Shy Charles

By Rosemary Wells

Book Overview

Charles is a mouse of few words. He doesn't like to talk, and he's perfectly happy playing by himself. But his parents are not happy. "It's time he played football or joined the ballet," says Charles's father. So off Charles goes to ballet class, where he curls up and pretends to be asleep. Football proves even less successful. Will anything bring Charles out of his shell? "A nicely told fable as helpful for their parents as for shy children in need of respect." --The New York Times Book Review "Wells has a time-tested talent for taking a keenly felt emotion--in this case shyness--and exploring it in a manner that is reassuring to young listeners." --Booklist

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140568433
• ISBN13: 9780140568431
• Release Date: June 2001
• Publisher: Puffin Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.31 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 7.9" x 8.1"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

I Love This Book

I first read this book to my son, who is now 14. It is clever and funny, and provides lots of opportunities to do a different voice for each character. It also provides some realism. Yes, parents become frustrated with their children when they don't understand their behavior. Is this fair? No. Does it mean they don't love their child? No. I think that both children and parents will be able to relate to this aspect of the story. What I really love about this story is that Charles perseveres, remaining true to himself despite pressure to change- he is shy, and that is O.K.

Shy? Sweet Charles is Just Autistic

This is a charming little book about a boy who will not say thank you even for the most wonderful treats, will not speak on the phone, is quite clumsy, and who prefers to play all alone. If you have an autistic youngster in your family, its as plain as the cute nose on Charle's face - he is autistic. There's a bit of political incorrectness regarding the father's thoughts and words toward Charles, but the dad's frustration is something autistic families will relate to. I love the near ending - and the real ending. Charles musters himself to the task of using the phone well enough to call an ambulance, helping an injured adult get up off the floor, and even showing empathy by bringing her a cup of cocoa. Yet at the tale's end, he is back to not talking! The story shows there's nothing wrong with being autistic. Its just how some people are...and they deserve our respect.

"Charles Hid Inside a Flour Sack" "Someday When He's Big, He'll Kiss Me Back!"

Shy Charles is one extremely shy kid. Charles is perfectly content to keep to himself and his very happy. He doesn't play with the kids at school and doesn't really have any interest in doing so. His parents think that something's wrong with him, that he's rude. He won't talk to any of the adults at stores and stuff or thank them --- he just hides. They decide to start enrolling him in activities like dancing and football, but Charles doesn't warm to any of it. Then, Charles does something to show that maybe there's more to him than anybody thought. Shy Charles reminds me somewhat of another of Rosemary Wells's characters --- Edward the Unready. Edward is often unready for certain things and can be a bit shy at times too. Both are nicely identifiable for children or anyone else who is shy or just not ready for certain things. Rosemary Wells really gets it. Oh, the parents in this book? They don't quite seem to get it. But too bad for them.

shy is not so bad

This is a wonderful little book that makes the point that being shy is not such a terrible thing. Charles shows that he can do OK, even if he is shy. An implication is that Charles' parents may have been wrong to try to make Charles over, that maybe they should have recognized his special strengths instead of focusing on his "weak" points, so the book has a message for both children and parents. I like this book better than "I Don't Know Why... I guess I'm Shy" (see my review there), because it has a more tolerant view of individual differences, doesn't encourage kids to approach adult strangers, and has really great, funny illustrations. (In fact, I'd love to have a print of Charles on his roller skates!)

A interesting look at a painfully shy mouse

Charles is not just a little shy, he is EXTREMELY shy, so shy he really doesn't seem to talk at all. As usual, Rosemary Wells is not afraid to have a hero who is quite out of the mainstream. Unlike in most of her books, Charles' parents are not very understanding of him, and seem to be at the point of being quite fed up with his shyness, which can make him seem impolite. However, people in the community seem to understand he's a special little mouse who will come out of his shell when he's ready. An unusual picture book which makes you think about how children who are not outgoing are treated.