Category: children

children, nature

Youngen Finds Her Song

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Maria J. Andrade
Publisher: Clara Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0970634740
Pages: 108
Price: $19.95

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A young thrush named Youngen is having trouble finding her song. As she spends time with her friends who have beautiful feathers and nicer nests than her own, she starts to doubt herself and her parents. Rufus, a wise old owl, notices her discomfort and decides to take her on a journey to learn about the world.

As she travels with Rufus, she learns many things about the animals in the forest and about Humans – those strange animals that make war with each other, but also build magnificent cities. And she learns that Humans can also be loving and compassionate, when she finds her own life in danger. As Youngen learns about herself and the world around her, she spontaneously bursts into song – her own unique and very beautiful song.

Author Maria J. Andrade has written a sweet novel of a young bird coming of age. She shares tidbits of wisdom about animal life and their habits along the way, to educate while telling her story. Respect for the earth and all animal and plant life is demonstrated through Youngen’s words and actions. An uplifting book with a positive message, Youngen Finds Her Song is a delight to read.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

I Love You All Year Round

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Shella Shubuck
Illustrator: Alicia Padron
Publisher: Piggy Toes Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-158117786-2
Pages: 16
Price: $10.95

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A child needs constant reassurance that mother loves him, no matter what. In this adorable pop-up book intended for ages 3 and up, author Shella Shubuck takes children through a whole year of seasonal pleasures, each providing the reminder, “I will love you all year round.”

These charming mice, created in watercolor by illustrator, Alicia Padron, pop off the page in hugs and happiness, demonstrating the warmth and love this family shares, through Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring scenes.

As warm and fuzzy as a hug, I Love You All Year Round is a perfect book to read to your child just before bed. The gentle reminder of your love will remain with him as he drifts off to sleep, safe and secure.

Reviewed by: Alice Berger

children

Grover’s 10 Terrific Ways to Help Our Wonderful World

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Sesame Street
Publisher: Dalmatian Press
Genre: Children’s
ISBN: 1-40375-012-2
Pages: 24
Price: $3.50

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Many adults today can be heard saying that we need to save the planet for our children and grandchildren. But if our children don’t learn from our mistakes, how much good have we really done? Sesame Street has come up with a fun way to help kids learn about environmental consciousness.

In this book, Grover presents his top ten list of ways to save energy, throw less stuff away, take care of our natural resources, and recycle. As he presents each idea, Sesame Street characters act this item out in ways kids can relate. The Count turns off lights. Bert turns off the water while he brushes his teeth. Big Bird brings a reusable shopping bag to the supermarket. And of course the book itself is printed on recycled paper.

As kids see these TV icons adopting earth-friendly behaviors, they will start to model these actions in their own lives. Since I’m a strong advocate of the green lifestyle, I’m thrilled to see this book in print. I highly recommend it for every child’s personal library.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Scarecrow Finds a Friend

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Blume J. Rifkin
Illustrator: Carl W. Wenzel
Publisher: Whirlpool Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9796948-0-6
Pages: 32
Price: $14.95

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Tally is a good witch and loves to grant wishes. When she meets Scarecrow, she grants him a special Halloween wish. But when Scarecrow sees her again at Thanksgiving, something is terribly wrong. Tally is having trouble flying.

Scarecrow is worried about her, so he comes up with a plan to help her regain her ability to fly, involving the wishbone from the family’s Thanksgiving turkey. At this point, I would have liked Tally to find the wishbone for herself. Instead, it falls out of Scarecrow’s sleeve, flying out of his straw when a gust of wind blows. Scarecrow has promised her his plan can’t fail – and he’s right. Tally flies away happily, never to lose her powers again.

Illustrator Carl W. Wenzel brings Tally and Scarecrow to life amidst a colorful background of fall watercolors. A heart-warming story about friends who look out for each other, Scarecrow Finds a Friend would make a nice addition to any child’s library.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, memoir

Becoming a Superhero

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: William D. Smith
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Genre: Children’s
ISBN: 978-1-4327-2071-1
Pages: 118
Price: $13.95

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Billy is a ten year-old boy living in a Pennsylvania coal mining town at the end of World War II, and he wants to be a Superhero. He’s read about Superman in his comic books, listens to the Shadow on the radio, and wants to save the world just like they do. But first he has to learn how to fly.

Becoming a Superhero is the semi-autobiographical first-person narrative of his year as a sixth-grader. In it, Billy shares his thoughts, adventures, and mis-adventures as he grows up during this turbulent time in US history.

In the style of “A Christmas Story,” Billy seems to find trouble at every turn. Dared to climb onto one of the coal company’s catwalks, he runs into problems with the law. A camping trip turns into an evening of night-fishing in the outhouse. And he never does figure out how to fly. But in the end, he becomes a hero in a way he never intended.

A well-written coming-of-age story, Becoming a Superhero is an enjoyable read – not just for children, but also for adults who haven’t yet forgotten how much fun it was to be a kid.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, mystery

Bitter Tastes

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: V.B. Rosendahl
Publisher: Stargazer Press
Genre: Children’s / Mystery
ISBN: 0-9734940-9-3
Pages: 108
Price: $12.00

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Nancy Drew, move over – Kathy and Martha are the new detectives in town!

It’s bad enough Kathy Harmon had to move from New Jersey to North Carolina at the start of sixth grade. But it’s even worse that she’s “different.”

Miss Janine had been kind to her, helping her cope with her handicap while she learned to cook. And now she’s dead. Kathy was there on the day Miss Janine died, and she may have seen something that will help solve the murder.

Kathy has only made one friend so far – Martha Cunningham. When Martha finds out Kathy wants to find Miss Janine’s killer, the two play “Nancy Drew,” snooping in places they have no right to be.

Kathy and Martha are likeable girls – smart, clever, and quirky. They use good logic in figuring out who to include as likely suspects, and why these people might have killed Miss Janine.

Bitter Tastes is a fast and fun read. Children will enjoy it for its kid-appeal, suspenseful action, and great main characters. Although it opens at the climax to immediately grab the reader, this story easily stands on its own, and I’d suggest it might even have worked better written in a linear fashion. I hope Kathy and Martha will get to have their own mystery series.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, fantasy

Archy the Flying Dolphin and the Vampire’s Curse

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Alan Williams
Publisher: Trafford Publishing
Genre: Children’s / fantasy
ISBN: 142513151-4
Pages: 174
Price: $15.38

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Life was one long, continuous bore for eleven year-old Thomas Parkinson, so he made a wish for some excitement. Soon he and his sister, Suzy, are whisked away to visit Uncle Fibber while their parents vacation in Hawaii.

When they arrive, their uncle scares them with a story about a curse placed by Victoria von Vampire, and soon they find themselves living that very curse. With the aid of Archy the Flying Dolphin, they go on a magical adventure in a desperate attempt to lift the curse and restore their world back to normal.

Thomas and Suzy finally come face to face with Victoria, and Thomas must make a decision that could land him and his sister in her famous Coffin Pot Stew.

Though some of the adventures are a bit scary, there isn’t anything in this book that would cause nightmares for most kids. The action is fast and furious, and before the reader can blink, he’ll find Thomas and Suzy in another precarious predicament.

Thomas and Suzy are often spectators, swept along by others in this adventure. It would have been more enjoyable to see them take a more active role in planning their escapes and making their next move.

If you’re looking for lots of action and dramatic tension, you’ll find this a good read. But this style leaves little room for character development, and you may find yourself wanting to know more about Thomas and his new best friend, Archy.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, history

In Search of Molly Pitcher

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Linda Grant De Pauw
Publisher: Peacock Press of Pasadena
Genre: Children’s Fiction / History
ISBN: 978-1-4357-0607-1
Pages: 155
Price: $12.00

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As soon as Peggy McAllister hears about the Rattletop award for excellence in social studies, she’s determined to win it. When her teacher assigns the class a research paper on a famous American, she decides to write about a heroic woman and picks Molly Pitcher from the list.

But who was the real Molly Pitcher? Peggy quickly finds out there was no woman with that name who performed the feats attributed to her in legend. Now the search begins to track down who this woman really was. With the help of her greatgramps, his friend and author Mrs. Skinner, and her local librarian, Peggy searches for clues.

Peggy learns how to conduct research in the process, distinguishing between primary and secondary sources, tracking them in chronological order, and properly documenting them. She also discovers that teachers sometimes have their own agendas, and can’t always be relied on to help.

Written in the style of a detective story, In Search of Molly Pitcher pulls the reader into Peggy’s quest for information, always wondering what new piece of evidence she will uncover. Linda Grant De Pauw has turned a potentially dull and boring historical essay on a legendary American woman into an exciting mystery. Kids and adults will both find it an enjoyable read.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

The Cake Thief

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Sally O. Lee
Publisher: Booksurge
Genre: Children’s
ISBN: 1-4196-8392-6
Pages: 32
Price: $17.99

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A peculiar little boy named Clarence likes to steal all the cakes in his neighborhood. Wearing his mask, he sneaks into homes and steals them from their stands. But one day he receives a surprise. When he lifts the cake cover, he finds an invitation addressed “to the cake thief” to attend a party. But he needs to bring a cake.

Knowing he can’t bring one that he stole, he gets to work baking his own cake. When it’s done, it’s just as wonderful as the others, and he goes to the party, no longer needing to wear his mask. And since he now knows how to bake his own cake, he doesn’t need to steal them anymore.

This is a charming tale of a misfit who finally finds a way to fit into his community. Sally O. Lee also illustrates the text in vibrant and colorful oil paintings. Combining lyric prose and whimsical illustrations, The Cake Thief is sure to delight children of all ages.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Astro Socks

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Leigh M. LeCreux
Publisher: iUniverse
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-595-46375-6
Pages: 75
Price: $9.95

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Chris has always known he could do anything he set his mind to do. But when baby sister, Rachel, comes along, he finally encounters a problem he can’t solve. Why do her socks always come off her feet, and how can he fix this for her?

After spending the afternoon working on the puzzle, he sends an email to NuPont to ask a question. His email sparks a chain of events that lead to unusual and wonderful surprises.

Chris is a smart kid, and it’s great to see him approach a problem looking for a solution. He doesn’t rely on others to solve it for him. But this solution seemed to come out of nowhere for him. He simply asked a question and found himself in the middle of patent paperwork declaring him an inventor.

While I think this story was wonderful in concept – that kids have the ability to do anything they want to do – I didn’t feel Chris put enough effort into solving the problem. I’d have loved to see more research and even a special sock design submitted before he was approached for a patent.

Also, there were many typos in the text, and the foreword, introduction, and testimonial statements of classroom students detracted from the actual story, which should stand on its own. With a little tweaking, Astro Socks has great potential, but it’s just not quite there yet.

Reviewer: Alice Berger