Monday 25 March 2024

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

Thursday 21 March 2024

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.

Sunday 17 March 2024

Wednesday 13 March 2024

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.

Saturday 9 March 2024

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.

Tuesday 5 March 2024

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.

Friday 1 March 2024

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.

Tuesday 27 February 2024

Alrightreads: Preliminary

Nigel Kneale, Tomato Cain and Other Stories

1949 / Ebook / 256 pages

***

A diverse assortment of Manx produce, but a disappointing debut for one of the first great TV writers.

Faves: 'Chains,' 'Curphey's Follower,' 'The Pond'


Mark Millar, Nigel Kitching and Daniel Vallely, Saviour, Book One

1989-90 (collected 1990) / Ebook / 128 pages

**

The incomplete, derivative saga of tramp Jesus and His inexplicably Jonathan Ross-faced adversary.


David Lee Brodbeck, Brahms: Symphony No. 1

1997 / Ebook / 126 pages

***

Beethoven: The Next Generation.


Charlie Brooker, Unnovations

2002 / Ebook / 128 pages

****

A glans-watering opulence of morbid, inappropriate and deranged essentials.


Roald Dahl, The Gremlins

1943 / Ebook / 52 pages

***

Surprisingly non-jingoistic World War II fantasy with mismatched but interesting Disney concept art.

Sunday 25 February 2024

Friday 23 February 2024

Alrightgames: Monopoly Junior – My Little Pony

Monopoly Junior: My Little Pony – Friendship Is Magic

2015 / Trading board game / 2-4 players

***

Simplified almost to the brink of pointlessness, but still a step up from Orchard preschool games. I made sure to get the version that actually had places on the board rather than characters, I'd rather she become a ruthless landlord than a slaveowner.