Berties been secretly writing his book for several months now. Hes dedicated it to his friend Tim the Tadpole. Apparently its a jolly clever book - well thats what Bertie told me anyhow.

It all began one Monday morning quite a while back when Tim was the saddest little Tadpole in the pond. He didnt want to eat up his green slime for breakfast and he didnt want to go to School. Instead he hid under a stone - well it was more like a piece of grit really because he is very small.

Sadie the Swan swooped down with her elegant neck and picked Tim up on the end of her beak.

Why dont you tell us whats upsetting you litte Tim? she asked.

Cant cant cant wailed Tim then Shant shant shant…  and then he dived back into the pond with a minsicule little splash.

You can tell us were youre friends Sadie called after him.

Fwaaa said Colin the Carp whos a very grumpy fish.Maybe hes finally realised that hes just a silly insignificant little tadpole. Thats enough to make anyone feel a bit down…. and whats more his entire foresseable future consists of growing up into ugly frog like Bertie… in fact that fates so awful that even I feel sorry for him.

And Tim paused for a moment feeling very very very sad. And then in a very small and very squeaky voice he started to explain. You see Tim didnt want to go to school because he wasnt doing very well at reading. And every time he was in the reading class he felt a bit sad because all the other tadpoles were doing much better than he was. And he tried and he tried and he tried…but he still found reading things very difficult especially words. As for sentences they were just impossible!

Maybe thats because your stupid suggested Colin.

No no no dont be mean said Bertie. When I was just a princeling - thats like a prince you know only smaller it took me ever such a long time to learn to read.

Well that is surprising said Colin.

What we need to do announced Sadie Is to give Tim some help with learning to read. Because all it takes is practise.

And all the pond life agreed that was an excellent idea.

There was only one problem.

They didnt have any books.

I know said Bertie. Well go to the Palace Library. Theyve got lots of books there like The Greatest Skateboarding Heroes in World History. And 101 Ways to Cook a Chocolate Marshamallow - those are two of my personal favorites.

And so they waited until night time because it would look a bit strange to see a swan a frog and a tadpole walking through the Palace in broad daylight.

When it was really really late about ten minutes after bedtime we all crept into the Palace library. Sadie waddled and I carried Tim and Bertie in my handbag.

It was a bit dark inside but I knew the way because Bertie is always sending me there to look up stories.

Of course inside there were hundred and hundreds if not thousands of books. I said I that I knew a really good one called The Three Little Pigs - its a really page-turner I told them - but it was out. Somebody must have borrowed it.

I Know said Sadie Lets find him the story of Swan Lake.

Oh no thats far too sad said Bertie who knows all about most stories. if Tim reads that hes sure to burst into tears again.

How about this? asked Tim.

Bertie pullled the book down from the shelf.

Relativity The Special and General Theory by Albert Einstein.

That sounds good said Tim. Ive got lots of relatives.

So Bertie handed him the book.

But after a few minutes Tim said. I think this ones a bit difficult.

Tim searched for a long time then choose a book with a blue cover and which was also very short because he liked short books.

Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus by Lugwig Wittgenstein said Bertie. Ah er…that sounds good.

Tim started to read.

After a short while he tried to scratch his head. Only he didnt have any arms so it was a bit difficult. Dont you think it would be better if Natasha read it to me? said Tim. She usually seems to be quite good at reading.

So I read the first sentence.

Perhaps this book will be understood only by someone who has himself

already had the thoughts that are expressed in itErr thats just what I was thinking said Bertie. Lets read something interesting instead.

I dont really like any of these books said Tim.

What kind of book do you want? asked Sadie.

A book about us said Tim. About me and Bertie and Aunty Sadie and perhaps about Colin the Carp too and all the silly little tadpoles and Grandpa Tommy Frog and and about my mum.

Sadie and Bertie looked at each other.

There is no such book said Sadie.

But well make one suggested Bertie when he saw his little friend looking sad.

And so over the next few days and weeks and months Bertie worked ever so hard at becoming an author. He spent long hours conptemplating the sky lost in his thoughts and thinking ever so hard. Eventually he told me the true storynory of how it was he became a frog even though he used to be a Royal Prince and how he came to live on the pond. I wrote it down for him and and sent it off to the printer.

And when Tim received his copy he read all the words and looked at all the pictures. He even read some of the sentences too.

And now he doesnt have any trouble reading at all. And everyday at school Tim is the happiest little tadpole in the pond.

And did you know that you too can get a copy of Berties book? Its really rather a good book says Bertie. All the pages have funny pictures in colour and there are plenty of nice words in it and whats best all the story is absolutely true.

You can buy it by going to Storynory.com. Now you see you dont have to listen to me to learn all about Berties adventures
you can read about them yourself. Well I hope youll still listen to me too sometimes…. because if you dont Ill feel just a bit sad.

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