Berticus: How I Survived School! and Bullies! and Farley Finnigan! received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Brian Silbert.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
The book is aptly titled: Berticus: How I Survived School! and Bullies! and Farley Finnigan! and it was published on 10/23/2024.
What’s the book’s first line?
I sat calmly gripping the small steering wheel.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Fifth-grader Berticus exists at the collision point of homework, tests, bullies, first crush and the pressure from The Perfect Student—not a pretty sight, but a funny one. Berticus goes from lunchroom self-appointed maître d’, to his secret club, an impromptu sing-a-long following a bathroom mishap, surviving bullies, becoming a martial arts superhero, running for class president, to school band with the girl he’s been crushing on…and all bets are off.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
It was my mom for sure. And while I didn’t quite understand it before, now, as a parent myself I certainly do. My parents run a company that really helps kids improve their academic skills. They have spent thousands of hours with kids helping them read and write. She must have seen something in me over the years that made her think I’d be a writer.
She truly hounded me to take this Berticus character I have in my head and put it on paper.
Finally, I gave in.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
Do you remember when you were assigned a book to read in school, and you just dreaded it? The whole idea of being assigned a book to read was always the worst. But in the same breath, do you remember that one book that you fell in love with and always read more than was assigned? The one you couldn’t put down??
That’s why you should read it. This is that book.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
Gilbert Icusberwitz is his full name, but they call him Berticus. He’s a fifth grader whose life is a whirlwind of imagination, impulsive actions, and the awkwardness that comes with growing up. Berticus is not just any ordinary kid, we witness his wild daydreams, such as believing that new sneakers will make him run as fast as a cheetah or concocting absurd schemes to grow a beard using ketchup and horseradish.
These imaginative thoughts reflect his desire for control in a world that often feels chaotic and unpredictable. However, it’s through these daydreams and impulsive decisions that he learns vital lessons about consequences and responsibility.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
Believe it or not but becoming an author was not how my career started. There have been so many turns. For a while I was a Hollywood guy. I was one of the producers of the shows American Choppers and Practical Jokers. And then now I opened an ice cream store in NYC and am learning every nuance of running a successful retail biz.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
Berticus didn’t take me long to write. The ideas kept flowing once I got started. But I fortunately had my parents to keep me grounded and so does Berticus. Hopefully, kids from 8 to 12 have someone in their family that believes in them and is always their ally.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
I don’t think a 2nd book was on my mind while writing the first. But since writing it I have a lot of ideas swimming around in my head, some of which I’ve already written down. If my readers are looking for another book, I’ll certainly get on it.