BookAwards.com
Award-Winning Books from Today's Best Authors
A Free Resource for Book Lovers, Authors, Agents, Publishers and Journalists
Recommend this book:
Breathe
A Memoir of Motherhood, Grief, and Family Conflict
Kelly Kittel
2015 Honorable Mention
384 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Memoir
Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite
In Kelly Kittel's Breathe: A Memoir of Motherhood, Grief, and Family Conflict, a woman understands the value of real family and the sacrifices you need to make to keep it safe. Kelly Kittel had learnt early on that family is everything. That has been the only thing that actually mattered to her. She has a beautiful fifteen-month-old son and a husband who adores her; was there anything else she needed in life to make it even more perfect?
Her world comes crashing down when her sixteen-year-old niece runs her infant son over by car. Too soon after that, her doctor makes a terrible mistake and she and her husband have to bury yet another child. If the family she cherished does not stand by her, then what is family for? Was it all for nothing? As she tries to keep her family together at this terrible time, she is questioning everything. What is real family? Did she actually have it or was it just an illusion.
Kelly Kittel's Breathe: A Memoir of Motherhood, Grief, and Family Conflict was a heartbreaking book. I expected a lot of heartbreak and emotion, but this was a lot more than that. I was immersed in Kelly's life, I felt her pain and her hardship. I really loved this memoir, even though I was crying from the moment I started reading it. Not many writers have the ability to do that. I praise her for accomplishing that. Kudos to the writer!
In Kelly Kittel's Breathe: A Memoir of Motherhood, Grief, and Family Conflict, a woman understands the value of real family and the sacrifices you need to make to keep it safe. Kelly Kittel had learnt early on that family is everything. That has been the only thing that actually mattered to her. She has a beautiful fifteen-month-old son and a husband who adores her; was there anything else she needed in life to make it even more perfect?
Her world comes crashing down when her sixteen-year-old niece runs her infant son over by car. Too soon after that, her doctor makes a terrible mistake and she and her husband have to bury yet another child. If the family she cherished does not stand by her, then what is family for? Was it all for nothing? As she tries to keep her family together at this terrible time, she is questioning everything. What is real family? Did she actually have it or was it just an illusion.
Kelly Kittel's Breathe: A Memoir of Motherhood, Grief, and Family Conflict was a heartbreaking book. I expected a lot of heartbreak and emotion, but this was a lot more than that. I was immersed in Kelly's life, I felt her pain and her hardship. I really loved this memoir, even though I was crying from the moment I started reading it. Not many writers have the ability to do that. I praise her for accomplishing that. Kudos to the writer!
Recommend this book:
Shattered by the Wars
But Sustained by Love
Hi-Dong Chai
2015 Finalist
258 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Memoir
Reviewed by Roy T. James for Readers' Favorite
Shattered by the Wars: But Sustained by Love by Hi-Dong Chai is the story a Korean boy tells in his own words of his childhood at the time of World War II, the Korean War, communism and associated turbulence. The disturbances in his life are further accentuated by his religious background and the constant interference by the authorities. To compound their miseries further, Dong’s brother, the smartest and the brightest one in the family, decides to become a communist. One day Dong finds his father being abducted. Both mother and son are forced to abandon their home. Added to this is the uncertainty of the future. Dong’s excitement at finding a job for himself, though non-paying, as a fish cleaner, searching for his mother and finally reuniting with her, teaching Korean to an American boy, and many other incidents are movingly narrated.
Shattered by the Wars: But Sustained by Love by Hi-Dong Chai is a story celebrating the hope of the future. The indomitable human spirit of the mother and her son will leave a long lasting impression on the reader. The dangers of totalitarian thinking, supported by whatever form of government, can be identified in the events and occurrences described in this book; all those who read this will realize that anyone could have been in Hi-Dong’s position. The narration and the honest rendition of events are quite absorbing. I found it difficult to put down the book.
Shattered by the Wars: But Sustained by Love by Hi-Dong Chai is the story a Korean boy tells in his own words of his childhood at the time of World War II, the Korean War, communism and associated turbulence. The disturbances in his life are further accentuated by his religious background and the constant interference by the authorities. To compound their miseries further, Dong’s brother, the smartest and the brightest one in the family, decides to become a communist. One day Dong finds his father being abducted. Both mother and son are forced to abandon their home. Added to this is the uncertainty of the future. Dong’s excitement at finding a job for himself, though non-paying, as a fish cleaner, searching for his mother and finally reuniting with her, teaching Korean to an American boy, and many other incidents are movingly narrated.
Shattered by the Wars: But Sustained by Love by Hi-Dong Chai is a story celebrating the hope of the future. The indomitable human spirit of the mother and her son will leave a long lasting impression on the reader. The dangers of totalitarian thinking, supported by whatever form of government, can be identified in the events and occurrences described in this book; all those who read this will realize that anyone could have been in Hi-Dong’s position. The narration and the honest rendition of events are quite absorbing. I found it difficult to put down the book.
Recommend this book:
Freeways to Flip-Flops
A Family's Year of Gutsy Living on a Tropical Island
Sonia Marsh
2014 Gold Medal
328 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Memoir
Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite
Freeways to Flip Flops: A Family’s Year of Gutsy Living on A Tropical Island written by author Sonia Marsh is the true tale of her family’s adventure. Duke Marsh was a very successful lawyer in Orange County, CA. He, his wife Sonia, and their three sons, Steve, Alec and Josh were living the American dream. They had a 3500 square ft. home in a very nice neighborhood and were financially secure. However, their son Steve was rebelling. Duke and Sonia were very concerned for their oldest son and perhaps they craved the adventure of something out of the ordinary. For whatever reason, they sold their home and packed up the kids and the dog and moved to the paradise of Belize. Duke adjusted to the laid back culture faster than the rest of the family. At times, Sonia worried that he had adjusted too fast. They saw a change in Steve; he became more responsible and focused. They also saw a change in Alex; he tried to adapt but it was not easy. They had sacrificed the well-being of one son to save the other.
There is so much more to Freeways to Flip Flops than I can share in this review. I found their adventure to be fascinating. Author Sonia Marsh’s writing style was conversational. I felt as if we were sharing a cup of coffee as she told me about their year in Belize. Her words are very descriptive. This tale is humorous at times and a little frightening too. I would also consider this tale a love story for it is obvious that Sonia and Duke love each other and their children. Freeways to Flip Flops is a fascinating look at the life of one family when they give up the materialistic rat race and move to a hut in what they believe will be paradise.
Freeways to Flip Flops: A Family’s Year of Gutsy Living on A Tropical Island written by author Sonia Marsh is the true tale of her family’s adventure. Duke Marsh was a very successful lawyer in Orange County, CA. He, his wife Sonia, and their three sons, Steve, Alec and Josh were living the American dream. They had a 3500 square ft. home in a very nice neighborhood and were financially secure. However, their son Steve was rebelling. Duke and Sonia were very concerned for their oldest son and perhaps they craved the adventure of something out of the ordinary. For whatever reason, they sold their home and packed up the kids and the dog and moved to the paradise of Belize. Duke adjusted to the laid back culture faster than the rest of the family. At times, Sonia worried that he had adjusted too fast. They saw a change in Steve; he became more responsible and focused. They also saw a change in Alex; he tried to adapt but it was not easy. They had sacrificed the well-being of one son to save the other.
There is so much more to Freeways to Flip Flops than I can share in this review. I found their adventure to be fascinating. Author Sonia Marsh’s writing style was conversational. I felt as if we were sharing a cup of coffee as she told me about their year in Belize. Her words are very descriptive. This tale is humorous at times and a little frightening too. I would also consider this tale a love story for it is obvious that Sonia and Duke love each other and their children. Freeways to Flip Flops is a fascinating look at the life of one family when they give up the materialistic rat race and move to a hut in what they believe will be paradise.
Recommend this book:
Both Sides Now
A True Story of Love, Loss, and Bold Living
Nancy Sharp
2014 Silver Medal
306 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Memoir
Reviewed by Mary DeKok Blowers for Readers' Favorite
Nancy Sharp and Brett Brett Zickerman seemed to be the perfect couple until, unbelievably, he got brain cancer while only in his 30s. After surgery and chemotherapy it seemed his cancer was gone, but since they knew he would be sterile after the chemo, they had stored some of his sperm. They felt safe to have children, and so proceeded with in vitro. When she got pregnant, they learned they were to have twins, and life seemed to be joyful again. But on the very day she gave birth to Rebecca and Casey, they found that Brett’s cancer had returned. Throughout Both Sides Now, a sensitive book of many short chapters, you’ll grieve with Nancy as they celebrate Brett’s last cheese steak sandwich, the last dinner party with friends, and his last goodbye with the children. He fought the cancer as long as he could and then suddenly he was gone. The twins were just toddlers and didn’t understand. They would wait for him outside his bedroom door. They were afraid for their mother to go anywhere without them for fear she wouldn’t come back either. You’ll weep at the tenderness of the children missing their father. And finally the story comes full circle, and they find a temple to belong to. They move on with their lives, as a family team, and find normalcy once again. Brett is always with them and they will always miss him, but life is happy again and their hearts are open to new experiences.
Both Sides Now is a true story and conveys the raw nature of life when hard things happen. It’s painful when loved ones get sick and die and yet a young mother has to go on for her children. Nancy Sharp’s story should help bring comfort to others facing the impossible. This is a fabulous book that made me cry in a few spots and I'm not usually one to cry; maybe at a movie, but never a book. Five stars to Both Sides Now.
Nancy Sharp and Brett Brett Zickerman seemed to be the perfect couple until, unbelievably, he got brain cancer while only in his 30s. After surgery and chemotherapy it seemed his cancer was gone, but since they knew he would be sterile after the chemo, they had stored some of his sperm. They felt safe to have children, and so proceeded with in vitro. When she got pregnant, they learned they were to have twins, and life seemed to be joyful again. But on the very day she gave birth to Rebecca and Casey, they found that Brett’s cancer had returned. Throughout Both Sides Now, a sensitive book of many short chapters, you’ll grieve with Nancy as they celebrate Brett’s last cheese steak sandwich, the last dinner party with friends, and his last goodbye with the children. He fought the cancer as long as he could and then suddenly he was gone. The twins were just toddlers and didn’t understand. They would wait for him outside his bedroom door. They were afraid for their mother to go anywhere without them for fear she wouldn’t come back either. You’ll weep at the tenderness of the children missing their father. And finally the story comes full circle, and they find a temple to belong to. They move on with their lives, as a family team, and find normalcy once again. Brett is always with them and they will always miss him, but life is happy again and their hearts are open to new experiences.
Both Sides Now is a true story and conveys the raw nature of life when hard things happen. It’s painful when loved ones get sick and die and yet a young mother has to go on for her children. Nancy Sharp’s story should help bring comfort to others facing the impossible. This is a fabulous book that made me cry in a few spots and I'm not usually one to cry; maybe at a movie, but never a book. Five stars to Both Sides Now.
Recommend this book:
Naked
Stripped by a Man and Hurricane Katrina
Julie Freed
2014 Bronze Medal
198 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Memoir
Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite
Naked: Stripped by a Man and Hurricane Katrina by Julie Freed is the motivating story of a woman who overcomes loss and disaster with a lot of strength and will power. Julie finds herself amid turmoil and chaos when her marriage disintegrates and she faces a divorce. Simultaneously, living in the Gulf Coast she finds her home destroyed in the hurricane. It is an incredible story of setbacks and losses, hurt and rejection, and ultimately rising above all the crises and turning life around in a positive way. The author's expressions, experiences and traumas are eloquently shared with readers and anyone who has undergone a personal loss can relate to the story.
It is a powerful and emotional memoir about a woman who starts rebuilding her life. The story is honest and stark and it shows the strength of a woman who does not give up, despite the setbacks she faces. The starkness, rawness and the candor with which the author has written the story is gripping. It is a story of loss, redemption, survival and finally renewal that will inspire and motivate many readers and also leave them tearful. The author's experiences and emotions are so personal that it is like reading a personal diary. The memoir is poignant and the author pulls readers into the story, making them feel as if it is their personal journey. The story is empowering and can be equated to a phoenix rising from the ashes.
Naked: Stripped by a Man and Hurricane Katrina by Julie Freed is the motivating story of a woman who overcomes loss and disaster with a lot of strength and will power. Julie finds herself amid turmoil and chaos when her marriage disintegrates and she faces a divorce. Simultaneously, living in the Gulf Coast she finds her home destroyed in the hurricane. It is an incredible story of setbacks and losses, hurt and rejection, and ultimately rising above all the crises and turning life around in a positive way. The author's expressions, experiences and traumas are eloquently shared with readers and anyone who has undergone a personal loss can relate to the story.
It is a powerful and emotional memoir about a woman who starts rebuilding her life. The story is honest and stark and it shows the strength of a woman who does not give up, despite the setbacks she faces. The starkness, rawness and the candor with which the author has written the story is gripping. It is a story of loss, redemption, survival and finally renewal that will inspire and motivate many readers and also leave them tearful. The author's experiences and emotions are so personal that it is like reading a personal diary. The memoir is poignant and the author pulls readers into the story, making them feel as if it is their personal journey. The story is empowering and can be equated to a phoenix rising from the ashes.
Recommend this book:
A Far Cry...from Home
A Mother's Journey of Loss, Loss and Healing...Through the Eyes of an Angel
Sandy Richards
2014 Honorable Mention
Kindle Edition
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Memoir
Reviewed by Julia Schemmer for Readers' Favorite
The loss of a loved one is a painful transition that, unfortunately, many people are forced to experience. Though the mourning process is spent with many dark, difficult days, the power of words have served to comfort those in need. In A Far Cry...From Home by Sandy Richards, the memoir of her son's early death is told through the eyes of an angel...her son himself. Written with a raw and organic diction, this book will comfort you through the difficult days of healing. No matter where you are in your life, you will be touched by the beautiful piece of art that author Sandy Richards so humbly paints.
Life is filled with critical moments divinely placed in one's life that challenge, hurt, and strengthen the soul. While I have not firsthand experienced an excruciating loss, there have been moments that moved me. A Far Cry...From Home by Sandy Richards was a book that encouraged me. What I loved most about the book is the unique point of view that Richards took on. Typically, a book about a loss would be written from the point of the view of the one who lost the other person, but Richards decided to tell the story through her son, who passed away at a young age. This story was beautifully written, displaying the fullest extent of excellence. I could not imagine the pain she felt when retelling the story, but I have full confidence in that through telling it, many lives will be touched with a spark of hope to get through their difficult time.
The loss of a loved one is a painful transition that, unfortunately, many people are forced to experience. Though the mourning process is spent with many dark, difficult days, the power of words have served to comfort those in need. In A Far Cry...From Home by Sandy Richards, the memoir of her son's early death is told through the eyes of an angel...her son himself. Written with a raw and organic diction, this book will comfort you through the difficult days of healing. No matter where you are in your life, you will be touched by the beautiful piece of art that author Sandy Richards so humbly paints.
Life is filled with critical moments divinely placed in one's life that challenge, hurt, and strengthen the soul. While I have not firsthand experienced an excruciating loss, there have been moments that moved me. A Far Cry...From Home by Sandy Richards was a book that encouraged me. What I loved most about the book is the unique point of view that Richards took on. Typically, a book about a loss would be written from the point of the view of the one who lost the other person, but Richards decided to tell the story through her son, who passed away at a young age. This story was beautifully written, displaying the fullest extent of excellence. I could not imagine the pain she felt when retelling the story, but I have full confidence in that through telling it, many lives will be touched with a spark of hope to get through their difficult time.
Recommend this book:
Higher than Me
The Story of the Voices of Glory
Claudia Stewart Farrell
2014 Finalist
382 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Memoir
Reviewed by Christine Nguyen for Readers' Favorite
Higher than Me: The Story of the Voices of Glory is the account of a family’s struggle and strength at the time of a horrific crisis when their mother, Felicia Cole, was hit by a drunk driver. The story follows Michael Cole’s story of how he had to care for his beloved wife while she was in a coma while juggling the care of his three children, Mikey, Avery, and Nadia, and his job at IBM. It also goes into Mike’s background of generational poverty that he had to endure at a young age with his ten siblings and how they were all separated by child services. The story explains how Mike’s remarkable children were inspired to create their own singing group with their “The Voices of Glory” and how their group went on to achieve national recognition.
Claudia Stewart Farrell writes with compelling depth and sensitivity about Mike Cole’s real life tragedy and how his strong faith in religion and God helped him and his family through it. The book is truly an inspiring book about hope and faith that the world needs urgently. I’m not particularly religious, but this book will move you even if you don’t believe in God. It is also a story about deep family values and how love will get you through the tough times. I shed many tears while reading this book and it warmed my heart to read about the inspirational Cole family. They really touched my heart and my life. They taught me many valuable lessons about tenacity, strength, and perseverance. There are many levels to this book and, overall, it is inspiring and insightful!
Higher than Me: The Story of the Voices of Glory is the account of a family’s struggle and strength at the time of a horrific crisis when their mother, Felicia Cole, was hit by a drunk driver. The story follows Michael Cole’s story of how he had to care for his beloved wife while she was in a coma while juggling the care of his three children, Mikey, Avery, and Nadia, and his job at IBM. It also goes into Mike’s background of generational poverty that he had to endure at a young age with his ten siblings and how they were all separated by child services. The story explains how Mike’s remarkable children were inspired to create their own singing group with their “The Voices of Glory” and how their group went on to achieve national recognition.
Claudia Stewart Farrell writes with compelling depth and sensitivity about Mike Cole’s real life tragedy and how his strong faith in religion and God helped him and his family through it. The book is truly an inspiring book about hope and faith that the world needs urgently. I’m not particularly religious, but this book will move you even if you don’t believe in God. It is also a story about deep family values and how love will get you through the tough times. I shed many tears while reading this book and it warmed my heart to read about the inspirational Cole family. They really touched my heart and my life. They taught me many valuable lessons about tenacity, strength, and perseverance. There are many levels to this book and, overall, it is inspiring and insightful!
Recommend this book:
![](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=/book-award/ethereal-revelations-volume-i&media=https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61baeO4sX4L._SL442_.jpg._AA200_.jpg&description="Ethereal Revelations" is a true story that will open your eyes to another edge of the Paranormal. Here we find a very pregnant Lizelle who discovers her partner and father of her child in a lewd sex act in their own home. Immediately after this event her whole life falls apart as some dark entity encompasses her body mentally and physically. She i...){kind=link}
Ethereal Revelations - Volume I
Access to Another Dimension
Lizelle DuPlessis
2013 Finalist
252 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Memoir
Reviewed by Lorraine Carey for Readers' Favorite
"Ethereal Revelations" is a true story that will open your eyes to another edge of the Paranormal. Here we find a very pregnant Lizelle who discovers her partner and father of her child in a lewd sex act in their own home. Immediately after this event her whole life falls apart as some dark entity encompasses her body mentally and physically. She is aware of an intense energy change with the baby she is carrying and within their home. One would say she is having a spiritual emergency. The paranormal experience she has during the delivery of her baby and afterwards had me so consumed with emotion. She now becomes aware of her out of body experience that transforms her to an awakening that enables her to see her inner soul where she gets in touch with a much higher power that delivers her a sacred message of sexual healing to save her relationship and is instructed to share it to all of us.
As an intuitive and sensitive with an open mind to the wonders of the Universe, I can truly say this story will even astound those that thought they knew all about the Other Side. Lizelle depicts each of these encounters in such great vivid detail. Her story proves we are still learning about the unknown and I can only wait to read Volume 2 where Lizelle will continue to enlighten and surprise us as she will divulge some deeper secrets about the sexual uniting of souls. This story will impact you as you have never been before!
"Ethereal Revelations" is a true story that will open your eyes to another edge of the Paranormal. Here we find a very pregnant Lizelle who discovers her partner and father of her child in a lewd sex act in their own home. Immediately after this event her whole life falls apart as some dark entity encompasses her body mentally and physically. She is aware of an intense energy change with the baby she is carrying and within their home. One would say she is having a spiritual emergency. The paranormal experience she has during the delivery of her baby and afterwards had me so consumed with emotion. She now becomes aware of her out of body experience that transforms her to an awakening that enables her to see her inner soul where she gets in touch with a much higher power that delivers her a sacred message of sexual healing to save her relationship and is instructed to share it to all of us.
As an intuitive and sensitive with an open mind to the wonders of the Universe, I can truly say this story will even astound those that thought they knew all about the Other Side. Lizelle depicts each of these encounters in such great vivid detail. Her story proves we are still learning about the unknown and I can only wait to read Volume 2 where Lizelle will continue to enlighten and surprise us as she will divulge some deeper secrets about the sexual uniting of souls. This story will impact you as you have never been before!
Recommend this book:
![](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=/book-award/fierce-joy&media=https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/6103xpB2WgL._SL442_.jpg._AA200_.jpg&description=Everyone has a story, but there are few quite as stirring as "Fierce Joy", a memoir filled with huge life struggles. Ellen Schecter begins experiencing physical symptoms of an unknown origin in mid-life that interrupt her normal lifestyle. With grit and determination she launches an offense, refusing to become an invalid as she battles not one, b...){kind=link}
Fierce Joy
Ellen Schecter
2013 Honorable Mention
276 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Memoir
Reviewed by Lela Buchanan for Readers' Favorite
Everyone has a story, but there are few quite as stirring as "Fierce Joy", a memoir filled with huge life struggles. Ellen Schecter begins experiencing physical symptoms of an unknown origin in mid-life that interrupt her normal lifestyle. With grit and determination she launches an offense, refusing to become an invalid as she battles not one, but two, debilitating and incurable diseases: systemic lupus and peripheral neuropathy. As she soon discovers, the battle is much more than a physical struggle; the greatest challenge takes place in her heart and mind. How do you stay positive mentally and emotionally when you are watching your body physically, and very painfully deteriorate? Pain tends to isolate its victim, and although Ellen has a loving network of support, including her husband and two children, you cannot help but sense her loneliness as she walks through this valley. But this is not a memoir of helplessness or hopelessness. This is a story of triumph!
I was mesmerized from the opening pages of "Fierce Joy" to its closing thoughts. You walk with Ellen, feeling her fear, her anger and her loneliness as she struggles to understand the insidious alien invaders trying to destroy her body. She does not--will not--go gently. Fueled by grit and innate resolve, and sparked by a mystical, ineffable experience, a fire ignites within her as she so eloquently states: "I'm . . . flooded with a fierce joy that simply will not allow me to be dragged down . . . pushes me up and up, into the light . . ." This story will both inspire and challenge you to persevere against all odds. You will be incredibly blessed by her journey.
Everyone has a story, but there are few quite as stirring as "Fierce Joy", a memoir filled with huge life struggles. Ellen Schecter begins experiencing physical symptoms of an unknown origin in mid-life that interrupt her normal lifestyle. With grit and determination she launches an offense, refusing to become an invalid as she battles not one, but two, debilitating and incurable diseases: systemic lupus and peripheral neuropathy. As she soon discovers, the battle is much more than a physical struggle; the greatest challenge takes place in her heart and mind. How do you stay positive mentally and emotionally when you are watching your body physically, and very painfully deteriorate? Pain tends to isolate its victim, and although Ellen has a loving network of support, including her husband and two children, you cannot help but sense her loneliness as she walks through this valley. But this is not a memoir of helplessness or hopelessness. This is a story of triumph!
I was mesmerized from the opening pages of "Fierce Joy" to its closing thoughts. You walk with Ellen, feeling her fear, her anger and her loneliness as she struggles to understand the insidious alien invaders trying to destroy her body. She does not--will not--go gently. Fueled by grit and innate resolve, and sparked by a mystical, ineffable experience, a fire ignites within her as she so eloquently states: "I'm . . . flooded with a fierce joy that simply will not allow me to be dragged down . . . pushes me up and up, into the light . . ." This story will both inspire and challenge you to persevere against all odds. You will be incredibly blessed by her journey.
Recommend this book:
![](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=/book-award/side-yard-superhero&media=https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91iVZMs33nL._SL442_.jpg._AA200_.jpg&description=Superheroes come in many sizes and shapes. For Rick Niece, his hero came confined in a wheelchair. "Side-Yard Superhero" is the coming-of-age tale of the friendship that emerged between a nine year old, small town paper boy and the most special of the 72 customers on his route, Bernie Jones. Bernie, crippled with cerebral palsy at birth, sits in th...){kind=link}
Side-Yard Superhero
Life Lessons from an Unlikely Teacher
Rick D. Niece, Ph.D.
2013 Silver Medal
199 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Memoir
Reviewed by Jane Allen Petrick for Readers' Favorite
Superheroes come in many sizes and shapes. For Rick Niece, his hero came confined in a wheelchair. "Side-Yard Superhero" is the coming-of-age tale of the friendship that emerged between a nine year old, small town paper boy and the most special of the 72 customers on his route, Bernie Jones. Bernie, crippled with cerebral palsy at birth, sits in the side yard of his home each day (weather permitting) waiting for the newspaper. For nine years, six days a week, Rick Niece stops and reads Dick Tracy to his special customer before refolding the paper and delivering it to Bernie, placing it gently in his lap. The week before he leaves their small town of Degraff, Ohio, for “the big city” and college, Rick promises his now close friend Bernie that he’ll be back to visit. But “life happens”. Six years later, Rick goes looking for Bernie. But Bernie’s house has been torn down, Bernie is gone, and no one in Degraff knows where. "Side-Yard Superhero" follows Rick Niece’s search for Bernie, culminating in a surprising and sobering reconnection and reunion.
Rick Niece has written a beautiful story beautifully. A few times I laughed out loud. Several times I stopped, closed the book and just remembered - remembered my own growing up. Almost as a 'by the way', "Side-Yard Superhero" is sprinkled with poems, also written by Rick Niece, poems that are light yet thoughtful, poems with lines such as “And even if you are both no longer what you were, you are each as you should be remembered.” That verse is going into my next love letter to my husband. And "Side-Yard Superhero" is going on my 'keeper' bookshelf.
Superheroes come in many sizes and shapes. For Rick Niece, his hero came confined in a wheelchair. "Side-Yard Superhero" is the coming-of-age tale of the friendship that emerged between a nine year old, small town paper boy and the most special of the 72 customers on his route, Bernie Jones. Bernie, crippled with cerebral palsy at birth, sits in the side yard of his home each day (weather permitting) waiting for the newspaper. For nine years, six days a week, Rick Niece stops and reads Dick Tracy to his special customer before refolding the paper and delivering it to Bernie, placing it gently in his lap. The week before he leaves their small town of Degraff, Ohio, for “the big city” and college, Rick promises his now close friend Bernie that he’ll be back to visit. But “life happens”. Six years later, Rick goes looking for Bernie. But Bernie’s house has been torn down, Bernie is gone, and no one in Degraff knows where. "Side-Yard Superhero" follows Rick Niece’s search for Bernie, culminating in a surprising and sobering reconnection and reunion.
Rick Niece has written a beautiful story beautifully. A few times I laughed out loud. Several times I stopped, closed the book and just remembered - remembered my own growing up. Almost as a 'by the way', "Side-Yard Superhero" is sprinkled with poems, also written by Rick Niece, poems that are light yet thoughtful, poems with lines such as “And even if you are both no longer what you were, you are each as you should be remembered.” That verse is going into my next love letter to my husband. And "Side-Yard Superhero" is going on my 'keeper' bookshelf.
Contact Author -
