Books

Summer Book Reviews

WASHINGTON INFORMER — The truth is, though, summer’s halfway over and you’ve done everything you wanted to do so now you’re (do you dare say it?) bored. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek! So maybe it’s time to find some fun inside a book. These three have what you need.

Published

6 years ago

July 31, 2019

Oakland Post

By Terri Schlichenmeyer

“The Floor is Lava” by Ivan Brett
c.2019, Gallery Books
$14.99 (higher in Canada)
252 pages

“You Are Awesome” by Matthew Syed
c.2019, Sourcebooks
$14.99 (higher in Canada)
160 pages

“United Tastes of America: An Atlas of Food Facts & Recipes from Every State!” by Gabrielle Langholtz, drawings by Jenny Bowers, photos by DL Acken
c.2019, Phaidon
$29.95 ($39.95 Canada)
239 pages

Mom says if she hears it one more time, she’s going to scream.

The truth is, though, summer’s halfway over and you’ve done everything you wanted to do so now you’re (do you dare say it?) bored. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek! So maybe it’s time to find some fun inside a book. These three have what you need…

If you think you’ve played every game there is this summer, look inside “The Floor is Lava” by Ivan Brett,and think again. In this book, you’ll find all kinds of games you can play by yourself or with others, with or without props, non-electronically, at home or anywhere you happen to be.

Play “Murder in Paradise” while you still have some vacation left. Get your baby brother to play the “Squiggle Challenge” with you. Try “The Silent Game” when your parents say you should simmer down. Play “Six Degrees of Separation” with a smarty pants. Here’s another tip: if you’re a babysitter, there are things in this book that little kids can play, too, and that’ll make you the best babysitter ever.

So let’s say you’re spending the rest of your summer by yourself, no other kids around. Then you need “You Are Awesome” by Matthew Syed, a good sharp pencil and a good sharp mind. That’s because this book is going to make you think, but in a good way that you’ll like. It’ll give you a nice confidence boost, and some stories to read that will show you how others became their most awesome selves, too.

And finally, here’s a way to beat boredom and get fed: “United Tastes of America” by Gabrielle Langholtz, drawings by Jenny Bowers, photos by DL Acken. Yum, this cookbook will teach you all about the foods beloved by folks in each state of America, and a few facts about the states themselves. Then, you’ll find recipes you can try with the help of an adult because some recipes are easy but some are really challenging and you’ll want expert assistance in the kitchen.

Bon appetite! No more excuses. And with these great books – no more boredom!

More than perhaps anything in the world, you hate when your child utters the “B-word.” Boredom should be banished, so eliminate it with these three fun books.

No matter what kind of kid you’ve got – quiet, boisterous, loner, or friend-magnet – these three books speak to that child’s heart. “The Floor is Lava” is for groups of kids or just one or two, and most of its activities require little-to-no materials. It’s the perfect book to spark imagination and creativity. “You Are Awesome” is great for the introspective child, or the kid who needs a boost for this fall; any child who’s heading to a new school will benefit from it. And “United Tastes of America” is great for the budding chef but be sure you stick around to help.

These books are just right for kids ages 10-and-up and are not just for summer. Get them, and your kids will scream with fun any time.

This post originally appeared in The Washington Informer.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

Published

6 days ago

January 2, 2026

Oakland Post

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Advice

BOOK REVIEW: Let Me Be Real With You

At first look, this book might seem like just any other self-help offering. It’s inspirational for casual reader and business reader, both, just like most books in this genre. Dig a little deeper, though, and you’ll spot what makes “Let Me Be Real With You” stand out.

Published

2 weeks ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

Book cover of Let Me Be Real With You and author Arshay Cooper. Courtesy of HarperOne.

By Terri Schlichenmeyer

Author: Arshay Cooper, Copyright: c.2025, Publisher: HarperOne, SRP: $26.00, Page Count: 40 Pages

The hole you’re in is a deep one.

You can see the clouds above, and they look like a storm; you sense the wind, and it’s cold. It’s dark down there, and lonesome, too. You feel like you were born there — but how do you get out of the deep hole you’re in? You read the new book “Let Me Be Real With You” by Arshay Cooper. You find a hand-up and bring someone with you.

In the months after his first book was published, Cooper received a lot of requests to speak to youth about his life growing up on the West Side of Chicago, his struggles, and his many accomplishments. He was poor, bullied, and belittled, but he knew that if he could escape those things, he would succeed. He focused on doing what was best, and right. He looked for mentors and strove to understand when opportunities presented themselves.

Still, his early life left him with trauma. Here, he shows how it’s overcome-able.

We must always have hope, Cooper says, but hope is “merely the catalyst for action. The hope we receive must transform into the hope we give.”

Learn to tell your own story, as honestly as you know it. Be open to suggestions, and don’t dismiss them without great thought. Know that masculinity doesn’t equal stoicism; we are hard-wired to need other people, and sharing “pain and relatability can dissipate shame and foster empathy in powerful ways.”

Remember that trauma is intergenerational, and it can be passed down from parent to child. Let your mentors see your potential. Get therapy, if you need it; there’s no shame in it, and it will help, if you learn to trust it. Enjoy the outdoors when you can. Learn self-control. Give back to your community. Respect your financial wellness. Embrace your intelligence. Pick your friends and relationships wisely. “Do it afraid.”

And finally, remember that “You were born to soar to great heights and rule the sky.”

You just needed someone to tell you that.

With a willingness to discuss the struggles he tackled in the past, Cooper writes with a solidly honest voice that’s exceptionally believable, and not one bit dramatic. You won’t find unnecessarily embellished stories or tall tales here, either; Cooper instead uses his real experiences to help readers understand that there are few things that are truly insurmountable. He then explains how one’s past can shape one’s future, and how today’s actions can change the future of the world.

“Let Me Be Real With You” is full of motivation, and instruction that’s do-able for adults and teens. If you need that, or if you’ve vowed to do better this coming year, it might help make you whole.