Bertie and the Worldwide Games Reviewed by Sylva Fae

Title Bertie at the Worldwide Games

by Stan Phillips by Wendy H. Jones

Reviewed by Sylva Fae

Reviewing children’s books is a little different to reviewing ‘grown-up’ books. I find myself reviewing with different hats on – each connected but a slightly different perspective. First is my mum hat, second (but most important) is the reaction of the children I’m reading to, and finally, I can’t help but put my children’s author hat back on.

The Mum Review

As mum, this is a great book to read aloud, with a fun, bouncing, rhyming rhythm to each page. My Scottish accent is rubbish but I gave it a go to add to the character of Bertie Buffalo, and my efforts were appreciated, if not authentic. This is the kind of story to inspire children to be active, it energised my wee listeners, so with that in mind I wouldn’t recommend it as a bedtime story. It is definitely a story to read before going out to play, to encourage children to run and exercise and be generally active. I can imagine this being a great story to read to a nursery or reception class, or as a theme for school sports day. I also liked the fact that Bertie didn’t win every race, and that was OK. The book teaches children that they’re not going to win at everything but it’s important to give everything your best effort. The story also teaches the importance of teamwork, and when Bertie worked with his friends, they won the race together. All great messages for children this age to understand, and it finished with a happy ending. I heard from the author that the original Bertie the Buffalo book is based on a true story of a baby water buffalo that went missing from a farm in Fife in Scotland. He was roaming around the countryside on his own for 14 days until he returned. My girls were fascinated with this and it added to the fun of reading together. This book is Bertie’s second one, and it is based around the Olympics. Bertie at the Worldwide Games can be read as a standalone book but I think children would love to have both stories to read together.

The Child Review

My girls are the biggest critics ever, however they are not always the best at describing their views in words. Their reactions range from getting up and walking away, to mild distraction, to engaging and questioning, and finally the height of praise is wanting the story read again (and again, and again). You can tell our family favourites by how well-read and tatty the books are. Bertie was a ‘read again’ story, and will no doubt become very tatty over time. Their first comments were how cute Bertie was and they also liked that his animal friends were unusual compared to the usual characters found in children’s books. They also enjoyed discussing the animals from other countries and their different skills.

Fellow Children’s Author Review

Firstly, I thought the book was beautifully presented with simple and engaging illustrations, perfect for the intended readers. It is quite a long book but it meant that each rhyming section had its own page, with plenty of illustrations to hold the child’s attention during the reading. I liked that the positive messages throughout the book were subtle, allowing the young audience to deduce their own meanings. It also sets a framework for parents / teachers to discuss subjects like effort, teamwork and winning.

Whichever hat I wear, Bertie at the Worldwide Games gets an easy five stars from me.