Charlie and Lola, Vols. 1 and 2

Charlie and Lola, Vol. 2
Charlie's little sister Lola is "very small and very funny," with an infectious laugh and a young child's tendency toward intense enthusiasm and emotions. In this second volume of Charlie and Lola episodes from the BBC, the ever responsible Charlie helps his sister through the difficulties of everything from bedtime rituals to delayed gratification and disappointment. A wide awake Lola possesses a seemingly inexhaustible arsenal of excuses why she simply can't go to bed in "I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go to Bed," but a patient and creative Charlie creates a bedtime routine that celebrates Lola's imagination AND gets her to bed with a relative minimum of fuss. Dealing with disappointment is especially difficult for Lola, but Charlie always seems to have an innovative remedy like unearthing just the right book to check out from the library when Lola's favorite book is already checked out, good advice about the perfect birthday gift for a friend, and a creative way to salvage a picnic that's been ruined by a rainstorm. In "I Want to Play Music Too," it's Lola that ends up teaching Charlie a lesson about the value of collaboration and creativity in music when she rescues a flailing Charlie during a school musical performance. Anglophiles, fans of Lauren Child's Charlie and Lola books, and children ages 2 to 7 will delight in these six escapades featuring the spunky Lola and her clever brother Charlie. Bonus features include an interactive hide and seek game, funny outtakes, and hidden surprises. --Tami Horiuchi