Frank ja Bert

Frank and Bert

by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros, Kadri Rahusaar (Translator)

Frank ja Bert on parimad sõbrad, kellele meeldib väga peitust mängida. Paraku pole kogukas Bert sugugi nii osav ennast ära peitma, kui ta ise arvab. Iga kord leiab Frank leiab ta kähku üles. Ja nii seisab Frank ühel päeval valiku ees, kas tunda taas võidurõõmu või valmistada rõõmu hoopis sõbrale. Muidugi võidab sõprus. Mis saab aga siis, kui Frank peidab?
Väikelastele mõeldud raamat oma eriliselt vahvate tegelaste ja rõhutatult koomilise visuaaliga pakub lõbusat ajaviidet ka lapsevanematele, üllatab nii leidliku teemakäsitluse kui ka lõpplahendusega.

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Animals, Childrens, Humor, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published February 3, 2022

About the author

Chris Naylor-Ballesteros is a picture book author and illustrator, published by Nosy Crow, Andersen Press and Bloomsbury.

Reviews

[Rosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remember reading a book in your childhood with a big grin on your face throughout? Ever had an experience where the grin starts off as a smile and goes on increasing in size until you are actually laughing out loud by the last page? Here’s a book that will do exactly that, and much more!

These two are best friends and love playing hide and seek. Or maybe I should say, Bert loves to hide and Frank loves to seek. Unfortunately Bert isn’t very good at hiding and Frank inevitably finds him. When Bert finally laments about how he might have a better chance if Frank counted till a hundred instead of till ten, Frank, being a good sport, agrees. Does Bert manage to find the perfect hiding spot?

There are children’s books with morals, and there are books that are for entertainment. This book falls in both the categories. The idea of friendship vs. competitiveness is nicely brought out in the story. Frank’s counting till a hundred adds a nice mathematical advantage to the story. Frank and Bert are simply adorable characters and I would love to read more books centred on them.

The language in the story is very easy for an early reader. The style in which the story is written also makes it suitable for read-alouds as well as for joint reading and independent reading.

I liked the illustrations too. They are drawn in a sort of rough, scribbly kind of way that makes the characters more endearing. The entire book feels very cute because of this mode of sketching. I am sure the colours will pop out even more in the physical copy.

Kids are going to love this little book and I bet they will giggle with joy at the end. A wholesome and fun entertainer, this one. Heartily recommended.

5 joyous stars.

My thanks to Nosy Crow and NetGalley for the ARC of “Frank and Bert”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.


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[Schizanthus Nerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know when you’re so excited about a book that you accidentally preorder it twice? I did the advanced copy equivalent of that with this book; I requested ARC’s from two publishers because I just knew I was going to love it. Then I got approvals from both publishers, so I got to enjoy both the electronic and physical copies of this book.

So, does that mean I loved it twice as much? You bet I did!

Frank the fox and Bert the bear are best friends who love playing hide-and-seek. Frank always finds Bert though because, well, Bert isn’t the best at hiding.



Bert’s hiding skills reminded me of those of another bear, Fergus from Mike Boldt’s Find Fergus.

Frank loves to win but he also loves his best friend. Frank’s competitive nature goes up against his desire to make his friend happy in the most adorable way.

Bert, to his credit, isn’t quite as oblivious as he first appears. The way the story resolves gave me the biggest smile (and there were many) of the book.

The illustrations are so much fun. My eyes were continually drawn to Bert’s hot pink scarf, an important part of the story that really pops in the physical copy of the book. Both animals are quite expressive, adding to the humour.

Bonus points for the accidental learning. One of the games of hide-and-seek requires readers to count to one hundred. I’d definitely be encouraging kids I was reading with to count along with me.

This story seems so simple at first but there’s such a great message about the value of friendship.



I can’t get enough of this book! I really hope Frank and Bert secure starring roles in future books.

If you finish this book and you’re looking for another picture book that weighs the value of friendship against winning, I’d recommend Katy Hudson’s The Golden Acorn.

Thank you so much to Allen & Unwin and Nosy Crow for the opportunity to fall in love with this picture book.

Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saturday night family picture book read-aloud! (Book 1 of 3)

Frank and Bert's friendship is built on lies, and that's . . . okay? Because aren't most of them?

There's some counting -- all the way up to 100! -- as part of the cute game of hide-and-seek.

[Jukaschar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quirky and humorous children's book about two friends who love to play hide and seek. Children can learn to count and it definitely stimulates them to try out the game.

[Joachim Stoop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super!

[Ugnė Lukošienė · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nuotaikinga knygelė apie draugystę :)

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great picture book that all adults should read...and take notes from lol.

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful and hilarious book about two best friends and playing hide and seek.


I read this book in Dutch but had so much fun reading it that I just had to write a review in both English and Dutch. I need to share this with all my readers!

Meet Frank and Bert, two best friends. Very good friends! They love playing Hide and Seek a lot (like a whole lot). However Bert is just terrible at it. I mean, he hides in trees. I can hear you say, but Mehsi? That is an excellent hiding space. Yes, if you were small and tiny. But if you are a big bear like Bert? The tree just bends down. XD And that is just one of his hiding spots. Bert is just not too happy about things, which I could also understand, but maybe someone should tell him to just hide better, give him some pointers. But Frank decides to go for something else. He allows Bert to to get a bit more time + he makes a big decision later on which made me smile. Because that is definitely friendship. Sometimes happiness for a friend is just the best one.

The ending had me in complete stitches, I had so not expected that one! And that makes me wonder about one thing. I am not going to tell because that would be a spoiler, but I can just say to my readers that I was very sus. XD

The illustrations were just so pretty, I love the details on the furs, and I just had a giggle at how the bear was running around with his little legs. I absolutely loved the colours used, they pop!

All in all, recommended to all! A book about friendship, making choices, hide and seek, and more.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/


DUTCH REVIEW:

Een heel grappig boek over twee vrienden en verstoppertje spelen!


Ik heb dit boek in het Nederlands gelezen maar besloot voor zowel mijn Engelse blog als dit blog een review te schrijven. Want het was gewoon té leuk en ik wil dat zoveel mogelijk mensen het boek ontdekken.

In dit boek ontmoeten we Frank en Bert. Twee hele goede vrienden. En ze houden van verstoppertje spelen (misschien een beetje té veel). Maar Bert is gewoon echt superslecht in het spelletje. Ik bedoel, hij verstopt zich in bomen. Ik hoor je nu zeggen, ja maar Mehsi? Dat is toch een geweldige plek? Um, ja. Als je niet een beer was met het gewicht van Bert. Dan werkt het. Nu… nou de boom zegt een duidelijke nee + het is ook nog eens winter dus ja. Je snapt dat Frank dus altijd wint. En dat Bert dat nou niet echt een leuk iets vindt. Ik kon snappen dat Bert het niet leuk vond, misschien had iemand hem wat tips kunnen geven? Zoals dat je echt verstopt moet zijn? En niet zoals kinderen het doen. XD Maar Bert besluit iets anders. Meer tijd. En nog een belangrijke beslissing later. Ik vond het heel lief van hem dat hij die keuze maakte. Het was niet makkelijk, maar soms moet je kiezen voor je vriend en zijn geluk.

Het einde. OMG, daar heb ik me toch om rot gelachen. Ik had het zeker niet verwacht. En ik ben nu erg sus naar een zeker ding. Mmm.

De illustraties zijn echt prachtig. Kleurrijk en ze knallen gewoon uit de pagina’s. Ik vond de details op de vachten van Frank en Bert erg leuk gedaan en ik heb ook vaak gegiecheld om Frank en hoe hij rende.

Ik zou dit boek 100% aanraden aan iedereen! Verstoppertje, vriendschap, humor, keuzes maken, en meer!

Recensie ook gepost op https://boekeneiland.nl/

[Chloe Ritchie]

The story of 'Frank and Bert' is about two animal friends who love to play hide and seek, but Burt isn't so great at hiding! This is a really cute book that shows the meaning of friendship and how sometimes letting your friend win is the right thing to do.

I loved the artistry of this book and how cutely the characters where drawn. I particularly liked how detailed the characters were drawn, but also how simplistic their designs were.

As a teacher in training I appreciated the maths link as the animals counted up to 100 when hiding. I liked the word phrasing and sentence structure as it will help build pupils fluency and phonological knowledge.

Rated: 3.5 stars

Thank you to netgallery for allowing me to read such a beautifully drawn book

[DaNae · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delicate balance.

[Jelka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sure, this book encourages children to count to 100. Sure, it encourages kindness. Sure, the ending is humorous. But is this really a prize-worthy work?
I thought it was pretty average but kids might love it.

[Guilherme Semionato · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=698...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uzrE...

[Dactylaura · Rating 4 out of 5]

je me sens un peu moins comme une libraire jeunesse en carton, il était temps que je le lise !

[Brinlee Priddis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating kids books so I remember which ones I really like. This one was so fun!

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is just too cute 🥰 the illustrations and facial expressions totally make it - if you love Jon Klassen, check out Frank and Bert
4.5 stars

[Ronja · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm Bert, Bert is me. Ein Augenzwinkern von einem Bilderbuch, grossartig!

[Elo · Rating 5 out of 5]

trop kiki

[Thijs Werkman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book it’s full off colors, friendship and numbers. It’s a fun way to learn children count.

[Aubrey Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I normally don’t rate children’s books but by golly!!! This was so adorable!!! It made me giggle and just hehe!

[Olivia]

See my full review here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/frank-...

FRANK AND BERT is a sweet picture book about friendship and winning. Frank and Bert love to play hide-and-seek. However, Bert is not really great at it, and Frank is always able to spot him right away. To give Bert more of a chance, Frank has agreed to count all the way to 100. When he turns around, Bert's pink scarf has slowly unraveled, leading Frank right to where he is. However, when he gets there, Frank decides that his friendship is more important than winning, and lets Bert win this round. They then decide to switch places, and as Frank goes to hide, Bert is holding onto Frank's string...

What I loved: This was a simple but sweet story about friendship and winning - more specifically, about how winning is not as important as spending time with your friends. Frank and Bert were quite cute, and the feeling of winning (or losing) will resonate with the intended audience. Children often struggle with wanting to win all the time and disliking games when they lose. The book shows them how to be good winners and losers with an emphasis on how winning is not as important as their friendships.

The illustrations are cute but simple, and they allow readers to expand the story beyond what is written out, such as with the strings and being able to see Bert as he hides. Children will feel like they have been let in on the joke, which is all in good fun. The overall messaging is great, particularly for competitiveness and balancing it with friendship and being kind. As another small thing, it also includes the numbers they count when hide-and-seeking, so there is a bit to help toddlers/preschoolers with learning to count as well. This is done without making any particular page too long, so it flows smoothly and still reads quickly.

Another really cool feature is that the book features a QR code that allows you to download an audiobook version, which even includes a sound to turn the pages. This is great for allowing young readers some independence and gives caregivers a reading break when needed. The audiobook is very nicely done and captures it all perfectly.

Final verdict: FRANK AND BERT is a sweet picture about friendship and winning that will resonate with young readers. Highly recommend picking this one up!

Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Ria]

‘Hoi, ik ben Frank.
En dit is mijn beste vriend, Bert.’

Bij het voorstellen schiet je al in de lach en zegt bijna automatisch hoi terug. Bert, de beer op korte pootjes en Frank, de vos met spitse snuit staan wat onnozel als jut en jul te wachten tot ze verstoppertje kunnen gaan spelen. Dat doen ze graag vertelt Frank en hij deelt en passant mee dat Bert er niet goed in is. Deze situatie wordt vervolgens inzichtelijk gemaakt op de volgende bladzijden.

Frank begint tot tien te tellen zodat Bert zo vlug als hij kan zich uit de voeten maakt. Maar waar verstop je dat grote lijf? In een kleine boom? Achter een keitje? Frank laat het beeldend zien.
Bert denkt anders over het te snel vinden: hij krijgt te weinig tijd.
Het vosje met blauwe pomponmuts is coulant naar zijn vriend. Hij geeft de beer met felroze das een kans om te winnen. Hij zal tot honderd tellen!

Beer rent en rent, wel acht bladzijden lang, achterom bomen, over heuvels tot de honderd klinkt en hij pardoes een hol induikt. Vos volgt een niet te missen spoor en windt intussen een draad op tot een kluwen wol. Hij heeft weer gewonnen! Zal hij de beer aan zijn staartje trekken? En dan knaagt er iets.
Frank roept: ‘Ik geef het op! Waar zit je?’ en doet net alsof hij Beer niet ziet. Hij beseft dat de vriendschap belangrijk is en van hem houdt. Bert komt dolblij tevoorschijn. Een los eindje en een knipoog geeft een heel ander beeld van de zogenaamde onnozele beer. Wie is hier slimmer?

Aan de hand van de illustraties kunnen verschillende begrippen en tegenstellingen duidelijk worden gemaakt. Bijv. dichtbij en veraf maar ook diepte en hoogte. Of wat is opwinden van een bol of een streng wol en wat is breien? Vingerhaken kan als creatieve opdracht mocht breien nog te lastig zijn of zo’n leuke pompon maken met de kleuren blauw en roze. Misschien zit er wel een los draadje aan waar je even, even, aan kunt trekken en daarmee het verhaal kunt naspelen in het bekende verstopspel waarin je ook het tellen gebruikt.

Een in zijn geheel geweldig prentenboek over de essentie van vriendschap. Met de nodige humor, een tekst die in een prettig ritme leest en heerlijke tekeningen waarop volledig wordt gefocust is dit na het mooie serieuze ‘De koffer’ een aandoenlijk kostelijke vertelling van de twee vrienden Frank en Bert. Een prachtige tijdloze aanrader!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The slyness of this picture book reminds me of some of the work of Vera Brosgol, particularly her picture book, Leave Me Alone, and the wryness of some of Jon Klassen's books. Narrated by Frank, a fox, the plot concerns two friends who love playing Hide-and-Seek. This game is particularly popular with Bert, a large bear, even though he is clearly not very skilled at hiding. Each time they play Frank wins. Bert insists that Frank finds him because he doesn't have enough time to find a good place to hide. Instead of counting from one to ten, Frank agrees to count all the way to one hundred. Off Bert hustles, moving as far away as he can. But the textured illustrations show that his bright pink scarf has snagged on a tree branch, leaving a clear trail right to where he is. Four double-page spreads contain only those numbers that Frank is counting and Bert's path, marked by the pink yarn that has unraveled, step by step. Frank easily locates his friend but decides to let him win for once. The next time around they switch roles with Frank certain that he'll have no trouble outsmarting Bert. But as the last couple of pages reveal, that isn't necessarily the case. Judging by the sly wink Bert gives readers and what he's holding in his hand, this will be a very short game. Youngsters will enjoy being insiders to this competition between friends, who clearly are keeping a secret or two from one another.

[Samantha Pope · Rating 5 out of 5]

I judged this book by its cover and was glad I did. I thought it looked like it would be humorous and it was and the children I read this to loved it, too. Frank the fox narrates this story of friendship and gentle rivalry enacted through games of hide and seek. He knows he's better than poor Bert, who can't hide quickly enough and is always rather conspicuous when he does. Bert asks Frank to count for longer, but is then let down by an errant thread on his scarf, which gives his hideout away. Frank decides to be generous, though, because being a friend is more important to him than winning all the time. The book could feel a little saccharine at this point but there is a funny twist at the end that made me and the children really chuckle (understatement: we LOLed) and the children immediately demanded that I read the book again from the start.

There is a lot of counting in this book and the children I read it to enjoyed it (it was in Key Stage 1: so Reception through to Year 2). We all had to take deep breaths to do it but we managed it! Even the other adults joined in. There is also some interesting inferences to make with the children about why Frank is a Fox and Bert is a Bear and how you tell who is who on the cover which could form an excellent part of a literacy lesson.

Fun and educational - an excellent combination, together with hilarious illustrations.

[Storybook_mamma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A playful, witty tale about friendship and putting our friends' feelings first when they're low.

Bert is sad that he's terrible at hide and seek, so his friend Frank decides to lift his sprits by giving him not so subtle advantages and letting him win the game .

There's so much to love about this story. Frank and Bert are a funny pair and their hide and seek game is full of comedy and giggles.

Watch out for that bright neon knit wear when it unexpectedly unravels behind them as they run across the mountainous landscape to find the perfect hiding place, totally unaware of the blatant clue they've left behind.

During the course of the book you will also find yourself counting to 100 during Bert's hiding attempt which, for a child learning to count, is a great excuse for some practice!

One thing I really appreciate about Nosy Crow, which is pretty unique, is that many of their books have a scannable QR code to a website where you can find a free audio book version of the story. No apps required! So handy when you're on your tenth book and you need a quick break from reading aloud!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a little gem of a book. I loved the characters names, such traditional, old-fashioned names (Frank was my Grandad) and it was the title that first drew me to the book. It's beautiful illustrated with pops of neon colouring through the characters scarfs that really bring the story to life.

My daughter (5) loved that it was a book with "big numbers in to 100". The illustrations tell just as much of the story as the words. The shriek of delight from my daughter when she realised the scarf was unravelling and leaving a trail was brilliant! I love books that let the reader feel like they discover something hidden about a book that maybe not everyone might spot.

The message of friendship and kindness shine through this book and you can't help but have warm fuzzy feelings after reading.

It would be a great one for early readers to have a go at sharing the reading as there are ideal sentences to practise growing phonetical knowledge.

Thank you #NetGalley for this eARC, most enjoyable and we'll certainly be buying a physical copy from our local bookshop.

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have liked it more were it not so message-heavy, and I can't agree with the message (lie to your friends to make them happy). I'm not advocating rudeness, mind you, but I think there's a way to phrase the truth that's almost always preferable to outright lying. Miss Manners had a bit of a rubric: lie if it's too late to change anything, e.g. "Your outfit yesterday? You looked great, not clownish at all," but tell the truth if it can help, e.g. "Your outfit today? Well, no, I wouldn't say 'clown,' exactly, but I'm not sure such bright colours flatter your complexion," that sort of thing.

So this book is an extended argument for kindness, but a kind of kindness that stems from deception, and I have to be against it.

(Note: I'm a writer, so I suffer when I offer fewer than five stars. But these aren't ratings of quality, they're a subjective account of how much I liked the book: 5* = an unalloyed pleasure from start to finish, 4* = really enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = disappointing, and 1* = hated it.)

[Great Escape Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our Review…

Frank and Bert is a wonderful story full of laughs, fun and friendship.

We join best friends Frank and Bert in their exuberant games of hide and seek. Despite his best efforts, Bert is terrible at hiding. Placing his love for winning aside, Frank decides to give Bert a fighting chance and count to 100, which takes a long time. This story not only gives readers the chance to practice counting but is a delightful reminder of the importance of caring and friendship.

The illustrations are adorable and a very clever use of vibrant colours in the bright beanie and scarf adorned by our checky duo. The illustrations and facial expressions charmingly convey the emotions of the characters and made me laugh out loud. A fun filled story to be enjoyed by all.

Review by Jess @ Great Escape Books

[David Dunlap · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Wish I could give this one MORE than 5 stars!) Frank (a fox) and Bert (a bear) are best friends, and they love to play hide-and-seek together more than anything. The problem is that Bert is not very good at hiding his bulky self in places that Frank will not be able to find him. Bert is sad that he never wins, and Frank wonders what he can do to cheer him up. He decides to count to 100, to give Bert a better chance at finding a good hiding place. -- I don't want to give away the ending, but these two friends and their adventures brought a smile to my lips...and even a chuckle or two. There's an important life-lesson here as well. -- I cannot be sure how well this book will hold up to the repeated readings young'uns demand of available adults, but the story has charm to spare and IMHO will bring repeated delight.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little bit of fiction for fun little readers. Two animal friends, a fox and a bear, love hide-and-seek, but the bear just cannot hide properly for love nor money. The third time we see him try, we both have a ridiculous excuse to vocalise the whole list of numbers, from 1 to 100, and a daft little episode in their friendship. But we still manage to have a twist or two before the end, too. I'm told to look out for real, neon ink in the finished physical product – digitally it still looks quite the stand-out, with design that is simplistic yet not cheapening anything. With the textures of the landscape and of the animals' fur both, there is a lot of character here, and this really is an amusing little read. Ready or not, here you should come – four and a half stars.

[Alexandra Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

(I received a free eARC copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, so thank you NetGalley and thank you Nosy Crow!)

'Frank and Bert' is a super cute picture book for children aged about 3-5 written and illustrated by Chris Naylor-Ballestros. Huge kudos to him as the illustrations are delightful and the story is very sweet as Frank the Fox and Bert the Bear (love some alliteration!) learn about friendship through a truly epic game of hide-and-seek. The result is a simple, humorous story well told with a cute twist at the end.

The messages about celebrating friends and putting them above winning are lovely and important ones to send to all children, but especially to boys. It's a much more positive model of masculinity than you tend to see in mainstream media (which usually values aggression and competition in boys/men over kindness and emotional intelligence). I also love to see Bert wearing a pink scarf which Frank knits for him (Normalize boys knitting! And loving their friends! Also, colours don't have genders. Let boys/men wear pink!). Parents and teachers will also appreciate the chance to practice counting with their kids (all the way up to 100!) and the language is simple enough for a little reading practice. I'd definitely recommend it for a home, school or nursery library.