This early chapter book contains three stories about Bertie. The first story is about Bertie trying to make friends with his neighbor, Mr. Muckleberg. The second story is about Bertie learning how to play the saxophone and gets a little help with magic. The last story is about Bertie and his mother bowling day and how he was determined to get a strike. All the story ends with Bertie and his friends and family getting hot fudge sundaes. ( )

This book is a great example of Realistic Fiction because, though the events in the book are made-up, they are all things that could happen in real life. The media used in the illustrations is pen and ink. Each chapter in this book had a different story, involving the same characters. In each story there was a definite beginning, middle and end sequence. There is a problem, Bertie tries to solve it, and then at the end there is a resolution, accompanied by a hot fudge sunday! Bertie is a round character in this book, for we see many sides of him. We read about Bertie being inquisitive, determined, searching and satisfied. The author, through the text, allows us to see these characteristics of Bertie.

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Appropriateness: primary, intermediate, middle school
Media: pencil
Theme: The theme is determination and not giving up, which is what Bertie attempts to do in each story by problem solving and working through each experience in spite of his frustration.
Review: This is an example of realistic fiction, because Bertie has characteristics of a kid who has a big heart. He is determined to be friends with his neighbor, helps his sister as well as learns to believe in himself. I can see other kids who could relate to Bertie. Hot fudge sundaes are just a major bonus! ( )

Age Appropriateness: Elementary
This book is a realistic fiction chapter book. It consists of three different stories (or chapters with sub chapters in it). It is considered realistic fiction because it has ficitonal characters but the actions and events that take place could occur in reality.
Characterization: Bertie. From this book and the three stories in it we found out that Bertie is a round and dynamic character. We find out a lot about him and his personality through his actions and the mini stories. He is also a dynamic character because is each mini story he seems to change, especially his attitude or perspective of something.
Media: ink/or paint/ charcoal

This book is an eaxmple of a realistic fiction; the characters and events are plausible to the reader.