Bergers Book Reviews

The Show Must Go On!

September 24, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Kate Klise
Illustrator: M. Sarah Klise
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-61620-244-6
Pages: 160
Price: $15.95

Author’s website
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Sir Sidney runs the best circus around. He’s kind to his animals and performers, and kids see the circus and eat popcorn for free. But Sir Sidney is getting older, and decides to hire a manager to help him. Barnabas Brambles, certified lion tamer, eagerly applies for the job and is hired. But Barnabas has very different ideas about how to run a circus.

Leo, the old lion, must be replaced with a cool tiger. Elsa, the elephant, should be sent to the zoo. And the Flying Banana Brothers’ skills will be used to drive the circus train. Who needs vermin like Gert and Bert, the mice, and Old Coal, the crow, who are in charge of popcorn cleanup after the circus? Ticket prices must be raised, and more shows added to the schedule! Barnabas wants to make as much money as he can, and he doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process. But running Sir Sidney’s circus doesn’t turn out to be quite as easy (or lucrative) as he expects.

Sir Sidney is a smart man, and he sees through Barnabas Brambles’ shiny exterior to the man beneath the ill-fitting suit. His response upon finally seeing what Barnabas has done to his circus is both remarkable and unexpected. The Show Must Go On! is a great story filled with wonderful illustrations, side conversations, jokes and humor that make it a really enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

animals, children

Trooper’s Trip to the Vet

September 23, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Karin Olsen Cavanaugh, DVM
Publisher: Tate Publishing
Genre: Children / Dogs
ISBN: 978-1-62510-657-5
Pages: 28
Price: $9.99

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David is worried because his dog, Trooper, is acting funny. He didn’t eat his breakfast, he vomited in David’s room, and now he looks tired and unhappy. David and his mom take Trooper to see Dr. Bob, their veterinarian, to see what’s making him sick.

Dr. Bob gives Trooper a check-up and determines there is something causing his belly to ache. An x-ray reveals a foreign object, which must be removed. Soon, Trooper is feeling well again, and is able to go home.

Trooper’s Trip to the Vet shows kids, through David’s experience, what to expect when they take an animal to the veterinarian. It also teaches them that their pets need a doctor’s care to keep healthy. This cute story would be a great read for all kids with pets of their own.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

art, children

Picturing the ABCs at the Norton Simon Museum

September 20, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Publisher: Norton Simon Museum
Genre: Art / Children
ISBN: 978-0-97266-819-4
Pages: 108
Price: $15.00

Buy it at the Norton Simon Museum shop

‘A’ is for apple – as in Gustave Courbet’s Apples, Pears and Primroses on a Table, oil on canvas. ‘B’ is for Buddha – as in India: Tamil Nadu, Buddha Shakyamuni, granite statue. Picturing the ABCs at the Norton Simon Museum takes children on a tour through the museum’s collection, using the alphabet as a guide.

Each alphabet page shows kids the letter and reference, with a cutout highlighting an object on the next page, which is part of the picture or statue featured. Beautiful works of art from Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, and Henri Rousseau, as well as many others, are showcased in this beautiful ABC book.

Masterpieces come alive for children as they spy an umbrella, quill, or kite. These objects lead them to see the picture in a way they can understand and appreciate, as they notice the small details. The Norton Simon Museum has created a beautiful book for kids that will teach them the ABCs while also opening their consciousness to greats works of art. I highly recommend this unique art book.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

audio book, classics

The Perfumed Garden

September 19, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Sheikh Nefzaoui
Translator: Richard Burton
Read by: Jonathan Keeble
Publisher: Naxos Audio Books
Genre: Classics
Length: 5 CDs (Total time 6:34:43)
Price: $34.98

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The Perfumed Garden was written in the 15th century by Arab Sheikh Nefzaoui. Like India’s Kama Sutra, it portrays the joys of marital love through words and descriptions. If the reader follows the instructions provided, the author declares he will have an opportunity to experience these pleasures to the fullest.

Sheikh Nefzaoui was determined to provide an encyclopedic work in naming sexual positions, and both the male and female body parts. These lists are followed up by detailed descriptions which require some work to visualize properly. Drawings would have been nice, but were not provided with the CDs, and may not have been included in the original text.

In addition to the copious lists, short anecdotes and other explanations are included. Commentary on the deceits and treacheries of women is especially amusing, and home remedies for various ailments are also provided, although they should be used with extreme care. Married love is considered one of the greatest pleasures on earth, and both men and women are encouraged to enjoy each other to the fullest.

This sensitive subject is handled professionally and skilfully by reader Jonathan Keeble. Taking on the personality of Sheikh Nefzaoui, he encourages listeners to follow his instructions and maximize their pleasure. This quality production would be perfect for couples to enjoy on a quiet evening, letting nature take its course with its message.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Christian, self improvement

Little Black Sheep

September 17, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Ashley Cleveland
Publisher: David C. Cook
Genre: Christian / Addiction
ISBN: 978-1-4347-0529-7
Pages: 200
Price: $17.99

Author’s website
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Ashley Cleveland’s early years were traumatic due to her parents’ drinking and divorce. A cross-country move and her mother’s remarriage added to her struggles, and she soon developed an addiction to food. But once she discovered alcohol and drugs, her life took a radical turn for the worse.

Music was Cleveland’s saving grace, and her talents were noticed and appreciated in the churches she attended. However, her interest in salvation was inconsistent, at best. But, God was invested in saving his “little black sheep,” and she finally found recovery and hope.

Little Black Sheep is the absorbing autobiography of Ashley Cleveland’s life and recovery. No matter what we’ve experienced in our own lives, we will relate to aspects of her struggles – with home and family growing up, a traumatic move, and maybe even promiscuity and addictions like she faced. It’s inspiring to see how Cleveland continued to fight through the relapses and finally find a sure-footed recovery. But, I would have liked to see more of how she finally found her way through the darkness to the light on the other side, as a guide to those who are still trying to get there. This would be a great read for anyone in recovery.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Squircle

September 16, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author & Illustrator: Andrea Skyberg
Publisher: Wooden Nickel Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9882891-7-8
Pages: 48
Price: $17.99

Author’s website
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Evie sets out to the forest to catch a squirrel. She soon becomes frustrated and impatient, so a duck explains how flapping her wings – duckflap – calms her down. Evie tries it, and soon happily goes off exploring again.

In a series of interactions with the various forest animals, Evie learns about herself and how to better handle life. Living in the moment, going with the flow, and listening to one’s own inner wisdom are all explored.

The unique and colorful illustrations in Squircle include hand-embroidery from elementary school students. Fabric pieced together form murals used as the artwork for scenery. Squircle was recently voted a Mom’s Choice Gold Award Winner in the Inspiration/Motivational category. This beautiful book has a great message and would make a nice addition to any child’s library.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

mystery

Death Goes Postal

September 13, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Authors: Rosemary and Larry Mild
Publisher: Magic Isle Literary Works
Genre: Mystery
ISBN: 978-0-9838597-1-0
Pages: 316
Price: $14.95

Author’s website
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Dan and Rivka Sherman have just purchased the Olde Victorian Bookstore. Its prior owner received mysterious letters about a package being sent to her from overseas, and the Shermans must now try to figure out the hidden message in the letters. Unfortunately, Emil Kravitz was willing to commit murder for this package, and he’s still hot on its trail.

Newcomers to the bookstore’s mystery critique group are under suspicion, as all heard the store clerk, Liz, spill the secret about the letters. Which of these men is really Kravitz in disguise? And how can the Shermans find the package – while remaining safe – before Kravitz gets to it?

Death Goes Postal is a cozy mystery with a literary flair. The Shermans are a smart couple, intent on outwitting Kravitz. But Kravitz steals the show at times, when the authors focus quite a lot of attention on his thoughts and actions. I would have preferred if this mystery had stayed in either Dan or Rivka’s point-of-view for the whole story, and the secondary characters had been developed more fully.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

romance, tween

Heaven Is Paved With Oreos

September 12, 2013September 12, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Genre: Tween / Romance
ISBN: 978-0-547-62538-6
Pages: 208
Price: $16.99

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Sarah Zorn and her best friend, Curtis Schwenk, plan to spend their summer with a still-born calf who is decomposing for a science project. Using their “Brilliant Outflanking Strategy,” they’ve managed to convince everyone they’re dating, even though they’re really not, just to avoid the teasing about all the time they spend together. But Curtis suddenly has other thoughts about this unusual arrangement.

When Sarah’s grandmother arranges for a trip to Rome to visit the seven pilgrimage churches, Sarah is hesitant, but finally accepts when things with Curtis get too weird. But her grandmother isn’t being completely honest about the reasons for the trip, and Sarah has to unexpectedly face some of her family’s buried secrets head-on.

Heaven Is Paved With Oreos is a sweet middle-grade romance, told through Sarah’s eyes in the form of a journal. Sarah is a smart, funny, girl who is struggling to make sense of everything happening around her, and it’s easy to like her. I enjoyed reading her thoughts, and wanted things to work out for her. D.J. Schwenk, the heroine from Dairy Queen, makes a cameo appearance in this book.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

art, children

Cool Creations in 35 Pieces

September 11, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Sean Kenney
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Genre: Children / Art
ISBN: 978-0-8050-9692-7
Pages: 32
Price: $12.99

Author’s website
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LEGO pieces can be used to create wonderful objects, using the right combinations. But knowing how to piece them together can be a challenge for kids. In Cool Creations in 35 Pieces, master LEGO artist, Sean Kenney, has documented procedures for building robots, spacecraft, buildings, furniture and household objects, vehicles, animals, and aliens.

Kenney has only used thirty-five pieces for all of these LEGO models. Kids are encouraged to build his sculptures, but also to re-combine these pieces to create new works of art of their own. And if these models inspire you, check out Kenney’s other books on LEGO creations. This would be a perfect book for the creative LEGO builder in your home.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

teen

Somebody Up There Hates You

September 10, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Hollis Seamon
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Genre: Teen
ISBN: 978-1-61620-260-6
Pages: 256
Price: $16.95

Author’s website
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Richard Casey, seventeen years old, is in the hospice unit of the hospital. But even though they’ve told him he’s got less than a month left, he’s not done living yet. In fact, he’s more than ready to make love to the fifteen year-old girl, also in the ward, who doesn’t want to die a virgin. Richard is determined to be the biggest troublemaker the hospital staff have ever seen.

But Richard is under constant watch by the hospital staff, parents and other family members who hover around the ward 24-7, and the “Br’ers” as he calls them – religious staff there to assist in the transition from life to death. All Richard wants to do is have some fun, but no one wants to let him.

A book about dying teenagers would probably only appeal to the more morbid of us. But Hollis Seamon has done a magnificent job of portraying these teens in such a real light. They’re just teens – not adults – and they’re not willing to give up their spunk and personality, no matter what. Even though there is no doubt from the beginning how the story will ultimately end, this is not a depressing tale. My only disappointment is that no one in the story expresses any concern about the afterlife, and how to make sure one ends up in the right place. Overall, this is a great teen read.

Warnings: sexual situations and language

Reviewer: Alice Berger