"Bertram's mamma got down on her hands and knees and peeked in. It was pretty dark in there, but she could see Baby Sam over on the side opposite the door, sitting in a little pool of ice water, and saying 'Goo!'"
—Bertram and the Ice Bear
After over half a century of being out of print, two Bertram books are available again! See the new Bertram is back page for details.
Paul T. Gilbert is best known as the author of a series of children's stories about a boy named Bertram, whose adventures, which always involved an unusual animal—gnu or ibex or hippopotamus—charmed and entertained children of the 1930's and 40's. He was one of the most popular contributors of stories to Child Life Magazine.
But he also was a journalist and newspaper columnist for most of the first half of the 20th century, meeting and talking with many personalities of the day; a circus enthusiast who entertained himself and his readers with his circus adventures; a turn-of-the-century Yale graduate and class poet who continued to publish poetry in a daily column called Picture Poems. In addition to his numerous books for children, he was the author of several other books—The Great White Tribe in Filipinia, an account of his teaching experiences in the Philippines in the years following his Yale graduation; The Key to Culture, a fascinating ettiquette and advice book published in 1921; and two books about Chicago, where he lived most of his life. These pages take a look at his life and writing.