Trees tells the story of this process in rhyme. Beginning with the harvest up to the end of the assembly line, this book shows how a balloon is created. Colorful illustrations bring this process to life, with a native bird guiding us through the narrative.

In addition to the descriptions of how balloons are made, this book also discusses rubber in general. It describes the plantations and tells us a little bit about the workers who harvest the rubber. Interesting and informative, Balloon Trees is perfect for classroom use and is a fun read.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, puzzles

Number Cross Puzzles

Bergers Book Reviews

Number Cross PuzzlesTeacher Edition
Author: Rich Rollo
Publisher: Xlibris
Genre: Children / Puzzles
ISBN: 978-1477150542 (student), 978-1-4771-5526-4 (teacher)
Pages: 122
Price: $19.99

Buy it at Amazon
Teacher’s Edition

Pencil puzzles with numbers can be fun as well as challenging. Using the style of a crossword puzzle, you need to decide where to place the selected numbers, so that all are used and all “fit” in the diagram. Numbers can go left to right or top to bottom.

In this classroom puzzle book, Rich Rollo has created a series of challenges in varying levels of difficulty. A teacher’s edition is also available, with answers to the puzzles.

I have to qualify my comments about this book by first stating that I am a math nerd. I enjoyed number puzzles of great difficulty when I was in high school, and would eagerly spend hours or even days working on the same puzzle. Number puzzles can be incredibly fun. However, this book provides a very simple version of these puzzles, geared toward younger children. Adults or older students will not find much challenge in these puzzles that may only take five minutes to solve.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

literary, teen

Good Kings Bad Kings

Bergers Book Reviews

Good Kings Bad Kings
Author: Susan Nussbaum
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Genre:  Adult / Young Adult
ISBN: 978-1-61620-263-7
Pages: 336
Price: $23.95

Buy it at Amazon

Yessenia Lopez has been through Juvie and now finds herself at ILLC – Illinois Learning and Life Skills Center. Disabled, orphaned and wheelchair-bound, she is full of anger and hostility. Soon she meets other disabled youth – Cheri, who becomes her friend, and Teddy and Mia – a troubled couple. Joanne – also disabled and the secretary at ILLC, and Jimmie – one of the house parents, also become friends.

But this isn’t just Yessenia’s story. Good Kings Bad Kings is told from all of these perspectives and more, as the corruption at ILLC is revealed. As they get to know each other and learn of the horrors perpetrated at the institute, they recognize that change is needed, and become determined to force it.

Good Kings Bad Kings is a powerful commentary on how society views the disabled, and does little or nothing to care for them. Through these characters’ eyes, their story is told with brutal honesty. For the YA reader, caution may be needed due to language and sexual situations. This is not your casual beach read. Instead, you may find a lingering disturbed feeling and an urge to check up on your institutionalized friends and relatives. 2012 winner of the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction.

Reviewer: Alice Berger