Skip to content

Meet the friends

Percy & Bertie

One is small and curious. One is large and calm. Their friendship is the heart of every story.

The characters

Illustration of Percy, a small penguin wearing a red knitted scarf

Percy

Percy may be small, but his curiosity is enormous. He loves discovering new places, meeting new friends and finding out what might be waiting beyond the next snowdrift. His quick mind often notices the little details that other characters overlook.

New situations can sometimes make Percy pause and wonder what might go wrong, but he is learning that courage doesn't mean never feeling uncertain. It means taking the next step even when you do, especially when someone needs your help. Percy is thoughtful, loyal and often the first to ask the question that helps everyone see things differently.

Illustration of Bertie, a friendly polar bear wearing a blue fleece waistcoat

Bertie

Bertie is big, warm-hearted and reassuringly steady. He likes to think things through, notices when someone needs encouragement and usually remembers the practical things that might help along the way.

His strength isn't only physical. It can also be found in his patience, kindness and willingness to stand beside his friends for as long as they need him. Bertie's calm nature helps Percy feel braver, while Percy's curiosity encourages Bertie to explore places he might never have discovered on his own.

Better together

Percy brings questions, ideas and a keen eye for clues. Bertie brings calm, patience and quiet confidence. They don't always see things in exactly the same way, but they listen to one another and value the qualities that make each of them different.

Their friendship shows that being different doesn't pull good friends apart. It gives them more strengths to share and more ways to face each new adventure together.

What the stories are about

Percy and Bertie's adventures take them to new places and introduce them to new friends. Along the way the stories explore, gently and without lecturing, the themes that matter most to children of about 4–10.

  • Friendship
  • Kindness
  • Curiosity
  • Helping others
  • Gratitude
  • Discovering new places

Meet Their South Pole Friends

Sammy the Grey Seal smiling beside his football on the South Pole ice.

Sammy the Grey Seal

Always ready for a splash or a game of ice football. Sammy is playful, speedy and full of energy.

Lila the Leopard Seal with her memory scrapbook and collection of shiny stones.

Lila the Leopard Seal

A thoughtful storyteller who collects shiny stones, each one holding a special memory.

Professor Puffin wearing round spectacles and a bow tie beside his satchel and laptop.

Professor Puffin

The schoolteacher and Keeper of Important Things. He wears tiny spectacles, carries a bulging satchel, and looks after the community’s precious laptop.

The glowing pale-blue Magic Ice Floe drifting on calm polar water.

Magic Ice Floe

A shimmering friend that carries Percy and Bertie wherever they need to go when a new adventure begins.