A Bit More Bert

The Adventures of Bert #2

by Allan Ahlberg, Raymond Briggs (Illustrator)

The bumbling, child-friendly hero of The Adventures of Bert returns to transform mundane moments and everyday tasks into "adventures" that are now even more ridiculous. We meet Bert's mother (and learn Bert's secret regarding her boiled cabbage). We help Bert get a haircut (with uneven results). And we cheer Bert on as he searches for his lost dog (also named Bert, as are a number of people along the way to whom Bert turns for help). In the end, after a happy reunion between man and dog, there are all sorts of Berts to say good night to.

In a starred review, The Horn Book predicted that Bert's first book "will score a direct hit on five-year-old funnybones." In their second collaboration, author and artist have amplified the visual and verbal fun with even more artful, absurd results.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 30, 2002

About the author

Allan Ahlberg was one of the UK's most acclaimed and successful authors of children's books - including the best-selling Jolly Postman series. Born in Croydon in 1938, he was educated at Sunderland Technical College. Although he dreamed of becoming a writer since the age of twelve, his route to that goal was somewhat circuitous. Other jobs along the way included postman (not an especially jolly one, he recalls), gravedigger, plumber, and teacher.

Ahlberg wrote his first book when he was thirty-seven, after a decade of teaching - a profession that he maintains is "much harder" than being a writer. He says that if he hadn't become a writer, he would have loved to be a soccer player. He was married for many years to fellow children's author Janet Ahlberg, with whom he often worked. Their daughter, Jessica Ahlberg, is also a children's author.

Reviews

[Gabby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice easy read and storyline about a little boy named Bert and all his wonderful adventures. I really enjoyed the illustrations and interactions with the reader. Think this a great book for foundation or year one.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bert has a dog named Bert. And Bert's dad is named Bert. And so on...and so on...

Cute.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

So bizarre and stupidly funny.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read that I think might be good for kids who get distracted during longer stories.

[Rebecca Pruitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found it tedious, but amusing. The boys loved it.

[Emma Higley · Rating 3 out of 5]

EYFS/KS1- fun, silly read, good fun as a book to enjoy as a class following the simple and slightly silly adventures of Burt. Lovely illustrations by Raymond Briggs.

[Imrania · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about Bert and his dog called Bert and many other Bert's. I personally found this story quite funny as Bert has named his dog Bert and his mum is Mother Bert and there is Grandmother Bert as well as Baby Bert. I guess almost everyone in this story is a Bert or knows of a Bert.

This book seems to be introducing chapters to younger readers as after 2 or 3 pages a new chapter starts with a new subject. There are chapters such as 'Bert's haircut', 'Bert's mother' and 'Bert's crisps'. I feel younger children will really enjoy this book as it is funny and I am sure they will laugh when they read that a Police inspector has 6 goldfish also named Bert.

The illustrations are wonderful to look at and you can follow them throughout the book. They are really funny and full of detail.

I would imagine KS1 children should have a go at reading this book as they can look at the pictures to see what is also happening in the book and won't get bored.

[Kara · Rating 1 out of 5]

This picture book is drawn in the comic book format, with the pictures and words giving the narration. He used pastels for the media used for the drawings. The elements are balanced as they are organized in frames. They use extra shading to create shadows making things to appear more two-dimensional. There is a part where they try to make the picture three-dimensional so the reader can cut Bert’s hair. Some kind of Bert is in every picture to create repetition of the theme that Berts are everywhere. Colors are used as the indicator of a storm in each frame getting darker as it gets closer, or lighter when going inside.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

An early reader in chapters all about Bert(s). Just about everything and everyone in this book is named Bert - the boy, the dog, the fish, the fish, the fish, the fish, the fish, the fish. Cute. Raymond Briggs is one of my favorites - definitely my favorite illustrator.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bert has grown up but he's still as daft as ever. Kiddos will find his antics quite silly, such as naming his dog "Bert" as well. I was a bit shocked to discover that Bert's married and has a child - the last page shows him in bed with his wife (poor woman!).

[Alyssa · Rating 1 out of 5]

hated it

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

limited-vocabulary easy reader picture book. British sensibilities to the story and some surprises at the police station.

[Marcie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kids just moving into chapters will like this weird and kind of funny book. It is the second and I sure did not get the starred reviews the first Bert book garnered.

[Ubalstecha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very odd little book, full of different characters named Bert, who share chips with each other.

[Nakitah]

This will help students realize that when they are having a bad day, there is someone out there having the exact same problem as them

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short, very funny; great for children learning to read.

[Kim Schneider · Rating 3 out of 5]

Humorous story about a caring boy whose name happens to be the same as everyone else. Wonderful illustrations by Raymond Briggs

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

More silliness, the illustrations help make the book too.