They hear the word said properly

A child repeating after clear spoken English is doing exactly the right thing for pronunciation. It does not tire of saying the same word forty times, which a parent might.

One thing at a time

No notifications, no autoplay, no next video. A page of animals stays a page of animals until they decide to turn it, which is why attention builds rather than scatters.

Buttons down the side

The tab buttons along the edge jump straight to a topic, so a two-year-old navigates the whole book without being able to read a word of it.

It goes in a bag

Two centimetres thick and sized for small hands. It works in a car, at a grandparent's house and in a waiting room, with nothing to charge.

Does it come with batteries?

No — it takes three AA cells, which are not supplied. Have a set in the house before a birthday, because it does nothing without them.

Nothing happens when we press a picture

Each page has its own power button at the top — press that first and the page wakes up. It is the first thing to check, and it is not a fault.

Is the English clear?

Yes — words are spoken singly and plainly, which is what makes them easy to copy. Sit with your child for the first few pages and repeat along with it.

Will it survive a toddler?

The body is moulded ABS with thick pages rather than paper, so it takes normal handling. Keep it away from water and do not let it be stood on.