Review: Charlie and Lola Poseable Talking Dolls

Approx. price: £15.99

Age range: 3+

Website: www.goldenbeartoys.co.uk

Charlie: “I have this little sister Lola. She is small and very funny.”
Lola: “I’m not small. I am big.”

Charlie and Lola is one of children’s TV’s freshest cartoons. Brilliantly written and with a deceptively simple animation style, it is one of those programmes that adults can genuinely enjoy at the same time as their children – and it appeals to a very wide age range thanks to the disparity in age between the main characters.

The Charlie and Lola Poseable Talking Dolls, from Golden Bear, tap into this reservoir of goodwill and capture the charm of the two characters perfectly. Charlie (a little bit gangly, but every inch the perfect big brother) and Lola (mischievous and inquisitive in equal measure) come to life in the form of these dolls.

Each gets just a single phrase, but one that captures the essence of the show: Charlie’s benevolence for his little sister and Lola’s determination to tackle life head on.

Construction quality is high, with arms, legs and (to a lesser extent) heads poseable. For little children that like to undress their dolls, the clothes will come off, but not easily (and Charlie’s big shoes prevent you from taking his jeans off completely).

Particularly clever and effective is the choice of materials for the dolls’ hair. The cartoon Charlie and Lola have very straggly hair and the dolls' designers have done well to find a compromise that captures the style without being too flimsy.

The voices are estimated to last for around six months with normal usage, but the dolls are appealing enough to retain a child’s interest even without the voices, so longevity is likely to be a strong point.

Charlie and Lola fans will be instantly won over, while those who haven’t yet seen the books or TV show will probably demand to after playing with these excellent dolls.

Durability: 4/5
Longevity: 5/5
Value: 5/5
Score: 92%
Conclusion: Charming dolls that will really appeal to Charlie and Lola fans.