Picture Book offers simple spelling, counting and object recognition fun for the 2 to 5 age group. Calling itself "essential software for early learning", Picture Book comes complete with what the box describes as "two revolutionary keyboard overlays". And for once this is no exaggeration.

In fact, no sooner had we opened the box than the keyboard overlays leapt out, stormed the Town Hall, tried and executed the Mayor and Lady Mayoress, and set up a provisional government to administer a society based on workers' autonomy and the fair and equal distribution of wealth. No, just kidding, they didn't really do that. They went down the chippie instead.

Oh, OK then, they just sat there. At least until we got out the velcro-like sticky-backed thingies and attached one to the keyboard. The idea is that, since young kiddies aren't really au fait with capital letters, you can attach this freezer bag like thing (with small letters on it) over the computer keyboard. They're quite clever actually, and you get both a standard QWERTY one and an alphabetical (ABC etc.) one. Smart.

The programs themselves are a bit limited in that there are only 26 words to play around with. And you can't get out of a prog without having to BREAK and RUN (the package is a single-load unprotected BASIC file). All in all though, it's very colourful and a lot of fun. Hurrah!

1. Pictures
   This is a kind of "alphabety" thing, where whatever letter of the alphabet you press on the keyboard, you get a piccie of something beginning with that letter on screen (a - apple, etc). Some of these are animated (the dog wags his tail, the apple gets eaten, and so on). These 26 words and pictures are the only ones the package has, so the same words reappear in the other progs.
2. Snap
   Chaosabunga! Computer snap with up to three players. Choose to either match piccies to piccies, piccies to words, or piccies to letters, using the usual 26 words. Hit your button to shout "snap". A point for each correct answer, a point away if you get it wrong. First to get to 3 points wins. This is great fun, even though we were beaten 3-0 by some bloke out of Sega Power (get).
3. Count 'Em
   Use the spacebar to choose between three levels (numbers up to 3, 6 or 9). You then get shown some piccies and have to say how many of the object there is. If you get it right, hurrah! If you get it wrong, you get a couple more guesses.
4. Spell It
   Here's a good 'un. One of the piccies appears, together with smaller piccies to show the number of letters. Type in how you think the word is spelt. If you get it wrong, you get given a letter and can guess again (etc). Quite good fun, this one.

P. Bright and colourful
P. Does the business
P. Overlays are a nice gimmick

N. Keyboard overlays not CPC-specific
N. Only 26 words