Babyliography XXXI

Michael Rosen and Robert Starling, I Am Hungry

2022 / Library book / 32 pages / UK

**

It probably worked better as a poem. Padded out with variably-literal illustrations, it comes off as a weak Hungry Caterpillar.

Rod Campbell, Where's Teddy?

2016 / Library book / 16 pages / UK

***

The domestic helper theme was relatable and she found the Junior Where's Wally satisfying. I contemplated the conspiracy that's halved board book page counts since the 80s.

Lucy Cousins, Little Fish and Friends: A Touch-and-Feel Book

2020 / Library book / 14 pages / UK

**

The puny piscine swims through more genre shallows like a YouTube whore. I thought we'd done this one already, but there were some new fishy faces like the bumblebee fish amid the lazy reuse.

Katie Hewat and Geraldine Rodriguez, The Wizard of Oz

2018 / Paperback / 14 pages / Australia/Mexico

***

Shelved for future reference when it came with a jigsaw, she's watched the film now, so can enjoy another distractingly alternative take on what she knows (though any confusion seems limited to needing a reminder that Yellow Lion and Brown Lion are the same person). Nice drawings, at least.

Frann Preston-Gannon, Sloth Slept On

2014 / Library book / 32 pages / UK

***

Lessons in paying attention, the value of book learning and sloths.

Alrightgames: Scooby-Doo! – The Maze of Mayhem!

Scooby-Doo! Board Game: The Maze of Mayhem!

2007 / Board game / 2-5 players / UK

**

More appealing to look at than actually play (we lasted about three rolls), this cheap charity shop rescue was mainly notable for evoking the distinctive disappointment-tinged nostalgia of Christmas Day circa 1992 (Home Alone: The Game, et al). I was going to express my satisfaction that licensed board games haven't moved on in that time, before calculating that 2007 was halfway from then to now, Jesus.

It's clearly too advanced for the toddler it was ostensibly bought for (if she'll ever be interested in trying), but it's something more colourful for her to fiddle with occasionally than Cluedo weapons and Star Trek chess. Update: No, she stuck with those.

Babyliography XXX, not like that

Sam Taplin and Essi Kimpimaki, Usborne Little Peek-Through Books: Are You There, Little Tiger?

2019 / Library book / 12 pages / UK/Finland

***

She was too impatient to appreciate the red herrings stalling her determined hunt, so I won't hold out hope for her Usborne Puzzle Adventures waiting in the cupboard.

Eric Hill, Where's Spot?

1980 / Hardback / 24 pages / UK

****

Straightforward hide and seek with no thematic mucking about. Even as a child, I remember coming to this debut later on and noting the early designs of what would eventually turn out to be Spot's mates, which I appreciate haven't been 'remastered' to bring them in line. As in rip-off Dear Zoo (two years later), older readers can find enjoyment in the unspoken backstory of what all these deadly jungle animals are doing hiding out in a house and why there are no people in sight.

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, The Gruffalo's Child: A Push, Pull and Slide Book

2021 / Library book / 10 pages / UK/Germany

***

I don't know how much this sliding variant has in common with the book it's based on, but it was a rare treat to actually get a plot in one of these things, however brief.

Lucy Cousins, Little Fish's Ocean

2022 / Library book / 10 pages / UK

**

The first of these cash-ins we've read that works as a proper sequel, with more new than recycled art as the relentless fish explores new depths, in the vertical rather than meaningful sense. Much too short, but panoramic flaps give you a bit more.

Rob Hodgson, Is That You, Little Puppy?

2022 / Library book / 10 pages / UK

**

Where do they get their crazy ideas from!? It is Where's Spot again again, with less exotic animals along the way, but she had fun and read it through herself afterwards, so maybe originality is overrated.

Alrightgames: Animal Families

Animal Families

2017 / Collecting card game / 2-4 players / UK

**

I resisted tenuous franchise versions until we found a nice animal one, and simplified the rules since she's half the minimum age recommendation. Its uniform family structure might be confusing for kids with older siblings, but they've got bigger problems than that to worry about.

Alrightgames: Post Box Game

Post Box Game

2017 / Colour-matching activity / 1-4 players / UK

**

Not much of a game, but they give you some options. We were playing post before, but these things are sturdier than a cut out cereal box. They've evidently widened the slots since the first edition to eliminate any inappropriate sense of challenge or skill.

Grown-ups will appreciate the humorous letters, such as 'Debbie Duck, 16 Puddle Lane, Poole, LA53 2PA'.

I don't know about you, but I pissed myself.

Babyliography XXIX

Debi Gliori and Alison Brown, Little Owl's Bathtime

2021 / Library book / 30 pages / UK

**

She's chosen this a couple of times, based on the cover, and even sat through it this time, though she seemed more interested in comparing bath toys than in the weak-willed owlet's flights of fancy.

Sam Taplin and Federica Iossa, Usborne Sound Books: Seashore Sounds

2021 / Library book / 10 pages / UK/Italy

***

Nicely detailed scenes, as ever. Hearing how it's supposed to sound online confirmed that our disappointing clipped and barely-audible version was thanks to some other noisy-book-obsessed toddler wearing down the low battery or knackering it generally. We'll try to make it to the beach this year.

Samantha Lizzio, Peppa Pig: Peppa Is Kind

2019 / Library book / 24 pages / UK

**

A pathetic story with a nice, clear message. I was never highbrow anyway.

Sam Taplin and Stephen Cartwright, Usborne Farmyard Tales: Poppy and Sam's Animal Sounds

2019 / Library book / 10 pages / UK

***

It's what you would expect (and regret, if you're foolish enough to invite noisy books into your own home). As ever, finding the duck is a low-key bonus.

Emily Gravett, Wolf Won't Bite!

2011 / Library book / 32 pages / UK

*

The Three Little Pigs are malicious and overconfident in victory in this sequel to tame versions where the wolf doesn't get boiled alive. It follows suit by ending before the bloodbath, but that also leaves it open for further sequels, can't wait.

Alrightgames: The Wheels on the Bus Floor Puzzle

The Wheels on the Bus: Book and Floor Puzzle

2010 / Jigsaw puzzle and nothing else / Australia

**

Donated

A rare age-accurate purchase, but she wasn't as enthused about the anonymous bunnies as franchise characters. It didn't come with the book (now I'll never know how the song goes), but at least you can see that upfront in a charity shop and make an informed decision to part with your 30p regardless, rather than running the risk of eBay 'disappointment'-refund freebies.

Alrightgames: Save the Seal

Save the Seal

2008 / Action game / 2-4 players

**

Shift-working parents and rainy days spurred a charity shop binge. She can't play on apps and watch cartoons all day, or she'll turn out like me. Give her some cheap tat to play with now, worry about getting rid of it later.

This is overly-fiddly Pop-Up Pirate with a seal. She likes the toaster and animals, so this humane combination was a no brainer. She puts the seal to extracurricular use too.

Maybe we should get her some friends?

Babyliography XXVIII

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, Tales from Acorn Wood: Opposites

2019 / Library book / 20 pages / UK/Germany

**

Her Yes No book again, overcomplicated with some semblance of plot.

Eric Carle, A Day on the Farm with the Very Hungry Caterpillar

2021 / Library book / 16 pages / USA

*

Introduces animals (or some of them at least – she was confused about the duck not getting any credit on the horse page). That's it. They're milking this a bit, aren't they?

Barroux, Where's the Starfish?

2016 / Library book / 32 pages / France

***

Mostly wordless (until he explains what it was that he was doing there in the postscript), she was a bit young to comprehend and appreciate its ecological message even with my commentary, but I enjoyed it.

Mark Sperring and Sam Lloyd, I Love You, Dino-Daddy

2015 / Library book / 32 pages / UK

**

Another Father's Day type book, mostly relatable for humans, apart from the specific part where he's an amateur magician. Who am I kidding, I'll be desperate to impress.

Louise Forshaw, Find Out About Feelings: A lift-the-flap book of emotions

2019 / Library book / 18 pages / UK

**

A bit advanced for now, unless I'm holding her back. Though I'm not sure whether encouraging young readers to recall traumatic and embarrassing experiences from their past is a great idea. It's all a bit social services.

Alrightgames: Star Realms – High Alert – Tech

Star Realms: High Alert – Tech

2021 / Deckbuilding card game expansion / 2+ players / USA

***

My mild, nagging curiosity over this new card type wasn't going away, but the sole reasonably-priced listing would one day, so I gave in when a jigsaw auction I'd already approved for indulgence exceeded my thrifty threshold. Those things take up too much shelf space anyway.

You're basically buying permanent coin-op power-ups without the spaceship packaging, but they can make all the difference to a successful turn. They also get their own special bench off to the side, like depersonalised Heroes if you don't like humanising your zap pow spaceships game. They really have run out of ideas.

Value-wise, it continues the lazy decline with more duplication and only seven unique card types in the pack of 12. They are nice to have though, especially compared to the superfluous Explorers they've usurped in the bursting boxes.

Alrightgames: The Garden of Earthly Delights Puzzle

Eurographics The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch 1000-Piece Puzzle

2019 / Jigsaw puzzle / Canada

****

The busy, bonkers masterpiece prophetically has all the strategic, subtle variety of a good jigsaw. If it hadn't existed, I would have had to make it. Fortunately, publishers weren't oblivious to the appeal of medieval apocalyptic Where's Wally, and a discount saved me the trouble of investigating which reproduction was better. Blurriness and cropping cost it a perfect score, but the random cuts added character and their distinctiveness probably saved me a couple of nights.

Babyliography XXVII

Rod Campbell, It's Mine

1988 / Library book / 20 pages / UK

****

I forgot we'd read this one before (getting it mixed up with a lesser latter-day remix), but she got more out of it now that her identification and reasoning abilities have caught up, even if it was unlikely to be an elephant in that tree. It's a shame some other little bastard had ripped the lion's mouth off, but she knows that score.

Sam Taplin and Federica Iossa, Bird Sounds

2020 / Library book / 10 pages / UK

***

Commendable variety that quickly overtook my own limited naturalist knowledge. I'd hoped to become a knowledgeable outdoors dad, but failing that, we can learn together, or enjoy nature in lazy ignorance.

A. A. Milne, My First Winnie-the-Pooh Jigsaw Book

2002 / Jigsaw book / 18 pages / UK

****

She likes flicking through the classics for the illustrations, so here you go. A stage too advanced for a 'My First' label, especially the ones that are mostly background, but that should give it some longevity.

Various, Disney Ultimate Family Treasury

2011 version / Hardback / 240 pages / UK

***

She'd started to be bothered about Tigger not looking "right" in the original illustrations, so it was time to concede principles to taste with mini reverse adaptation novelisations of favourite films for storytime, plus suggestions for ones to try next. I was always a sucker for the franchise tie-in, but it was a bad habit I don't want to encourage too much, as it makes it harder to keep up the pretense that reading isn't a second-rate substitute for watching telly.

Axel Scheffler, Gobbly Goat

2020 / Library book / 14 pages / Germany

**

It's an old formula, but nice to get some representation for the neglected capricans. The sound button smacks of an afterthought, since it's not cued into the story whatsoever, but that's the entire reason why she picked the book up, so they know what they're doing.

On the Omnibuses: February

Various, The Little Prince and Other Stories

Anna Sewell, Black Beauty (1877) **

There are two ways to read this fictional account of contented servitude, similarly bleak. Unless she's especially crazy for horses, we'll stick with less depressing anthropomorphs.

Jorge Luis Borges, Collected Fictions

The Book of Sand (1975) *****

The search for illumination amicably surrenders to embrace the darkness.

Faves: 'There Are More Things,' 'The Mirror and the Mask,' 'The Book of Sand'

Shakespeare's Memory (1983) ****

Twilight wisdom.

Faves: 'August 25, 1983,' 'Blue Tigers,' 'Shakespeare's Memory'

Charles Dickens, The Complete Novels

A Tale of Two Cities (1859) **

Thanks to jigsaws, I might eventually get through this 7kg colossus after all, albeit spiritually in audiobooks. The tedious activity pairs perfectly with long-winded narratives brightened by colourful descriptions. The best of times, the worst of times.

Hard Times (1854) ***

The Shorter One / The Northern One, I still failed to get around to the least deterring Dickens for the longest time. Unsurprisingly, it turned out rather dreary and patronising.

Various, The Mammoth Book of Classic Chillers

Evelyn Waugh, The Man Who Liked Dickens (1933) ****

Some nice mundane evil to start us off, even if the exotic setting could have helped to break up the bleak houses later.

Edgar Allan Poe, The Case of M. Valdemar (1845) ****

Lulls with dry faux-academia before throwing the intensity switch.

Martin Armstrong, The Pipe-Smoker (1932) ****

A corker of a closing line.

H. G. Wells, The Red Room (1896) ***

More noteworthy for its author stretching his genre legs than on its own vague and moralistic merits.

William Hope Hodgson, The Derelict (1912) *****

Dessert similes set a queasy atmosphere even before the horrific truth custard-pies you in the face.

Bram Stoker, The Judge's House (1891) ***

It's just a rat.

Blanche Bane Kuder, From What Strange Land (1935) **

Origin story of naughty boys.

Honore de Balzac, El Verdugo (1829) ***

Non-supernatural yet equally unimaginable horror. Can we go back to comforting apparitions now.

Elizabeth Bowen, Telling (1927) **

What a daftie.

M. R. James, The Treasure of Abbot Thomas (1904) ****

Ecclesiastical treasure hunt. It's having so much fun with stained-glass ciphers, it forgets it's supposed to be a ghost story until the end.

Roald Dahl, The BFG / Matilda / George's Marvellous Medicine

George's Marvellous Medicine (1981) ****

Between school and Jackanory, I only had the vaguest memory of this one, but Quentin Blake's iconic scribblings brought it all back. An irresponsible delight and an approachable early read. Looking forward to it.

The BFG (1982) *****

A timeless kidz' klazzik, even if some details have become charmingly retro now (though the Queen's still knocking about, as of time of writing). I think I read this one at school too, but those memories were overwhelmed by the Cosgrove Hall film, one of my earliest overwatched videos.