Dear Deer Friend

Author & Illustrator: Jodi L. Schirmer
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-4327-2540-2
Pages: 24
Price: $11.95

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Clay is a typical house cat. He enjoys the things cats love – sleeping, eating, and going outside. But one day he discovers a new friend waiting for him there. Based on the author’s true-life experience of her own cat’s adventures, Dear Deer Friend tells of Clay’s surprising encounter with a deer.

As an animal lover, I was looking forward to the author’s exploration of this unusual meeting, but I felt disappointed that it was glossed over a little too quickly. For the most part, this book touches on ordinary feline behavior, sharing no new viewpoints on their quirks. I would have preferred if the author had written this story in simple prose, rather than limerick style, and shared more of how Clay and the deer reacted to each other when they met.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Tasha Finds Her Forever Friend

Author: Deborah J. Hall
Publisher: BunnyBud Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0981812199
Pages: 28
Price: $9.50

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Tasha is a German Shepherd with a special purpose. As a graduate of the Summit Assistance Dogs school, she has the skills to help those who are physically challenged do some of the things they find difficult.  But she still doesn’t have a special person to live with.

Tasha has learned a lot from her teacher, Baker, a golden retriever. She can open doors, get the telephone, and carry things, as well as pick up things her person has dropped and help her person stand up.  When she meets Cecily, a girl who has difficulty walking due to Cerebral Palsy, it’s love at first sight.

Tasha and her friends love to help people, and now they want to teach others about special dogs like them. BunnyBud Books are designed to show kids how dogs can help people with disabilities.

By using the dogs’ perspectives, these stories come alive in a more personal manner than simple instruction.  The photos are of actual dogs in action, as they demonstrate how they can help people.  Fun to read, informative, and enjoyable, BunnyBud Books are a great resource in sharing the work of these wonderful dogs who do so much good for the people they live with.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Flippy Goes on a Road Trippy

Author: John Mese & Dawn Kelsey
Illustrator: Chanler Holden
Publisher: Moss Covered Gumbo Barn
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9725853-4-7
Pages: 36
Price: $13.95

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Flippy, the free-spirited tadpole, is taking a road trip with his friends, Toadpole, Crawdaddy, Duke, Halimagator, and Eartha. So it’s time to pack up the car and join him to see the sights!

Fun rhymes and colorful pictures show us the wonderful adventures Flippy and his buddies find, as they road trip across the USA. The beach, Dixieland, Flippywood, Manhattan, and other places come alive through the sights, sounds, and smells Flippy encounters.

An enjoyable read that kids will love, Flippy Goes on a Road Trippy is entertaining as well as educational, opening horizons to places as yet unseen. You’re sure to enjoy the ride!

Reviewer: Alice Berger

The Deal Is On Strike Three

Author: Peter Fertig & Rudy Saviano
Illustrator: Penny Musso Weber
Publisher: RSI Publishing
Genre: Children / Baseball
ISBN: 978-0615228648
Pages: 45
Price: $15.95

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The Mighty Casey became a legend when he struck out to end the game. But although there was no joy in Mudville that day, was there perhaps a deeper reason for such an ignominious fate?

The Deal Is On Strike Three tells a tale most folks have never heard – how an evil man had bargained for Casey’s soul, and how his son is given the opportunity to save him. In the same poetic style of the original, the authors share Casey’s son’s secret bargain.

Professional sports offer the promise of fame and fortune, but at what price? This book gives kids another view of the choices players make as they attempt to make a name for themselves. But how much are they willing to give up for fame? The deals they make may be with the devil himself.

“When the final out is made, and the outcome has been sealed, everyone’s a winner, who has played upon the field.” The Deal Is On Strike Three is a great baseball story with a positive message. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Shoot the Moon

Author: Billie Letts
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Mystery
ISBN: 978-1-446-40114-2
Pages: 368
Price: $7.99

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In 1972, a young mother, Gaylene Harjo, was murdered and her infant son disappeared. Though a suspect was arrested on two counts of murder, he died in jail and was never brought to trial.

Now, nearly thirty years later, Mark Albright has just discovered he’s adopted, and his real name is Nicky Jack Harjo – the missing boy. He returns to DeClare, Oklahoma to meet his birth mother, and suddenly finds himself digging up skeletons that someone would rather keep buried.

Shoot the Moon is a delightful mystery with an interesting cast and setting. Ivy, Mark’s “cousin,” seems to be his complete opposite, yet he’s strangely attracted to her. O Boy, the sheriff, is keeping secrets Mark needs to discover. And the old domino boys share their unique philosophy on shooting the moon.

A great read and a page-turner, Shoot the Moon will appeal to those who love a good mystery with a little romance, humor, and some very human characters. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Weebeastology Vol. 1

Illustrator: Micah Linton
Publisher: Beast Stew
Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy
ISBN: 978-0-9801888-5-1
Pages: 166
Price: $24.99

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The fictional species of weebeasts, also known as gremlins, pixies, elves, and trolls, have left behind a remarkable series of pictures showing what life is like in their world. After exhaustive research, the Weebeastology Discovery Team has compiled these scenes into the first volume of weebeastology.

Boxed into a 3-book set, these scenes show weebeasts as they go about their daily business, but alas, these unique creatures left no language to go with the pictures. The interpreter must decide what these scenes represent.

Illustrator Micah Linton creates this unusual world in pencil and watercolor, stimulating the imagination with his pictures. This set is targeted towards ages 9-12, but all those who like to use their own creativity in exploration would find them enjoyable. Graphic novels without the words, they invite you to create your own characters and stories, as many times as you like.

If you think you’re up to the challenge of joining the Weebeastology Discovery Team, you need to take a look at these volumes and help them try to figure out the weebeast history. It’s sure to be a great adventure.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Hello, My Name Is Baker

Author: Deborah J. Hall
Publisher: BunnyBud Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0981812144
Pages: 32
Price: $11.95

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Baker is a golden retriever with a special purpose. As a graduate of the Summit Assistance Dogs school, he has the skills to help those who are physically challenged do some of the things they find difficult.

Along with some of his friends, Baker shows us the skills that he’s learned. He can open doors, get the telephone, and carry things, as well as pick up things his person has dropped and help his person stand up.

Baker and his friends love to help people, and now they want to teach others about special dogs like them. BunnyBud Books are designed to show kids how dogs can help people with disabilities.

By using the dogs’ perspectives, these stories come alive in a more personal manner than simple instruction.  The photos are of actual dogs in action, as they demonstrate how they can help people.  Fun to read, informative, and enjoyable, BunnyBud Books are a great resource in sharing the work of these wonderful dogs who do so much good for the people they live with.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Green Goes With Everything

Author: Sloan Barnett
Publisher: Atria Books
Genre: House & Home
ISBN: 978-1-4165-7845-1
Pages: 306
Price: $19.95

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As more and more chemical-laden products show up in our homes, many people have questioned how they will affect our bodies. Sloan Barnett learned this firsthand when her son was diagnosed with asthma, mostly due to the use of her own cleaning products. In her quest to keep her home less toxic for her son, she realized others could learn from her experience, and wrote Green Goes With Everything.

Going green touches on many areas of our lives, and Barnett breaks these down into manageable chunks: cleaning our bodies, cleaning our homes, organic food, clean water, clean air, and clean energy. Several of the most toxic chemicals are explained in detail, with alternatives if we choose to eliminate them from our lives. The author asserts that converting to green products might be time-consuming and expensive, but ultimately will be worth it in improved health and wellness.

Although this book is a good resource for those attempting to “go green,” I felt it lacked in several places. Barnett appears to favor an all-or-nothing approach in some cases, but yet also encourages making small changes. She doesn’t address the costs of green choices, assuming we all have the budgets to make these changes simply and easily, when in reality, most of us could not afford a completely green lifestyle.

I often felt I was reading an infomercial for Shaklee, the company Barnett’s husband heads. While I admire Shaklee for producing fine quality products, I felt there should have been more of a balance in promoting other equally fine organic and non-toxic products as well – or none at all.

If you’ve ever thought about living a green lifestyle, Green Goes With Everything will provide good, solid proof of exactly why it might be a good idea to make the switch. But do your own research in finding the companies that suit you best. There are a lot of great products out there and many are as close to you as your own grocery store.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

From Fat to Fit

Author: Carole Carson
Publisher: Hound Press
Genre: Health & Fitness
ISBN:978-0-9766030-9-2
Pages: 248
Price: $14.95

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Facing her 60th birthday only months away, Carole Carson made the decision that it was time to get fit. With the help of a personal trainer, she set a goal to lose 40 lbs in four months. In order to motivate herself and maybe a few other folks, she asked her local newspaper if she could write an article for the senior section. She had no idea the newspaper had other ideas for her story.

From Fat to Fit chronicles Carson’s 16-week journey through her own personal program of weight loss and nutrition. But the story doesn’t end there. Instead, she determined to take the message of health and fitness to her community in an effort to help as many people as she could.  This “meltdown,” as it became known, spread like wildfire, and information is provided on starting your own community group.

This book is written for everyone – not just the youthful and super-athletic. If you’ve made health and fitness a priority this year, you’ll find Carson’s message to be inspirational and motivational. Full of common-sense wisdom, From Fat to Fit will help you reach your own goals.

Reviewer: Alice Berger