Bergers Book Reviews

Sports Illustrated Kids Big Book of Who: Football

August 15, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Publisher: Sports Illustrated Kids
Genre: Sports / Football
ISBN: 978-1-61893-040-8
Pages: 128
Price: $17.95

Sports Illustrated Kids Magazine
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Who has rushed for the most career touchdowns in Super Bowl history? Who was the running back known as “Sweetness”? Who has the most career sacks? Don’t know the answers? Well, Sports Illustrated Kids does! In Big Book of Who: Football you’ll find out who these players are, as well as a whole lot more fun football facts.

Under the headings Champions, Personalities, Record Breakers, Super Scorers and Yardage Kings, a wealth of statistics and player information is provided. Colorful and full of photos of these greats in NFL history, this book is a must-have item for the serious football fan – even adults. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

memoir

A Cowgirl Always Gets Even

August 14, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Dawn Nelson
Publisher: Gray Dog Press
Genre: Memoir
ISBN: 978-1-936178-56-8
Pages: 195
Price: $14.95

Author’s website
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Dawn Nelson is the author of several western-themed novels, and has also dabbled in non-fiction. In A Cowgirl Always Gets Even, she shares some of her misadventures on the ranch, as well as her musings on people and circumstances.

Ranchers will find some of these anecdotes humorous, as she relates tales of ornery bulls and cows. Weather and icy temperatures also play a part in some of these stories. When sharing her thoughts on people, Nelson’s tone is often sarcastic, and she appears to view all non-ranchers in a deprecating light.

There are numerous misspelled words and grammatical errors in this book, and it should have been more carefully edited before being published. If you’re a rancher, you’ll probably relate to some of the incidents Nelson shares. And if you’re not, you may want to take a lesson from them.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

animals, children

Ferdinand Fox’s First Summer

August 13, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Mary Holland
Publisher: Sylvan Dell
Genre: Children / Animals
ISBN: 978-1-60718-6267
Pages: 32
Price: $9.95

Author’s website
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Ferdinand is the runt of a litter of foxes. Born in an underground den, he only emerges for the first time a few weeks later. Now he’s ready to start exploring, playing with his siblings, and hunting.

Through beautiful accompanying photographs, we see how Ferdinand is cared for by his parents and learns to fend for himself. A fox’s diet and daily habits are also explained, as well as the importance of his senses of smell and hearing. A classroom guide is provided for further discussion.

Foxes are magnificent creatures, and these wonderful photos capture their antics close-up. Kids will not only learn about how foxes survive in the wild, but will also come to appreciate their beauty and grace. I highly recommend Ferdinand Fox’s First Summer for all children and nature lovers.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

The Story of the Blue Planet

August 12, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Andri Snær Magnason
Illustrator: Áslaug Jónsdóttir
Publisher: Seven Stories Press
Genre: Children / Fables
ISBN: 978-1-60980-428-2
Pages: 96
Price: $12.99

Author’s website
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Many children live on the blue planet. None of them age, and there are no grown-ups. There is so much to see and do there, and the children are very happy. But one day a space-ship lands on the blue planet, and the children realize there is so much more that could make them happy – if they’re willing to pay for it.

As the children are offered more excitement and fun, they become more selfish and greedy. Consumed with their own needs, they think little of the effects of their actions on themselves and others. And when those consequences are brought to their attention, they don’t even care. Finally, the good will of others breaks through their selfishness, and they begin to realize all they gave up for what they have gained. And in their remorse, they discover a unique way to solve everyone’s problems all at once.

This modern-day fairy tale is a wake-up call for both children and adults to examine the far-reaching consequences of our actions. Told as a fable, The Story of the Blue Planet is a fun read with many layers of meaning. Kids will enjoy the story while also absorbing the deeper message. I highly recommend this eye-opening book.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

self improvement

Design Your Own Destiny

August 8, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Mary A. Molloy
Publisher: TRB Press
Genre: Self-help
ISBN: 978-0-9853796-7-4
Pages: 192
Price: $21.95

Author’s website
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If you’ve decided it’s time to make your life better, you may find you need some guidance along the way. Do you know what you really want? And do you know how to get there? Mary A. Molloy has worked with numerous people, including homeless women, to get them all back on track, working toward the life of their dreams.

The first place to start is a life balance chart. What parts of your life – intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual – are you happy with? Next, it’s time to draw your dreams. The physical act of drawing releases energy that helps you reach those dreams. Once you think you know where you want to go, use the life choices assessment tool to evaluate the best options. And finally, you’ll need to create a life choice map as a step-by-step plan to get there. Quotes from the best self-help masters are included in each section as encouragement and motivation.

Molloy has had years of experience in coaching people to reach their dreams and this book grew out of her desire to help even more people. But several of the exercises in this book are printed in a repetitive way, with similar information repeated over many pages. This repetitiveness caused me to skim quite a bit. Overall, Design Your Own Destiny is a nice guide to making changes in your life, but it didn’t present any new ideas not covered already in other, similar books.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

audio book, classics

Resurrection (Naxos Audio)

August 7, 2013August 7, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Leo Tolstoy
Publisher: Naxos Audio
Genre: Classics / Audio Books
ISBN: 978-184-379-574-2
Length: 16 CDs (Total time 20:13:55)
Price: $98.98

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Prince Dmitri Nekhludov once loved a young girl named Katusha. Many years later, he serves jury duty on a murder case. The accused is Katusha, now a prostitute, and when she is unjustly convicted, Nekhludov’s conscience can’t let the verdict rest.

Facing his own role in destroying Katusha’s life, he determines to do everything he can to free her from her sentence. And in the process, he becomes interested and involved in how the prison systems operate. Now he not only needs to protect Katusha, but he also begins to help others who have been unjustly and unfairly imprisoned.

Tolstoy’s classic, Resurrection, is a powerfully moving tale of a wealthy and privileged man facing his own inhumanity in the treatment of those who are helpless to protect themselves. In working to save Katusha, Nekhludov is also saving himself from a life of useless and vain pursuits.

Neville Jason is marvelous in conveying the drama as it unfolds, and bringing this somewhat dry tale to life. The listener has compassion for Nekhludov and Katusha, as he listens in on their life stories. Naxos Audio has created a wonderful production of Resurrection for all who enjoy listening to the classics.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Curious George (Kohl’s Cares for Kids)

August 6, 2013October 22, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Title: Curious George’s First Day of School
Author: Margaret Rey
Illustrator: H.A. Rey
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-544-14855-0
Pages: 24
Price: $5.00 at Kohl’s

Buy it at Kohl’s

Curious George visits Mr. Apple’s classroom on the first day of school. But George is curious, and mixes the paints to see what interesting colors he can create. Unfortunately, he makes a big mess. How will George solve the problem?

Title: Curious George and the Puppies
Author: Margaret Rey
Illustrator: H.A. Rey
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-544-14858-1
Pages: 24
Price: $5.00 at Kohl’s

Buy it at Kohl’s

George and the man in the yellow hat visit the animal shelter. George is asked not to open any of the cages, since one puppy is on the loose and no one can find him. But he’s curious about the puppies, and sets them all free. Maybe they’ll find the missing pup while they’re rounding up the others.

Kohl’s Cares for Kids: Kohl’s sells kid-friendly cause merchandise, with 100 percent of the net profit donated to support kids’ health and education initiatives in communities nationwide. Since 2000, more than $208 million has been raised nationwide.

Shop online or visit a Kohl’s near you to purchase these great Kohl’s Cares® cause merchandise items and help kids in your community.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite!

August 5, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Niki Masse Schoenfeldt
Illustrator: John Wes Thomas
Publisher: Shenanigan Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-934860-13-7
Pages: 32
Price: $15.95

Author’s website
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When a little girl is tucked into bed and warned not to let the bedbugs bite, she suddenly becomes wary of any bug crawling near her. So when a robed and slippered ladybug gets her attention, out comes the bug spray. She soon realizes her mistake and allows the harmless and friendly aphid eater to sleep in her bed.

Told in rhyme, Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite! is a cute tale of girl meets bug. The illustrations perfectly accompany this poem, and the little ladybug is adorable. This sweet story would make a perfect read at bedtime, as parents remind their children not to let the bedbugs bite. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, classics

Little Witch

August 2, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Anna Elizabeth Bennett
Illustrator: Helen Stone
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-61608-964-1
Pages: 128
Price: $12.95

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Minikin Snickasnee (Minx) is the nine year-old daughter of the town witch. Her mother is evil, and won’t let her go to school or play with the other children. In fact, she dislikes children so much she turns them into flowerpots. Minx hates being a little witch, and desperately wants to be a normal girl.

Not one to sit around hopelessly, waiting for things to change, Minx decides to go to school, in spite of her mother’s wrath. She casts spells, hoping for the right one to bring what she longs for. And she makes friends, even though she’s putting them in danger of becoming flowerpots. One day, everything does change, as her efforts are finally successful, and she is able to live the life of her dreams.

Little Witch was first introduced in 1953, and this 60th anniversary edition brings this classic back into print. It was named #7 in a School Library Journal poll of top 100 children’s novels, and tops the “most in demand” list of out of print books. In this reprint, nothing is lost of the original, with all illustrations and font intact. If you read Little Witch in your youth, and want to share this timeless treasure with your own kids, this is a must-have edition for your collection.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

The Royal Nappy

August 1, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author & Illustrator: Nicholas Allan
Publisher: Red Fox
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-782-95025-7
Pages: 32
Price: $10.99

Author’s website
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Royal babies need royal nappies, or diapers, for those of us on this side of the pond. But what kind of nappies would those be? Nanny has been keeping track of them for centuries, as each new king is born. Nappies come in lots of different styles. They can be printed with flag patterns for visiting foreign guests. Or parachutes, for when inside a helicopter. And they can even be super shiny for a slide along the palace floor.

A nappy emergency can happen when nappies are printed instead of money. Or if the nappies run completely out. Now that would be a royal stink! Good thing someone has a spare.

This cute book is perfect for children, who will be delighted by this lighthearted nappy humor. The Royal Nappy is fun and harmless, with no vulgarity. Despite the dirty nappies, this book is clean and a pure joy to read. And if you find Allan’s humor enjoyable, you might also like some of his other books poking fun at reproduction, bums, and the urge to use the bathroom quickly.

Reviewer: Alice Berger