Category: children

children, nature

SOIL: More Than Just Dirt

Bergers Book Reviews

soil
Author: Jerry Wermund
Publisher: Rockon Publishing
Genre: Children / Science
ISBN: 978-09726255-3-1
Pages: 48
Price: $18.95

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Most of us give very little thought to the ground we walk on. When we plant our garden, the soil is just something we dig. But do you know how soil is formed? Or how many different kinds of soil there are?

Jerry Wermund explains soil formations in this interesting and informative book, written in a poetic style. He also includes many color photos of the various kinds of soil, with explanations of what makes them unique.

Although the author intends this book for elementary and middle school children, some of the vocabulary is too difficult for a younger child to understand. Many of the terms are defined, but adult explanations may also be necessary.

SOIL: More Than Just Dirt is an excellent resource for the budding environmentalist.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Trent the Racing Turtle

Bergers Book Reviews

trent
Author: Bill Franklin
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 1-4196-7994-5
Pages: 116
Price: $12.99

Author’s website
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Trent the racing turtle and his friends Mina and Jesse have stumbled onto an ancient mystery that threatens their forest community. Trent must now race against an evil villain to win the Isolis statue, and save them all from certain destruction.

Book one of a three-book series, Trent the Racing Turtle introduces Queen Kiya, an ancient Egyptian queen who needs her servant to fetch her three sacred statues. The quest for the other statues will complete the series.

The story is fast-paced and full of action, as the three friends handle this tricky situation. But I had a question regarding Trent’s wheels, which are never explained by the author. Also, the punctuation in this book isn’t correct, which I found distracting, but children may not notice. Overall, I think kids will enjoy the animals’ adventures in this series.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Patulous the Different Caterpillar

Bergers Book Reviews

patulous
Author: A. Volta
Illustrator: Diane Lucas
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9711040-1-3
Pages: 24
Price: $11.99

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Patulous lives with other caterpillars who start to notice his green skin is developing splotches. They make fun of him and send him away because he’s different.

Other creatures in the garden welcome and befriend him. They accept him as he is, and let him play with them.  His new friends also introduce him to tasty flowers to eat. But soon it’s time for him to enter his chrysalis and become a butterfly. He has no idea how spectacular his colors will be when he emerges.

A fun take on the Ugly Duckling story, Patulous the Different Caterpillar reminds that we’re all different, but it’s our differences that make us unique, special and beautiful.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Where Things Are From Near to Far

Bergers Book Reviews

where1
Author: Tim Halbur & Chris Steins
Illustrator: David Ryan
Publisher: Planetizen Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9789329-2-3
Pages: 24
Price: $19.95

Author’s website
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While Hugo plays in a city park, he looks up at the skyscrapers and wonders how they got there. His mom then takes him on a trip through the city, into the suburbs, then the country, and finally the wilderness, explaining each as they go. How does she know all this information? She’s an urban planner.

Written in rhyming verse, this book explores the role of an urban planner in building cities, and determining which buildings go where. The illustrations by David Ryan show the details of each place they visit.

Many books have been written that explain some of the more popular professions, but nothing shows the role of a city planner. Where Things Are From Near to Far plugs that gaping hole in a fun way, and kids will enjoy reading this book. It’s also nice to see that it’s mom, not dad, who has this interesting job.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

cats, children

Kitten Up a Tree

Bergers Book Reviews

kitten
Author: Melanie Abel
Illustrator: Anne Lederhos
Publisher: E & E Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 0-9791606-4-2
Pages: 28
Price: $15.95

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Kitten is scared and runs up a tree. The mailman, the gardener and the newsboy all try to get her down, but she just climbs higher and higher. But little David thinks he knows how to coax her down.

After David waits patiently for several days, kitten finally climbs down. And now she and David are friends.

Anne Lederhos has created charming illustrations for Kitten Up a Tree. Children have always loved to rescue cats in trees, despite the fact they seldom need rescuing. This cute story will appeal to kids and cat lovers alike.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Ralphina the Roly-Poly

Bergers Book Reviews

roly-poly
Author & Illustrator: Claudia Chandler
Publisher: Leathers Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-58597-462-7
Pages: 32
Price: $24.95

Author’s website
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Ralphina the roly-poly is lonely. She wants the little boy who lives in the house to notice her, so she busily goes to work in their garden to make the tulips grow. Her efforts are successful and he becomes her friend.

Since the little boy doesn’t know anything about roly-polies, Ralphina tells him all about herself and her crustacean relatives. There is also an informational section at the end, which provides facts about rainbows.

This is a cute tale about friendship that is also educational, with bright and cheery rainbow colored illustrations. However, it’s very light on plot. Not much happens in this story, and children may become bored upon subsequent readings, once they learn about roly-polies.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, nature

Sharks

Bergers Book Reviews

sharks
Author: Martin Kasso
Illustrator: Matthew Jeffirs
Publisher: Intervisual Books Inc.
Genre: Children / Science
ISBN: 978-158117-797-8
Pages: 24
Price: $19.95

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Sharks are probably the most feared ocean creatures, but how much do we really know about these magnificent beings? What triggers a shark attack? Are all sharks dangerous?

Sharks attempts to dispel some of the myths we have about sharks, while sharing some interesting facts. Pop-up and other interactive pages enhance the learning experience for kids. Pictures and descriptions of the many different kinds of sharks are also provided.

It’s natural for humans to fear these awesome creatures, but we also need to remember they have their place in nature and serve an important function. The author reminds us that many sharks are endangered, and that conservation efforts are now in place.

Well-written, informative and kid-friendly, Sharks is a great classroom or library resource on these ocean-dwellers. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Marshall and His Green High-tops

Bergers Book Reviews

marshall
Author: Camille Blue Amy
Illustrator: Lorena Pugh
Publisher: Camille Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9801353-0-5
Pages: 32
Price: $9.95

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Marshall and his family live high in the attic above the laundry room. One day Marshall spies a pair of green high-tops that one of the children in the house owns. He thinks they’re really nifty and wishes he could have a pair just like them.

After begging and pleading with his family, he finally receives them as a birthday gift. But the sneakers don’t give him the results he expected.

Marshall and His Green High-tops is a cute story that reminds us all that we need to be very careful what we wish for. And illustrator Lorena Pugh has created a charming little mouse family in bright vibrant color. While we may think we know best, sometimes things just don’t work out the way we want them to.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Elmo’s ABC Book

Bergers Book Reviews

elmo1
Author: Sarah Albee
Illustrator: Tom Brannon
Publisher: Dalmatian Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 1-40375-107-2
Pages: 24
Price: $4.99

Author’s website
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Elmo knows the alphabet and wants to decide which letter is his favorite. Each letter represents something he loves. Elmo starts with E and Monster starts with M. But so many other nifty things start with the rest of the letters that he simply can’t make up his mind.

Elmo is an adorable little monster, and kids will have fun reading about the things he loves. As kids read along with Elmo, they will learn words that start with each letter of the alphabet.

It’s always a challenge coming up with new and interesting ways to learn the alphabet, but Sesame Street has once again come through with a winner.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, dogs

Puppy Stew

Bergers Book Reviews

puppy-stew
Author: Caroline Gregory
Illustrator: Michael Suorsa
Publisher: Sortis Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-097720259-1
Pages: 28
Price: $8.99

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A hungry witch spies a little, lost puppy. Aha! she thinks. What a good stew he’ll make! But first she needs to fatten him up. He’s way too scrawny to eat just yet.

So she feeds him, and cuddles him, and lets him sleep with her on the bed. And soon the years have passed and the puppy has grown fat, but the witch still hasn’t made stew of him. In fact, she doesn’t even want to anymore.

By the end of this story, the wicked witch undergoes a radical change. Illustrator Michael Suorsa vividly demonstrates this through the change in scenery and witch’s appearance, from dark and spooky to bright and cheery.

Puppy Stew shows us that even the wickedest witch can be transformed by the unconditional love of a dog. A fun read for kids and dog lovers!

Reviewer: Alice Berger