- Picture Books
- Ages 3–6
- Comedy
Frank and Bert: The One Where Bert Plays Football
Book 4 of 5 in Frank and BertView the full series
The fourth Frank and Bert story, a funny, warm-hearted tale of football and feeling left out, in which Frank abandons Bert for a flashy football star, then finds out who his real best friend is when he needs catching.
- 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 is teaching Bert the bear everything he knows about football, and Bert, who has a shiny new ball, can't wait to score lots of goals, even if his first big kick misses the ball completely and lands him flat on his belly. Then along comes Barbara, the local football legend, and Frank drops everything to show off with her instead. When Barbara boots Bert's ball high into a tree and breezes off without helping, it's Frank who scrambles up to fetch it, until the branch snaps and sends him tumbling. Luckily, the friend he left behind is right there, ready and willing to break his fall. Chris Naylor-Ballesteros delivers more of his deadpan comedy and bold, expressive artwork in a funny, reassuring story about football, loyalty and the truth that two's company but three can be a crowd, perfect for any child who has ever felt left out.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
Best shared aloud from about 2 or 3, with extra appeal for football-loving children. Confident readers of 5 to 7 can manage the simple text alone. Nothing scary in it, and a gentle way in to talking about feeling left out.
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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
- Football
- Fox and bear
- Feeling left out
Avoid if
- Wants action adventure
Particularly good for children who are…
- Making friends
- Low self esteem
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A useful EYFS/PSHE read-aloud for talking about friendship, jealousy, feeling left out and being a loyal friend, with clear comic-strip artwork and a football hook that pulls in reluctant listeners.
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
Football-mad children will love Bert's wild new-ball misses and the slapstick of Frank tumbling out of the tree. The sting of being dropped for someone cooler, and the satisfaction of being the friend who catches Frank, are feelings kids know exactly.
- Friendship and belonging
- The underdog winning
Why parents love it
A funny, kind way into the very real playground feeling of being ditched for someone flashier, with a warm payoff and no lecture. Naylor-Ballesteros's deadpan text and bold pictures make it a quick, re-readable read-aloud.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
- Conversation starter
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.
