I Am Too Absolutely Small for School (Charlie and Lola) - Hardcover

Lauren Child is the author-illustrator of many children's books, including the Charlie and Lola books I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go to Bed and I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato, which won the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal. She is also the creator of a quirky series of picture books about Clarice Bean: Clarice Bean, That's Me; Clarice Bean, Guess Who's Babysitting; and What Planet Are You From, Clarice Bean?, as well as the illustrated novel Utterly Me, Clarice Bean. She lives in London.

PreSchool-Grade 2–The endearing siblings who first appeared in I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato (Candlewick, 2000) return with equally satisfying results. This time, little sister Lola has decided that while her parents think she is "nearly almost big enough to go to school," she is "absolutely not BIG." Charlie, the narrator, puts forth numerous sound reasons for going to school that Lola counters with her own unique logic: "I say... 'If you know how to write, you can send cards to people you like.' Lola says, 'I like to talk on the telephone. It's more friendly and straightaway.'" Charlie eventually comes up with a reason Lola cannot refute–her invisible friend is starting school and will be lonely without her–and she embarks on her educational career. The children's relationship is refreshingly noncombative, with Charlie as the protective and affectionate big brother who is appreciative of, rather than annoyed by, his sister's quirkiness. Incorporating photos, fabric, and appealingly childlike cartoon renderings of the siblings, the mixed-media illustrations are a visual treat of color and texture. This is a winner either as a read-aloud or for independent perusal.–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
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