I started reading this book without any expectations at all... And I was very pleased I did so.
This book is, essentially, a long-form review of a game from three decades ago, but it's filled with charming personal anecdotes about the author's childhood and how Kirby's Dreamland's easily approachable gameplay had a lasting impact on his life.
I had never played Kirby's Dreamland prior to reading, so I just booted it up on my SD2SNES and (without any childhood nostalgia at all) I can say that Joel's main thesis holds up.
And I can't wait to introduce my 4 & 6 y.o. kids to this game tomorrow. When they're older, I'll give them my copy of this book to read, too.
I'd recommend this book to parents looking to get their young children interested in old-school gaming, anyone nostalgic for the 8-bit era, and for any fans of ludology (the study of games).