I Will Never Not Ever Eat A Tomato

Story

Lola does not like Tomatoes. Or Peas. Or sausages, eggs, carrots, apples, and lots of other everyday food. Her big brother Charlie uses his imagination to persuade Lola to eat what is on her plate. Can he tempt her to try twiglets from Jupiter and cloud fluff from Japan instead? And what are the big red ‘Moonsquirters’?...

Why we chose it

Charlie and Lola captured the imaginations of children and parents. Lola’s determined refusal and Charlie’s patient persuasion paint a recognisable sibling relationship – and maybe some tomato haters may be persuaded to try moonsquirters.

Where it came from

Lauren Child (1967 - ) is an author and illustrator, known for using a mix of colourful and unusual images, styles and fonts in her books. Child’s father was an art teacher and Lauren had a childhood surrounded by creativity. This book is the first in her very successful Charlie and Lola series. The character of Lola is based on a little girl Lauren Child met on a train, as well as her own dislike of being made to finish her plate when she was young.

Where it went next

Lauren Child won the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal in 2000 for ‘I will not ever…’ and followed this up with several more Charlie and Lola books. The huge popularity of the characters led to a hit TV series based on the stories beginning in 2005, which has been seen in at least 34 countries. In 2010 she was awarded an MBE for services to Children’s Literature and in 2017 was named Waterstones Children’s Laureate.

Associated stories

Charlie and Lola appear in a large number of stories including: I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go to Bed (2001) and I Am Too Absolutely Small for School (2003).

Lauren Child has written other very successful books including the Clarice Bean and Ruby Redfort series. Child has also illustrated classic books such as Pippy Longstocking (2007).