Outside in World | Browse Books

Use our Book Finder to search for books by Title (or part of the title), Author, ISBN, Age Range, Keyword, or Continent/Country. Then simply click the magnifying glass to start your search.

If a title starts with 'The', leave this out as this is added to the end of the title in brackets. funny pictures funny images funny photos really funny pictures

‘We need the literature of other countries to expand our
horizons and stimulate our ideas. Without it, we are not only
diminished, we are starved’
(The Times, Magnus Linklater 29/06/05)

Please email us to sign up to our Newsletter

Title: Brave Charlotte

Author: Anu Stohner

Translator: Alyson Cole

Illustrator: Henrike Wilson

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Date Published: 2006

Format: Hardback

Genre: Other

Book Category: Picture Book

Age Range: Under_5

Original Title: First published in German

Country of Origin: Germany

Brave Charlotte

by Anu Stohner
Age Range: Under_5

Charlotte is a lamb who loves to explore. Jack the Sheepdog cannot control her, and the other sheep worry that Charlotte will get into trouble, with her desire to climb over the mountains and roam on her own. However, when the shepherd has an accident in the field, someone has to cross the valley alone to reach the farm for help. Who will be brave enough to go where no sheep has gone before, and who will end up looking sheepish?

This is a great story about being brave and being an individual. Charlotte’s refusal to follow the herd makes her stand out for all the wrong reasons but is eventually celebrated because she comes forward and is able to rescue the shepherd when no one else can. This sets a wonderful example for children, that they should just be themselves, no matter what anyone else says.

Charlotte is a fun and strong character with an exciting plotline; for example, crossing the valley, Charlotte bounds ‘over fields and through the fast running stream’. The story is also really backed up by Henrike Wilson’s illustrations; Wilson’s often full-page paintings are vivid and really bring the story alive, especially the pictures of Charlotte’s rescue mission. Another really fun illustration is one of the flocks of sheep, looking straight out of the page at the reader. They look so lifelike and have such funny expressions, exactly like the real thing!

Anu Stohner’s story is very amusingly written and translated. Alyson Coyle’s translation reads very simply, but excitingly, especially Charlotte’s journey at the end. There’s lots of funny chatter amongst the sheep, and with only a couple of sentences on each page, it moves at a leisurely pace, allowing small children to take on board the actually quite action-packed plot. In fact, the one criticism of this book is that it may prove a little sedate for some. The discussion about what they should do for the shepherd, for example, is interesting but may make some impatient for action, although the quicker pace of Charlotte’s valley scramble should hopefully make up for this. Everyone will celebrate Charlotte being feted as a heroine and the lesson that being individual is important shines through this story. This is a wonderfully illustrated, fun and feel-good read.

Abby Phillips (2010)

buy now from amazon