CHARLIE THE CHAMPION

A young cheetah overcomes his self-doubt through practice, determination, and kind words in King’s picture book.

In the savanna, all of the animals love running. Charlie, a young cheetah, also likes to run, but he doesn’t feel confident about it—his peers at school tease him with the name “Charlie the Chubby Cheetah.” One day, tired of being bullied, Charlie resolves to make a positive change. He begins to practice every morning, maintains a positive attitude, and speaks kindly to himself: “I am Charlie the Champion! I am fast! I will win the Savannah Sprint!” Though he faces a discouraging, negative inner voice at the beginning of the race, he reminds himself of those kind words and presses on to victory. Once he decides to change, Charlie is able to easily ignore his bullies, something that young readers may have trouble finding realistic. The book’s best feature is its focus on practice and positive self-coaching. While the idea that he could “always control his own thoughts” may not resonate with youngsters struggling with depression, Charlie’s modeling of good habits remains inspiring. The full-color cartoon illustrations feature friendly looking animals but frequently reuse poses and sometimes depict expressions at odds with the text.

A simple story that focuses on positive encouragement and hard work.