Frank and Bert: The One Where Bert Learns to Ride a Bike
Frank and his best friend, Bert, like to go on bike rides, but they have a big problem- Bert is not very good at riding a bike. However, he decides he will be just fine so even tho Frank is not so sure, they set off on their ride. Predictably, things do not go well, but with teamwork, perseverance, patience and friendship all’s well in the end!
From first reading ‘I Want to Eat this Ant’, Chris Naylor-Ballesteros has ranked high in my favourite picture book creators. There is something very special about the tales he tells and his illustrations are simply delightful. This is the second book about Frank and Bert and I hope ‘The One Where…’ indicates that there will be many more!
Learning to do anything new can be challenging and it is particularly daunting when you have a friend (or friends) who are already good at the thing. Frank tries to help Bert overcome his lack of confidence and offers his support, staying behind Bert all the time as he rides. However, once Frank feels Bert is coping, he decides to let go and Bert falls off the bike. Feeling Frank has betrayed his trust, Bert decides to never try again, but their friendship is stronger than this and Frank has another idea which… (you need to read it to find out what happens!) The story is perfect for encouraging discussions about how we can support one another and how important it is to listen to how others are feeling. Although the bigger of the two friends, it is Bert who is unsure in this situation, offering the opportunity to talk about how we shouldn’t make assumptions about who might need support and reinforce the message that we should all be able to learn things at our own pace.
The illustrations are gorgeous- and full of humorous touches! Frank and Bert have wonderfully expressive faces and the story is told from Frank’s point of view so the reader feels as if he is chatting directly to them and being involved in the story. These stories are perfect for little ones who will want to share them again and again!
Frank and Bert: The One Where Bert Learns to Ride a Bike
Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
Nosy Crow ISBN: 978-1839948503
You can read my review of ‘Frank and Bert’ here.
