Alrightgames: Final Fantasy VII

Final Fantasy VII

1997 (2013 remaster) / PC roleplaying game / 1 player

*****

Four is probably a bit young for the ecopunk RPG classic (I don't even fully understand it now), but with a grown-up to simplify and slightly sanitise the story, handle the boring menus and offload the harder battles onto, she was quickly enthralled, so I decided I didn't have to delay my nostalgia further.

It seemed like a good idea at first. But after we escaped Midgar and progressed through ever more locations in the insanely dense but ultimately finite "Disc 1," always with her favourite Flower Girl in the party, my feelings of guilt and sickness grew as the inevitable event approached.

These unsolicited emails spammed to my brother document this formative event in my child's personal development for the benefit of future therapy.

Alrightgames: Swapping Each

Swapping Each

2024 / Improvised deckbuilding card/dice game / 2 players

*

"Can we stop playing now? It's got a bit confusing." – The game's creator

Alrightgames: My Little Pony PC Play Pack

My Little Pony PC Play Pack

2004 / PC game and activity pack / 1 player

**

Recreational chores and printables we can get online. She found it satisfactory, of course, but my little brother's Pingu one was better.

Strange Invitation by Aimee

Babyliography CLXIV

J. Mappin, The Solar System / The Seven Continents of the World: A Lift-the-Flap Book

2010 / Board books / 24 pages

***

For future reference, I imagine.

Moira Butterfield, Children Like Us: Homes Around the World

2016 / Library book / 32 pages

*

She prefers escapism over documentary.

Various, Read with Oxford: Stage 1 – Phonics – The Town Mouse and Country Mouse and Other Tales

2018 / Library book / 64 pages

**

She only bothers when there are ponies involved.

Bernette Ford and Sam Williams, No More Hitting for Little Hamster!

2011 / Library book / 32 pages

**

Cute enough for re-reads, but she still didn't get the message.

Chris Naylor-Ballesteros, Bella the Storyteller

2023 / Library book / 32 pages

***

Another self-aware book, she'll be so over metafiction by the time she starts primary school.

Babyliography CLXIII

Julia Donaldson and Nick Sharratt, Chocolate Mousse for Greedy Goose

2005 / Preschool book / 24 pages

*

Phonics drilling via unhelpfully unfamiliar animals.

Sharon Rentta, Dogs Go Shopping

2010 / Preschool book / 32 pages

**

Ideas for a distant birthday.

Julia Donaldson and David Roberts, Jack and the Flumflum Tree

2011 / Library book / 32 pages

**

Julia Donaldson and her bloody refrains.

Unknown, Pokémon: Where's Pikachu?

2023 / Library book / 40 pages

**

Last year's update with fresh puzzles to tax non-colourblind kids for all of a few seconds.

Hilary Robinson and Nick Sharratt, Mixed Up Fairy Tales

2005 / Library book / 32 split pages

****

The comedy potential of treating the Enormous Turnip as if it's a person still hasn't run out.

Babyliography CLXII

Fred Blunt, Unicorn Not Wanted

2023 / Library book / 32 pages

***

Surprisingly good for a unicorn book, in her favoured genre of belligerent metafiction.

Optical Illusions book

Library book

***

You know, one of those things that ruins your child's vision. Maybe I'll spot it again in the library and take a photo so I can compulsively update with the specifics.

Chris Van Allsburg, Jumanji

1981 / Library book / 32 pages

***

I don't know if the restless night that followed was related.

Lucy Rowland and Mike Byrne, Who Did a Wee? Wait and See!

2022 / Library book / 32 pages

*

A companion to the equally unicorn-baiting poo book. One day she'll have taste.

Kristyna Litten, Ori's Stars

2020 / Library book / 32 pages

***

She may have a one-track mind, but this cosmic neomyth had a pretty enough cover to break through.

Alrightreads: Films V

Eiko Kadono, Kiki's Delivery Service

1985 / Ebook / 259 pages

****

Not as good as the film, but some fun deleted scenes and illuminating context for minor details.

Alastair Phillips, Tokyo Story

2022 / Ebook / 112 pages

***

Developers' guide for the painstaking mundanity simulation.

Kunio Hara, Joe Hisaishi's Soundtrack for My Neighbor Totoro

2020 / Ebook / 184 pages

***

Unavoidably a celebration of the joyful film as much as its inextricable and sometimes somewhat strange music.

Paul Farley, Distant Voices, Still Lives

2006 / Ebook / 96 pages

****

Authenticity appraisal and poetic paean.

David Bishop, Randall D. Larson and John Freeman, Back to the Future Annual

1990 / Ebook / 64 pages

***

Not bad for a Christmas cash-in, but basically the three-in-one souvenir magazine with some interesting behind-the-scenes nuggets padded by redundant plot summaries. In fairness, the last video wouldn't be out for a while.