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A Bit More Bert
Allan Ahlberg

Illustrated by Raymond Briggs
Picture Book
Ages 4 and up
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2002, 0-374-32489-1
  Bert is a charming, easy-going fellow who happily trundles through life. The reader soon finds out that all the members of Bert's family are called Bert: Grandma Bert, Mrs. Bert, Baby Bert, and Bert. In a series of very short chapters we learn about Bert and his life. In fact we are pulled into his life when we find ourselves being asked questions about the stories and characters. Do we like Bert's dog? Which flavor of potato chips should Bert get? We are even invited to cut Bert's hair for him. Poor Bert. We make a mess of the job and Bert has a very bald spot on the back his head for the rest of the book. In another chapter we learn that Bert, like so many of us, has a mother who tells him what to do all the time and we sympathize. She serves him cabbage and Bert hates cabbage. His solution to a plate full of the vegetable is to hide it in his handkerchief. Finally, Bert faces a real problem, he loses his dog. After hopelessly searching everywhere, Bert goes to the police station to report the loss. It is such a relief to us when Bert goes home to find Bert, the dog, waiting for him on the front door step. Bert is such a funny sort of man that we cannot help liking him and identifying with him.

  "A Bit More Bert" is a wonderful example of a book which takes you out of the real world and transports you to some other place and time.

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