We adore Bing at Toppsta Towers and so do our reviewers. But what is it about him that appeals to both children and grown-ups? Liz Binks from Team Toppsta tries to unravel the mystery…

I have a 22-month old daughter, Amelie, and Bing was the first TV programme I showed her following a friend’s recommendation. From the moment Bing appeared, she was transfixed and it’s now, without a doubt, her favourite thing to watch. At least five times a day I’ll hear the words ‘More Bing, more Bing!’ and so, to prevent square eyes, I’ve introduced her to the Bing books. She absolutely adores them and giggles every time I say ‘Hoppity Voosh’!

It’s hard to know exactly what it is about Bing that makes her smile from ear to ear but I think she identifies with Bing and loves how simple and brightly coloured the stories are. She also enjoys meeting all of Bing’s friends and watching them navigate pre-school life together – be it learning to share, meeting new animals or simply playing a game of hide-and-seek (her other favourite thing to do!).

From a parent’s perspective I love that the Bing books and TV series authentically mirror a young child’s experiences and celebrate the noisy, joyful, messy reality of pre-school life. Every book or episode has an educational element but is also filled with fun and new adventures. Flop is a wonderful character and I love how patient, supportive and caring he is to Bing. I often tell myself to ‘Be more Flop’ when I lose my patience with Amelie after my freshly cooked meal gets thrown all over the floor or she refuses to put her shoes on! He reminds me that this is just a part of the everyday ups and downs of pre-school life.

The bonus of working for Toppsta is that we get to receive early copies of books before anyone else. So when Bing’s latest adventure – Bing’s Birthday Party! – arrived through the door, we were both delighted! Here’s a photo of little Amelie engrossed in the book… 

The book has a gorgeous glittery cover which Amelie unsurprisingly thought was incredible! It also has fun, brightly coloured inside spreads as shown below and a very sweet ending following Bing’s upset at not everything going quite as he’d planned on his birthday!

But it’s not just Amelie and I that love Bing, here are some of the brilliant reviews for a few of the Bing books from our Toppsta reviewers:

‘A lovely big board book that any Bingster will love. Bing is getting ready for bed and playing the Goodnight Game. All the things he says goodnight to have different surfaces to feel which my daughter loved. A great book to share at bedtime.’ Goodnight Bing, read to Squidge, age 1

‘This book is brightly illustrated with eye-catching pictures and is a wonderful insight for any child into Bing's world. It introduces you to Bing, his friends, home and the activities he does that a child can relate to, such as going to the park and the shops. The book has endless educational activities to engage a child in, including numbers, colours, opposites and seasons. The book is a great resource for encouraging conversations, discussion and questioning.’ The Big, Big Bing Book!, read to children aged 1 & 5

‘My son loves Bing and loves this book. Although he's not ready for toilet training just yet, we thought it would be a lovely book to prepare him. It's got great pictures, a lovely sound effect he loves to press and a great storyline.’ All Aboard the Toilet Train, read to Zachy, age 2

‘A lovely book for younger children at any time of the day. I love to read this book to my little one and find the hidden objects behind the flaps. It’s also a lovely book for her to sit in the car with and look at all the pictures and lift and close the flaps by herself.’ Bing’s Rainy Day Treasure Hunt, read to Samanna1, age 3

‘My daughter Bonnie-Flo absolutely adores this book! Bing is one of her favourite TV shows so it is great to incorporate this into reading time. She particularly enjoys pressing the buttons to hear the sounds, which are really easy for her to press as she is only 2. My daughter loves pointing to her favourite characters and turning the pages. This book is great as it is strong and sturdy so good for my toddler. ‘ Bing’s Noisy Day, read to Bonnieflo, age 2