Fernie MertBert, Come Join Our Family by Jared Krichevsky, is a whimsical and modern retelling of the Pied Piper.
The story balances humour with a touch of spookiness, making it especially appealing to children who enjoy slightly eerie, imaginative and offbeat tales.
What Fernie MertBert is About:
This is a story about a town full of bored children who are easily lured into a colourful spaceship restaurant operated by an alien.
The restaurant offers endless entertainment, food, and distractions that keep all the children happily occupied and out of trouble. At first, this seems like a dream solution for the adults in the town. Over time, however, the parents begin to notice that their children are disappearing. It turns out that Fernie MertBert is changing them into green slime and making them part of his spaceship in a strange attempt to create his own family. Yikes!
The book is written in rhyme, which occasionally felt a little awkward to me, but it’s definitely a fun and quirky story that kids will likely find engaging. The rhythm and repetition make it well suited for a read-aloud, and the unusual premise will certainly keep students curious about what will happen next.
Classroom Connections
What I especially liked about Fernie Mertbert is its clear connection to the Pied Piper legend. That familiar framework makes the book a strong choice for discussing fairy-tale retellings, symbolism, and the idea of following without questioning.
The story can also be seen as a gentle commentary on how easily our attention is captured—much like the pull of social media, screens, and constant technological distractions in everyday life. It’s the perfect stepping stone for classroom conversations about choice, awareness, and independent thinking.
Fernie MertBert is also an exploration of the true meaning of family. Our little alien friend has some very strange ideas about family which get sorted out towards the end of the book.
Overall, Fernie MertBert is a fun and imaginative read that can spark thoughtful discussion. Its blend of whimsy, classic literary connections, and modern relevance makes it an engaging and worthwhile book to explore in the classroom.
Ideas for Classroom Use:
1. Fairy-Tale Connection: Then & Now
- Read a short excerpt or summary of The Pied Piper of Hamelin
- Create a Venn diagram comparing the two stories
2. Following vs. Thinking for Yourself
- Discuss when it’s okay to follow others and when it’s better to stop and think
- Create a T-chart with the headings “Good Times to Follow” and “Times to Make Your Own Choice”
3. Follow-Up Writing
- My favourite part of the story was…
- One connection I noticed was…
- I liked / didn’t like the story because…
4. Art Works
- Have your students create and illustrate a tempting menu for Fernie’s restaurant. Be sure to include bright colours, silly food names, and interesting shapes and patterns. Talk about how all these elements might be used to persuade someone to eat there.
- Design your own alien. Caption it with a sentence explaining whether it’s kind, tricky, misunderstood or devious.
Thanks for reading Grade Onederful!
If you’re interested in more book reviews you can find them on my Kid Lit page.