Character & Devotion -- Picture Book Review Blog

Bert, a devoted and resourceful provider is the literal heart of this love story. Julia Donaldson's rhyming poem pairs empathetically with Catherine Rayner's characters to successfully tug at your heartstrings, introducing young readers to the bowerbird's courtship behavior.

Characters: lovesick Bert, spoilt Nanette, Claude the thief, Jean

Themes: animal behavior, courtship, love, rejection

Conflict: Commitment

Plot: Bert builds a bower and furnishes it with a purple flower, then searches for a wife.

Haughty Nanette comes along, and Bert asks her to wed, but she is unimpressed by his purple flower.

Undeterred, Bert toils, amassing a fine collection of fine items to woo Nanette. With each new gift, Bert asks Nanette to share his nest -- always wanting more, Nanette turns him down.

Until the day Bert returns to find his gifts have been stolen. Searching around, he discovers Claude, a thief. Who not only stole his gifts but Nanette too!

A brokenhearted Bert returns to his empty home, except for the purple flower, and meets Jean. Will she be impressed with his purple flower?

Perspective: third-person

Setting: Nesting habitat

Picture Book Reviews

"Bert the Bowerbird by Julia Donaldson and Catherine Rayner: A charming tale of a little bird with a big heart, surrounded by colorful treasures."

ISBN-13	978-1915801845
Publisher	Boxer Books
Publication Date	December 2024
Page	32
Age	4-8

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