Q and A with Lauren Child

[RachelMumsnet]

We are delighted that award winning author, Lauren Child is joining us on Mumsnet to answer questions from you and your children. Lauren is celebrating 10 Years of Charlie and Lola and an exhibition of original artwork from the original Charlie and Lola picture books runs from 10th June to 1 July at the Illustration Cupboard Gallery in London.
Post a question to Lauren before the end of Sunday 13th June and you will enter a draw to win a signed collector's slip-case edition of I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato which is on sale at the exhibition. Lauren's answers will be linked to from this page by Wednesday 23rd June.

PS I forgot to add that dd2 (who's just turned 2) loves all characters but has a special fondness for Sizzles- he just cracks her up

I personally love Soren Lorensen

Just like to say how much we love Charlie & Lola too - one of the few books / programmes that DH & I actually enjoy & find funny.

The original books are the best but the programmes are good in that they cover most of the events our 3-year old has had to face including the death of a pet (poor Nibbles). We also like the fact that the non-visible adults aren't idiots (such as in Peppa Pig "silly Daddy").

We also love 'the Storybook Wolves' too.

Ooh, We're so excited!
We're HUGE C&L fans - can't get enough of them. Our set top box is full with C&L programmes, so much so that we can't fit any 'grown up' recordings on it!!!
Lauren - there seems to be a scandanavian influence to C&L - from some of the names (Soren Lorenson etc), the style of living (flat) and a few other clues we've noticed. Is there a scandanavian link?
Our LO (2yrs) had a C&L birthday party where, instead of a cake, Daddy spent hours making up a giant C&L cake board which we then covered in cupcakes.
Must go now, have to get onto the internet to find these plays, tours, games etc that everyone has mentioned before me - I feel like I've missed out on a whole secret world of C&L!
x

Hi Lauren

Thank you for your fab books - DD loves Charlie&Lola, Clarice Bean, Pesky Rat, Storybook Wolves, The Princess and the Pea - and so do I (and DH too!). We did read her '...Tomato' too early though, leading to a boycott of said fruit before she had ever tried one, but hey

DH's question is 'would you ever consider a spin-off series (book or telly) for some of your minor characters? We love Bat Cat, Space Family Hudson and Pirate Squidbones and would definitely like to read more about them'.

Cheers!

Um, can I join the queue of admirers?

FWIW, I can report that the tomato book caused no ill effects in our household. In fact, I once catered a birthday party inspired from that book (i.e. fish fingers, mash, peas - and of course tomatoes) - which was a lot of fun.

And I raise my hat to Charlie for being a great role model of sibling supportiveness.

I can only agree with everyone else, C&L is beloved in our house with my 6yo ds and 3yo dd loving it, and sometimes seeming a little too close to C&L at times

My question - you've covered lots of different topics with the C&L books specifically (a firm favourite here is the recycling book with pull out tree!) - would you consider a C&L recipe book? My dd would adore it

Hi Lauren,

My 2.5 year old was given a bag of C&L books for Christmas - we read 2 a night, most nights, for the last 4 months. She is a huge fan.

The design of the flat Charlie & Lola live in, many of your fabrics and the artwork in general looks quite Scandinavian to me, though the text seems very English. Is there a Scandinavian influence to your art?

I should add that your illustrations are such a delight I'm still enjoying them too

Echo everyone here. Loving all your work and wish I was as clever and stylish you! We're particularly fond of your Polly Borland collaborations especially Goldilocks - any plans for any more? Also think Hubert Horatio seems hugely under-rated.

Now, some suggestions....my dd (and I) would really enjoy a Lauren Child fashion and home range. N.B. I don't want pictures of Lola on them I want super cool clothes like Lola's. Similarly interior textiles and papers too... I'd also like some replica pink milk glasses and curly straws (really hard to find)... I could go on...

Hi Louren,

I'd just like to say that my 5 year old daughter and I agree that Charlie and Lola is our favourate and our best.

I have written a few childrens storys for my daughter and dream that one day they will become published. Is there any advice you could give me to help me on my way?

My daughter asked me to write her another story the other day, so I asked her what she'd like it to be about and she said "A little girl called Lola and a big boy called Charlie."
She sure knows quality when she hears it.
I think I'll have to pay another visit to waterstones.

Thank you for inspiering a love of books in my daughter. Your books are the now the tattiest books in my daughters bookcase, they are very well loved.

Hi Lauren

DS1 is a huge C&L fan (and has been for over 2 years now) and his little brother seems to be fascinated by it too. Its amazing to find a programme that a 1 year old and 4 year old can both watch and enjoy. For what its worth, DS1 also went from a tomato fan to a tomato refusnik after reading I will not ever never eat a tomato - we're only just managing to persuade him to eat them again a year or so later - which led to Lola being called a Bad Influence in our house.
Charlie was - and still is - the model big brother we refer to when trying to persuade DS1 to be patient when his little brother is being trying.

My question is what childrens books do you still remember fondly from your childhood? And do you think these shaped your writing in any way?

Really just want to say thank you as we are also big C&L fans in our house. My DS loves it - green drops now go down a treat.

I read that you based Lola on a little girl you saw on a train in Denmark - I was wondering if anyone has ever written to you asking if their daughter was Lola ie I was travelling on a train in [year] and sent you photos - also would you like to meet that little girl now to see how she has grown up?

I also think (I am sure I read you also said) that it is interesting that she is out there not realising she inspired the character of Lola.

Hi Lauren, obviously we love C&L here- hence the name!
As someone who has studied children's literature, I wonder did you find the writing of the books came easily to you or did you get writer's block? If so do you have any tips in overcoming it?

Hi Lauren, My niece & I love Charlie & Lola (her fish are named after them, she had an imaginary friend like lola when she was about 3 & would like me to kname any daughters I may have Lola!)

My question is, What books have influenced you, both as a child & as an adult? Both my niece & I are total book worms!

where is/was Lauren? Did I miss something?

I'm wondering too.

By RachelMumsnet (MNHQ) Tue 08-Jun-10 13:49:08

"Lauren's answers will be linked to from this page by Wednesday 23rd June."

It's not a live webchat so we'll have to wait until 23rd or so for answers, I assume .

Well spotted Bamboo . This is a Q and A rather than a live webchat. We've sent the questions over to Lauren today and we'll post a link on here to the archived Q and A session.

Lauren my BOYS loved the Clarice Bean novels. Can you do a more boyish cover. WE loved robert whatsisface. and callmemol.

Did oyu make it american in style on purpose - were you channelling Bewitched?

A bit late I know, but PLEASE ask Lauren if she will write some more Clarice Bean books!!!!! Ours have been read so many times they're falling apart!!!

Just to let you know that Lauren's answers will be posted up on the site early next week.

Lauren has answered your questions - you can see the full archive here.

Many thanks to Lauren and all those who sent in questions and congratulations to Missybaby who is the winner of our comp and has won a signed collector's slip-case edition of I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato.

What a lovely Q & A

Im gutted dp wont let me have a charlie! I've got a week to talk him round

IM GUTTED she didnt asnwer mine

By AlaskaNebraska Tue 15-Jun-10 17:55:41
Lauren my BOYS loved the Clarice Bean novels. Can you do a more boyish cover. WE loved robert whatsisface. and callmemol.

Did oyu make it american in style on purpose - were you channelling Bewitched?