- Picture Books
- Ages 3–6
- Comedy
Frank and Bert: The One Where Bert Learns to Ride a Bike
Book 2 of 5 in Frank and BertView the full series
The wobbly, warm-hearted second Frank and Bert story, in which Bert tries to learn to ride a bike, Frank promises not to let go (and does), and the two friends discover it all comes down to a little trust.
- Best for3–6
- FormatPicture
- Length32 pp
- Read aloud~6 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Repetitive
- Comedic
Tone
- Funny
- Warm
- Heartwarming
- Silly
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Frank the fox and Bert the bear want to go on a big bike ride together, but there's a snag: Bert wibbles and wobbles all over the place and can't quite get the hang of it. Frank offers to help, promising faithfully to hold on from behind and never, ever let go. Except he does let go, and Bert's trust in his best friend takes a tumble along with the bike. Determined to make it up to him, Frank straps a seat to the back of his own bike and pedals Bert around instead, which is lovely, right up until Frank's legs turn to jelly and he can't get them home again. Now it's Bert's turn to step up for his friend. Chris Naylor-Ballesteros brings his trademark deadpan comedy and bold, expressive artwork to a funny, reassuring story about trust, perseverance and believing in each other, perfect for any child learning something scary and new.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
Best shared aloud from about 2 or 3, especially around the age children start learning to ride a bike. Confident readers of 5 to 7 can manage the simple text alone. Nothing scary or heavy in it.
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- Best fit · 3–6
- Read aloud · 2–6
- Independent · 5–7
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Excellent
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Bedtime
- Reading together
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
4 / 5 · Bedtime-friendly
Sensitive-child
5 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Friendship
- Read aloud
- Learning to ride a bike
- Fox and bear
- Trying something new
Avoid if
- Wants action adventure
Particularly good for children who are…
- Making friends
- Nightmares or fears
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A friendly EYFS/PSHE hook for talking about trust, trying hard things, resilience and helping each other, with clear comic-strip pictures the whole class can follow.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
Any child who has wobbled on a first bike will recognise Bert exactly. The comedy of Frank promising not to let go and then letting go, followed by his own legs turning to jelly, is very funny, and Bert getting to be the hero who saves his friend is a treat.
- Friendship and belonging
- Proving yourself
Why parents love it
A gently reassuring read for a child learning something new and scary, wrapped in Naylor-Ballesteros's deadpan comedy and bold artwork. It makes trust and trying again feel funny rather than fraught, and reads aloud beautifully in a few minutes.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
- Bedtime appropriate
In the series
Frank and Bert.
5 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Chris Naylor-Ballesteros.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
