Charlie and Lola
| Industry | Children's literature, Television |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2000 |
| Founder | Lauren Child |
Area served | United Kingdom, United States, International |
| Products | Picture books, Animated television series, Toys, Theatre productions, Music album |
Charlie and Lola Sonner are fictional siblings created by English author and illustrator Lauren Child in the year 2000. Initially introduced through a collection of picture books, the characters were subsequently adapted into an animated television series. Lola is portrayed as a creative and imaginative young girl, while her older brother Charlie supports her development and learning. Although their parents and the parents of their friends are mentioned, they never appear on screen.
History
The inaugural book, titled I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato in the UK, was published by Orchard Books in 2000. The American version, named I Will Never NOT EVER Eat a Tomato, was released within the same year by Candlewick Press. This first publication earned Lauren Child the 2000 Kate Greenaway Medal, recognizing exceptional illustration in British children's literature. For the 50th anniversary of the Medal, this work was selected among the top ten winners for a public vote on all-time favorites.
In 2005, the franchise expanded with the launch of an animated television series adaptation.
Publications
- Snow Is My Favourite and My Best
- Excuse Me, But That Is My Book (TV episode: But That Is My Book)
- We Honestly Can Look After Your Dog (TV episode: We Do Promise Honestly We Can Look After Your Dog)
- My Wobbly Tooth Must Not Ever Never Fall Out (TV episode: I Do Not Ever Never Want My Wobbly Tooth to Fall Out)
- Say Cheese
- I'm Just Not Keen on Spiders
- Whoops! But It Wasn't Me! (TV episode: It Wasn't Me!)
- This is Actually My Party
- I Can Do Anything That's Everything all on my Own
- You Can Be My Friend
- You Won't Like This Present As Much As I Do
- Sticker books inspired by episodes: My School Play, My Haircut, My Busy, and My Wonderful Picnic
Additional colouring books and a magazine further support the brand within the UK market.
The "Charlie and Lola" series has been translated into Welsh under the title Cai a Lois as well as several other languages, broadening its global presence.
Primary
- Charlie Sonner
- Charlie is a creative and caring 7-year-old boy who is Lola's older brother; both share platinum blonde hair. Frequently tasked with looking after Lola, he employs inventive strategies to engage her. In both the books and television adaptation, Charlie occasionally breaks the fourth wall by speaking directly to viewers.
- Lola Sonner
- Lola is a distinctive and imaginative 5-year-old girl who is Charlie’s younger sister. Characterized as "small and very funny," she enjoys playful activities and often displays dramatic flair. Typically seen wearing blue butterfly hairclips, Lola has short blonde hair. She also has an imaginary companion named Soren Lorenson.
- Marv Lowe
- Marv is Charlie's close friend. He has a younger sibling named Morten and an older brother called Marty. Marv owns a dachshund named Sizzles as well as a pet mouse named Squeak.
- Lotta
- Lotta is Lola’s closest friend at school and is of African-British heritage. She quickly formed a friendship with Lola and usually follows her lead while admiring Charlie, Marv, and Sizzles. Lotta is recognized by her black curly hair.
- Soren Lorenson
- Soren is Lola’s imaginary friend who appears as a monochrome, translucent figure. When engaged in play with Lola, he appears detailed but becomes faint or less distinct when their interaction is interrupted.
Minor characters
- Minnie Reader
- A secondary character who wears spectacles and has a fondness for guinea pigs and ponies. She is frequently seen alongside Evie.
- Morten Lowe
- Marv's reserved younger sibling and a friend of Lola, who becomes animated when engaged in play.
- Arnold Wolf
- Lola's neighbor appearing in certain episodes; after accidentally dropping Lola's ice cream, he makes amends by allowing her to use his paddling pool.
- Granny and Grandpa
- The grandparents of Charlie and Lola are mentioned but never visually depicted; Granny enjoys painting while Grandpa possesses expertise with horses.
- Mum and Dad
- The parents of Charlie and Lola are referenced but remain unseen in both the books and television series.
- Evie
- A schoolmate of Lola and Lotta, identifiable by her red pigtails, skirt, long-sleeved top, and striped tights.
- Jack
- Marv’s cousin, who is briefly mistaken by Lola and Lotta as Marv’s new closest friend.
Background
- Sizzles
- The Dachshund dog belonging to Marv.
- Nibbles
- A mouse owned briefly by Charlie and Lola.
- Squeak
- Marv’s white mouse, noted for hopping from one leg to another.
- Bert
- Lola’s class guinea pig, female despite the masculine name, who later has a litter of baby guinea pigs.
- Tickles
- The second mouse belonging to Charlie and Lola, named for its ticklish nature.
- Casper
- The cat of Charlie and Lola’s grandparents, occasionally staying with them.
- Bat Cat
- A grey and black feline character from one of Charlie and Lola’s favorite comic strips, renowned for heroic exploits.
- Pirate Squidbones
- A favored cartoon of Charlie and Marv featuring a notorious one-eyed pirate captain and his crew battling the kraken villain. First seen in "How Many More Minutes?".
- The Tooth Fairy
- Appears in "How Many More Minutes?" joining forces with Charlie and Lola against the evil pirates.
- Smiley children
- A boy and girl with gleaming teeth who are abducted by villainous pirates.
Toys
- Foxie
- Lola’s cherished stuffed fox toy that was lost but found beneath her pillow in "What If I Get Lost in the Middle of Nowhere?".
- Ellie
- A porcelain elephant toy owned by Lola adorned with pink floral patterns.
- Frog
- A springy frog toy kept on Lola’s bedside table, also favored by Søren Lorenson.
- The Rocket
- Charlie’s award-winning model space rocket created for a school project, which was fixed after being accidentally broken by Lola.
- Daisy
- A blonde rag doll dressed in pink with a bow, featuring blue button eyes belonging to Lola.
- Molly the Rabbit
- An anthropomorphic pink stuffed rabbit with a red bow, one among many toys owned by Lola.
- Mr. Teddy
- Charlie’s childhood yellow teddy bear with green button eyes and a blue bow tie, now in Lola’s possession.
Television series
The book series was transformed into an animated television show by Tiger Aspect employing a collage animation technique that closely resembles the original illustrations. Directed by Kitty Taylor and Claudia Lloyd, the production combines 2D cel animation with paper cutouts, fabric textures, real materials, photomontage, and archive footage animated using CelAction software. Notably, the series uses authentic children’s voices instead of adult actors, following the tradition established by the Peanuts specials.
The initial 26-episode series (each episode lasting 11 minutes) debuted on 21 March 2005. The second series of 26 episodes began airing on CBeebies on 2 October 2006 and was also broadcast on BBC Two. A third set of 26 episodes aired during the 2007–2008 season across both UK and US markets. Throughout these installments, Charlie is portrayed as seven years old while Lola is four, both attending school where Mrs. Hansen is their teacher. Charlie’s birthday is highlighted in episodes titled "It’s a Secret..." and "This Is Actually My Party," although his age remains consistent elsewhere. Including two specials aired in 2006 and 2007, the total episode count reaches 80.
Theatre
Charlie and Lola's Best Bestest Play, under the direction of Roman Stefanski with musical composition by Julian Butler, had its debut at the Polka Theatre on 26 May 2008, returning to the venue in both 2010 and 2012. Following tours abroad, Watershed Productions presented the play at Glow, Bluewater in Kent during the Christmas season of 2013.
Drawing inspiration from Lauren Child's characters and adapted by Jonathan Lloyd, the artistic director of Polka Theatre, the follow-up production titled Charlie and Lola's Extremely New Play premiered at King's College School in 2012 before embarking on an international tour.
The Charlie and Lola album
Launched on 19 March 2007, Charlie and Lola's Favourite and Best Music Record is designed to appeal to both children and their parents. It features elaborated interstitial pieces and theme music from the first two series, incorporating a diverse range of styles including easy listening, lounge, big band jazz, reggae, bluegrass, Eastern European folk, sci-fi motifs, Latin rhythms, classical influences, and cinematic soundscapes. The album comprises 17 tracks plus a hidden bonus track, bookended by the show's signature theme tune.
Spoken word excerpts from the series are integrated into each track, often reworked to harmonize with the accompanying music.
Released as a single on 12 March 2007, "The Bestest in the Barn" spotlights Lola and Lotta instructing farm animals in singing and dancing. This exclusive track aligns with the series’ imaginative portrayal of animal talents and is also featured on CBeebies Land’s playlist at Alton Towers Resort.
The album represents a joint effort among composers and musicians linked to the television series. While much of the music is electronically programmed, several compositions highlight live performances by London-based ensembles Menlo Park, Polar Bear, and Acoustic Ladyland.
Tiger Aspect Productions created animated visuals for four tracks: "The Bestest in the Barn," "Sizzles," "Batcat," and "It's Snowing." The video for "The Bestest in the Barn" is included as an mpeg file on the CD, with all four animations available as bonus content on the series 2 DVD set.
Music credits
Theme Tune composed by Tom Dyson and Soren Munk Produced and arranged in collaboration with John Greswell
Other compositions written by John Greswell and produced by Greswell / Taylor for MPM London Ltd., except:
- Track 3 by Greswell, Christopher Taylor, Benjamin Nicholls
- Tracks 6 and 12 by Greswell, Christopher Taylor
- Track 7 by Tom Dyson, Soren Munk
- Track 16 by David Schweitzer (both writer and producer)
Additional musicians
- Andy Mellon – Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Piano, Vocals, Clarinet
- Benjamin Nicholls – Guitars, Banjo, Jew's harp, Double bass, Bass guitar
- Pete Wareham – Tenor saxophone, Trumpet
- Sebastian Rochford – Drums, Percussion
- Joe Bentley – Trombone
All tracks are published by Tiger Aspect / BMG Music Publishing. Sleeve artwork created by David Mackintosh.
Voices
- Charlie – Jethro Lundie-Brown (series 1), Daniel Mayers (series 2), Oriel Agranoff (series 3)
- Lola – Maisie Cowell (series 1), Clementine Cowell (series 2), Holly Callaway (series 3)
- Marv – Ryan Harris
- Lotta – Morgan Gayle
- Soren Lorenson – Stanley Street
Animation of promotional content
The promotional shorts titled "The Bestest in the Barn," "Dancing Dogs," "Batcat," and "It's Snowing" were created by Tiger Aspect Productions, featuring contributions from team members such as Tom Beattie and Betti Doherty.