Details for 'Frank and Bert: The One Where Bert Plays Football' by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

Frank and Bert: The One Where Bert Plays Football

by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
Recommended age: 3+
This is a fun picture book for children aged two upwards, and it's one of a number of adventures in friendship between Frank and Bert.
Frank and Bert: The One Where Bert Plays Football
by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
My review:

Frank is a fox and Bert is a bear. And they're best friends. 

They've had lots of adventures together.

There's 'The One Where Bert Plays Hide And Seek', 'The One Where Bert Learns To Ride A Bike' and 'The One With The Missing Biscuits.'

And there's a common theme in each that Bert is actually the long-suffering stalwart, putting up with the impulsive and often selfish Frank.

But Frank always comes to his senses, usually quite quickly, realising how he's not doing his best for his friend. And there is reconciliation and resolution at the end.

In this story, 'The One Where Bert Plays Football', we find that Frank wants to play a game of football but Bert isn't very good. So when their good friend, and excellent footballer, Barbara offers to play with him, Frank drops Bert and goes off with Barbara. 

The ball ends up in a tree though. and Frank tries to retrieve it and gets stuck. Barbara is nowhere to be seen but as Frank falls, who's there to catch him but Bert. 

Frank apologises. Bert is as gracious as always and when Barbara returns for another game of football, Bert steps up to goal and reveals a hidden talent.

Date of my review July 2025
Book publication date: 16th January 2025