Category: children

children, holiday

Babushka

Bergers Book Reviews

Babushka
Author: Dawn Casey
Illustrator: Amanda Hall
Publisher: Good Books
Genre: Children / Christmas / Russia
ISBN: 978-1-68099-188-8
Pages: 32
Price: $16.99

Buy it at Amazon

Babushka is very busy cooking and cleaning in her tiny cottage. One day three men visit her home, telling of their wonderful journey as they’re led by a star to find a newborn baby. They invite Babushka to come with them, but first she must clean up after their visit. After they’re gone, she reconsiders, as she sees the star shining brightly. She packs up lots of handmade toys, clothing, and baked goods and heads out to follow them.

The snow has covered their footprints, and Babushka wanders with her cat through the frozen landscape. As she travels, she comes across people who need the good things she’s carrying, and she gives them away joyously. Babushka hasn’t found the Christ child, but she spreads the Light of Love throughout the land.

Babushka is a traditional Russian Christmas tale retold in this charming book filled with bright and beautiful illustrations. Children will delight in this magical story.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, holiday

Jesus Is Born

Bergers Book Reviews

Jesus Is Born
Author: Sophie Piper
Illustrator: Anne Yvonne Gilbert
Publisher: Good Books
Genre: Children / Christmas
ISBN: 978-1-68099-187-1
Pages: 32
Price: $16.99

Buy it at Amazon

Christian parents enjoy sharing the story of the first Christmas with their children. Reading directly from the Bible would be a nice way to do this, but the story is not told in its entirety in any of the Gospels. Jesus Is Born highlights important passages from both Luke and Matthew, so that children can read the whole story.

Beginning with the Gospel of Luke, the text opens with the Angel Gabriel’s request from God that Mary should carry his Son. Carefully avoiding the sensitive subject of virginity, Mary simply states that she can’t be a mother if she’s not married. Then children read about the census decree and Joseph’s need to return to Bethlehem along with Mary. Angels appear to the shepherds announcing the birth of their Savior and they hurry to see Jesus in the manger. The story then shifts to the Gospel of Matthew, as we read of the Magi visiting King Herod before finding Jesus in Bethlehem. King Herod’s horrifying decision to slaughter the innocent babies is briefly mentioned, as Joseph leads the Holy Family away to safety. Throughout this story, we’re reminded that Jesus will bring God’s blessing to the world.

Jesus Is Born faithfully follows biblical texts with very little embellishment and the illustrations are incredibly beautiful and lifelike. Children will enjoy reading this special story over and over again as they anticipate celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas morning.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, magazine

Cricket Media – Babybug, Ladybug, Spider, and Cricket magazines

Bergers Book Reviews

Cricket Media has been providing high-quality, ad-free reading materials to children since 1973. Targeted toward four age groups, these magazines are a fun read for kids.

double-the-givingDuring this holiday season, Cricket Media is teaming up with Libraries Without Borders and the Parent-Child Home Program to provide magazines to children who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to read them. For every gift subscription purchased, one will be donated.

 

 

Babybug

 

 

BABYBUG (ages 6 mos.-3) is for babies who love to be read to – and for adults who love to read to them. A parents’ reading guide is provided to get the most out of each issue.

 

 

 

Ladybug

 

 

LADYBUG (ages 3-6) contains fun fiction, non-fiction, poetry, puzzles, and songs. Small secondary characters provide entertainment at the bottom of the pages.

 

 

 

Spider

 

 

SPIDER (ages 6-9) contains fiction and non-fiction geared toward a slightly older audience, poetry, puzzles and lots of humor. The secondary characters at the bottom of the pages have a more involved storyline.

 

 

 

Cricket

 

 

CRICKET (ages 9-14) includes fiction, non-fiction, comic strips, poetry,
do-it-yourself projects, puzzles and contests, as well as lots of reader interaction.

 

 

 

Holiday Celebration
 

All purchases totaling $75.00 or more at Cricket Media will earn a free copy of A Cricket Holiday Celebration, offering a cornucopia of holiday stories, songs, poems, and recipes drawn from more than 40 years of award-winning Cricket Media publications.

 

 

 

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, farming, holiday

Casey’s Bright Red Christmas

Bergers Book Reviews

Casey's Bright Red Christmas
Author: Holly Dufek
Illustrator: Paul E. Nunn
Publisher: Octane Press
Genre: Children / Farming / Christmas
ISBN: 978-1937747619
Pages: 32
Price: $14.99

Octane Press
Buy it at Amazon

It’s Christmas Eve and Casey has too much to do. She wants to decorate the farm, bake cookies, and get ready for the team’s celebration. But first she has to care for the cows, fix the fence, and work in the shed, and her nasty cold is making her sleepy. Maybe a nap will perk her up and give her the energy she needs to get her chores done.

Casey’s team of tractors and farm equipment sees how Casey is feeling and comes up with a plan. Knowing she works so hard for all of them, they decide to do Christmas for her. As she sleeps, the team puts up lights, picks out the Christmas tree, and bakes. When Casey wakes up with a start, she has no idea what surprises are awaiting her.

Farming is hard work, and Casey is dedicated to the job she loves. Having a team of dependable equipment makes her job easier and a lot more fun. And celebrating together is the perfect way to enjoy the holiday. Farm kids will enjoy this cute Christmas story.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Crash! The Cat

Bergers Book Reviews

Crash! The Cat
Author & Illustrator: David McPhail
Publisher: Holiday House
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3649-1
Pages: 32
Price: $16.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Life with Crash, the cat is never boring. He crashes into Kait’s drum, Krissie’s doll, a birthday cake, and even into the basket of clean laundry. A visit to the vet reassures everyone that Crash’s eyesight is just fine.

Crash is a lot of work, but he lets the girls carry him and dress him up, and he even sleeps with them. And when a mouse gets into the house one night, Crash will wake everyone up with the racket he’s making.

Cat owners know that their treasured pets can easily get into mischief, and Crash is no exception. Crash! The Cat is a humorous story that kids will love. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

That’s Not the Monster We Ordered

Bergers Book Reviews

That's Not the Monster We Ordered
Author: Tara Black
Illustrators: Richard Fairgray and Terry Jones
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-5107-1136-5
Pages: 32
Price: $16.99

Buy it at Amazon

Everyone is excited when the Turners get their very own monster. He can roar like a lion, tumble down the steps like a slinky, and even carry all the kids home on his back. So the children ask their parents if they can have a monster, too. Finally, after much deliberation and debate, the order is placed. But when the monster arrives… he’s not at all what they expected.

As they live with the monster for the next few days, they discover he can’t do any neat tricks. His stomach gets upset when he eats the grass they expected him to keep trimmed. And he isn’t very good at baking. He’s not the monster they ordered and will just have to be shipped back. But what if the monster they received is really the right one for them after all?

That’s Not the Monster We Ordered is a lighthearted story with a nice message of acceptance. Rather than simply giving up on their defective monster, the family learns to love him just as he is. In this day and age of disposable relationships, kids will learn that there are redeeming qualities in all of us and we’re all lovable in our own unique way. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, parenting

Miles is the Boss of His Body

Bergers Book Reviews

Miles is the Boss of His Body
Authors: Samantha Kurtzman-Counter and Abbie Schiller
Illustrator: Valentina Ventimiglia
Publisher: The Mother Company
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9894071-3-7
Pages: 32
Price: $12.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Miles is excited to be celebrating his 6th birthday, but he has no idea how frustrating the day will turn out to be. Grandpa pinches his cheeks as he wishes him a happy birthday. His brother, Scotty, gives him birthday noogies. Mom gives Miles an extra-tight squeeze. Dad lifts him high in the air. And baby Max grabs his shirt. But the thing that really set Miles off is getting a birthday tickle – from the birthday chicken!

Miles is really frustrated and sits his family down to listen to him. He explains that he doesn’t like being pinched, noogied, squeezed too tight, lifted up, grabbed, or tickled. Miles declares that he’s the “boss of his body” and stomps off to his room. But when mom comes to get him, she isn’t mad. Instead she tells him that she’s very proud of him for standing up for himself and not letting others touch him in ways he doesn’t like.

Kids don’t always understand that they don’t need to put up with inappropriate touching from others. Miles is the Boss of His Body shows them that they have the right to stand up for themselves, and even make a scene if necessary, to stop others from doing something they don’t like. I highly recommend this book for home and classrooms.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

The Magic Hat Shop

Bergers Book Reviews

The Magic Hat Shop
Author & Illustrator: Sonja Wimmer
Publisher: Cuento de Luz
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-84-16147-19-9
Pages: 32
Price: $16.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

One day a mysterious hat shop appears in the middle of the town. Nobody knows where it came from or how it got there. But one day, Timid Tim ventures inside and emerges completely transformed, wearing a new hat. Instead of walking with his head down, looking to go unnoticed, he’s now walking tall, smiling and greeting people with a friendly “Hello!”

Soon other townsfolk explore the unusual shop, coming out not only with new hats, but new attitudes, as well. People begin to whisper that the hats are magic because they bring out the most surprising features in the people wearing them and make all their problems disappear. But one day a storm blows through town, sending the hats flying away. Will the magic of the hats remain?

The Magic Hat Shop is an adorable story of the awesome power of positive change. As the town’s residents get used to their new and improved attitudes, they realize they like who they have become. And maybe they no longer need the magic of the hats to be their very best selves.

children, mystery

Sherlock Sam and the Ghostly Moans in Fort Canning

Bergers Book Reviews

Sherlock Sam and the Ghostly Moans in Fort Canning
Author: A.J. Low
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Genre: Mystery / Children
ISBN: 978-1-4494-7788-2
Pages: 120
Price: $7.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

After solving the mystery in Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong, Sherlock Sam is looking for another case as Singapore’s Greatest Kid Detective. In this latest mystery, Sam and his faithful robot companion, Watson, visit Fort Canning and find a previously undiscovered sally port. But when he, Watson, and his friends approach, they all hear loud, ghostly moans coming from inside.

Sam doesn’t believe in ghosts, but can he prove the strange sounds he hears aren’t ghoulish in origin? Taking his father and Watson along for another visit, he determines to crack this case. Using Watson’s superior computer skills, he will attempt to gather evidence. But will the moans chase them all off, as before?

Sherlock Sam and Watson make a terrific comic duo, as Watson’s sarcasm adds humor to this delightful mystery. Kids will love Sherlock Sam and the Ghostly Moans in Fort Canning.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

The Kraken’s Rules for Making Friends

Bergers Book Reviews

The Kraken's Rules for Making Friends
Author & Illustrator: Brittany R. Jacobs
Publisher: POW!
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-57687-814-9
Pages: 40
Price: $18.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

The Kraken is a scary beast and nearly everyone in the ocean is afraid of him. Poor Kraken is tired of being lonely, so he devises a scheme to fool the others. When his plan backfires, he turns to the Great White Shark for advice.

Even though the Great White Shark is also scary, he has lots of friends. Sharing six rules for making friends, the Great White Shark explains to the Kraken how he needs to change, but the results are not immediately successful. Fortunately, the shark would like to be his friend.

The Kraken’s Rules for Making Friends is a humorous story with a great message. Kids who want to make more friends can learn from the Great White Shark, just as Kraken did. Lasting change takes time, and immediate results are not always possible, as Kraken discovered. But if children continue to make a positive attempt, their efforts will be rewarded. I highly recommend this cute and helpful book.

Reviewer: Alice Berger