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(The Times, Magnus Linklater 29/06/05)
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Lottie and Lisa
by Erich Kästner
Age Range: 9-11
Two little girls meet at a German summer camp. Shock horror they are identical! After some initial dislike, the girls discover they are twins and swear eternal sisterhood. Parted in infancy by divorcing parents, it’s up to Lottie and Lisa to reunite the family and overcome any obstacles to do so!
However, Kastner is not an author of twee tales for girls and was probably aware that the one parent upbringings of his heroines rather than their happy ending bore more resemblance to the home lives of many of the children touched by war who read the book when it was first published. A newspaper writer censored for opposing the Nazis, Kastner's stories for children are frank and were remarkable in their era for not moralising or shying away from what may have seemed unsavoury subjects.
Lottie and Lisa deals with divorce and Kastner actually takes swipes in his novel at those who felt that he talked about an ‘adult topic’ despite divorce having an impact on children. It is a mark of his great skill that he gently explores these situations and casts them as backgrounds to happier stories; acknowledging sad or harsh realities and turning them into something positive or fantastic without ignoring the real world.
Essentially, Lottie and Lisa is a well-written read with a narrator that children will want to know. The old fashioned settings may seem quaint to some but will charm others and the continued popularity of Enid Blyton stories and novels like The Railway Children suggests that the period aspect will be a point of interest rather than a barrier. The protagonists (especially goody goody Lottie) are probably more likely to strike a chord with girls than boys, but this merely serves as a great excuse to introduce boys to Emil and the Detectives instead, so that they do not miss out on a truly wonderful author.
Abby Phillips (2012)
See the later English edition published by Pushkin Children's Books as The Parents Trap reviewed on the website.