Babyliography CXLII

Mac Barnett and Christian Robinson, Twenty Questions

2023 / Library book / 40 pages / USA

***

Variably inspiring scenarios, may be useful for early detection of the criminally insane.

Victoria Munson, My First Book of Nature: Mammals

2017 / Library book / 24 pages / UK

***

She liked the weasels particularly.

Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks, What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside

2020 / Library book / 32 pages / UK

**

Introducing mermaids undermines the realism of the talking-animal crime drama.

Carly Madden and Neil Clark, Explore Under the Sea

2022 / Library book / 18 pages / UK

***

Descend through the murky underwater rainbow. I think you're supposed to retrace their steps back to the start, unless you prefer to consign them to the cold, dark depths.

Morag Hood and Ella Okstad, Sophie Johnson, Unicorn Expert

2018 / Library book / 32 pages / UK/Norway

**

She picked up on the unspoken supernatural aspect. But then, she was probably staring at that unicorn the whole time.

Babyliography CXLI

Unknown, Noddy and His New Friend

1994 / Ebook/Audiobook / 32 pages / UK

**

She wanted context for the lullaby theme tune and sat through this real-time episode adaptation. They used to credit preschoolers with longer attention spans.

Richard Byrne, This Book Is Out of Control

2016 / Library book / 32 pages / UK

**

Needing to be able to read the buttons is an unfortunate age/development barrier for a picture book. We should stick to felt flaps until Reception, I guess.

Jake McDonald, Priddy Learning: My First Colours

2022 / Library book / 10 pages / UK

**

If you really didn't teach your child about colours before the age of three, they're going to be blown away. Otherwise, a spinner and dull flaps may not offer much excitement.

Kathryn Dennis, Snakes in Space

2021 / Library book / 32 pages / USA

*

If Alan Partridge was pitching picture book ideas.

Kathy Wolff and Richard Byrne, What George Forgot

2017 / Library book / 40 pages / USA/UK

****

She spotted it, after coincidentally forgetting her own shoes in the library.

Alrightreads: Comixxxxxxxx

Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo, We Only Find Them When They're Dead, Book One: The Seeker

2021 / Ebook / 112 pages / UK/Italy

***

Intriguing pitch, filled out with characters I didn't care about.

Sam Hamm and Denys Cowan, Batman: Blind Justice

1989 (collected 1992) / Ebook / 160 pages / USA

****

'80s comics are best comics.

Andy Runton, Owly: The Way Home & The Bittersweet Summer

2004 / Ebook / 160 pages / USA

***

Wholesome silent, static cartoon, provide your own saccharine soundtrack.

Steve Purcell, The Collected Sam & Max: Surfin' the Highway

1987-95 (collected 1995) / Ebook / 160 pages / USA

****

Like The Young Ones, if they were vague justice-dispensing animal things. 

Dan Abnett and I. N. J. Culbard, Brink, Book One

2017 / Ebook / 96 pages / UK

***

An intriguing apocalyptic overture, but I'll leave them to their miserable fate.

Alrightgames: The Traditional Chinese Game of Mah Jong

The Traditional Chinese Game of Mah Jong

1800s / Tile game / 1-4 players / China

***

I might never play the traditional version like those guys, but the solitaire 'turtle' doesn't take long to set up, and it's more stuff to mess around with.

Alrightgames: Cheeky Monkeys

Cheeky Monkeys

2017 / Spinner game / 2-4 players / UK

***

Ignored in various charity shops, until a dearth of new games and a desperate discount finally made it appealing. It makes her laugh, which already puts it in the top half of the cupboard.

Alrightgames: Usborne Book and Jigsaw – Unicorns

Usborne Book and Jigsaw: Unicorns

***

Didn't have the book, which is the less disappointing way around, but she informed me of all their names.

Minor variations in colour made for a decently mild challenge for a grown-up.

Alrightgames: Little Miss 10-in-1 Puzzle Pack

Little Miss 10-in-1 Puzzle Pack

**

A good-value pack of very little interest to take up a lot of cupboard space for a while.

Babyliography CXL

Rosamund Lloyd and Spencer Wilson, Don't Mix Up My Dinosaur

2023 / Library book / 10 pages / UK

**

Some variety if not hilarity in what the rotating parts represent, and some representation for feathers.

Dr. Caspar Addyman and Ania Simeone, Babies Laugh at Everything

2023 / Library book / 10 pages / UK/Poland

*

A tad over-qualified for a toddler sound book.

Rosie Greening and Stuart Lynch, Never Touch a Grumpy Bat!

2021 / Library book / 12 pages / UK

*

Tactile Halloween special that overlooks quite a major aspect of ghosts, and not just because it's pink.

Minna Lacey and Peter Allen, The Usborne Big Book of the Body

2016 / Library book / 16 pages / UK

***

Glimpsing a muscled skeleton cover on the library shelves, she was curious to know more, so I found the least unsettling option for summer preschool.

Lou Carter and Nikki Dyson, Oscar the Hungry Unicorn Eats Cake

2023 / Library book / 32 pages / UK

**

Halloween next, I bet you.

Babyliography CXXXIX

Charlotte Archer, 700 Stickers: Sparkly Unicorns

2023 / Sticker activity book / 40 pages / UK

***

Sticker activities were a staple of her pre-preschool days, so this was some retro fun. She particularly enjoyed making her own sticker comic, which I'll have to post for posterity.

Yi-Hsuan Wu, Busy Puppies

2022 / Library book / 10 pages / Taiwan

**

She likes some normal animal too.

Roald Dahl, Rachel Godfrey and Catrin Morris, Ladybird Readers: James and the Giant Peach

2021 / Library book / 48 pages / UK

**

These aren't the most gripping adaptations of the classics, but she still enjoyed it enough. The proper ones are waiting on the shelf.

Unknown, Dora the Explorer: The Official Annual

2006 / Hardback / 64 pages / Unknown

**

Interactive adventures abridged to the point of passivity, maybe to give you a break from the taxing puzzles.At least they remembered to include Swiper's catchphrase this time, but you still have to provide the jingles yourselves.

Sam Lloyd, Boris Babysits!

2016 / Library book / 12 pages / UK

***

The velcro critter on the library's copy was flabbergastingly still attached. It's enough to make you question reality.

Babyliography CXXXVIII

Emily Hamilton, The Yawnicorn

2023 / Library book / 32 pages / UK

**

Pretty paperback music box.

Unknown, My Busy Books: My Little Pony

2013 / Book and toys set / 10 pages / UK

**

A no-brainer for £1.99 that also spares us from having to buy some of these characters separately. She will surely agree with that reasoning.

Unknown, Peppa Pig: The Official Annual 2017

2016 / Hardback / 64 pages / UK

***

We're not actively collecting these too, except when they're good value.

Molly Potter and Sarah Jennings, How Are You Feeling Today?

2014 / Library book / 32 pages / UK

***

Surprisingly helpful defuser, so much that we reborrowed.

Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb, Paper Dolls

2012 / Library book / 32 pages / UK

****

Probably her best book. I didn't almost cry over paper people.