Author: Bergers Book Reviews

Author and book reviewer.
animals, children

Monkey of the Month

Bergers Book Reviews

Monkey of the Month
Author: Adam Kramer
Illustrator: David Kramer
Publisher: Schiffer Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-7643-41564
Pages: 40
Price: $16.99

Schiffer Books
Buy it at Amazon

Ho, hum. Birthday presents have become so boring and mundane. Until a boy receives a mysterious membership in the monkey of the month club. Then the house is turned upside down. But the club assumes no responsibility for any of the damages these primates may cause.

A chimpanzee arrives immediately that loves to clean. Thirty days later, an ape comes to redecorate. As each month passes, a new monkey shows up with its own talents and desires. And soon his mother can’t take any more of the chaos.

I won’t spoil the surprise, but the last scene is laugh out loud funny. Monkey of the Month is a sure-fire hit with all kids. Amusing and well illustrated, this book will be read over and over again with glee.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

music, self improvement, spirituality

Free Your Voice

Bergers Book Reviews

Free Your Voice
Author: Sylvia Nakkach with Valerie Carpenter
Publisher: Sounds True
Genre: Spirituality / Self-help / Music
ISBN: 978-1-60407-800-8
Pages: 280
Price: $18.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Yoga of the Voice is a unique path used to open ourselves to life through singing. Not through the usual tunes we recognize as songs, but rather through primary sounds and breath. Free Your Voice describes the practice Sylvia Nakkach has created for her clients.

A download accompaniment is available at the Sounds True website, which should be used with this book. As each exercise is explained, the reader is provided examples of the sounds and tones. Nakkach encourages us to develop our own practice, creating an uninterrupted, twenty-one minute program from these.

Voice exercises sound like something only professional singers would perform, but Nakkach reassures us that these are also for the rest of us – even those who claim they can’t sing. Like traditional yoga, Yoga of the Voice will create a discipline that opens us further to life’s experiences.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, holiday

Into the Pumpkin

Bergers Book Reviews

Into the Pumpkin
Author & Illustrator: Linda Franklin
Publisher: Schiffer Books
Genre: Children / Halloween
ISBN: 978-0-7643-4183-0
Pages: 48
Price: $16.99

Schiffer Books
Buy it at Amazon

Whoever you are, no matter what age, don’t be afraid to turn the next page… For when you do, you’ll encounter ghosts, skeletons, witches and jack-o-lanterns having a wonderful party.

In this delightful rhyming book, Linda Franklin shows us the usual Halloween characters, busy getting ready for their evening plans. And when darkness rolls in, the merriment begins. Charming watercolor illustrations shrouded in mist display these eerie Halloween scenes.

Halloween lovers of all ages will enjoy Into the Pumpkin as they make their own ghoulish plans for the holiday.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

audio book, classics

The Mill on the Floss (Naxos Complete Classics)

Bergers Book Reviews

The Mill on the Floss
Author: George Eliot
Read by Laura Paton
Produced by Naxos AudioBooks
Genre: Classics
ISBN: 978-184-379-6046
Length: 16 CDs (Total time 20:38:08)
Price: $98.98

Buy it at Amazon

In 1860, Mary Ann Evans, known under the pen-name of George Eliot, published The Mill on the Floss. This intricate picture of the life of Maggie Tulliver, born and raised at Dorlcote Mill on the river Floss, begins when Maggie is a young girl. Spanning two decades, the story revolves around the Dodson and Tulliver families.

Maggie’s dearest love is her brother, Tom, who alternately loves and despises her. When her father’s rash decisions leave the family destitute, Maggie is a teenager, searching for meaning in her life. Although she later falls in love, the unsuitability of the match causes her much pain and suffering.

This delightfully complex novel introduces some memorable characters. Each has his own strengths and weaknesses, and no one is entirely good or bad. They are all simply human, struggling in a world that often feels very unfair.

Naxos Audio has presented a wonderful audio adaption of this unabridged classic. Laura Paton does a masterful job of acting the various roles, and providing different voices for each character. The listener almost feels a part of the conversations as they take place. Although reading a classic can often feel dull and difficult, the audio version brings it to life in a brand new way. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to The Mill on the Floss and look forward to hearing more of these unabridged recordings of the classics.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

business, self improvement

The Skinny on Direct Sales

Bergers Book Reviews

The Skinny on Direct Sales
Author: Jim Randel
Publisher: Rand Media
Genre: Self-improvement / Business
ISBN: 978-0-9824390-9-8
Pages: 126
Price: $14.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Have you ever considered a career in direct sales? Many people sign up for a sales program without giving any thought about what is involved. They simply expect to go out and start selling. But without adequate preparation, they are doomed to fail.

Jim Randel knows quite a bit about the important steps you will need to take, and he has put together a simple guide to your first 100 days. This no-nonsense book shows how Beth, a stick-figure character, goes into direct sales. Through her experiences and Randel’s commentary, this comic-book style guide leads you through the setup process of your new business.

When early sales aren’t as good as anticipated, many people give up. But with The Skinny on Direct Sales, anyone can be successful in direct sales. I highly recommend this helpful guide.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, holiday

Emma’s American Chinese New Year

Bergers Book Reviews

Emma's American Chinese New Year
Author: Amy Meadows
Illustrator: Soon Kwong Teo
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Genre: Children
ISBN:978-1-427-8694-6
Pages: 32
Price: $12.95

Buy it at Amazon

Emma is Chinese, adopted by an American couple. But although she lives in the USA, she still wants to celebrate a holiday important to her native country. Visiting the cultural center with her parents, she enjoys Chinese New Year with other Chinese and American people.

Told in rhyme, Emma’s American Chinese New Year describes the sights, sounds and tastes of the Chinese New Year, told from the perspective of a young girl. Delighting in watching the dragon and the lion, feasting on dumplings, spring rolls and fish, and watching the dancers, Emma enjoys her festive new year celebration.

Chinese New Year is a fun holiday tradition for families to enjoy. Kids like to read about other cultures, and this book provides great information on how the new year is celebrated in China.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

relationships, self improvement

How to Forgive: A Practical Guide

Bergers Book Reviews

How to Forgive
Author: Lynda Bevan
Publisher: Loving Healing Press
Genre: Self-help
ISBN: 978-1-61599-030-6
Pages: 110
Price: $14.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Do you have trouble forgiving others? Does your relationship need help in working through some difficult issues? If so, you may want to explore how to forgive. Lynda Bevan has offered her thoughts on improving relationships through the process of forgiveness.

As part of her 10-step series, Bevan focuses on the steps required in healing and restoring relationships hurting due to lack of forgiveness. In these steps, she provides many ideas on what to forgive, how to forgive, and how to change yourself in the hopes of improving communication and harmony between two people, usually a couple.

There is a lot of really good information in How to Forgive. Bevan has obviously studied this subject extensively and knows it well. Unfortunately, this self-help book reads more like a dissertation with a lot of lists and no examples of real-life scenarios to develop the concepts presented. The nuggets of wisdom are lost. If read in very small bite-size chunks, with strong attention to the details presented, I’m sure the reader would gain a lot of knowledge. But if read cover to cover quickly, most of these suggestions will simply fade away with nothing to anchor them.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

history, teen

Eliza’s Journal

Bergers Book Reviews

Eliza's Journal
Author: Caelyn AB Williams
Illustrator: Kati Green
Publisher: Craigmore Creations
Genre: Teen / History
ISBN: 978-0-9844422-5-6
Pages: 192
Price: $14.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Eliza is not happy to be sent to her Uncle Pat and Aunt Gin’s home on Orcas Island for the summer. And when Uncle Pat insists she needs to find a job rather than spend her time on the beach, she’s convinced she’ll have a miserable time. But a chance opportunity as a natural history illustrator presents itself, and she starts working for the Tanners.

While the elder Mr. Tanner is a eccentric man, his grandson, Charlie turns out to be friendly and attractive. But there is something odd going on at the Tanner house. Some of the prehistoric creatures Eliza is asked to draw should have been fossilized, but they appear to be only recently dead. Where are they coming from, and are the Tanners doing something illegal?

Writing her thoughts in her journal, Eliza tells of her budding knowledge of prehistoric times, with illustrations of the creatures she learns about. As she gets to know the Tanners better, she shares her growing attraction to Charlie, along with her concerns for their strange actions. Eliza’s Journal is a fascinating story of teen love, natural history, and mystery. Teens will enjoy reading Eliza’s unedited thoughts about her unusual experience.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

teen

Keep Jumping / No Hating

Bergers Book Reviews

Keep Jumping - No Hating
Author: Stephanie Perry Moore & Derrick Moore
Publisher: Saddleback Educational Publishing
Genre: Teen
ISBN: 978-1-61651-885-1
Pages: 310
Price: $14.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Hallie Ray cheers loudly for the Lockwood Lions. She’s got spunk and spirit, but doesn’t have the tumbling skills she needs to maintain her status as part of the team. But Amir believes in her, and wants to see her succeed. In fact, he’d like to get to know this feisty cheerleader a lot better.

But Hallie has troubles at home, and as she tries to help her mother, she has to deal with her own emotional reactions to what she finds. Amir is also facing troubles at home, and they both attempt to comfort each other.

In this flip book, the reader is shown two sides to the same story. After reading Hallie’s thoughts, we then get a glimpse of Amir’s perspective, which helps clarify some of their interactions. Set in a predominantly African-American community outside of Atlanta, this story offers real-life drama for urban teens.

The Lockwood Lions series pulls no punches. These are kids the reader can relate to, and the situations are not sugar-coated. But overall, this series send a positive message of getting a good education, avoiding trouble, and striving to do the right thing.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, dogs

The Great Puppy Rescue

Bergers Book Reviews

The Great Puppy Rescue
Author: Jason Holder
Illustrator: Mike Sofka
Publisher: Kid America LLC
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9856980-2-7
Pages: 32
Price: $12.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Agent Adams has just given Kid America an important mission. He and his friends, TJ and Lexi, must find Casper’s puppy mill and rescue the dogs. When a loud whimper alerts them to Casper’s hideout, they move into action.

Even the best superheros need super-tools, and Kid’s younger sister, Kat, has just what they need. Planning a bold, nighttime maneuver, they know Casper won’t stand a chance of stopping them. But will they be able to complete their mission?

The Great Puppy Rescue is the first volume of the new Kid America adventure series. When Casper is up to no good and Agent Adams needs help, Kid America is there to answer the call.

Reviewer: Alice Berger