My Disappointing Experience with 'The Forest' Book: Not Worth the Hype

I'll be the first to admit it: I fell hook, line, and sinker for the hype surrounding these interactive books. As soon as I found out I was expecting, I started researching all the must-haves for my little ones – toys, gadgets, books, and even furniture. Books, in particular, caught my eye, so I set out to build a small library of my own. Some of these books are geared towards older kids (3+ or 5+), but there are also some that are perfect for little ones to touch and explore.

Yes, yes, 'Touching Stories' from 'Happiness Inside' really stood out to me, so I decided to take the plunge and buy one (despite the hefty price tag – these books range from 830 to 860 rubles). I even managed to snag a deal on Ozon to make it more affordable, and now I'm the proud owner of 'The Forest', which I thought would be a great addition to my little ones' library.

The book itself is really nice – thick, sturdy cardboard pages, colorful illustrations, cute rhymes, and 7 tactile inserts that I was excited to share with my kids.

But then I took a closer look, and my excitement started to wear off. First off, the tactile inserts are pretty one-dimensional. You get three silicone inserts – one on the cover and two inside. The one on the cover is the most interesting, but the others aren't really tactile at all. There's one felt insert and three fur ones, but two of them (the rabbit and the fox) feel exactly the same. I was hoping for more variety – after all, kids love to explore different textures.

Secondly, the fox fur is really prone to getting caught in my kids' fingers, so I have to keep a close eye on them to make sure it doesn't happen. I've already had to pull it out of their fingers a few times, and it's just a hassle.

And thirdly, by the end of the first month of playtime, the tactile insert on the cover had come loose. I did notice when I first got the book that the silicone 'hairs' started at the center of the insert, not at the edge, but I didn't think much of it. I'm starting to think I got a dud, because that's exactly where the insert came loose the first time. We managed to stuff it back in, but I noticed there's barely any glue holding it in place.

Unfortunately, the insert kept coming loose, and eventually it came out completely. My kids play with the book while I'm supervising, but it doesn't stop them from pulling out the insert over and over. And that's exactly what this book is meant for – for kids to touch and explore. That's why I'm so disappointed that the quality isn't up to par.

I'm not going to give this book the lowest rating, though – it's just too expensive, and I expect better quality for the price. So I'm giving it a solid three out of five stars. I hope the manufacturer will take my feedback into consideration and improve the design for future editions.