Charlie and Lola

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Charlie and Lola.
Charlie and Lola.

Charlie and Lola are the principal characters from a series of children's picture books by Lauren Child. The stories are all narrated by seven year-old Charlie, and focus on the antics of his feisty four year-old sister, Lola. The books as well as the television series also emphasise the relationship between closely-aged siblings.

The first "Charlie and Lola" book, I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato, published in 2001, won the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal. The character of Lola was based upon an inquisitive little girl whom Child encountered on a train in Denmark.

Contents

[edit] Book Titles

I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato
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I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato
  • I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato (also published as "I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato")
  • I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go To Bed
  • I Am Too Absolutely Small For School
  • I've Won, No I've Won, No I've Won
  • Snow Is My Favorite and My Best
  • But Excuse Me That Is My Book
  • We Honestly Can Look After Your Dog (sometimes listed as "We Do Promise Honestly We Can Look After Your Dog")
  • I'm Not Very Keen on Spiders

There are also various sticker books, etc.

[edit] Characters

  • Charlie Sonner, aged 7
  • Lola Sonner, aged 4
  • Marv Low, Charlie's best friend
  • Lotta, Lola's best friend
  • Soren Lorenson, Lola's imaginary friend (Named after Lauren Child's partner)
  • Sizzles, Marv's dog

(NOTE: The Surname 'Sonner' has been verified by Lauren Child's Manager Caroline Walsh on 11th Dec 2006. It is often mistaken to be 'Summer')

[edit] Television series

Charlie and Lola, the series.
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Charlie and Lola, the series.

"I have this little sister Lola. She is small... and very funny."

The books have been adapted by Tiger Aspect into a cartoon series, using a collage style of animation which accurately captures the style of the original books. 2D cel animation, paper cutout, fabric design, real textures, photomontage and archive footage are all employed. The cartoons are also notable for their use of children's voices, rather than adult voice actors, a technique pioneered by the Peanuts television specials. (Both the books and the cartoon also mirror Peanuts' technique of never showing adults.) The first series of 26 episodes (11 minutes each) was first broadcast on November 7th 2005 on CBeebies [1]. The second series of 26 episodes (again, 11 minutes each) started broadcasting on CBeebies on October 2nd 2006 (with the morning broadcast also being shown on BBC Two). In the television series, Charlie is eight and Lola is five, and goes to school (her teacher is called Mrs. Hansen). In episodes of both the first and second series, Charlie celebrates his birthday (in 'It's a Secret...' and 'This Is Actually My Party'), although this doesn't seem to affect his age in other episodes.

It currently airs throughout the world:

In some countries, the episodes are packaged as double-bills.

Three volumes of episodes are currently available on DVD, with a fourth one and a boxed set on the way. The DVD episodes contain slightly longer versions of the opening and closing credits.

[edit] Cast

Season 1

  • Jethro Lundie Brown – Charlie Sonner
  • Masie Cowell – Lola Sonner
  • Ryan Harris – Marv Lowe
  • Morgan Gayle – Lotta
  • Stanley Street – Soren Lorenson

Season 2

  • Daniel Mayers – Charlie Sonner
  • Clementine Cowell – Lola Sonner
  • Ryan Harris – Marv Lowe
  • Morgan Gayle – Lotta
  • Stanley Street – Soren Lorenson
  • Macauley Keeper - Morten Lowe, Marv's little brother

(Marv also has an older brother, Marty, heard but not seen (or credited) in 'Look after your Planet')

(Note: Clementine Cowell, the second voice of Lola, is the younger sister of Masie Cowell, who provided Lola's voice in the first series)

[edit] Episodes

Season 1:

  • 1. I Will Not Ever Never Eat A Tomato
Lola is a very fussy eater, and Charlie must try and convince her to give her food a try. But will he ever convince her to eat a tomato?
  • Note: This episode is adapted from Lauren Child's first Charlie and Lola book.
  • 2. I Can Do Anything that's Everything All On My Own
Lola insists on doing everything for herself, even though some of the things, she is not very good at doing on her own. Charlie tries to teach her that there is nothing wrong with accepting a little help occasionally.
  • 3. I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go to Bed
Charlie has to get Lola ready for bed - but Lola insists that she is not tired, and is too busy drinking pink milk with tigers, playing with dolphins in the bath, and dancing with some disco dogs.
  • 4. But That is My Book
Lola's favourite book is 'Beetles, Bugs and Butterflies', which she often borrows from the local library. But when someone else borrows her beloved book, Charlie must try to find another book that will win her interest.
  • 5. There is Only One Sun And That is Me!
Lola is set on playing the Sun in an upcoming school production - so is upset when she is cast as a leaf. Charlie tries to convince Lola that leaves are very important.
  • 6. We Do Promise Honestly We Can Look After Your Dog
In the park, Lola and Lotta persuade Marv to let them look after Sizzles while he and Charlie play football. But then Sizzles gets lost!
  • 7. I've Won, No I've Won No I've Won
Lola always has to win at everything - even if it means bending the rules in her favour. So Charlie challenges her to a race around the park that she cannot possibly cheat at.
  • 8. I Like My Hair Completely the Way It Is!
It's time for Charlie and Lola to have their hair cut - but Lola doesn't want hers done.
  • 9. I'm Really Ever So Not Well
Lola is ill in bed. Charlie has promised Marv that he'll play football with him, but Lola begs him to stay and cheer her up.
  • 10. I am Hurrying I'm Almost Nearly Ready
Charlie is trying to get Lola to hurry up or else they'll be late to school. But Lola finds it so hard to hurry when there is colouring, dancing with clouds, playing hopscotch on musical pavements, and laughing with hysterical hedgehogs to distract her.
  • Note: This episode is sometimes listed as simply 'I am Hurrying'.
  • 11. BOO! Made You Jump!
Charlie is good at making Lola jump. Lola is desperate to be able to make him jump back, but, as hard as she tries, just can't seem to do it.
  • 12. The Most Wonderfullest Picnic in the World
Charlie and Lola are planning a picnic with Marv and Lotta. But will the event be spoilt when the weather turns?
  • 13. It Wasn't Me!
Charlie tells Lola not to touch his wonderful home-made model rocket, but Lola just can't resist when she and Soren Lorenson have to use it to transport a sad elephant home to the jungle. But when the rocket gets broken, Lola has trouble admitting that she did it.
  • 14. It's a Secret...
It is Charlie's birthday, and Lola knows what his birthday surprise is. Will she be able to stop herself blurting it out and spoiling it?
  • 15. I Love Going to Granny and Grandpa's... it's just that...
Charlie and Lola are going to stay at Granny and Grandpa's house by the sea. Lola loves going to Granny and Grandpa's, but she is worried about remembering to pack everything. Then she is worried about missing Mum and Dad, and them missing her.
  • Note: This episode is sometimes listed as simply 'I Love Going to Granny and Grandpa's'.
  • 16. I Do Not Ever, Never Want My Wobbly Tooth to Fall Out
Lola has a wobbly tooth, but does not want it to fall out. That is, until she learns about the tooth fairy, who will leave her money in exchange for her tooth.
  • 17. Say Cheese
Lola must keep clean for a whole day for her first school photograph. But keeping clean for a whole day is so difficult!
  • 18. I'm Just Not Keen on Spiders
Lola finds a spider in the flat. She isn't keen on spiders. Charlie tries to show her that spiders are nice. Soon, Lola has grown to quite like the little creepy crawly. But after they have put the spider outside, the weather turns, and Lola is worried about her new friend.
  • 19. Snow is My Favorite and My Best
Snow is forecast and Lola can't wait for it to arrive. When it finally arrives, Charlie, Lola, Marv, Lotta and Sizzles all have a lovely time playing in it. But when the snow melts, Lola is sad, and Charlie must try and explain it would lose its appeal if it snowed all the time.
  • 20. You Won't Like this Present as Much as I Do!
Lola wants to choose the best present in the world for Lotta's birthday. She chooses a doctor's kit, but doesn't think that Lotta will appreciate the kit as much as she would, and would rather like to keep it for herself.
  • 21. I Must Take Completely Everything
Lola is going to stay at Lotta's for the night, and packs absolutely everything for them to play Cinderella. Back home, Charlie and Marv set up their racing cars track. But Lola forgets her stuff and Charlie and Marv can't find an important piece of track - teaching both parties a lesson in improvisation and imagination.
  • 22. I Want to Play Music Too
Charlie and Marv are to do a musical assembley about outer space at school. Lola wants to join in and desperately wishes that she could play music too, but can't seem to master any instruments. Charlie comes up with some make-shift instruments that she might be able to manage. But on the day of the presentation, Marv is ill - who will take his place?
  • 23. I'm Far Too Extremely Busy
Lola is busy playing secretary, waitress, dentist and librarian. Far too busy to play with Lotta, or Charlie, or Soren Lorenson. But Charlie's new card game, Flip Flop, is awfully tempting.
  • 24. I Want To Be Much More Bigger Like You
Lola wishes she was taller. Charlie tries to show her that being small can have its benefits.
  • 25. My Little Town
Charlie and Lola have fun playing with the 'My Little Town' playset that Granny and Grandpa have bought them. But Charlie wants to build airports and play aliens, whereas Lola wants draw and build a zoo. Will they manage to share?
  • 26. But I am an Alligator
Granny and Grandpa have bought Lola an alligator costume. Lola loves it and insists that she will never take it off. Never. But with an upcoming school assembly presentation about things she likes, Charlie is worried that his little sister will make a fool of herself.

(Note: The first series is listed here in production order, the order in which it was originally broadcast in the United Kingdom. The order of episodes, on both BBC One and CBeebies, has been shuffled on repeat runs. The American broadcasts were also in a different order)


Season 2

  • 27. It is Absolutely and Completely Not Messy
Charlie and Lola's parents tell them to clean their bedroom. Charlie is willing, but has a very hard time getting Lola to cooperate.
  • 28. I Spy with My Little Eyes
Lola likes playing spying - observing things and then drawing them. But in doing so, she and Soren Lorenson become convinced that a family of wolves has moved in next door!
  • 29. I am Extremely Magic
Charlie has a new magic kit and dazzles Lola and their friends with his tricks. Lola thinks that if Charlie is magic, that must mean that she is magic too; So she becomes very frustrated when she can't seem to do any tricks.
  • 30. This is Actually My Party
It is Charlie's birthday, and he is planning a monster-themed birthday party. But Lola doesn't like the theme and starts changing everything - much to the annoyance of Charlie.
  • 31. How Many More Minutes?
Charlie and Lola have to make their own amusements when they have to wait for Mum in the dentist's waiting room.
  • 32. I am Collecting a Collection
Charlie is collecting a set of plastic dinosaur figures from cereal packets, and Lola decides that she'd like to collect something too. But what will she collect?
  • 33. My Best Best Bestest Friend
Lola and Lotta are best friends. But when Lotta is asked to watch over Evie, a new girl at school, Lotta starts to loose interest in Lola, and Lola is worried and upset that she has lost her beloved friend forever.
  • 34. Lucky, Lucky Me
Lola feels extremely lucky. But when she and Charlie set out to go to the cinema to see the movie of their favourite character, 'Bat Cat', a series of events convinces Lola that her luck has run out, and that she may never be lucky again.
  • Note: Although he can be spotted on Lola's lunch-box in several episodes previously, this episode formally introduces Charlie and Lola's favourite super-hero, 'Bat Cat'.
  • 35. I Just Love My Red Shiny Shoes
Lola's favourite shiny red shoes are too small for her. Charlie takes her to buy a new pair, but Lola wants to keep the pair that she has.
  • 36. I Really Wonder What Plant I'm Growing
Lola is impressed by the tomato plant that Charlie is growing (even though she doesn't like tomatoes). She decides to grow a plant of her own. She gets a seed - but doesn't know what it will grow.
  • 37. Charlie is Broken!
Charlie and Lola are rehearsing a circus show for Granny and Grandpa, with Charlie juggling and Lola desperately trying to do forward rolls. But when he is playing football in the park with Marv, Charlie breaks his arm. Will the show go on?
  • 38. I Will Be Especially, Very Careful
Lola loves Lotta's soft, white new coat. She swaps the coat for a handbag that Mum gave her until school tomorrow, promising to take good care of it. But a series of events threatens to spoil the coat.
  • 39. Yes I Am No You're Not
Charlie and Lola are looking forward to a Chinese puppet show, but they can't stop squabbling with each other. Their parents tell them that they won't be allowed to see the show unless they behave. Will they manage to stop arguing for long enough?
  • 40. I Am Really, Really, Really Concentrating
School sports day is coming up. Charlie and Marv are going to do the three legged race, and Lotta is going to enter the octopus (obstacle) race. But what event will Lola be good at? Maybe the egg and spoon race.
  • 41. Will You Please Stop Messing About
Mum has told Charlie and Lola that they must have a big tidy up, or else Charlie won't be able to watch his favourite television programme, Space Family Hudson. But all Lola seems to want to do is play games.
  • 42. I Completely Know About Guinea Pigs
Lola wants to look after Burt, the class Guinea Pig, over the holidays. Lola finds out all about how to look after Guinea Pigs properly, and is allowed to bring Burt home. At first all is well, but then Burt goes missing.
  • 43. What if I Get Lost in the Middle of Nowhere?
Lola has a fear of getting lost. She is not looking forward to the school trip and would rather stay behind. Charlie teaches her some methods that should stop her getting lost and help her if she does - but the school trip turns out to be to a giant maze. How will Lola cope?
  • 44. Welcome to Lolaland
Charlie and Marv are learning Spanish. Lola would like to learn a foreign language too, but can't grasp it. With Soren Lorenson, she decides to make up her own imaginary language and place - Lolaland.
  • 45. Please May I Have Some of Yours?
Granny and Grandpa are taking Charlie and Lola to the zoo. But Lola eats up all of her sandwiches before lunch, wastes all her bread to feed to the ducks in one go, uses up all of her camera film, and spends all of her money - when she is so set on buying a toy seal for the bath. Charlie reluctantly helps her out - but will she ever learn to save things for herself?
  • 46. Can You Maybe Turn the Light On?
After Charlie reads her a story about an ogre, Lola is frightened of the dark. But all of the things she wants to make her feel safer keep Charlie awake.
  • Note: The voice of the Ogre is provided by Abel Lundie-Brown, no doubt a relation of Jethro Lundie-Brown, who provided the voice of Charlie in the first series.
  • 47. You Can Be My Friend
While Marv's Dad takes Marv and Charlie to the insect house, Lola is left in the company of Marv's little brother, Morten. But Morton is rather quiet and shy, and doesn't seem to want to play any of the games that Lola suggests.
  • 48. I Wish I Could Draw Exactly More Like You
Charlie, Marv, Lola and Lotta all have to draw pictures of their houses for a school project. They all have their own ways of drawing, and look at some famous paintings for inspiration.
  • 49. I Will Not Ever Never Forget You, Nibbles
Charlie and Lola get a pet mouse, which they name Nibbles. Nibbles can do lots of tricks, and they love him very much. But eventually, Nibbles dies, and the siblings must learn to cope with the upset of loosing a pet.
  • 50. Never Ever Never Step on the Cracks
Lola is very superstitious, and believes everything that people tell her. She hops to bed so the sea-ticklers won't tickle her, sleeps tightly so the bed bugs won't bite, washes really hard behind her ears so mushrooms won't grow there, and turns around three times when she sees a magpie. So Charlie quickly regrets when he tells her not to step on the cracks in the pavement or else the bears that live underneath will get her.
  • 51. Look After Your Planet
Lola learns all about recycling, and doing things to save the planet. In a magazine, she and Charlie spot a competition to win your very own tree if you recycle 100 things. They decide to enter - and Lola is determined to recycle everything. Everything.
  • 52. Too Many Big Words
Lola is learning to count and read at school. But she finds it very difficult and does not like it. Eventually, Charlie persuades her to give it a try, and helps her read about Picolo, a little bird who cannot sing.
  • Note: Elements in this episode are adapted from Lauren Child's original book, I Am Too Absolutely Small For School.

(Note: The second series is listed here in its production order, the order in which it was originally broadcast on CBeebies and BBC Two in the United Kingdom. The episodes were broadcast in a slightly different order in America.)

[edit] External links

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/10_october/10/lola.shtml
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