Old Bertie

Anya's Review

Parents frequently ask booksellers for advice on appropriate books for children and older teens. Besides suitability in terms of functional literacy, the questions are more often about readiness and maturity regarding a book’s content. It can be a delicate line to walk. Last weekend it was a father’s quandary over his 13-year-old son asking for Stephen King’s novel It, kept in our Horror section. The week before it was a mother’s concerns over references to cocaine trafficking and drug cartels in Robert Muchamore’s second book in his CHERUB series, kept in our Middle Fiction section for 10–12-year-olds. Perspectives on this issue vary widely: from censorship to strict control, to following recommended age guidelines. To children and young adults reading whatever they themselves are comfortable with, to an attitude that whatever a child wants to read is better than not reading at all.

Then a new book called Old Bertie lands in our Junior Young Adult section (age 12-15), and requires none of those considerations while still packing a punch. It pays old-fashioned attention to the elements of good storytelling: a vivid setting, memorable characters, riotous conflict and meaningful themes. Yet its ironic tone, wry humour and self-awareness make it completely modern and fun to read.  Old Bertie is the debut YA novel from Perth creative duo Vincenzo Perrella and Dan Osborn. Previously known for their award-winning short films and scriptwriting, they also happen to be secondary school English teachers. The novel takes place on a hilarious dystopian island terrorised by the titular character, a giant man-eating squid. The protagonist is feisty fifteen-year-old George, a girl with pluck and imagination who wants to shake the bars of her town’s cage in a particularly spirited and Australian way.  George’s voice is my favourite part of this novel; she has a droll take on the antics of adults and a world-weary maturity as she navigates the aftermath of Old Bertie having eaten her mum. Old Bertie is an adventure quest that redefines heroism and the bonds of family while using satire to critique institutionalised education, small-minded groupthink and fear of the unknown. 

The authors describe their novel as follows: ‘J.D Salinger meets Taika Waititi, with a sprinkling of George Orwell, Old Bertie blends heart and humour with a speculative twist, in a tale that will appeal to teens and adults alike’. 

Old Bertie has mythic and fantastical elements that make it a highly original novel that doesn’t patronise its young audience. Give this to a reader who wants a page-turning rollicking read that will make them laugh out loud and leave them wanting to hug a family member.