Charlie and Lola: Volume 9 - What Can I Wear for Halloween and Other Stories

Charlie, Lola, Lotta and Marv have been growing a pumpkin all through summer for the Halloween party at school - and it's enormous. Everyone has decided what fancy dress costumes to wear, except for Lola. The day of the party arrives and disaster strikes. Bat Boy (otherwise known as Morten from downstairs) splatters their pumpkin and Lola now has a double crisis! In this and eight other stories, two full hours in all, Charlie and Lola use their creativity and imaginations to solve the everyday challenges they face!

What Can I Wear for Halloween?
Everything is Different and Not the Same
I Am Goody the Good
But We Always Do It Like This
I Am Going to Save a Panda
I Slightly Want to Go Home
Do Not Ever Let Go
I Would Like to Actually Keep it
But I Don't Really Like This Present

What Can I Wear for Halloween? - Charlie, Lola and their friends are all very excited about Halloween. They've been busy growing a huge pumpkin for a jack o' lantern and are sure that Mrs. Hanson will talk about it in assembly. Meanwhile, everyone is also having fun deciding on their costumes, but Lola has trouble thinking of anything to go as. Lola begins to despair of ever finding a Halloween costume, but an unexpected disaster ends up providing a surprise inspiration.

Everything is Different and Not the Same - When the new autumn school term starts, Lola is excited by her new pencil box and wants to get everything just right for going back. Lola soon finds, however, that the autumn-time and going back to school means many other changes. She's disappointed to learn that she has a new teacher this year and will be sitting at a desk (though still with her best friend, Lotta.) She also doesn't like her new tights, her new shoes, or the way all of the leaves are coming off the trees. As Lola tries to come to grips with all this, Charlie and Marv plan a project for the autumn fair. They decide on making an autumn time capsule, so people of the far future can compare it with the autumn of their day. They soon receive an interesting assortment of objects, such as stick-leaf eggs and a lengthy poem about autumn. Lola and Lotta are assigned to make an autumn-tree picture, but find it a challenging project. As things seem to go all wrong, Lola's refrain becomes "Everything is different and not the same." She and Lotta decide to go into hibernation, unless Charlie can tempt them out.

I Am Goody the Good - Lola is enamored with a new book series featuring a heroic little girl called Goody the Good. She decides to emulate Goody's behavior and helps Charlie with a number of things. Though at first Lola is truly helpful, Charlie begins to find that sometimes he's less than impressed with Goody's attempts to help.

But We Always Do It Like This - Charlie and Lola are excited about their annual trip to granny and grandpa's, particularly when it comes to building a giant sandcastle on the beach. While at the beach, they meet a new girl who's rather shy, but seems to want to help with their sandcastle. Charlie tries to be friendly, but Lola isn't so sure, given that the girl keeps taking her spade and accidentally knocks over the sandcastle

I Am Going to Save a Panda - When Charlie and Lolas' school has its annual "Save an Animal" day, they decide to raise money to save a panda. They learn that the panda is an endangered animal that is losing its natural food source, bamboo. They decide to put on a day of special feats and raise money by signing up sponsors. When Lola falls ill on the day of the event, Charlie comes up with a unique idea to keep her from being left out.

I Slightly Want to Go Home - Lola is excited at the prospect of a sleepover at her friend Lotta's. It's Lola's first time having a sleepover and Lotta has prepared many fun activities, including a "midnight feast." Lola has a good time at first, until it begins to seem that things are too different from her bedtime routine at home. She thinks that maybe she would rather go home.

Do Not Ever Let Go - Lola is completely satisfied with her tricycle and doesn't want to give it up -- until she sees that Lotta is now riding a bike she got from her cousin. Now, Lola wants to ride a bike too. She learns quickly and has fun, until she sees that Lotta has taken off her stabilizers. Lola wants to ride without stabilizers too, but it isn't as easy as she thought. When she considers giving up, it's up to Charlie to get her to keep trying.

I Would Like to Actually Keep it - While out and about outside, Charlie and Lola come across a stuffed rabbit toy that has been lost. At Lola's urging, Charlie agrees that they should take the toy home to care for it until they can locate its owner. Together, they begin making efforts to contact the owner, such as posting signs. Lola, however, finds herself becoming attached to the toy and wishing that she could keep it.

But I Don't Really Like This Present - Lotta is returning from a summer trip and she and Lola have bough each other gifts, as they always do after one of these trips. Lotta really likes the colorful friendship bracelet that Lola got for her, but Lola is less enamored with the garishly colorful hat that Lotta gives her. It's big, wildly colored, and itchy. Lola really doesn't want the hat, but both she and Charlie agree that Lotta's feelings will be work if she tells her that she doesn't like it. Lola tries various tactics such as "accidentally" losing the hat, or giving it away to Arnold. Arnold really likes it, and wears it everywhere, from breakfast to his bath. When Lotta sees this, however, she asks what's happening, and Lola ends up wearing the hat again. Then, just when Lola is starting to actually like the hat, she finds it in jeopardy.

"...a beautifully animated series. It neatly evokes the distinctive visual style of the original books in stories that tackle the concerns of its target three- to seven-year-olds, credibly and charmingly, in their language. And with plenty of wit, too, it's a parent-friendly newcomer with the look and feel of an instant classic." - Daily Telegraph

"...a sweet and very observant cartoon about an imaginative little girl and her sensible elder brother that will also help with reading ... Lola's tricks will be familiar to any parent, and the cartoon's colourful style will provide children with another reason not to turn off the television and go to bed." - Guardian

"...delightful..." - Times Educational Supplement

"Kids' Choice ... promising ... a rich streak of fantasy and discovery..." - Daily Mail