The Problem with Pierre

The differences between Bertram and his neighbour Alan were never a problem until a fussy cat entered the equation!

The quirkiness of the illustrations and the simple narrative will delight readers, young and old, as they see how embracing differences and working together can have positive outcomes. This is a book which will be read again and again and enjoyed by all. - IBBY UK

'This is a stylish picturebook with themes of compromise and friendship. -- Books for Keeps

'From the witty title, to the delightful endpapers, The Pocket Chaotic is a charming story about becoming independent and growing up.' -- Mr. Alex's Bookshelf

Alan and Betram are next-door neighbours. They are also best friends. They are also very, very different to one another. Bertram is extremely neat, and Alan is wildly messy. When Bertram gets a cat, called Pierre, he is dismayed to find that Pierre prefers it at Alan’s house.

Alan tries to help his friend out – giving him his old sheepskin coat, his chipped bowl and finally, his beat up old sofa. At last, Pierre and Bertram are happy, but Alan is not – he has no company and no sofa. Fortunately, Bertram comes up with a brilliant solution to the problem…

The Problem With Pierre plays with the format of the book, splitting each spread down the middle – the page on the left is Bertam’s neat-as-a-pin living room, and the right hand page is Alan’s homely chaos. When, at the end, Bertram knocks through the wall between the two houses, and puts the sofa in the middle, there is a coming together of content and format that is sure to delight readers young and old.