I Am Too Absolutely Small for School (Charlie & Lola Series) (Hardcover)

A wonderful book with all the vital elements - an engaging story, original illustrations, humour and real 'child friendly' issues such as starting school. Needless to say, we all loved it and the children were fascinated by the invisible friend and longed to get their hands on my copy to take a closer look!

Madonna is not a patch on Lauren Child or the other many wonderful picture books which children are priveleged to read nowadays.

We await the next book with excited anticipation. Keep up the fantastic work.

It is essentially the conversation between Lola, who is going to be attending school for the first time although she is not convinced she should- as she is "too absolutely small to go to school" - and her brother charlie who tries to persuade Lola that it will be just fine. As Charlie puts forward the advantages in schooling - Lola is beginning to consider the prospect in a different light.The winning argument is ,however, regarding Soren Lorenson - her imaginary friend (who appears in the pictures cleverly illustrated so as only to appear on closer scrutiny of the page). Soren Lorenson will be going to school, says Charlie, so who will keep him company?

The story is both funny and thoughtful. One of Lola's concerns is that she does not wish to wear a "schooliform". Charlie tells her that at their school they may wear whatever they wish - so promptly Lola quick as a flash appears in her alligator outfit as her chosen outfit for school. It is thoughtful in the way it puts across Lola's anxieties about school - Lola expresses her worries about school by projecting them onto Soren in a way that children do, which is very endearing.

The characters really come to life through their lines and the beautiful wild imaginative and original illustrations. Lola is a free independent and colourful spirit who speaks her mind and dresses exactly as she wishes. Charlie is caring and takes his role as the bigger brother seriously - he is trying to act sensible and grown-up but knows that in dealing with Lola he has to resort to some pretty imaginative arguments - how will she know how to feed eleven elephants if she only knows how to count to ten? Then having acted all mature and reassuring for his sister - he gets worried when he does not see her at school - only to discover that of course Lola had a great first day and as she herself says she was never worried - it was Soren Lorenson. In an utterly charming way Lauren Child has succeeding in portraying children in a way which is true, real and does them justice. Funnily enough my youngest boy aged 2.5 years will not go to pre-school in the morning unless he has "Lola" (as he refers to the book) with him in his bag.