Burping Bertha

by Michael Rosen, Tony Ross

When Bertha finds that her accidental burps can knock things over, she asks a boy at school to teach her how to burp to order. Impressed by her success, the press and television take up her story and record and film offers flood in - but burping can be a dangerous skill.

64 pages, hardcover

First published April 21, 1994

About the author

Michael Rosen, a recent British Children’s Laureate, has written many acclaimed books for children, including WE'RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, and I’M NUMBER ONE and THIS IS OUR HOUSE, both illustrated by Bob Graham. Michael Rosen lives in London.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Jennifer]

One morning Bertha discovers that she has a very unique skill. So she asks a boy at school for some advice to help her perfect it. And she practices, and practices. And practices some more. She helps her granddad by burping his apples from his trees. She gets her own back on the school bullies. Then, she is invited to perform in her school’s Christmas play. Overnight, Bertha becomes a star. Extracts from newspaper articles highlight Bertha’s growing celebrity. She gets phone calls from record companies, the BBC, and a laboratory in Milton Keynes, who want to investigate Bertha’s special talent.

Then, an invitation arrives in the post from Hollywood! Bertha becomes a multi-multi-mega-billionaire. But the story does not end happily ever after…

Funny and fast-paced, my stepdaughter (7) read this in a night before bed – even though she couldn’t stop laughing. Even the most reluctant reader will be lured by the idea of reading about a child who burps. Ideal for whole-class story time or for confident lower KS2 readers.

[Jennifer]

Burping Bertha was one of my favourite books as a child and now that I am an adult I can understand why. It is funny, deals with human bodily functions (which is always a positive feature for children) and there is no classic Disneyfied 'happy ending'.

Bertha has an unsual talent; she can burp so powerfully that she can knock footballs flying in all directions, christmas decorations off the tree and balding Mr. Fobnitch's glasses flying through the air. The trouble is, fame so young can only lead to disaster!

A book for confident readers of middle KS2.

[Sean Harding]

The nearest fine literature material next to that age old moving plot line of farting, is burping. That's right, lets write a book about a character's belching skills, which will amuse its target audience no end. Gentle naughty humour for youngsters, who always get punished for burping and farting ao reading of others doing these crimes is very amusing for them, and a little amusing for the adult as well!

[Laura]

This is the first book I can remember that I read on my own that wasn't a glorified picture book. It was read several times over one summer holiday with much delight at the childish rudeness of fame by burping.

[Libby]

Michael Rosen is an incredibly talented writer who just 'gets' the way kids think. My son is obsessed with bodily functions, like most small children, and he found this book absolutely hilarious - so much so that he was keen to read it aloud to me, despite being a reluctant reader.

[Shahrun]

Pretty silly burpy book. Was chaos trying to read it to a 6 and 7 year old. Bertha’s burping did take her in some very unexpected directions though.

[Nil Deniz Tufekci]

Garklayan Gamze'yi yazın okumuştum. Çok komikti. Türkçesini okudum.

[Amit Tiwary]

We had good laugh reading this :-). Good read.

[Şengül]

Annesinin tepinip durma demesine çok güldüm (B. 7 yaş)

[Margie]

Her burps have power.....more than she ever realized.

[Melissa]

Again, not my favourite type of book to read, but at least it was short and the pictures were kind of funny.

[Deborah]

I think it is good and funny and i can't belive Bertha becomes famous because of her burping.

[Lizziepop]

It is funny rude silly and very burpy
Lizziepop123

[Albine Eien]

J'ai armement vu un livre jeunesse partir en sucette aussi vite... L'auteur se drogue, je ne vois que cette solution pour expliquer ça...