Charlie and Lola: How Many More Minutes Until Christmas? Vol. 6

"I have this little sister, Lola. She is small and very funny." So begins each story in this winsome British animated series based on Lauren Child's books. Helping out around the house with Lola can be "tricky," but Charlie is very clever and finds imaginative ways to reassure his sister. The title episode, "How Many More Minutes Until Christmas?" captures all the joy and wonder of the holiday season, as Lola and her friends anxiously count down the days until Christmas with their advent calendars. This generous DVD also contains six non-holiday stories from the popular Playhouse Disney series: "Charlie is Broken," "I Completely Know About Guinea Pigs," "I Spy with My Little Eyes,” “I Am Really, Really, Really Concentrating,” “I Really Wonder What Plant I'm Growing," and "I Am Extremely Magic." Taking a page from the Peanuts playbook, child actors give unaffected, pitch-perfect voice to the siblings, and adult figures are neither seen or heard. The British accents are quite adorable and the creative collage-style animation will further engage viewers. Depicting a loving and close-knit relationship, Charlie and Lola is cute, but never cloying, and precocious without being precious. DVD extras include outtakes and an “It's Snowing” montage. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (D. Liebenson)