Bertolt

Bertolt is an introvert. He revels in his own company and delights in watching the world from afar. Happy in his own imaginations, he opens his thoughts and secrets to one friend alone: Bertolt, who happens to be a stately oak tree. Mocked by his classmates for his little idiosyncrasies, the young boy saunters off, completely unphased, to play within Bertolt’s branches. From within the canopy he watches the world turn – from its people to the plants and animals – it’s all just one wonderful round to him.Then when Spring arrives and the young boy delights in the thought of playing in Bertolt’s leafy branches again, disaster strikes. His ancient companion bears no leaves this season and it dawns on our young character that the tree’s life has passed. Rather than lose himself to the misery of loss, our young protagonist seeks to memorialise the memories past. Through his fertile imagination he celebrates his relationship with Bertolt in the most magical way – leaving the reader with a tender message of memory and belonging.Goldstyn’s French-Canadian illustrations reminded me so much of Goscinny’ & Sempe’s Nicholas books. Those fine ink-scratchy illustrations which seems to capture some wonderful moments, from Marie, the lawyer’s daughter canoodling with Kevin, the local biker to Cynthia the goat munching on forbidden corn. Coloured pencils lay low and subtle throughout most of it until they are called on for a blossoming climactic moment.Bertolt is one of those books which invite rather than tell and I have so much time for these kinds of stories. Written not long after his own mother had died, Goldstyn’s story here is a celebratory rather than melancholic. Much like Matt James’ The Funeral, he taps into a view that perhaps we could only expect from a child who had been invited to see the world his own way.

Deserves a place among the classics alongside The Giving Tree. What the little boy gives back to Bertolt at the end is absolutely magical. Imagination is the best friend anyone can have - and a tree!

Heart-warming quirky story, beautifully drawn. A white family favourite.

Read this book to your child!

A moving story with beautiful illustrations.

After all the hype, I found it rather thin.