The World According to Bertie

June 30, 2008
Smith delivers yet another delightful installment to his Scotland Street series. This time out, he focuses mostly on the irrepressible Bertie Pollock, a precocious six-year-old whose mummy, Irene, forces him to play a saxophone, converse in Italian, do yoga and see Dr. Hugo Fairbairn, a psychotherapist who looks a lot like Bertie's baby brother, Ulysses. As Bertie struggles to accommodate his nutty mummy and new brother, another crisis explodes for artist Angus Lordie, whose beloved dog, Cyril, has been thrown in the pound for biting someone. Cyril is innocent, and Angus, with Bertie's assistance, sets out to rescue Cyril before he's put down. Subplots abound, and Smith details with dependable whimsical flair the romantic progress of Scotland Street familiars Matthew, Pat and Bruce. Series fans know what to expect, and they get it by the truckload.

December 22, 2008
In this latest installment of McCall Smith’s 44 Scotland Street series, Robert Ian Mackenzie portrays Bertie as the overly intelligent and articulate six-year-old that he is meant to be, but when Bertie is among his classmates Tofu, Hiawatha, Larch and Olive, Mackenzie is hard-pressed to individualize the children’s voices. A similar problem arises as more and more women are added to the cast. Now that Domenica and Antonia are neighbors, their voices are almost as similar as their flats. Miss Harmony, Bertie’s teacher, could be Antonia’s twin sister. While Mackenzie has clearly run out of new voices, he does better with his male characters, especially with Angus’s basso and Matthew’s hesitant voice that matches his timid demeanor. Mackenzie keeps this enjoyable, lighthearted romp moving along quickly. An Anchor paperback (Reviews, June 30).

Starred review from September 1, 2008
Six-year-old saxophonist Bertie Pollock steals the show in this fourth installment in McCall Smiths witty and wise 44 Scotland Street series (after Love over Scotland, in 2007). Precocious Bertie, who counts command of Italian among his many talents, had hoped that the arrival of his little brother, Ulysses, would give him a break from his overbearing mother, Irene. No such luck. She continues to monitor his every move, even demanding his help with Ulysses care (including the dreaded diaper change). Meanwhile, irrepressible painter Angus Lordie is depressed over the precarious fate of his dog, Cyril, whos been labeled a serial biter. Pat, too, is dogged by the reappearance of consummate narcissist and cad Bruce, whos back in Edinburgh after time spent in London. Also returning are anthropologist Domenica Macdonald, who finds plenty of subjects to study right in her own building, and Big Lou, owner of the local coffee bar and earnest listener to the laments of well-to-do Matthew, whos every bit as unremarkable as his distressed-oatmeal sweater. McCall Smith writes with wry humor and heart about his native Scotland, as in this description of one of the countrys potables, Crabbies Green Ginger Wine: redolent of everything quintessentially Edinburgh: slightly sharp, slightly disapproving, slightly superior. Loyal fans and newcomers alike will marvel at McCall Smiths ability to find deep meanings in the small moments of life.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)