Love That Book – Books for the Young

Lauren Child’s SLIGHTLY INVISIBLE featuring Charlie and Lola

November 12, 2010 at 2:48 pm Jon Page Leave a comment

Charlie – “STOP bothering us and interrupting”

“I will NOT do bothering and I will NOT do interrupting.”- Lola

It has been 7 years since Lauren Child last wrote a Charlie & Lola adventure. She has still been writing and illustrating fantastic books in that time but we haven’t seen the beloved siblings except in the BBC adapted TV series and subsequent tie in books. The TV series really captured the essence of the original three books and the tie-in books also honoured Lauren Child’s style very well…but there is nothing like an original Lauren Child Charlie & Lola story.

I never understood the appeal of Charlie & Lola until I had kids. Before I thought the swirling, non-linear text would be just too confusing and the collage-esque illustration unappealing. But I was wrong! And the more I read them the more I fell in love with them too.

The new picture book, SLIGHTLY INVISIBLE, once again perfectly captures the trials and tribulations of these two beloved characters. Charlie wants to play with his best friend Marv but Lola keeps joining in. So Charlie and Marv decide to make an invisibility potion but somebody else drinks it before they have a chance! In typical fashion everything is resolved through a big adventure and everyone is happy and getting along in the end.

I hope this signals a more regular return to these two wonderful characters.

Entry filed under: Early Picture Books, Picture Books. Tags: books, charlie & lola, imaginary friends, imagination, invisible, siblings.