The storyteller behind Percy & Bertie

Why Percy & Bertie exist

Percy & Bertie began with a lightbulb moment: the idea that two very different creatures could become the very best of friends.

At first, I hadn’t considered that penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere while polar bears belong in the Arctic and would never naturally meet. But that’s where the Magic Ice Floe comes in. I like to imagine that one day it took matters into its own hands and decided Bertie needed to visit the South Pole. Bertie loved it there, and when his new friend Percy invited him to make his home at Snowhaven, he happily stayed.

Their personalities developed naturally as I wrote. Percy is curious, quick and always ready to discover what’s around the next corner, while Bertie is thoughtful, steady and kind. Each has his own strengths and things still to learn, but together they help one another become a little braver, wiser and more confident.

Writing fiction began as a challenge I set myself, simply to discover whether I could do it. Children’s stories became the next step, and before long Percy and Bertie’s world had grown into somewhere I loved returning to. It has become as much an escape for me while I’m writing as I hope it will be for the children reading the stories.

The values at the heart of their adventures are very important to me. In my previous working life, much of my time was spent mentoring people, helping them recognise their abilities and encouraging them to explore what they were capable of achieving. I’ve always believed that ideas are easier to understand when we see them unfold in a real situation. Percy and Bertie’s adventures allow children to encounter kindness, courage, friendship, gratitude and helping others through gentle stories they can enjoy.

I love seeing each finished book brought to life through its illustrations, but writing the stories is every bit as rewarding. I don’t always know exactly where an adventure will lead when I begin. As it unfolds, the next step gradually becomes clear, along with the new friends Percy and Bertie will meet on the way.

The books are written for children aged around 4–10, whether they’re sharing the story with a parent, grandparent or another grown-up, or beginning to enjoy reading independently.

As their world grows, new places and new friends will appear, but the things at the heart of the series will remain the same: kindness, courage, curiosity, gratitude and the quiet strength of a good friendship.

If a child closes one of the books feeling a little kinder, a little braver, a little more curious, or simply glad to have spent some time with Percy and Bertie, then that’s exactly what I hoped for.

The values behind the series

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