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Clarice Bean: Smile

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Book Synopsis

Clarice Bean is back with all her trademark humour in this heartwarming story by former Children’s Laureate Lauren Child

At the moment I am daydreaming about inventing something exceptionordinarily good that could change the world for the better, because of all the things, it’s the better that’s needed.

And if you are thinking I’m too small to make a difference then remember the plankton – they are one of the tiniest creatures on the planet but without them where would we be? Probably living on Mars.

The utterly wonderful Clarice Bean is thinking about the endangered things: the big creatures, the little creatures, the plants and the trees. But it’s not just the planet that needs help – there’s her whole family too . . .

Our Review Panel says...

The Clarice Bean books by Charlie and Lola creator Lauren Child are cleverly written, illustrated chapter books. The books are both laugh-out-loud funny and also tinged with mature themes that are suitable for a KS2 audience.

Clarice Bean has a unique voice that readers will find funny and interesting. She is also very ecologically aware, and the sustainability and climate issues are never thrust down your throat, but are just there and explained in the best way. This book covers a child’s perspective on stress, friendship, marriage breakups and old age decline, but the narrator’s warm and sharp observations never make it heavy or a difficult read.

Clarice Bean, narrating the story, is just wonderful. She is so straight-talking and demonstrates how youth see things clearly in a way that adults often do not.