Charlie Barley
Digital version – browse, print or download
BfK Newsletter
Receive the latest news & reviews direct to your inbox!
Cover Story
The illustration on our cover is taken from Think of an Eel, Karen Wallace, ill. Mike Bostock, published by Walker (0 7445 2250 1, £6.99) - see the article 'Facts... With the Freshness of Fiction' for more about this book and others in the 'Read and Wonder' series. We are grateful to Walker Books for their help in using this illustration.
PDF
Printer-friendly version
Send to friendCharlie Barley
Illustrated by Andy Ellis
I was quite exhausted after reading this book. Apart from the word 'Crikey', which seems rather dated, this is a story intended for a generation brought up on the crude whizz/thud of cartoon television. Charlie Barley is a naughty little boy who is very rude to his parents, wrecks shops and makes vulgar noises, a 1 in the name of humour. It appeals unashamedly to the side of children which loves words like 'pooh' and 'botty' and I'm sure most 6-8 year-olds will love it. Whether one would want them to is a different question.
