Poor Charlie is stuck with parents who have no appreciation for her wild, sometimes messy imagination in Lobel’s amusing US debut. First, Dad is unable to see the beauty in the chocolate pudding comprised of “dark crumbly earth . . . a handful of pebbles for raisins and a sprinkling of sand for sugar,” that Charlie creates for Grandpa in the kitchen. To make matters worse, the big storm that washes over her boats in the bathroom lake translates into a soaked floor for angry Mom. With Panda the stuffed bear as her silent ally, Charlie decides to run away to “somewhere nice . . . where there’s no cross people.” A journey to the backyard jungle starts out well, and Charlie enjoys a game of shipwreck in the green waves of grass. But the fun ends abruptly when she gets thirsty, and the weather becomes dark and rainy. Despite Panda’s tendency to panic, Charlie never loses her nerve and is even able to help Grandpa to safety when he shows up lost in her jungle. Rich, colorful illustrations add a charming element to this tale that poignantly depicts the conflict between a child’s languorous fantasy world and her parents’ harried reality. Charlie looks particularly cherubic in her bright yellow sweater adorned with pompom tassels, purple and orange polka-dot rainboots, and red-apple-rosy cheeks. A happy ending with a reassurance that, yes indeed, many people do love Charlie. (Picture book. 4-8)
