Lola says, “I am absolutely not BIG. I am still really quite small. I probably do not have time to go to school. I am too extremely busy doing important things at home.”

This classic first-day-at-school tale addresses children’s fears with warmth, humour, and a lot of fun.

As seen on CBeebies!

‘No first-timer should start school without this book’ – The Sunday Times

Reviews

An exciting, funny and memorable read for both carers and children.

Child Care

An imaginative and beautiful tale... Excellent.

The Sun

Fresh, provocative and sharp-witted

Carousel

With the author's trademark collages, funky, curly writing and soaring leaps of imagination, this book is set to become a modern classic

Daily Mail

This is a winner either as a read-aloud or for independent perusal

School Library Journal

Go straight out and beg, borrow or steal a copy of Lauren Child's latest book

Angels & Urchins

Perfect preparation for school - not preachy or scary, just charming

Scottish Sunday Mail

An exceptional starting school book full of diversity in print, presentation and illustration

Scholastic

Child is the Tracey Emin of illustration for young children: provocative, fearless, funny but full of spirit and warmth

The Independent

An imaginative and beautiful tale

The Sun

Lauren Child is a must for any child...feels fresh and instantly consoling

The Independent

The perfect preparation for reception as it covers many of the normal fears about starting school

Mumsnet

Perfect for any reluctant school-starter...the wit, warmth, cleverness and elegant use of collage make this a delight

The Times

No first-timer should start school without this book

The Sunday Times

An imaginative and beautiful tale... Excellent

The Sun

Lauren Child is so good it's exhilarating

Independent

Lauren Child is a star

Guardian

A unique talent

Sunday Telegraph

Child gives a simple story about starting school extra layers of complexity and humour

Books for Keeps

Exciting, funny and memorable

Child Care

Child gives a simple story about starting school extra layers of complexity and humour.

Books for Keeps

Child is the Tracey Emin of illustration for young children: provocative, fearless, funny, but full of spirit and warmth.

The Independent

A unique talent

Sunday Telegraph

No first-timer should start school without this book

The Sunday Times

A must for any child...she writes about the trials of childhood with a clairvoyant eye

The Independent

Deals sympathetically with children's fears surrounding the first day of school

Teesside Evening Telegraph

An exciting, funny and memorable read for both carers and children

Child Care

Done with all Child's usual wit and idiosyncratic style

Children's Bookseller

Exciting, funny and memorable

Child Care

Lauren Child is a star

Guardian

Lauren Child is so good it's exhilarating

Independent

Child gives a simple story about starting school extra layers of complexity and humour

Books for Keeps

An imaginative and beautiful tale... Excellent

The Sun

Lauren Child

Lauren Child MBE is a multi-award-winning author and Waterstones 2017-2019 Children’s Laureate, whose books are known and loved the world over. She is the creator of many much-loved characters, including Charlie and Lola, Clarice Bean and Ruby Redfort. Since her first book was published in 1999, Lauren has sold over six million books in 19 languages worldwide. Her many awards include the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal for I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato, the Nestle Gold Book Award for That Pesky Rat and the Nestle Bronze Book Award for Beware of the Storybook Wolves. Lauren is a UNESCO Artist for Peace and a Trustee of the House of Illustration, and has an MBE for services to literature. She loves designing and making things and finds it exciting to see her drawings turned into objects. Other favourite things include the cinema, TV matinees, small Italian cars, handbags, cardigans, travelling and being picked up from the airport.