What a coup! Following lengthy correspondence with the Ministry of Letters we have secured ‘B’ for a whole afternoon aboard The Book Barge in Broadway Market next month. Even before we read Operation Alphabet, where he appears, upper-cased, in a rather dashing sailors’ hat, he was already our favourite alphabeast. His alliterative possibilities have inspired, not just the name of this shop, but also our rash barge bunny purchase last year, fondness for B&B establishments in Bow Brickhill in Buckinghamshire and, like Barack Obama last month, a secret dream to duet with BB King. B is that rare thing in a man: he can be strong and silent (as he is in ‘bomb’), bold, brainy, badass, beautiful, bacchic and incredibly handy to have up your sleeve (we’ve all been saved by a Plan B). What’s not to like, apart from his unique strain of hepatitis?

So please come down to meet him on April 1st, 2-4pm, preferably with 3-7 year olds in tow. He’ll be reading aloud and playing games and signing books. We think ‘B’ performs rather splendidly in this stirring orchestral clip if you need any further persuasion to bbbbbbbbbbbe there.