Charlie and Lola: I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go to Bed - Lauren Child > Reviews (1)

You are tired and you will go to bed!

This book was a hand-me-down from my niece, and I must say that at first I was a little concerned about the subject matter – a book that promotes not being tired and not going to bed …. No thanks!!

The book is available on amazon for £4.05 from new.

Silly siblings

For those of you that don’t know, Charlie and Lola are a well-known brother and sister from a BBC series of the same name. each book and TV programme begins with Charlie saying: “I have this little sister Lola. She is small and very funny.” All the books and TV programmes revolve around the pair and their friends, and the things they get up to. There are always fantasy sequences and it’s quite a quirky, unusual programme, with interesting illustrations which are 2-dimensional and a bit ‘scruffy’. There is also the occasional “real” picture used such as a bowl of real fruit. Although I am no expert, I have never once seen Charlie and Lola’s parents, although they often refer to them, so they are quite an independent pair!

The books carry on the theme with the same style of illustration being used. The writing is also quirky and unusual, and the style of lettering changes throughout.

Up at 13 o'clock

So this book involves Lola not wanting to go to bed as she isn’t tired, and claims she won’t be tired “even at 13 o’clock”. She comes up with all sorts of excuses why she can’t go to bed, and poor Charlie plays along, making pink milk for Lola’s tiger friends, ringing up dancing dogs to borrow pyjamas and taking a whale out of the bath.

Eventually, of course, we have a happy ending with Lola finally succumbing and going to bed.

Bright and fun for C&L fans

This is a nice story that my daughter enjoys listening to, although it isn’t one of her favourites. At just under 3 I think she may be a bit too young for some of it and I think it may grow on her, and she has only recently starting watching the TV show so it may become more of a favourite in the future. It’s quite a fun book to read and my daughter has learnt certain bits of it and likes to read along with me. The illustrations are bright and interesting and, as I mentioned previously, definitely a little bit unusual!

Overall it's a nice book but it doesn't make me desperate to go out and buy more Charlie and Lola books. Of course the story is supposed to be a bit silly but I am not really that mad on it, and I think the style of illustration works better on TV than in the book. So for me, it's okay and quite enjoyable, and my daughter quite likes it, but as I say I'm not sure I'd buy more Charlie and Lola books!