tween

Goodbye Tchaikovsky

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Michael Thal
Publisher: Royal Fireworks Press
Genre: Middle Grade
ISBN: 978-0-88092-469-6
Price:  $9.99

Author’s website
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David Rothman is on top of the world. After bringing down the house as soloist in the Youth Orchestra, he and the group are invited to play for the Queen of England. But just days after his triumphant moment, he suddenly finds himself unable to hear a single note.

Deafness has struck the Rothmans in the past, and now David has the family curse. Playing the violin is as meaningless to him as holding a stick of wood, since he can’t hear the music. Putting it down for good, he embarks on a journey to understand and deal with his new course of life.

Over the next six years, David enrolls in a school for the deaf, switching to mainstream high school once he is proficient enough in communication. He makes new friends and learns to adjust, hoping he will eventually find a career path to follow. And when he graduates from high school, he heads off to a mainstream college, finally knowing exactly what he is called to do.

Finding yourself deaf, literally overnight, is a scary thing, and David’s response to his disability is understandable. It takes courage to accept what he can’t change, and he tries to make the best of a bad situation. Goodbye Tchaikovsky is a touching portrayal of a boy who just wants to fit in, but finds himself pulled between the hearing and the deaf world. Ultimately, what he really needs to find is himself.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

sports, teen

Download Basketball

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Alison Hawes
Publisher: Hameray
Genre: Teens / Sports
ISBN: 978-1-60559-003-5
Pages: 48
Price: $9.95

Buy it from Hameray

Basketball is a fun sport for boys and girls of all ages. But how is it played, and who are all those people on the court? If basketball looks interesting to you and you want to know more about its history, stars, and rules, you’ll need to read Download Basketball.

Basketball is a fast-paced game, and this book is set up to be a fast read. Position players, scorekeepers, and referees are all introduced, with explanations of what each does. Court markings and how they’re used to score, and what to wear to stay cool and comfortable, help in learning to play the game. And no book about any sport would be complete without a history of its beginnings, as well as legends who dazzled the crowds with their prowess.

The Download series was created to support striving readers for whom reading is a difficult or frustrating task. This series would be great in engaging kids ages 9-14, reading at age level 7-8.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Christian, inspiration, music

Songs of Mary

Bergers Book Reviews

Sung by: Various Artists
Producer: Sounds True
Genre: Christian inspiration

Buy it at Amazon

Mary has been revered and adored for centuries as the mother of Jesus Christ. Songs of her worship and praise date back to the early Catholic church. In this collection, various artists join in honoring the Blessed Mother.

Many of these songs are reminiscent of a medieval Catholic church, with plain chant and a minimum of instrumental accompaniment. But there are also Celtic and Spanish influences, reminding us of how much Mary is honored all over the world. A songbook is included with this CD, giving us the words as they are actually sung, in addition to the English translations.

Listen to this music reverently, in anticipation of receiving Mary’s blessings, healing, and guidance.  These beautiful and powerful vocals will inspire all who hear them.

Reviewer:  Alice Berger

children

Oscar Did It!

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Joy Cowley
Illustrator: Don Tate
Publisher: Hameray
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-60559-368-5
Pages: 16
Price: $5.95

Author’s website
Buy it from Hameray

Poor Oscar always gets blamed for everything. If the older children make a mess or do something they shouldn’t, they tell their mom “Oscar did it!” But Oscar finally gets even with them when lunch is served.

Oscar Did It! is part of the Joy Cowley collection, meant for classroom use. At the end of the text, lesson pointers for teachers are provided for guiding discussions about this story. Features like punctuation marks, repeated sentence patterns, and consequences of actions are summarized.

This fun read will have kids giggling as Oscar gets his revenge. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

history, nature

Right Where You Are Now

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Lisa Montierth
Illustrator: Ashley Burke
Publisher: Craigmore Creations
Genre: Nature / History
ISBN: 978-0-9844422-2-5
Pages: 32
Price: $16.95

Author’s website
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The landscape of the earth has not always looked as it does now. Buildings, roads, and bridges now cover the land where only forests and water used to be. And today’s animals look very different from those who roamed the planet in the past.

In Right Where You Are Now, kids can see things as they are now, and how they might have looked a long time ago. Colorful illustrations detail the different animals and natural elements that existed then. And a visual dictionary is provided, with more information on these extinct animals and monumental events in earth history.

Travel back in time and visit earth when it was still young. This is sure to be a journey kids will enjoy!

Check out this fun trailer, which can be found at Vimeo and YouTube

Reviewer: Alice Berger

biography, history

Davy Crockett: A True American Hero

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Kaitlyn Nichols
Publisher: Hameray
Genre: Biography / History
ISBN: 978-1-60559-057-8
Pages: 40
Price: $8.95

Buy it from Hameray

Davy Crockett is one of the more fascinating United States historical figures. Whether he was ranching and hunting, serving as a congressman, or battling at the Alamo, Crockett did nothing in half measures. He lived his life to the fullest, always searching for the next adventure.

In this biography, kids in grades 3-8 will share in the adventures of Crockett’s life. Written for reluctant readers, this series is meant to match the social studies curriculum, but at least two levels below their grade.

This easy to read biography of Davy Crockett would be a great addition to school libraries and classrooms studying his heroic actions.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

history

Strange But True, America

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: John Hafnor
Illustrator: Dale Crawford
Publisher: Lone Pine Productions
Genre: History / Trivia
ISBN: 978-0-9648175-5-5
Pages: 160
Price: $16.95

Author’s website
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Strange But True, America is not your typical compilation of “weird” or unusual stories. Many books of this ilk are only interesting if there is some direct connection to the reader. Not so with John Hafnor’s entertaining book of strange tales that highlights each of the 50 states.

The reader will quickly discover that after initially reading the story from their favorite state, any one of the others may be of equal or greater interest. The accounts are not only fascinating but based in historical fact. Hafnor uses only one or two pages to weave each individual tale, but that’s all he needs to fulfill his mission of “selecting the most compelling tale from your home state…and every state.” The vignettes are cleverly supplemented with an illustration by Dale Crawford that neatly augments the narratives.

You can read about an underground mine fire in Pennsylvania that caused almost an entire town to uproot their families and flee their homes. How about the legend of Poker Jim in North Dakota where he “literally dropped in on a game after his death!” Or what could be the connection between “Easy Eddie,” a certain pal of Al Capone, and how O’Hare International Airport got its name?

And when you’re through devouring these, you can turn to the section entitled, Thumbing Through America’s Weird Past, for pages of other little known facts of our country’s history.

The book is an easy and lively read that will appeal to folks of all ages and varying interests. Read it cover to cover or when the mood strikes. Regardless, it will not disappoint.

Reviewer: Gene Berger

children

Yogurt the Ogre: The Big Tale of the Not-So-Tidy Whale

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: David Rendimonti
Illustrator: Agnes Garbowska
Publisher: pdo!nk
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-09868013-0-3
Pages: 32
Price: $17.99

Author’s website
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Yogurt the Ogre likes to pretend he’s a big whale. But whales are messy, splashing water on unsuspecting creatures, tracking mud through the house, and sloshing tub water onto the floor while bathing. Yogurt is not a tidy whale, and his parents scold him for his behavior.

After a good night’s sleep and time to reflect on what they’ve said, Yogurt decides an apology is needed. He makes amends to all those he had unintentionally harmed the day before. Now he knows it’s great to have fun, but only if his fun doesn’t cause problems for others.

Kids don’t mean to be untidy, so they need to learn how their behavior affects others. Yogurt the Ogre shows them how to act, in a gentle and non-preaching manner. This series is a fun read for all children.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

The Rose and the Lily

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Susan Ross
Illustrator: Megan Stiver
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9810634-6-1
Pages: 36
Price: $12.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Poor King William is desperate to marry off his spoiled daughter, Rose. Suitors come from near and far, but no one is good enough for her. She finally agrees that Prince Sterling might be a potential husband, but only if he brings her the perfect hairpin.

Prince Sterling is enchanted by Rose’s beauty, and gladly sets off on a quest to find her hairpin. But each time he returns to see her, she rejects him and his gifts. Lily, a plain and simple village girl, helps Prince Sterling by taking care of his horse and chatting with him about his quest. As the Prince gets to know both ladies, he finds Rose gets uglier and Lily prettier every day.

It’s a well-known truism that beauty is only skin-deep. In The Rose and the Lily kids will see this for themselves, as Lily’s beauty shines brightly from the inside. As this story clearly demonstrates, character will always be more important than appearance.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

self improvement

People Are Idiots and I Can Prove It!

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Larry Winget
Publisher: Gotham Books
Genre: Self-improvement
ISBN: 978-1-592-40437-7
Pages: 224
Price: $25.00

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Some people set goals in life with many being lofty, modest, or otherwise. It could mean embarking on a new career, improving a financial mess, or finally sticking to a renewed lifestyle of diet and exercise. While intentions may be good, excuses, bad decisions, lack of action, and other “idiotic” behavior sabotage their efforts.

Larry Winget’s book, PEOPLE ARE IDIOTS AND I CAN PROVE IT! can lead a person out of the doldrums and help them attain their goals. That is, if they’re tough enough for some honest criticism, and can take his “in your face” brand of truthfulness and assessment. Winget believes that a little kick in the pants never hurt anybody, and it could make you realize that what you really want out of life, you truly have to work to get.

A good number of folks never realize their dreams or aspirations and become frustrated in the process. Winget good-naturedly explains why people are idiots and flounder in a sea of frustration. The high point is that he provides clear and precise ways to reverse the idiocy with a series of “fixes.” His methods are motivational and honest, and folks are encouraged to take a clear assessment of themselves and their lives. A chapter of “action lists” can firmly place one on the path to success and a sense of achievement.

If you are ready to do some true and deliberate soul-searching, while being guided by an author who has been there and done that, then this book should help you immensely. It is not, however, for the sensitive or the proud. But the book will help those who wish to cleverly play their cards they’ve been given as they travel on the road to success and personal fulfillment.

Reviewer: Gene Berger