Bergers Book Reviews

Brilliant Hues (From Sadie’s Sketchbook)

April 16, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Naomi Kinsman
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Genre: Tween / Christian
ISBN: 978-0-310-72668-5
Pages: 224
Price: $7.99

Sadie is finally returning to California, now that her father’s job has ended in Michigan. Although a year ago she would have been thrilled, now she has mixed emotions. While she is eager to join her best friend back home, leaving her new friends behind will hurt.

But if Sadie thought her father’s work would get easier now, she is very wrong. His newest case has strong controversy, and she suddenly finds herself threatened by one of the parties involved. And when she lets her heart control her, she’s really in a predicament.

Sadie is a likeable girl with a heart of gold. She cares deeply for people and compassionately shares their hurts. But in this book, I thought the bounds of believability were pushed a little too far. I struggled with understanding how her parents gave in to her when she made her requests at the end of this story. And I really feel that twelve is much too young to be seriously thinking about a boyfriend.

Brilliant Hues is the fourth book in the From Sadie’s Sketchbook series. [See also Waves of Light, Flickering Hope and Shades of Truth.] Combining challenging situations with growing faith lessons, this series shows real life handled from a Christian perspective. Girls will love reading about Sadie and her friends, while also seeing a great role model.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

fantasy, teen

Dolores Fletcher, Cobweb Catcher

April 15, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Kathryn Rose Jacoby
Publisher: CreateSpace
Genre: Teen
ISBN: 978-1478289906
Pages: 126
Price: $5.95

Buy it at Amazon

After graduating from flight school, sixteen year-old Dolores Fletcher is now ready to face her life’s mission. As official Cobweb Catcher, she will rid homes of the giant spiders nesting there. Coming from a long line of Cobweb Catchers, she is proud of her heritage and eager to begin her work. But sometimes things aren’t what they seem.

After her aunt has left for Florida, Dolores finds an outcast ghost inhabiting her home. Since he has nowhere else to go and she’s lonely, she asks him to stay. Then her great-great-great-grandmother’s ghost joins him. Triple-G, as Dolores calls her, fills her in on the family history, encouraging her to follow in her footsteps. Dolores is very good at what she does, and soon a new problem develops, forcing her to decide on her future as Cobweb Catcher.

Dolores Fletcher, Cobweb Catcher is a cute fantasy of a young witch trying to find her own way in the world. She is an endearing girl that readers will cheer for. I would have enjoyed a little more character development, which would have been helpful in understanding the motives behind some of their actions. But overall, this is a nice story with a happy ending.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, Christian

Nora’s Ark

April 12, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Eileen Spinelli
Illustrator: Nora Hilb
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Genre: Children / Christian
ISBN: 978-0310720065
Pages: 32
Price: $14.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

The weatherman predicted rain. So Nora built an ark. Just like Noah. Well… not just like Noah. Nora wants to follow Noah’s actions, but she’s limited by what she has on-hand. She goes ahead anyway, doing everything to the best of her ability.

Nora’s ark is made from items she finds in storage. She can only round up pairs of a few animals, and the people she invites on the ark have to leave. Even Nora sneaks off for a little while. The rain only lasts a short while, unlike in Noah’s day. But a magnificent rainbow appears after the rain, just like Noah’s.

The Bible story of Noah and the flood is one children are usually very familiar with at a young age. So it’s endearing to see a girl act out the story on her own. And God is still abiding by his covenant with his people, which we can be sure of when we see the rainbow. Nora’s Ark is a delightful story with lovely illustrations. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

fitness, teen

A Girl’s Guide to Fitting in Fitness

April 11, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Erin Whitehead & Jennipher Walters
Publisher: Zest Books
Genre: Teen / Fitness
ISBN: 9781936976300
Pages: 128
Price: $12.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Teen girls have so much going on that it’s hard to make time for health. But to be happy and successful in all areas of life, it’s important to take care of themselves. In A Girl’s Guide to Fitting in Fitness, authors Erin Whitehead and Jennipher Walters show girls the changes they can make to be more active.

Fitness begins with healthy eating, and proper diet is presented, with an understanding that we all occasionally indulge in foods that aren’t good for us. But since teen girls are also prone to anorexia and bulimia, this book also shares the signs of an unhealthy eating obsession. Developing a fitness routine is encouraged, and sample fun workouts are included. We all know it’s harder to stick with a program when real life interferes, and tips are provided on how to succeed at school, on weekends and during the summer.

Today’s teen girls are busier than ever, so it takes some planning to fit healthy habits into their schedules. Speaking in their language, A Girl’s Guide to Fitting in Fitness is perfectly suited to their needs as they learn to take better care of themselves.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

adventure, cooking, dogs

Pipper’s Secret Ingredient

April 8, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Jane Murphy & Allison Fingerhuth
Illustrator: Neal Sharp
Publisher: Mutt Media
Genre: Adventure
ISBN: 978-0-615-38808-3
Pages: 145
Price: $16.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Pipper’s food blog is popular, and her readers expect her to dish up some tasty morsels. But Pipper is stumped, and doesn’t know what her next topic should be. When she meets with her friends, she stumbles on the idea of finding the “secret ingredient” to the best biscuit. They help her make arrangements, and off she goes on a trip around the world.

Unbeknownst to her, Bull Bogus of Bogus Biscuits has sent out a spy, hot on her tail. Bumbles follows diligently behind, leaving chaos in his wake. But Pipper has been warned about Bumbles, and she’s watching for him. Pipper meets some interesting characters and samples some wonderful food along the way. And when she finally discovers the secret ingredient, her friends agree. Her blog is a success, as is her newest enterprise.

Pipper’s Secret Ingredient blends adventure, friendship, and food in delightful proportions. Kids will enjoy Pipper’s travels, while cheering for her to outsmart Bumbles. And everyone will agree that the secret ingredient is perfect, and well worth the search. I highly recommend this entertaining adventure.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, Christian

Lily’s Easter Party

April 4, 2013April 4, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Crystal Bowman
Illustrator: Richard Johnson
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Genre: Children / Easter
ISBN: 978-0-310-72595-4
Pages: 40
Price: $7.99

Buy it at Amazon

Lily’s parents are planning to hide eggs for Lily and her brother to find. Lily can hardly wait, so she invites her friends to join them. But when the day arrives, they find a big surprise. These aren’t ordinary eggs – they’re Resurrection eggs.

No toys are placed inside these eggs – instead they find symbols of the Easter story. A guide for what each symbol represents, plus the appropriate Bible verses, is provided. As each egg is opened, Lily’s parents explain the item’s significance.

For me, personally, this was a nice story until the egg with the chalice was opened. At this point, Lily’s mom tells her that it represents the Last Supper. But her mother uses the word “like” in this explanation, which is not in the Bible: “…the wine was like his blood” and “… the bread was like his body.” This wording is not biblically accurate.

For those who don’t take these words of Jesus literally and don’t mind an interpretation, this is a cute Easter book. But for those who expect the literal words and not a paraphrase of what Jesus said, this book is not a good choice.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, Christian

The Easter Story for Children

April 2, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Authors: Max Lucado, Randy Frazee, Karen Davis Hill
Illustrator: Fausto Bianchi
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Genre: Children / Bible
ISBN: 978-0-310-73594-6
Pages: 32
Price: $6.99

Buy it at Amazon

The Easter Story for Children is a fictional account of Jesus’ last days before his crucifixion, death and resurrection. Loosely based on the Bible, it attempts to share this account in a story format with graphic-style illustrations.

However, this story is not biblically accurate. The wording of the Last Supper is not only incorrect, it appears to be intentionally misleading. Matthew 26: 26-28 (NIV) states: “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.'” The Easter Story for Children interprets these words of Jesus as: Jesus told them that the bread was like his own body that would be given for them. Also: “This cup of wine is a reminder of my promise to be your Savior.”

While I can certainly understand there may be different interpretations of this Bible text, I don’t feel that changes to the actual words of Jesus should have been made in a book that is supposed to be sharing the Easter story with children. They need to hear the actual words Jesus spoke, not a misrepresentation of these words.

I really expected better from Zonderkidz and Max Lucado. I’m disappointed with this book, and I can’t recommend it to anyone who desires biblical accuracy in children’s Bible stories.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, Christian

Jesus Enters Jerusalem / He Is Risen

March 28, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Publisher: Zonderkidz
Genre: Children / Bible
ISBN: 978-0-310-73513-7
Pages: 32
Price: $4.99

Buy it at Amazon

Zonderkidz presents The Beginner’s Bible version of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and the message of His Resurrection. Told in a storybook format, this flip book shares the good news with kids.

Illustrations are colorful and the crucifixion is portrayed in a non-gruesome manner, suitable for very young children. Stickers of the various scenes are also provided, so kids can recreate the narrative for themselves.

The story of the first Easter is one every Christian child should be very familiar with. Zonderkidz has given parents a great resource in making sure their kids know how much Jesus really loves them.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

audio book, children

March of the Ants

March 26, 2013March 28, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Anna-Christina
Produced by: Busy Bees Publishing

Free Download at Music Audio Stories

Sid is the smallest of the ants, and no one notices him at all. One day he joins the others in a march of the ants, and soon grows very tired. But when a storm suddenly soaks them with rain, it’s up to Sid to save the others from the rising waters.

This audio production of March of the Ants includes a lively soundtrack as a background for the march. The story is told in rhyme and includes character voices and nature sounds throughout the narrative. The pace is quick, as befitting a march, and will draw kids in with young Sid’s heroism.

As Music Audio Stories says on their website: “These special audio books can be enjoyed by children of all ages but are tailored for the blind as well. They can also be a useful learning tool for children with impaired vision or vision disabilities.” March of the Ants is a fun story that kids will love to hear over and over again.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

The Deductive Detective

March 25, 2013 Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Brian Rock
Illustrator: Sherry Rogers
Publisher: Sylvan Dell Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-60718-6250
Pages: 32
Price: $9.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

The animals are having a cake contest, and one of the cakes is missing! Who could have stolen the cake? Detective Duck is on the case, and he will determine the culprit.

Using deductive reasoning, Detective Duck eliminates each suspect, one at a time. As he discovers each clue, he is able to decide that one animal could not have stolen the cake, based on that clue. Narrowing the contestants down from twelve to just one, he solves the crime.

The Deductive Detective is a clever whodunit geared toward younger readers. As they follow along, they experience deductive reasoning for themselves, along with some clever puns by the animals cleared of the crime. Future mystery enthusiasts will enjoy this fun story.

Reviewer: Alice Berger