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Charlie & Lola
I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go to Bed
"Whether they spot themselves in Charlie or Lola, young ones will enjoy this exuberant, hilarious spin on a bedtime story." — Booklist
Night owl Lola likes to stay up coloring and scribbling and wriggling and bouncing and chattering. Lola never gets tired. How can big brother Charlie convince her it's time for bed? Heralded by the Washington Post as "a delightful new voice in children's books," author-illustrator Lauren Child splashes her offbeat sense of humor and unique artwork all over this bedtime story. Laugh out loud at Lola's imaginative antics, but save a cheer for kind, patient Charlie, the big brother we'd all love to have.
Night owl Lola likes to stay up coloring and scribbling and wriggling and bouncing and chattering. Lola never gets tired. How can big brother Charlie convince her it's time for bed? Heralded by the Washington Post as "a delightful new voice in children's books," author-illustrator Lauren Child splashes her offbeat sense of humor and unique artwork all over this bedtime story. Laugh out loud at Lola's imaginative antics, but save a cheer for kind, patient Charlie, the big brother we'd all love to have.
32 pages, Paperback
First published May 24, 2001
3 people are currently reading
556 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Child
444 books832 followersLauren Child MBE is an English author and illustrator. She was the UK Children's Laureate from 2017-19.
Child grew up in Wiltshire as the middle child of three sisters and the daughter of two teachers. She has always been interested in the many aspects of childhood, from gazing into toy shop windows to watching American children's shows from the 1960s. After attending two Art Schools, she travelled for six months, still unsure about which career to embark upon.
Before writing and illustrating children's books Child started her own company 'Chandeliers for the People' making lampshades. It was only when she came to write and illustrate the book Clarice Bean, That's Me that she decided to devote her time to writing and illustrating books for children, which combines her fascination for childhood and her talent for designing and creating. Child gets her inspiration from other people's conversations or from seeing something funny happen.
Her book I Will Not Ever Never Eat A Tomato won the 2000 Kate Greenaway Medal. For the 50th anniversary of the Medal (1955–2005), a panel named it one of the top ten winning works, which comprised the shortlist for a public vote for the nation's favourite. It finished third in the public vote from that shortlist.
Child lives in North London.
Child grew up in Wiltshire as the middle child of three sisters and the daughter of two teachers. She has always been interested in the many aspects of childhood, from gazing into toy shop windows to watching American children's shows from the 1960s. After attending two Art Schools, she travelled for six months, still unsure about which career to embark upon.
Before writing and illustrating children's books Child started her own company 'Chandeliers for the People' making lampshades. It was only when she came to write and illustrate the book Clarice Bean, That's Me that she decided to devote her time to writing and illustrating books for children, which combines her fascination for childhood and her talent for designing and creating. Child gets her inspiration from other people's conversations or from seeing something funny happen.
Her book I Will Not Ever Never Eat A Tomato won the 2000 Kate Greenaway Medal. For the 50th anniversary of the Medal (1955–2005), a panel named it one of the top ten winning works, which comprised the shortlist for a public vote for the nation's favourite. It finished third in the public vote from that shortlist.
Child lives in North London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
May 10, 2017
This is a fun one from a very talented and quirky author. is actually attending the Sydney Writer's Festival this year, speaking at the children's event. I hope she can impart some wisdom to our youngsters on how to write creatively, and for fun!
Cheeky Lola finds lots of things to do other than going to bed. Charlie has to feed some lions some pink milk, borrow pyjamas from the dancing doggies and even push a whale down the sink to enable teeth brushing!
These are fun books but Indy still doesn't settle and really want to listen. I will keep persevering! I borrowed a lot of her books so we can keep trying.
Cheeky Lola finds lots of things to do other than going to bed. Charlie has to feed some lions some pink milk, borrow pyjamas from the dancing doggies and even push a whale down the sink to enable teeth brushing!
These are fun books but Indy still doesn't settle and really want to listen. I will keep persevering! I borrowed a lot of her books so we can keep trying.
September 23, 2023
Charlie and Lola are such a cool couple of kids and all their adventures are amusing even if Lola is sometimes dogmatic as to what she will or will not do!
On this occasion she WILL NOT go to bed!
Charlie, as always, introduces us by telling us that his little sister is small and very funny (true enough!) and that sometimes their Mum and Dad ask him to try to get her off to bed. He explains that this is a difficult job because Lola likes to stay up late.
Staying up late, Lola like to colour, to scribble, to stick her stickers in, to wiggle in her hula-hoop, to bounce and, most of all, to chatter. When Charlie tries to coax her to bed after their Mum has told him to do so, Lola says emphatically (as she always does), 'No! I am NOT sleepy and I WILL NOT go to bed.' Charlie tries again by telling her 'But all the birds have gone to sleep', to which Lola replies 'But I am not a bird, Charlie.'
Charlie tries telling her that she must be slightly sleepy but Lola replies that she is not slightly sleepy at 6 or 7 or 8 and that she is still wide awake at 9 and not at all tired at 10, 11, 12 and adds, 'and I will probably still be perky at even 13 o'clock in the morning'. Lola never gets tired.
Charlie tries another tack by telling Lola that without bedtime there will be no bedtime drink of her favourite pink milk. Lola replies by telling Charlie that if she has pink milk the tigers at the table will also want pink milk. Charlie is bemused as to what tigers she is talking about but to appease her he makes four glasses of pink milk, one for Lola and one each for the three tigers.
Charlie then says that it is time to brush their teeth but Lola tells him that she cannot do so for a lion is eating her toothbrush! Charlie points out her toothbrush so Lola suspects that the lion is eating Charlie's toothbrush so she and the lion brush their respective teeth!
Lola is looking a bit grubby according to Charlie so he says that she should have a bath but Lola tells him that she cannot do so because of the whales swimming in the bath. Charlie asks what he can do about that and Lola tells him to assist her to shoo one of them down the plug hole; he does so and Lola hops in the bath with just one whale as company!
Dried off from her bath, Lola cannot find her pyjamas and Charlie spots them under her pillow and tells her so. But Lola says, 'Oh no, those pyjamas belong to two dancing dogs.' Charlie tells her that she can borrow them but Lola says that she cannot do so without Charlie telephoning the dogs for their permission. Obligingly, Charlie does so and tells Lola, 'They say pyjamas suit you better than them. You can wear them whenever you like.' 'That's nice of them,' says Lola.
After all he has done, Charlie then asks Lola to hop into bed ... but there is one last problem. Lola says, 'But Charlie ...' but before she can finish the sentence an exasperated Charlie says, 'Oh, don't tell me. I bet I can guess, there's a huge hippopotamus in your bed.' 'Don't be silly, Charlie, I wouldn't let a hippipotimus [she can't quite say the word!] get into my bed.'
Then Lola adds, 'But I think there's one in yours.' Job done, Lola climbs into bed with 'Goodnight Charlie. Goodnight Hippipotimus.' And finally, after lots of fun, it's 'Goodnight Lola.' Zzzzzzzzzzzz
Footnote: The edition I read is the 10th anniversary edition and comes with a splendid Charlie and Lola wall frieze - 'But Lola I can't put it up in my bedroom.' 'Of course you can, Charlie, (sorry Gerry).' 'Lola, I can't because I already have 112 pictures on the bedroom walls and there is no space for anything more.' 'You do NOT have 112 pictures on your walls, Charlie, (sorry Gerry) and you NEVER will NOT EVER have 112 pictures on your bedroom walls ...' Sorry Lola but I do!
On this occasion she WILL NOT go to bed!
Charlie, as always, introduces us by telling us that his little sister is small and very funny (true enough!) and that sometimes their Mum and Dad ask him to try to get her off to bed. He explains that this is a difficult job because Lola likes to stay up late.
Staying up late, Lola like to colour, to scribble, to stick her stickers in, to wiggle in her hula-hoop, to bounce and, most of all, to chatter. When Charlie tries to coax her to bed after their Mum has told him to do so, Lola says emphatically (as she always does), 'No! I am NOT sleepy and I WILL NOT go to bed.' Charlie tries again by telling her 'But all the birds have gone to sleep', to which Lola replies 'But I am not a bird, Charlie.'
Charlie tries telling her that she must be slightly sleepy but Lola replies that she is not slightly sleepy at 6 or 7 or 8 and that she is still wide awake at 9 and not at all tired at 10, 11, 12 and adds, 'and I will probably still be perky at even 13 o'clock in the morning'. Lola never gets tired.
Charlie tries another tack by telling Lola that without bedtime there will be no bedtime drink of her favourite pink milk. Lola replies by telling Charlie that if she has pink milk the tigers at the table will also want pink milk. Charlie is bemused as to what tigers she is talking about but to appease her he makes four glasses of pink milk, one for Lola and one each for the three tigers.
Charlie then says that it is time to brush their teeth but Lola tells him that she cannot do so for a lion is eating her toothbrush! Charlie points out her toothbrush so Lola suspects that the lion is eating Charlie's toothbrush so she and the lion brush their respective teeth!
Lola is looking a bit grubby according to Charlie so he says that she should have a bath but Lola tells him that she cannot do so because of the whales swimming in the bath. Charlie asks what he can do about that and Lola tells him to assist her to shoo one of them down the plug hole; he does so and Lola hops in the bath with just one whale as company!
Dried off from her bath, Lola cannot find her pyjamas and Charlie spots them under her pillow and tells her so. But Lola says, 'Oh no, those pyjamas belong to two dancing dogs.' Charlie tells her that she can borrow them but Lola says that she cannot do so without Charlie telephoning the dogs for their permission. Obligingly, Charlie does so and tells Lola, 'They say pyjamas suit you better than them. You can wear them whenever you like.' 'That's nice of them,' says Lola.
After all he has done, Charlie then asks Lola to hop into bed ... but there is one last problem. Lola says, 'But Charlie ...' but before she can finish the sentence an exasperated Charlie says, 'Oh, don't tell me. I bet I can guess, there's a huge hippopotamus in your bed.' 'Don't be silly, Charlie, I wouldn't let a hippipotimus [she can't quite say the word!] get into my bed.'
Then Lola adds, 'But I think there's one in yours.' Job done, Lola climbs into bed with 'Goodnight Charlie. Goodnight Hippipotimus.' And finally, after lots of fun, it's 'Goodnight Lola.' Zzzzzzzzzzzz
Footnote: The edition I read is the 10th anniversary edition and comes with a splendid Charlie and Lola wall frieze - 'But Lola I can't put it up in my bedroom.' 'Of course you can, Charlie, (sorry Gerry).' 'Lola, I can't because I already have 112 pictures on the bedroom walls and there is no space for anything more.' 'You do NOT have 112 pictures on your walls, Charlie, (sorry Gerry) and you NEVER will NOT EVER have 112 pictures on your bedroom walls ...' Sorry Lola but I do!
July 8, 2009
I recently fell in love with the "Charlie and Lola" animated series--which is based on these books. The television series is SO terribly cute, funny and sweet and I absolutely love-love-love that Charlie and Lola are British (one of my favorite things in life is listening to adorable British-children accents). I think I like the book more having seen the series first, knowing how Charlie and Lola "speak" and reading the story with their accents in my mind. Still, it's a really cute, fun and imaginative "bedtime" story. I want to read (and watch!) more. I love that the story deals with real-life concerns and quirks of kids (missing Mom and Dad when overnighting at Granny and Grandpa's house; being afraid of spiders, then naming one after brother says how cool they are and then missing "Sydney Spider" when he is put outside!) and I also love that Charlie is an absolutely awesome big brother who sometimes gets annoyed at Lola but always loves her and treats her (and her fears/concerns) with respect and tenderness. Even though this is the first Charlie and Lola book I've read, I can't recommend the television series--and the concept--enough!!!
October 1, 2024
Hippi potimus
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2019
Creative but not my favorite style of illustration.
January 24, 2021
Charlie would be tired hearing Lola saying. I am not sleepy at 6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12 even at 13'o clock in the morning. She never gets tired. Charlie gives many of his things to the pretended animals which Lola said.
August 14, 2023
I would do anything to live in the Charlie and Lola universe 😭🫶 I love them so much!! This was a gift for my cousin’s son—a child who has no nostalgic connection to the books or the television show. ❤️🩹
April 6, 2024
I am also not sleepy, but maybe that’s just because it’s 3pm
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2007
How did I survive chilchood without these books?!?
I moonlight as a children's book reviewer for a Southern Vermont/ Berkshire County, MA, newspaper and happened upon the Charlie and Lola series last year. The books, each and every one, are absolutely enchanting and chock full of dry, irreverent British humor. Lauren Child's whimsical drawings and collages are a joy to behold -- they leap off the page in glorious technicolor.
Charlie and Lola -- a patient, rational older brother and sweetly stubborn younger sister -- are a dynamic duo in their own right. I want to take each by each hand and accompany them on all of their adventures, big and small.
I moonlight as a children's book reviewer for a Southern Vermont/ Berkshire County, MA, newspaper and happened upon the Charlie and Lola series last year. The books, each and every one, are absolutely enchanting and chock full of dry, irreverent British humor. Lauren Child's whimsical drawings and collages are a joy to behold -- they leap off the page in glorious technicolor.
Charlie and Lola -- a patient, rational older brother and sweetly stubborn younger sister -- are a dynamic duo in their own right. I want to take each by each hand and accompany them on all of their adventures, big and small.
June 25, 2012
This book I found very interesting. Lola loves to stay up late and refuses to listen to her older brother Charlie and go to bed. Rather than go to bed, Lola makes up numerous excuses to get out of going to bed, but Charlie is patient and goes along with her--secretly tricking her along the way to get her to bed.
The illustration is also very engaging and will captivate a child easily. I think that this story is ideal for a KS1 child.
The illustration is also very engaging and will captivate a child easily. I think that this story is ideal for a KS1 child.
July 12, 2014
I adore the Charlie and Lola tv series and books. Charlie is always patient and creative with his little sister. The art is very colorful and engaging. The fact that students may have seen this series on t.v. means teachers can use this to connect with students, and encourage early readers to look through the books on their own. This story would be a fun read aloud in class, which can then lead to text-to-self discussions about bed time rituals of students, and the importance of sleep.
July 17, 2013
Hilarious, no matter how many times you read it.
February 20, 2025
This book triggers me as a parent, but my children (2 and 4) absolutely loves it and demand that this is to be the book we read at every bedtime. Every night after having gone through tedious amounts of negotiation with my school child and toddler, mentally exhausted, I finally manage to convince them to hop into bed. Only for them to demand that I read one last book. This book… which the main character Charlie (poor Charlie) was given the task of putting his little sister to bed. He clearly has irresponsible parents who did not wish to be challenged every step of the way by a young child and have decided to give this difficult task to their older child. And every time I read this book, I have to go through that exhausting bedtime routine again… thus reliving this trauma twice a night every night. Clearly the author has no thoughts for parents worldwide. I rate this book ZERO stars. My children rate it five.
September 20, 2018
This book originally made me have flashbacks to my childhood because I would stay up all night like Lola tries to do by watching their television show, Charlie and Lola. I can ultimately relate to both characters, Charlie and Lola, because I typically stay up all night, or try to at least, and usually am not tired until 11 o' clock, not 6, like Lola. But, I can understand that Charlie has to listen to his mother about sending his sister to bed and the responsibility of trying to do so. The illustrations are quite cute and loved each animal involved in Lola's reasons why she can not do something. Overall, I enjoyed this book.
June 1, 2023
Ah, so many steps to bedtime! I understand this pain well. Having raised five kids, I think I've heard all of this at some point or another. Told with a lot of humor, Charlie has a knack for making bedtime fun. I'm still loving this series and can't wait to dig out more in the series.
As a note, this is an awesome reminder that picture books also must be fun, even when you're trying to teach something or impart a certain message. Lola's imagination is an absolute treasure. I love how no one stifles her creativity, but instead encourages it gently while still moving her in the direction she needs to go.
As a note, this is an awesome reminder that picture books also must be fun, even when you're trying to teach something or impart a certain message. Lola's imagination is an absolute treasure. I love how no one stifles her creativity, but instead encourages it gently while still moving her in the direction she needs to go.
February 15, 2020
No members of my family are as imaginative as Lola. Usually that makes me feel sad, but at bedtime her tigers and whales etc. really interfere with the routine. I would not read this at bedtime.
This is one of the full-length books by Child herself, and it shows. Longer, with a lot more going on in the illustrations, than in the mini-but-still-worthy 'based on characters' books.
This is one of the full-length books by Child herself, and it shows. Longer, with a lot more going on in the illustrations, than in the mini-but-still-worthy 'based on characters' books.
May 28, 2024
It's time for bed , but Lola is a night owl who likes to stay up late, and it's up to Charlie to get her ready for bed. No matter how Charlie tries to stay on schedule, Lola has a counter move to stay up longer. This fun tale of bedtime delay will bring a smile to the readers face as big brother Charlie deals with Lola's antics.
May 29, 2020
Admittedly, I am a Charlie and and Lola fan, and this book was so fun to read in my best Aussie/British combo accent. This isn't my favorite Charlie and Lola book, but it was still cute. Perfect for bedtime!
April 17, 2022
IF I COULD GIVE THIS BOOK 1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 STARS I WOULD
October 16, 2017
Lola doesn't want to go to bed...she likes to stay up late. But it's Charlie's job one night to get her to go to bed.
November 8, 2017
Long suffering Charlie helps his small and funny sister get ready for bed. Lots of imaginative hilarity ensues.
May 8, 2018
Parents will identify with the big brother trying to persuade his little sister to go to bed.
August 21, 2018
My newly three year old wants this every night.
September 23, 2018
Brilliant!
December 25, 2018
We love Charlie and Lola stories. I love the excuses about not being able to go to bed because...
January 2, 2019
Cute, unique illustrations and fun the follow.
February 17, 2019
I cannot read a Charlie and Lila book without an English accent. Fun.
July 17, 2019
David likes to read this with me before bedtime...
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July 19, 2019Library book for Marcus
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