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I am TOO absolutely small for school

i am too absoluatelyLauren Child
Orchard Books
Age 3-7

This amusing story in the Charlie and Lola series explores Lola’s reluctance to go to school and her older brother Charlie’s attempts to counter all her reasons for not going. Children who have recently started school or nursery or who have younger brothers and sisters just about to start school will be able to relate to Lola and Charlie and enjoy talking about Lola’s feelings.

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Share the storymum and babies

Read aloud
As you read the story aloud you might like to change your voice for Lola and Charlie and read the words in bold in a louder voice.

Join in
Your child will enjoy listening to this story more than once.When you re read it encourage your child to follow the words as they curve over the page. Children might like to join in with the reading by saying Lola or Charlie’s words.

Talk about the book
Talk about what your child liked or didn’t like about the story. Think together about the reasons Lola doesn’t want to go to school and what might she be worried about. How does Lola feel about going to school at the end of the story? What made her change her mind?

Watch the story here


Things to make and do

Story play
Pretend to be Charlie and Lola having a conversation with Charlie trying to persuade Lola to go to school and Lola thinking up excuses.

You could also take turns imagining you are Lola phoning the school to give excuses about not going.

Biggest and smallest
Who is the biggest and smallest in your family? Describe them together as Charlie and Lola do Who is teeny, slightly small, biggish or huge? Give your child some paper and crayons and ask them to draw pictures your family in order of size.

Do some counting
Count fingers and toes, put number stickers on each finger and toe, count out ten biscuits or ten buttons, sing  ‘There were ten in the bed and the little one said….’ or ‘Ten Green Bottles’.

Draw eleven elephants with beautiful patterns like the ones in the story.

Can you count up to 100? Try to see how far you can get while doing an everyday task such as having a bath or going for a walk.

Write a message
Write secret messages to each other and stick them on the fridge.

Design an outfit for Lola
Make a paper Lola doll – see here for template if you need one – and make or draw outfits for her to wear for school.

Find out more

Read about more about books by author/illustrator Lauren Child here
There are several books in the Charlie and Lola series eg I will not ever, never eat a tomato

The New Small Person by Lauren Child in this section.

Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Book

Utterly Me Clarice Bean

See more Charlie and Lola adventures.