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Age: All Ages
Price: All Prices
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 Name: AnimaLamp
Company: MOBI Technologies, Inc.
Age: All Ages
Price: $24.95
Category: Infant & Toddler
WHAT IT IS
AnimaLamps™ are portable, cool-running LED lights that can be used as a desk lamp, for reading in bed, during playtime, or even for late night diaper changes and feeding sessions. The lamps have a rechargeable battery, and the brightness can be adjusted.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
Our reviewer was very impressed with the AnimaLamp. The rechargeable battery made it perfect for using around the house - from the playroom to the nursery. It was also useful in the car - kids can read a book or do an activity in the back seat even at night.
The adjustable brightness got big accolades from our reviewer. With a simple touch the brightness can be adjusted to suit a variety of activities. The AnimaLamp can be used on the brightest level to read before bed, then dimmed and used as a night light.
Another great feature of the AnimaLamp it that it uses LED lights, which don´t get hot. Little hands won´t get burned if they accidentally touch the light. Parents also don´t have to worry about cord safety, as the lamp uses a rechargeable battery and doesn´t need to be plugged into the wall to work.
WHY THEY´LL WANT IT
Not only is the AnimaLamp adorable - customers can choose from monkey and giraffe designs - it is also ideal for families with small children. It´s portability means it can be used in a variety of situations, and parents of even the youngest children don´t need to worry about safety, as the lamp is cordless and uses cool-to-the-touch LED lights. The battery charge lasts 8-12 hours, making it the ideal night light or car light for road trips. Customers will also love how versatile the adjustable brightness control makes the AnimaLamp. And, you can tell them that the AnimalLamp is the winner of Mom´s Choice Gold, NAPPA Gold and National Parenting Center Seal of Approval awards.
Learn more about AnimaLampBack to top
 Name: The SWIMTRAINER
Company: FREDS SWIM ACADEMY
Age: 1-8
Price: $24.90
Category: Water Activities
WHAT IT IS
The SWIMTRAINER "Classic" is an inflatable device that helps kids learn to swim. The SWIMTRAINER "Classic" comes in three different sizes. Red, for ages 3 mos-4 years, is used for early habituation with the water and for learning the correct leg movements; Orange, for ages 2-6, focuses on encouraging proper leg and arm movement; Yellow, for ages 4-8, provides a methodical progression towards swimming with no swimming aids.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
Our reviewer tested the Orange SWIMTRAINER "Classic" with a 3 1/2 year old. The product is made of high-quality materials and is colorful and well designed.
Many possible safety precautions have been incorporated into the flotation device, such as a clear-snap cover, clips to keep the device in place, and inflatable shoulder straps and pads that help the product fit snugly and prevent children from slipping through.
Unlike arm flotation bands, which hold children upright like a cork, this product's horse-shoe shape encourages the child to lean forward and raise their legs behind them. This helps them learn the correct swimming form.
As with all other floating devices for toddlers, constant supervision is a must. The product is easy to set up, but it's best to use an air pump to inflate it. If not strapped correctly, the straps may become uncomfortable around the neck after an hour of movement.
WHY THEY'LL WANT IT
"Kids get excited about using it," our reviewer said, citing the product's colorful appearance, design, and high quality. Parents who want to make sure their children are safely learning proper swimming technique will welcome this product — as will kids who are annoyed by bulky, uncomfortable arm floaters or life jackets.
— TDmonthly staff
Learn more about The SWIMTRAINERBack to top
 Name: Joanie Leeds and the Nighlights - What a Zoo!
Company: LIMBOSTAR
Age: All Ages
Price: $15.00
Category: Music
WHAT IT IS
On this album, singer/songwriter Joanie Leeds belts it out on 14 tracks that she hopes will make kids more interested in the well being of the animal kingdom. "Bottom line, we need to teach out children and generations to come how important it is to ´Be Green´ and make intelligent choices when it comes to eating animals," Leeds says in the CD’s liner notes. Most of the songs are originals, though there are covers of “Froggie Went A Courtin’,” “Possum” by Phish, and “Wimoweh.”
WHAT WE THOUGHT
Leeds´ pleasant vocals and fun lyrics about different animals and insects are accompanied by a punchy, poppy instrumental backing. The first track on the album, "All the Animals," is a simple counting song that features different critters and their legs. The lyrics are well suited to the preschool set, and the music is sophisticated enough that mom and dad won´t mind listening.
The songs on the album are catchy without being repetitive or annoying. The melodies take refreshing, unexpected twists and turns that allow Leeds´ voice to shine, all without distracting from the well-written and charmingly simple lyrics. It´s the kind of CD that can be listened to and loved by kids of a wide age range - the lyrics are appropriate for younger kids, but not so infantile as to be off-putting to their older siblings.
The third track, a jazzy, old-timey rendition of "Froggie Went a Courtin’" is especially representative of Leeds´ unique knack for combining a high-level of musicianship with child-friendly lyrics, and a zippy rap interlude performed by children’s rapper Secret Agent 23 Skidoo gives the song even more pizzazz. This dynamic song showcases the versatility and talent that shines throughout the entirety of album.
WHY THEY´LL WANT IT
Kids will like bopping around to the high energy, positive songs about animals, while parents will appreciate the expertly crafted songs and Leeds´ beautiful, effortless vocals.
— Justina Huddleston
Learn more about Joanie Leeds and the Nighlights - What a Zoo!Back to top
 Name: Grandkid Rock
Company: DADDY A GO GO
Age: 3-10
Price: $12.00
Category: Music
WHAT IT IS
This 16 track kids’ rock album features songs by veteran children´s musician John Boydston. All of the tracks have been released on previous Daddy A Go Go albums, but have been re-mastered on this release and specifically selected for their rock’n’roll vibe.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
The music has a blues-laced alt-rock vibe, and the vocal and instrumental performances are very tight. If you didn’t listen closely to the lyrics, you might not even know that this is a CD for kids.
Lead singer/songwriter John Boydston´s lyrics are relevant to children, but aren´t as hokey and repetitive as many in the genre. The album might be too sophisticated for the preschool set, but would be a good fit for early elementary students, or kids who prefer rocking guitars to the tinkle of toy pianos.
Lyrics like "It´s fun to be a kid/ But it´s hard to be a kid/ I try to behave/ But I forget/ Like the time I got my Grandma soaking wet” are humorous, and really capture the feeling of being young. Many of the songs are sung from a kid´s perspective, and even those with a message, like "Eat Every Bean and Pea on Your Plate," manage to sound conspiratorial rather than preachy.
WHY THEY´LL WANT IT
I would listen to this CD on it’s own, even without kids around. The level of musicianship on the album really places this CD above most of its peers. Parents who are music lovers, but want their kids to listen to thematically appropriate songs, will love this CD. Meanwhile, children will appreciate the rocking, high-energy vibe of the music and the comedic, honest tone of the lyrics. This is a CD that takes kids’ music seriously, while having tons of fun in the process.
— Justina Huddleston
Learn more about Grandkid RockBack to top
 Name: Moey´s Music Party - Princess Revolution!
Company: LEMONADE PRODUCTIONS LLC/ MOEY'S MUSIC PARTY
Age: All Ages
Price: $15.00
Category: Music
WHAT IT IS
This 15 track album is the second release from Melissa Levis, who performs under the pseudonym "Moey." The CD is a celebration of girlhood that focuses on independence, without shunning the pink and sparkly style that has become ubiquitous for young girls.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
The CD preaches "We haven´t found the hero that we are waiting for/It´s the song inside us/We are princess hear us roar!" and Moey does indeed paint a picture of strong and independent girlhood throughout the album, beckoning her listeners to join the "Princess Revolution."
The songs throughout are up-tempo; each high-energy track practically begs to be danced to, and could be a useful tool in getting kids up and active. Creative songs like “20 Mattresses” that retell old fairytales are cleverly written, and make sure to present the Princess of each story as an autonomous, independent woman.
There is a pop-rock/Motown vibe throughout the album which works well, though the excessively layered vocals could grate on parents who are used to listening to more refined tunes. However, it does invite singing along in a way that a sparser or more subdued arrangement might not.
Parents not so keen on the princess theme should steer clear, and the album’s exclusive reference to girls would likely make the CD undesirable to male listeners.
WHY THEY´LL WANT IT
Parents who want to make sure that their daughters are learning more about the importance of independence and self-confidence than beauty and romance will welcome this album, though it still appeals to "girly girls" who love princesses and all things pink. The songs are quite catchy and would be ideal for kids who like to sing and dance along to their music.
— Justina Huddleston
Learn more about Moey´s Music Party - Princess Revolution!Back to top
 Name: Making Silly Faces
Company: IN THE NICK OF TIME MUSIC
Age: All Ages
Price: $12.99
Category: Music
WHAT IT IS
This is the third album from In the Nick of Time. It features 13 songs and it 37 minutes long. The CD explores a wide variety of genres, from classic rock to R&B, reggae, and funk.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
This CD offers something for everyone. It´s a truly multi-genre listening experience, with a heaving leaning towards the funk/disco/pop sound. General fans of pop music or radio music will likely enjoy this album. The lyrics are very kid friendly, especially on tracks like "I Tried it, I Like It!" and the old-school hip-hop sounding title track, "Making Silly Faces." This and other tracks on the CD are reminiscent of the music of HBO comedy duo "Flight of the Conchords," in that each song is expertly crafted, musically, but the lyrics are unexpected — in this case, geared toward kids. Another stand out track was the hilarious "Pirates Never Say Please." Kids may learn that being a pirate isn´t as great as it seems as they laugh along to the lyrics and listen to the pirate say "Yar" in every intonation imaginable. Though none of the songs are lyrically very substantial, this album is an up-tempo and fun listen for the whole family.
WHY THEY´LL WANT IT
This is a good choice for families with several kids who all have different tastes in music. It´s not annoying or repetitive like some kids´ albums can be, so mom and dad won´t mind listening along either.
— Justina Huddleston
Learn more about Making Silly FacesBack to top
 Name: Celtic Christmas
Company: PUTUMAYO KIDS
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.98
Category: Music
WHAT IT IS
This 11-track album features Celtic-style Christmas songs from artists in Ireland, Scotland, England, Canada and the US. Covering classics such as "Joy to the World," as well as less familiar tunes like "Noel Nouvelet," the CD features a range of styles within the Celtic genre.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
Putumayo has compiled another interesting and enjoyable album. Showcasing a mixture of songs that many people are already familiar with and combining them with Celtic instrumentation, new listeners will ease into the genre without feeling overwhelmed. A great example of this is "Nollaig Bhan," which is the familiar song "White Christmas" sung in Gaelic. The album heavily features instrument-only tracks, so if you´re looking for an album of sing-a-long jingles, you might want to look elsewhere. But if you´re looking for an intriguing album to play during family activities like trimming the tree or drinking cocoa by the fire, this might just be the pick for you.
WHY THEY´LL WANT IT
For parents who want to expose their children to a wide variety of musical genres and avoid the canned Christmas pop that infiltrates the radio during the holidays, this album is a great choice. This CD would also be a good choice for stores that cater to adults as well as children, as it is appropriate for all ages.
— Justina Huddleston
Learn more about Celtic ChristmasBack to top
 Name: Chip Taylor and the Grandkids - Golden Kids Rules
Company: SMITHSONIAN FOLKWAYS RECORDINGS
Age: All Ages
Price: $13.99
Category: Music
WHAT IT IS
This is the first album from Chip Taylor & The Grandkids, though Chip himself has been involved in music for years. Probably most remembered for the hit "Wild Thing," Taylor has now recorded with his grandkids this 12 song, on this 38-minute album.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
Combining the indie sounds of Wilco with the laidback Americana style of The Johnny Cash Children´s Album, this album, to put it simply, rocks. The music is sophisticated in its subtlety, and will be a relief to the ears of parents who´ve had to listen to one too many Kidz Bop albums. The lyrics on the album bounce between whimsical and poignant, but are always well written. Stand out tracks include "Big Ideas," with the kids singing lines like "Take a good look at me / I´m not just a kid / I got big ideas. / I don´t tell them to everyone. / What about you?" and "I want to be a doctor, a lawyer, a mother, a friend." As Taylor says in the liner notes, "Kids like singing about serious stuff — because they think about that stuff — whether YOU talk about it or not." This comes through very well on the rest of the album, including "Quarter Moon Shining" (What´s beyond the sky, Pepa? / We really want to know...When old dogs die, Pepa / Where do they go?) and "Kids to Save the Planet" (Tell everybody that you meet/ You´re a kid that takes a stand...Anyone who makes the rules / Listen to what children say / Don´t look at them as little fools / They just want a better way). The album has a lighter side too. "Daddy is a Red Sox Fan / Mommy is a Yankees Fan" plays off the melody of the classic song "Take me out to the Ballgame." The young singer sums up her confusion well in the chorus: "Daddy is a Red sox Fan. / Mommy is a Yankees fan. / I don´t know just where I stand. / What´s a little girl to do?" The last three songs on the album, originally recorded for the wedding of one of Taylor´s sons, also feature one of the most lighthearted songs on the album. "The Possum Hunter" is a jaunty tune about a dog (the hunter) who is to afraid to get rid of a possum hiding in his dog house. The last track of the album, "Now That Kristian and Anna Have Wed" is a sweet lullaby-sounding song that will appeal to kids and adults alike.
WHY THEY´LL WANT IT
Parents who are big music fans, but want to make sure that what their kids listen to is age-appropriate, will love this album. The lyrics are poignant and relevant to children, without being patronizing or sacrificing the quality of the music. Any adult who´s been driven crazy by the incessant squeaking, honking, and yelling of other children´s albums will appreciate this one. And if you´re a store owner who demos the CD´s you sell, you´ll be happy to have copies of Golden Kids Rules on hand as well.
— Justina Huddleston
Learn more about Chip Taylor and the Grandkids - Golden Kids RulesBack to top
 Name: The Day Tiger Rose Said Goodbye by Jane Yolen
Company: RANDOM HOUSE INC.
Age: 4-8
Price: $16.99
Category: Books
WHAT IT IS
This hardcover book follows Tiger Rose, an elderly cat, on her last day.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
Anyone who has lost a pet will be moved by this heartbreaking, yet heartwarming, tale. Tiger Rose spends her last day saying goodbye to her family, enjoying the beautiful outdoors, and finally closing her eyes for the last time. The story is very simple but rings true. The last pages of the book, with Tiger Rose looking down from the sky, and the family dog standing outside the house no doubt wondering where his friend went, brought tears to my eyes. But where this book truly shines is in its ability to make a book about loss a celebration of all that makes life worth living.
WHY THEY´LL WANT IT
Not your average bedtime story, this book would be ideal for customers with children who are experiencing grief, either at the loss of a pet or someone special to them. It´s simple yet honest way of describing death could be helpful as a child struggles to deal with the loss.
— Booklist Starred Review
— As of 09/29/2011 this book had 5 out of 5 stars from 4 reviews on Amazon.com.
— As of 09/29/2011 this product had 4.12 out of 5 stars from 32 ratings on Goodreads.com.
— Justina Huddleston
Learn more about The Day Tiger Rose Said Goodbye by Jane YolenBack to top
 Name: Gobble Gobble by Cathryn Falwell
Company: DAWN PUBLICATIONS
Age: All Ages
Price: $8.95
Category: Books
WHAT IT IS
This rhyming book follows Jenny as she plays outside and watches wild turkeys through the four seasons. Jenny´s Journal, at the end, shares facts about wild turkeys.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
Though simple, the rhyming text is catchy. Kids will enjoy watching Jenny and the turkeys as the seasons progress. The illustrations are rich and textural. The coloring of each turkey is very detailed, and one may notice unique touches, like a tree in the forest that is a stamp of a real leaf, if they look closely enough. As a born and bred New Englander, turkeys were everywhere in the area surrounding my house when I grew up, so I was surprised to learn in the "Jenny´s Journal" segment in the back of the book that turkeys were once in danger of becoming extinct! Between the colorful and engaging pictures, the rhyming text, and the informative journal in back, this book offered more than your average picture book.
WHY THEY´LL WANT IT
This would be a great book for stores that carry nature-themed or eco-friendly books and toys. It also would be a perfect offering in the fall and Thanksgiving seasons, so kids can learn more about the bird that has become practically synonymous with autumn. Educators will like the informative yet casual "Jenny´s Journal" in the back of the book, which also offers arts & crafts and other nature-inspired activity ideas.
— Justina Huddleston
Learn more about Gobble Gobble by Cathryn FalwellBack to top
 Name: Ricky is Brave by Guido Van Genechten
Company: CLAVIS PUBLISHING
Age: 4 and up
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
WHAT IT IS
This picture book follows Ricky on his first outdoor sleeping adventure. The summer has been unusually hot, so Ricky asks his parents if he can sleep in a tent outside. He has fun with his newfound independence, and the ultimate message is that no matter what obstacles a child may face while trying new things, their caregivers will always be there for support.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
Enchanting illustrations and a thought-provoking story make this reassuring book an ideal read for preschoolers. The pictures in the book evoke a truly hot summer day, from Ricky eating a sweet carrot ice cream cone while dangling his feet in the water where his friends are swimming, to Dad lounging in the hammock with some light reading. The illustrations are rich and painted with lots of texture. The story itself is full of charming details. For instance, Ricky sneaks a treat of sweet carrots into his tent to eat before he goes to sleep...which he later uses to plug his ears against the unfamiliar noises coming from outside of his tent. The ending of the book is really charming, with Ricky´s mom and dad joining him in the tent so they can all sleep more soundly. The book sends a positive message that even when a child sets off to do something "alone" for the first time, they can always count on their parents to be there if something goes awry.
WHY THEY´LL WANT IT
The rich illustrations and relatable main character, Ricky, would make this a great addition to any child´s bookshelf. For ages 4 and up, the story is reassuring to kids who are feeling ready to try new things, but nervous at the same time.
— Justina Huddleston
Learn more about Ricky is Brave by Guido Van GenechtenBack to top
 Name: My Daddy by Guido Van Genechten
Company: CLAVIS PUBLISHING
Age: 2 and up
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
WHAT IT IS
This story follows John and his Daddy in their bedtime routine. They play with toys, John gets a piggy back ride, and eventually Daddy reads him a story and puts him to bed. The book is for ages 2 and up, and is a larger size than many board books for the same age group.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
With it´s evocative illustrations and story of parental love, this book deserves a spot on any child´s bookshelf. Though simple, the story was very sweetly done. The rosy cheeked father and son team stand out in their brightly colored clothing against the soft olive and gold-toned background drawings. Details in the illustrations, such as the scribbly portrait by John hanging on the wall, the teddy bear that is with John and his Daddy on every page, and the rocking horse that looks askance at John riding on his Daddy´s back make the story come alive. The book is a translation from Dutch, but the wording flows smoothly and seems appropriate for its intended age group.
WHY THEY´LL WANT IT
This would be a great book for any Dad to read to his child. It also could do well as a seasonal item for Father´s Day. The cover illustration is bright and stands out against the softly colored background. This book would be ideal to read to toddlers before bed, to help them settle down and get into the mindset that it´s time to wrap up the day, as John does with his Daddy.
— Justina Huddleston
Learn more about My Daddy by Guido Van GenechtenBack to top
 Name: Title: The BIG Baby Book by Guido Van Genechten
Company: CLAVIS PUBLISHING
Age: 2 and up
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
WHAT IT IS
Josh´s mom is going to have a baby, which makes him ask if he was once a baby in his mom´s tummy too. His mom says yes, and tells him about babies throughout the animal kingdom, from rats, to sheep and horses. In the end, the new baby arrives, and Josh is a big brother.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
High-quality illustrations and a strong story line make this book a must-read. The illustrations in the book are done by painting over newspaper, giving each picture a unique depth and richness. The book is for ages two and up, and it deals with the arrival of a baby in an informative, age appropriate manner. The story has a nice narrative arc, in that at the end of the book we actually get to see Josh become a big brother.
WHY THEY´LL WANT IT
This book would be an ideal read for children who are expecting a new sibling and have questions about babies. The many illustrations of baby animals and their mothers will also intrigue any child who is interested in animals. It´s a board book, so it is sturdy enough to stand up to a toddler, and is less expensive than a regular hardcover storybook.
— Justina Huddleston
Learn more about Title: The BIG Baby Book by Guido Van GenechtenBack to top
 Name: Bathing by Liesbet Slegers
Company: CLAVIS PUBLISHING
Age: 1 and up
Price: $5.95
Category: Books
WHAT IT IS
This board book follows baby through all the familiar steps of bath time. Brightly colored pictures against a white background are easy for baby to focus on, and the simple sentences feature bolded key words such as "bathtub" "clothes" and "shampoo," to help young ones familiarize themselves with new words.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
This simple yet spirited board book is a great gift item for new parents, and would be a welcome addition to any child´s library. Unlike many board books for babies that focus on everyday tasks, this one has personality. The list-like reporting of bath time is broken up by baby´s voice, which exclaims, "Oh, my shampoo is so sweet!" and "It is fun to sail my boat in the bath." The illustrations are very sweet and stand out nicely against the stark white background. The overall style is reminiscent of Leslie Patricelli, though less whimsical.
WHY THEY´LL WANT IT
Books like this are great for people looking for a gift for an expectant parent, or the baby in their life. The illustrations and the extra personality conveyed by the narrator set this book above the standard fare, in addition to helping baby learn new vocabulary.
— Justina Huddleston
Learn more about Bathing by Liesbet SlegersBack to top
 Name: This Girl Is Different by JJ Johnson
Company: PEACHTREE PUBLISHERS
Age: 12-16
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
WHAT IT IS
JJ Johnson´s debut novel tells the story of Evensong Sparkling Morningdew- Evie for short- and her foray into public school. Homeschooled by her hippie mother her whole life, Evie decides that she wants to spend her Senior year at an actual high school, as a social experiment. Evie makes a friend and a (almost) boyfriend right away, but the realities of attending public school are much grimmer than she had thought. Frustrated by the boundaries placed on students by the administration, as well as the blatant sexism, sizeism, and ageism that Evie feels dominate the learning environment, she starts an online blog where she and her friends can address these grievances. But Evie takes things too far when she targets a specific teacher, and students begin to use Evie´s blog against her.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
This compelling story is worth a read, thanks to its strong and unique main character. Evie is strong-willed, smart, and self-aware. The beginning of the novel describes Evie on a nature walk, sketching a snake; she later brings her new friends to her "Dome Home," a geodesic dome built by Evie and her mom where they raise a cow and chickens, bake their own bread, and drink yerba mate instead of coffee. The overt characterization of Evie and her mother as "hippies" in the opening of the book seems a little heavy-handed, but after the slightly clumsy first chapter Evie comes alive on the page. She is a unique character that can be not only a friend to readers, but a role model as well. Sure, she has academic aspirations that are admirable, but the thing that really makes Evie a great character is her willingness to admit she was wrong. She is at first reluctant to befriend bubbly cheerleader Jacinda, only to realize that her preconceived notion of the "typical cheerleaders" was wrong. And, though she never compromises her morals, Evie´s self-doubt when dealing with issues such as teenage sex, inappropriate student-teacher relationships, and gossip rings true. The book manages to stress the importance of being true to oneself without ever taking itself too seriously, coupling introspection from Evie with slightly flippant lines such as "If a tree falls in a forest and no one updates its status on Facebook, does it make a sound?" Such elements keep the story feeling fresh and relevant to teenagers, while Evie´s romantic relationship- ultimately a healthy, equal partnership- will fulfill readers´ love of drama.
WHY THEY´LL WANT IT
Parents who want their tween and teen girls to read a novel with substance should pick up this book. It has a wide appeal to teen readers- focusing on the ins and outs of high school, romance, gossip, and betrayal- but the decisions the characters make and the issues they focus their attention on set it above standard teen pulp fiction. From an aesthetic standpoint, the book jacket is made of thick, textured paper, with a modern color scheme of blues, grays, and a contrasting dash of vibrant orange. The back cover screams "Evensong Sparkling Morningdew is a Hypocrite! Hypocrite! Hypocrite!" in an edgy, scribbly text, sure to pique the interest of a prospective reader.
— As of 05/26/2011 this book has 4.2 out of 5 stars from 10 reviews on Amazon.com
— As of 05/26/2011 this book has 3.56 out of 5 stars from 100 ratings on Goodreads.com
— Justina Huddleston
Learn more about This Girl Is Different by JJ JohnsonBack to top
 Name: Precious Puppy
Company: BOTTLE SNUGGLERS
Age: All Ages
Price: $20.95
Category: Infant & Toddler
WHAT IT IS
Bottle Snugglers are plush velour animals with elasticized bottle-holding bands that Velcro to the animal´s body, allowing mom or dad to keep one hand free during feeding time. When the Precious Puppy holds baby´s bottle, the caregiver can more easily and comfortably bond with baby during this special time.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
Unlike most bottle holders, Precious Puppy comes with two elasticized bands. Also, after the holder is placed around the bottle, the bottle is then placed in the infant´s mouth and the correct angle found before attaching the holder to the Puppy via Velcro tabs. This provides a greater degree of adjustment than most other bottle holders. The shape of the Puppy´s body also allows it to rest on a stroller or feeding table tray, so that Baby can feed herself. The toy itself is soft and cute, and easily graspable by Baby. In addition, it has crinkly ears and a squeaky-toy leg, although the squeak wasn´t working in the model we tried.
WHY THEY´LL WANT IT
Parents who want to touch and cuddle their baby during feeding will appreciate the freedom the Precious Puppy permits. Busy moms and dads with multiple children and/or tasks will also enjoy being able to accomplish other tasks while bonding and feeding their baby. The Precious Puppy and other Bottle Snugglers can also lighten the tasks of other caregivers. — ALISON MAREK 5/15/11
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 Name: The Unusual Mind of Vincent Shadow
Company: LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY
Age: 8-12
Price: $14.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Driving My Tractor
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 1-6
Price: $16.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Pirate King
Company: FLASTERVENTURE LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: $24.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: BANDthology - "This Game Rocks"
Company: BANDthology Inc.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $30.00
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s roundtable review of this product
Learn more about BANDthology - "This Game Rocks"Back to top
 Name: Pairs in Pears
Company: BANANAGRAMS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $16.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s roundtable review of this product.
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 Name: Appletters
Company: BANANAGRAMS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $16.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s roundtable review of this product.
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 Name: Young Picasso Art Kit
Company: NOODLE HEAD INC.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $20.00
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s roundtable review of this product.
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 Name: Fuzzles Ida Pink Dot Monkey
Company: DOUGLAS CUDDLE TOYS
Age: 2 and up
Price: $11.55
Category: Plush
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s roundtable review of this product.
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 Name: Nature Themed Number Wall Cards
Company: CHILDREN INSPIRE DESIGN
Age: All Ages
Price: $19.50
Category: Eco-Friendly
What It Is: This set includes 10 numbered and illustrated cards made from recycled materials and soy-based ink.
What We Thought: The eco-friendly cards express a very earthy vibe, with relaxing shades of green, rust and brown, and simple, pleasant images that include birds, leaves and turtles. Children Inspire Design, the manufacturer, recommends either framing the cards or, for a more economic alternative, simply tacking them to a wall. They would make for nice decorations, especially in a soft-hued nursery, but could also be used in a more basic manner, as flashcards for little learners. At $19.50, the price point isn´t so budget friendly — I could imagine a set like this more for around $9.99. Nonetheless, the "green" option and nature theme could make it ideal as part of a juvenile or gift display in a more upscale store.
Why They´ll Want It: It´s nice that both the cards´ composition and the images of nature complement one another. And the details add value. For example, there´s even newsprint text (in Italian, I believe) subtly incorporated into parts of the images to add extra visual texture ... and perhaps to remind of the benefits of recycling. Since these cards come in eight different languages, they might be a nice fit for educational resource stores, or just perfect for reaching a broader range of eco- and education-minded parents. — Julie L. Jones, 8.10.2010
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 Name: The Diggity Kids™ Comfort Travel System
Company: DIGGITY KIDS, INC.
Age: 4-10
Price: $63.95
Category: Safety
What It Is: Available in an array of colors, the Diggity Kids Comfort Travel System is a three-part set that includes a comfy Keester cushion featuring 2” of polyurethane foam, a memory-foam neck pillow for sleeping on the go, and a coordinating seat belt cover.
What We Thought: Bravo to Diggity Kids for creating this high-quality travel system! Parents and kids alike appreciate that the components are made of soft micro-suede, and for caregivers’ convenience, feature zip-off construction or are otherwise designed to be machine washable. With the semi-circular cut-out for the tailbone, the Keester proves very comfortable and, aside from use in the car, is also great to take to the park for use on benches. The seat belt cover doesn’t slide like some designs do, and it’s a much-needed item, especially during summer when children are wearing less clothing. The neck pillow offers fairly good support and is particularly convenient for kids snoozing in the backseat.
What Others Thought: The Keester lends itself to versatile use — “at Girl Scout meetings and as a cute cushion to sit on during our family movie night,” pointed out Elizabeth Donovan of Parenting Pink. Amy from ParentSphere no longer has to cringe at the way her preschool daughter rests in her car seat, thanks to the neck pillow. Prior to using the Diggity Kids Seat Belt Cover, posted The Funky Monkey, “the seat belt would dig into my kids´ neck when sleeping. Now they´re sitting in comfort thanks to this terrific product.”
Why They’ll Want It: A child’s comfort (or lack thereof) during travel affects the experience for everyone, so why not add a little sanity and style for the whole family? Diggity Kids delivers not with a random piece or two, but with a coordinated system that works together to ease travel woes, and is also adaptable for uses in school, at the ballpark, etc. Plus, it’s made with quality workmanship in the USA! — Julie L. Jones, 7/9/10
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 Name: High Roller
Company: HULLABALOO
Age: All Ages
Price: $12.00
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: A Frog Named Sam
Company: BEN RUDNICK AND FRIENDS
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.95
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Why Does Gray Matter?
Company: ROGER DAY PRODUCTIONS LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: $15.00
Category: Music
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Jack Grunsky: Partout oů les enfants chantent
Company: CASABLANCA KIDS INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.98
Category: Music
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Hot Potatoes! The Best of the Wiggles
Company: KOCH ENTERTAINMENT
Age: All Ages
Price: $18.00
Category: Music
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 Name: Bari Koral Family Rock Band: Rock and Roll Garden
Company: LOOPYTUNES
Age: 5 and up
Price: $11.99
Category: Music
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Patchwork
Company: KNIGHTWEAVER GAMES LLC
Age: 5 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Easy Daysies
Company: EASY DAYSIES
Age: 3-12
Price: $24.99
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Perfectly Arugula
Company: STERLING PUBLISHING CO.
Age: 3-7
Price: $14.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Best Family in the World
Company: KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 4-8
Price: $15.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Pirate and the Penguin
Company: SIMON AND SCHUSTER CHILDREN'S PUBLISHING DIVISION
Age: 3-7
Price: $15.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: My Father Knows the Names of Things
Company: SIMON AND SCHUSTER CHILDREN'S PUBLISHING DIVISION
Age: 3-7
Price: $15.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: My Think-A-Ma-Jink
Company: OWLKIDS
Age: 4-8
Price: $17.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Delicious Bug
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 3-7
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Dinosaur Park
Company: MACMILLAN
Age: 6-10
Price: $17.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: See & Spell
Company: MELISSA & DOUG
Age: 4 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Wooden Toys
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: "Bucky" Turtle Buckle Toy
Company: BUCKLE TOYS
Age: All Ages
Price: $19.99
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Family Fluxx
Company: LOONEY LABS
Age: 6 and up
Price: $12.00
Category: Card Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: I LEGO N.Y.
Company: ABRAMS BOOKS
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
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 Name: WJ FANTASY - Shadow Books
Company: BABALU INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $14.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Kushies Fuzzi Nubbinz
Company: KUSHIES
Age: 1 and up
Price: $20.99
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Journey
Company: ROCKABYE BABY!
Age: All Ages
Price: $13.99
Category: Music
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Dinotrux
Company: LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY
Age: 4-8
Price: $16.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Ball Claw Storage System
Company: K CONCEPTS LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: $11.99
Category: Sporting Goods & Accessories
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: BRIK-A-BLOK-46
Company: BRIK-A-BLOK TOYS INC.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $179.97
Category: Outdoor Fun
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Kidorable Fairy Umbrella
Company: KIDORABLE
Age: 1-7
Price: $13.95
Category: Apparel
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Go! Go! Sports Girls
Company: DREAM BIG TOY COMPANY
Age: 3-12
Price: $22.99
Category: Dolls
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: The Dr. Hippo Series
Company: THE HIPPOCRATIC PRESS
Age: 4-8
Price: $17.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: SafetyTats Quick Stick Write-On! Boy/Girl - 18-pack
Company: SAFETYTAT LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: $19.99
Category: Safety
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Ultimate Comfort Wagon
Company: RADIO FLYER
Age: 2 and up
Price: $199.99
Category: Outdoor Fun
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Norman PhartEphant Volume 1
Company: FIERCE FUN TOYS LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: $9.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Chan Pie Gnon Soft Chew Toy
Company: CALISSON INC.
Age: 1-1
Price: $13.99
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Felt Foods Brown Bag Lunch
Company: LILLY BEAN LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: $40.00
Category: Plush
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Get-Set Placemats – Hello Robot
Company: HELLO HANNA
Age: 5 and up
Price: $14.95
Category: Preschool
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Take Along Teddy
Company: VERMONT TEDDY BEAR
Age: All Ages
Price: $19.95
Category: Teddy Bear
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Pocket Referee
Company: VRANEY INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $15.95
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Hook
Company: ROARING BROOK PRESS (HOLTZBRINCK PUBLISHERS)
Age: 2-6
Price: $17.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Lulu´s Pajamas
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 2-6
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: A Practical Guide to Vampires
Company: MIRRORSTONE
Age: All Ages
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Seeing Stick
Company: RUNNING PRESS BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: All Ages
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Freaky Creatures
Company: ABANDON ENTERTAINMENT
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Video Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Mi Yim - Good Earth Fairy
Company: GREENPOINT BRANDS
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Dolls
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: MusiColor™ Music Player
Company: DELTA CREATIVE INC.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $49.99
Category: Musical Toys
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Money Savvy Pig Piggy Bank
Company: MONEY SAVVY GENERATION
Age: 4-11
Price: $16.99
Category: Award Winners
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Moonjar Classic Moneybox (Retro-Tin)
Company: MOONJAR
Age: 4-11
Price: $24.95
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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Name: Stinky Little Scroungy
Company: FIVE STAR PUBLICATIONS INC.
Age: 4-8
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: By the Sword
Company: BOYDS MILLS PRESS
Age: 10 and up
Price: $17.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Bones, Brains and DNA.
Company: BUNKER HILL PUBLISHING
Age: 8-12
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Favor Johnson
Company: BUNKER HILL PUBLISHING
Age: 6-12
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Swine Flu
Company: GIANTMICROBES
Age: All Ages
Price: $8.95
Category: Plush
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 Name: Hugg-A-Planet Space Station Earth Moon Mars Set
Company: HUGG-A-PLANET
Age: All Ages
Price: $49.95
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Marvin the Monkey, ZOOCCHINI Bucket Collection
Company: HEIDI'S HOME DESIGN, LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: $22.95
Category: Plush
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Little Capers – Lightning Hero Short Sleeve T-Shirt and Cape
Company: LITTLE CAPERS LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: $26.99
Category: Apparel
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Movable Paper Figures to Cut, Color, and Assemble
Company: FIGURES IN MOTION
Age: 6 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Award Winners
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Fair Share Chore Cards
Company: ROBIN DOWNES DESIGN
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.95
Category: Creative Activities
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: TastyTalk Conversation Cards for the Entire Family
Company: U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS, INC.
Age: 5-14
Price: $6.00
Category: Card Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Classic Water Garden Starter Kit Eco-Aquarium
Company: WILD CREATIONS
Age: All Ages
Price: $30.00
Category: Science & Nature
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Tatutina Birthday Medal
Company: TATUTINA INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $5.00
Category: Gifts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Shains - Recycled Bracelet with 60 Elements
Company: SHAINSWARE
Age: 5 and up
Price: $12.00
Category: Eco-Friendly
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Stitch-it Dolly Kit
Company: The Little Experience
Age: 6-12
Price: $14.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Hey! That´s My Fish! Deluxe!
Company: MAYFAIR GAMES INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $40.00
Category: Family Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: SandSac™ Beach Pail and Shovel
Company: MESKO Associates LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: $11.95
Category: Outdoor Fun
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: LaQ Hobby Kit Flower
Company: LaQ USA, Inc.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $20.00
Category: Construction
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Consensus® Junior Edition
Company: MINDLOGIC INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $24.95
Category: Board Games
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 Name: Via Toy Box - 2-Pack of Cubes
Company: KD PRODUCTS LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: $118.00
Category: Storage
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Big Bear Hug
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 4-8
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
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 Name: The Elf on the Shelf: The Claus Couture™ Scout Elf Skirt
Company: CCA and B LLC
Age: 2-12
Price: $7.00
Category: Dolls - Accessories
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s summary of online toy reviews of this product.
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 Name: Pocket Farkel®
Company: LEGENDARY GAMES
Age: All Ages
Price: $5.95
Category: General Games
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 Name: X-Ball
Company: CREATIVE WHACK COMPANY
Age: 12 and up
Price: $29.95
Category: Creative Activities
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: American Heroes #3
Company: SPROUT RECORDINGS
Age: 5-12
Price: $13.98
Category: Music
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Martian Television Invasion
Company: THADDEUS REX PRODUCTIONS
Age: All Ages
Price: $15.00
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Teaspoon at a Time
Company: SONG WIZARD RECORDS
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.98
Category: Audio & CD
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 Name: The Cinch Wrap
Company: ANEW
Age: Adult
Price: $86.00
Category: Infant & Toddler
What It Is: The Cinch is an adjustable abdominal wrap to help postpartum women regain their pre-pregnancy waistline. Available in two sizes, it has a hidden measuring tape for fitting, elastic banding on the front and rear, a zip-up side, and a fold-down, flat-front pouch.
What We Thought: I was pleased to be able to test out the Cinch after the birth of my first child. Aesthetically, the wrap-style product has great lines. The Cinch is made of soft, feel-good fabric that doesn't leave you itching to get it off at the end of the day. One of the the things I really enjoyed about the Cinch is the built in measuring device at the product's waistband. I was able to track as my postpartum waistline shrunk, giving motivation and gratification for the efforts I put into regaining my previously fit condition. The Cinch is also highly effective at "tucking in" loose, saggy postpartum skin. I felt as though it gave my stretched abdominal wall extra support as well. Notably, the side panels of the product really helped not only hold me in all around, but also actually helped recreate some of my previous curves. The only real trouble I had was that the top of the front panel constantly fell forward, creating a bunch at the top of my stomach. If I adjusted it, it would stay, but I feel like this issue took away from the Cinch-ing effect, as it looked a bit ballooned out whenever the top fell forward. Because of this, I was unable to wear the Cinch with tighter fitting tops or dresses, as the bunching and seam lines were visible. If there were a way to prevent this, however, the Cinch would have 5 stars in my book!
Why They´ll Want It: High quality and aesthetically pleasing, the Cinch is an excellent product for postpartum mamas. It effectively supports the midsection while also concealing loose skin, and is comfortable and secure enough to wear for hours. — TDmonthly Reviewer, 3-17-10
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 Name: Syncrohearts
Company: SYNCROHEARTS SERVICES
Age: Adult
Price: $39.95
Category: Adult Games
What It Is: Syncrohearts is a relationship game for couples created to foster communication, love, laughter and quality time. It is not an XXX-type game.
What We Thought: While playing Syncrohearts, my significant other and I were forced to discuss topics we hadn’t directly addressed before. It asks about division of household chores, for example — something I’ve felt bad about (because he does about 90 percent of the chores!) but that we had never talked openly about. There are many questions like this, and since they’re asked within the scope of the game, it makes it easier to broach the subject. There are also opportunities to physically interact with your partner (in pretty tame ways). My boyfriend, for example, kept trying to land on the “massage” spaces on the board. Cards drawn may include kisses, hugs or other romantic activities, like having a picnic or dress-up night. Players are supposed to complete some activities within 30 days, but honestly, by the time you finish playing the game, you’re likely to forget about those. I think romantic ideas should be executed within the hour of game play. Just 4 Fun cards ask you to answer harmless questions. For example, I had to tell my boyfriend which outfit I thought was his silliest, and we had a good laugh about it! While some tips may be obvious to couples who have a sound relationship — “treat your partner as you would like to be treated,” for instance — the suggestions in the game may be real eye-openers and reminders to couples who have communication issues or are dealing with rough patches in their marriages.
What Others Thought: The Syncrohearts website includes testimonials from customers whose relationships have benefited from the game. For example, Karl and Tammi Bryan, who said they play weekly, recommend Syncrohearts "for couples looking to respect and understand each other at the deepest and most passionate level possible." Amid "gut wrenching laughs" and deep conversation, Odin and Rea Surrey found the game inspirational and ideal for fostering a lifelong relationship. And Michelle, who bought Syncrohearts as a wedding gift after playing, found it helped her relationship with her husband better than counseling, permitting them "to reconnect in a safe environment."
Why They’ll Want It: Couples therapy settings could definitely make good use of this game, which, if played honestly and with an open mind, could help individuals get to the root of their problems or realize why they’re unhappy. It can be very liberating! I personally think it would do well in fairly conservative parts of the country, perhaps gift and novelty shops in the South or Midwest. Syncrohearts is likely to make couples remember the early days of their marriage/relationship and just relax and have a good time! — TDmonthly Staff, 2.1.10
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 Name: Exploracise Gymathtics™
Company: EXPLORAMANIA
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
What It Is: The Exploracise Gymathtics DVD is a 30-minute fitness program that teaches math and healthy lifestyle concepts at the same time. It takes kids through stretching, aerobic movements, pattern exercises and a cool down.
What We Thought: The packaging is well done, representing both the excitement and learning potential of the program. I do wish, however, that the design of some of the video, particularly the screens presenting educational elements in conjunction with the movements, was more polished and professional to match. That said, there really is a lot to learn, including subjects that I didn’t expect to be covered, such as repetition of patterns. A variety of ages is represented through the children doing the workout with the instructor, including a little girl whose movements aren’t perfect, which could be encouraging to other kids and shows that anyone can jump in and give Gymathtics a try! While positive reinforcement for kids, the healthy lifestyle concepts about being kind and dreaming big covered at the end of the video seem out of place, given the transition from mathematical concepts — which is clearly the focus of the DVD and title — to a totally different theme.
What Others Thought: The Homeschool Desk blog reviewer found “Gymathtics” ideal for various learning styles with its multi-sensory approach, and discovered that her children, especially the 8- and 9-year-olds, loved it!
On Homeschool Reviews for You, a writer said she liked the voice-over commentary and encouragement in the video, and called it “a no-fail solution for math review,” given the geometric terms and images covered in such a short period of time. An 8-year-old girl especially enjoyed the jumping jacks and said she’d recommend the DVD to friends.
Why They’ll Want It: It’s educational, it provides a workout, and it’s brief enough for frequent replay — big pluses for parents and kids in a culture that’s overweight and pressed for time. — Julie L. Jones, 12-16-09
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 Name: Motif Cubes
Company: NEWARTIFACTS
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Puzzles & Skill
What It Is: This nine-piece set of smooth hardwood blocks on a sturdy base features artistic design elements that merge perfectly no matter which way the cubes are turned. It’s referred to as an anti-puzzle, because there’s no right or wrong way to manipulate it.
What We Thought: Beautiful! It really is fascinating to start playing with the blocks in a very random fashion — only to realize that the result is not random at all. The way the red dots, curvy lines and natural wood patterns blend together is mesmerizing and a bit addictive. Part of the company’s mission is to integrate art into daily life, and I think they’ve done a superb job of it! Playing with the blocks also proved to be a relaxing, calming activity.
What Others Thought: Four reviews of Motif Cubes on FatBrainToys.com resulted in an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars. Reviewers praised the product for stimulating the imagination and exploration, and for its appeal to all ages.
Why They’ll Want It: It’s wooden, which alone gives the product an air of quality. It’s a set of blocks, which is downright classic. And in addition to being a “toy” of sorts, it effortlessly makes the perfect decorative element for a coffee or side table in a home. — Julie L. Jones, 12-15-09
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 Name: Zoey and the Yok-Yok Man
Company: YADEEDA.COM
Age: All Ages
Price: $12.98
Category: Language
What It Is: This 16-track, storytelling album features singer-songwriter Alain Le Lait, a native of France. Songs include “We Caught a Piggle,” “Your Grumpiness” and, of course, “Sam and Sally Meet the Yok-Yok Man.”
What We Thought: A mom reviewer and her 3-year-old daughter who listened to this album found it “a little off the beaten path,” with new, unfamiliar characters and stories that didn’t always seem to make sense. There’s some interesting instrumentation, though, and the music has twinges of a Beatles influence — a quality that may bring parents closer to enjoying it along with their kids!
What Others Thought: RadioIndy.com applauded this album as “just the right musical entertainment for kids/family fun,” with crisp, energetic vocals. The reviewer found the musicality creative, with nice harmonies and instrumentation that support “amusing,” child-friendly lyrics.
Why They’ll Want It: While this album may not have universal appeal, it certainly lends musical creativity. Kids are bound to enjoy the story aspect, really getting to know the characters and follow their adventures through the entire album. — Julie L. Jones, 12-15-09
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 Name: Penguin Needle Felting Kit
Company: WOOLPETS
Age: 10 and up
Price: $16.00
Category: Arts & Crafts
What It Is: Designed to teach sculptural felting, this craft kit comes with wool roving, a small pamphlet with step-by-step instructions and color pictures, two felting needles and a wooden skewer.
What We Thought: The Woolpets kit is a treat from the cute take-out packaging down to the finished product. The wool is obviously high quality — it’s extremely soft — and is easy to work with. I was impressed with the clear, step-by-by directions accompanied by color photographs. For a beginner felter, I felt empowered, and found it was fairly easy to catch on and start poking the little penguin into its proper form. I wondered if I was using the needle correctly, but kept on per the instructions, and it seemed to come out OK. There’s enough material to fashion two or three penguins, depending on size, so the kit is a decent value for the price. As a side note (and there is a warning with the package), the included needles are extremely thin and sharp, and should not be near or used by children. You will need a foam pad as an appropriate surface for the needle to land while felting; they are available from Woolpets as a separate purchase.
Why They’ll Want It: In short, it’s adorable! Woolpets offers a fun, keepsake craft, and something out of which the resident felter can build a nice collection. Plus, since the pieces aren’t preformed, every animal fashioned through this labor of love comes out with unique quirks and qualities. The penguin, for one, began to develop more and more of its own character the closer it got to completion! — Julie L. Jones, 12/8/2009
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 Name: Hip&Go - Chocolate Leather with Green Stitch
Company: RED MOHICAN
Age: All Ages
Price: $229.00
Category: Bags & Backpacks
What It Is: There’s only room for one diaper bag in this here town: Like a gunslinger’s holster, the Hip&Go is designed to be worn around the hips to free up the hands for other activities, such as holding, swinging, changing or feeding baby. Constructed of luxurious Nappa leather and lined with a velvety fabric, this isn’t your average yes-I’m-mom quilted shoulder bag bulging with burp cloths and lovies. Each of its two pockets can hold a disposable diaper and some wipes, as well as essentials such as cell phones and wallets, which can slip into the convenient mesh holders inside the 6" x 6.4" x 2" pockets. The belt easily adjusts with snaps to fit hip sizes from 29” to 44”. Also included are two zippered inner pockets for passports or cash, plus two clips for keys and other items. It’s designed to be worn with a baby carrier, but moms can wear it sans-baby, too.
What We Thought: The cool, unexpected Western design, plus the quality of the materials and construction will make the Hip&Go attractive to women inside and outside the mom-set. It’s convenient and stylish enough to be used by any professional — such as hair dresser, artist or filmmaker — who needs access to a number of implements while working with her hands. Mom, too, will appreciate a baby-related item that’s designed with her style needs in mind. The belt design minimizes the chances of the bag accidentally being left behind on a park bench, and the Hip&Go can be worn with jeans or dresses. Cowboy hats are optional!
What Others Thought: A review on dirtydiaperlaundry.com lauded the Hip&Go’s stylishness and ease of use. The reviewer could fit a couple of disposable diapers as well as a wallet, keys, cell phone, wipes, lipstick and small onesie inside her pockets. She mentioned that the Hip&Go needs to be removed when driving, and I would say the same goes for chair-sitting — it’s a little too bulky if you’re not on the go, but stays nicely out of the way when you’re active.
Why They´ll Want It: Moms who don’t want to look like tween girls will appreciate the high-quality and sleek styling of the Hip&Go. It’s an item that will certainly be used long after baby has passed the diaper stage. In fact, mom might find herself dueling the kid one day for the chance to holster up with this leather carrier. — Alison Marek 12/8/09
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 Name: SPEECH PARADE! Sounds Are All Around DVD
Company: GASP VIDEO
Age: 1-6
Price: $19.99
Category: Videos & DVDs
What It Is: Designed to support language development in young children, "SPEECH PARADE!" shows footage of animals, activities and familiar environmental scenes while a speech-language pathologist and young children speak identifying sounds. It´s set up to encourage imitation through repetition and includes tips for parents and caregivers at the end, so they can help their children develop solid language skills.
What We Thought: By offering three rounds of the same content with varying audio explanation — one with the speech-language pathologist speaking and pictured, one with children speaking the sounds, pictured, and the other displaying just adult audio with the natural sound — viewers have ample opportunity to pick up the emphasis of words and begin to identify sounds with their counterparts in the natural world. The production´s real-life footage of people, animals, objects and natural scenes, as opposed to animated reel, reinforces proper identification. Although a 1 1/2-year-old boy and his two older sisters viewed this video, "it didn´t seem to capture them," their mother said. Improvements could be made to the packaging, with its basic font usage and a large photo of a parrot that doesn´t necessarily convey the video´s purpose. For that reason, consumers might need a recommendation before purchasing. The moderator’s head pops up in a bubble during the first round of sounds, which may seem a bit awkward; however, this visual, along with the later ones of children speaking, is important for kids to see how the mouth is shaped for the formation of words.
What Others Thought: Consumer reviewers on Amazon.com and the company’s website praised this DVD for being visually engaging, relating well to everyday sightings, and prompting kids to repeat the words and sounds they hear. Per numerous comments from parents, it has been a hit with children in the toddler and preschool age range.
Why They´ll Want It: This video was created by a professional who works with children in the field of language learning and understands their developmental needs. It fills an educational and developmental need for content that targets sound association and progress in basic speech patterns. — Julie L. Jones, 11-3-09
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 Name: Safe Sizer™ Choking Prevention Plate
Company: MIDWEST MONKEYS
Age: All Ages
Price: $4.99
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Rubbabu Rubbablox
Company: PLASMART INC.
Age: 2 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Plush
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Cory Caterpillar
Company: HABA USA/HABERMAASS CORP.
Age: 2-5
Price: $50.00
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Boikido Wooden Shapes Train
Company: BOIKIDO
Age: 1 and up
Price: $39.99
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: RiNGLEY Knotted
Company: RINGLEY NATURAL TEETHING TOYS
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Have You Ever Seen a Duck in a Raincoat?
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 4-7
Price: $14.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Caillou Boxed Set
Company: CHOUETTE PUBLISHING INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: There’s a Babirusa in My Bathtub: Fact and Fancy About Curious Creatures
Company: DAWN PUBLICATIONS
Age: 7-12
Price: $8.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Origami Fun: Paper Folding for Beginners
Company: BARRON'S EDUCATIONAL SERIES
Age: 9 and up
Price: $11.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Grinning Streak
Company: LINDA SEVERT
Age: 4-12
Price: $13.00
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Global Wonders: Around the World Music
Company: GLOBAL WONDERS INC.
Age: 2-7
Price: $9.99
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Meltdown
Company: SANDMAN RECORDS
Age: 4-12
Price: $12.98
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Pairs in Pears
Company: BANANAGRAMS
Age: 6 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Follow That Map!: A First Book of Mapping Skills
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 5-10
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: In the Trees, Honey Bees
Company: DAWN PUBLICATIONS
Age: 3-12
Price: $8.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: A Practical Guide to Faeries
Company: MIRRORSTONE
Age: 8 and up
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Shopping with Dad
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 3-7
Price: $16.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Global Green Pals™ Pink Coral Laurel
Company: RESTORATION GALLERY LLC
Age: 3 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: Dolls
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: BANDthology - The Board Game for Music Lovers
Company: BANDthology Inc.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $30.00
Category: Board Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: You Are Weird: Your Body’s Peculiar Parts and Funny Functions
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 9-14
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Painting the Town
Company: CRYSTAL PRODUCTIONS
Age: 3-7
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: green start™: one tree
Company: INNOVATIVEKIDS
Age: 3-6
Price: $6.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Benny and Penny in The Big No-No!
Company: RAW JUNIOR LLC
Age: 6-10
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Mama’s Kiss
Company: CHRONICLE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
Age: 3-6
Price: $14.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Imaginary Garden
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 3-7
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: A Pirate’s Quest: For His Family Heirloom Peg Leg
Company: CARL R. SAMS II PHOTOGRAPHY INC. (STRANGER IN THE WOODS)
Age: 3-11
Price: $19.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: ArtiSands Mini Geometric kit
Company: ARTISANDS
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.95
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: SphereXyz
Company: LA1PRODUCTS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Puzzles & Skill
What It Is: SphereXyz features two hemispheres and two sets of colored tiles that can be moved within canals on the face of the puzzle. Once the tiles are mixed up well, the goal is to rotate the hemispheres and move the tiles along the two axes until the white tiles are at opposite poles and each hemisphere houses only one collection of colored tile — green or purple.
What We Thought: Similar to the method of mixing the puzzle, solving the puzzle requires one to continue rotating the tiles and hemispheres, but in a controlled, purposeful direction. Drawing from my experiences with the Rubik´s Cube, I understood that I might become distracted in trying to fill in one particular corner, just to end up realizing my other corner had been shifted to a point of no return. I might also become disoriented and lose track of what goes where. My strategy was to go at it in a structured, methodical way. I knew the beginning would be the easiest. The hard part is toward the end when you have a small collection of colored tiles remaining and you don´t want to risk gambling your set pieces in hopes of getting the miscellaneous floaters in their correct spots. Well, I gambled, and it paid off, as the pieces I had already stayed safe and the remaining pieces fell in correctly, solving the puzzle on the spot. Mixing the tiles around sometimes required precision by making sure all were aligned correctly; otherwise, you would run into a tile jam. The rotating hemispheres fell victim to the same situation, but overall, not something that was too cumbersome. I tried my best to purposely mix the two colors in certain arrangements that I felt would come back to haunt me when it was time to solve the puzzle.
Why They´ll Want It: It took roughly 20 minutes to solve the puzzle, which seems to lean on the easy side of things. Ask my coworker, though, and she´ll tell you she struggled with it to the point of giving up — so it can offer a significant challenge! Also, it may be tougher to the minds of children between 7 and 14, where it presents itself as a challenge requiring cognitive functions such as predicting outcomes, visualizing the actions of all the moving parts, and understanding how the puzzle interlocks together with all its components. I feel that with more time spent on this puzzle, it would reveal a more recognizable sequence of techniques, allowing the solver to continually change or improve upon his or her approach. This puzzle is a solid production that can serve as a good brain teaser. Its ever-changing configuration of piece layouts increases its shelf life, and it's nice to have around just to exercise the brain. — Allen Tran, 7/24/09
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 Name: Mashoonga! SABERS
Company: REVEL KING, INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $24.95
Category: Outdoor Fun
What It Is: Created for playing the game of Mashoonga! with the goal of becoming a Mashoonga! Warrior™, these sabers consist of firm foam material covered with a stretchy, removable red or blue fabric, plus a sturdy handle. The life-sized “swords” are designed for battle.
What We Thought: The office staff had a total blast with the sabers, both in free-for-alls in the parking lot and in more structured, fencing-style contests in the hallway. In many cases, we couldn’t stop laughing as we watched each other develop distinctive maneuvers and strategies for battle. The foam surrounding the sword´s inner base helps prevent most bodily injuries, assuming the person dealing the damage is not swinging to hit a home run and not directing it at a person´s head. If strength is restricted to a reasonably safe level, duelists can still battle each other with enough force that one would feel they are in a real sparring match. It is important that children and teens (and adults!) heed the warning label, and avoid direct hits to the head, eyes or groin. The only gripe about the Mashoonga! saber is its weight, which falls on the length of the foam blade, requiring unnecessary expenditure of energy to hold it up. The weight also affects movement — if the weight was primarily in the hilt, it would make for better balance.
Why They’ll Want It: It´s a fun toy for pretend play as one can easily imagine himself as a sword master cutting away at the bad guys or at an opponent, without the worry of hurting people or furniture in the process. I remember fighting my friends with sticks and plastic swords for hours on end when I was young, and Mashoonga! is a terrific modern alternative. Parents may appreciate that it keeps children active; you can get a decent cardio workout while playing, with a low risk of injury. — TDmonthly Staff, 7-10-09
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 Name: Pentago CE
Company: MINDTWISTER USA
Age: 6 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Puzzles & Skill
What Is It: Pentago CE is a two-player, portable strategy game in which the goal is to be the first player to create a row of five marbles. The twist is that after a player places a marble, he or she also rotates one of the four squares that make up the game board, 90 degrees in any direction. The game comes with black and white marbles.
What We Thought: Pentago is so intuitive players can begin a game without even reading the directions, and its sleek design and simple concept make it immediately attractive. The more one plays it or watches a game of Pentago, the more its nuances are revealed. One reviewer found it reminiscent of an extended tic-tac-toe game, and a little weak on the defensive end — not as well developed in the area of giving players opportunity to directly interrupt their opponent by, say, knocking out an opponent’s piece or issuing some kind of trump card-like counter attack. He appreciated, however, elements that other players applauded, too: the simple rules, quick play, and opportunity for extended matches. “I like Pentago specifically because it’s not too hard, so it has a wider appeal with non-geeks,” another reviewer commented. One player noted that Pentago features the long-term planning of chess but without the complexity. And, it seems the simplicity of the game gives a novice a greater chance of beating an expert than games like Othello or Tannhauser do.
Why They’ll Want It: As one reviewer noted, “This is one of the most elegant [strategy games] I’ve ever seen.” The sophisticated design, “twist” play, portability and easy-to-learn rules are all pluses for Pentago CE, as is the fact that it can be effectively covered in mid-play so opponents can return to a game later on, if need be. Also, since a game can be played in just five minutes, it maintains a rapid-fire pace that keeps players from getting too discouraged when they make mistakes. — Julie L. Jones, 5/29/09
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 Name: Crayola® Art Studio
Company: CORE LEARNING
Age: 4 and up
Price: $24.95
Category: Software
What It Is: Crayola Art Studio is a software program that lets children draw and paint with digital art tools, then edit their creations using special features. It includes 12 realistic art tools, hundreds of preset colors, undo and redo options so kids are free to experiment, and hundreds of images that can be used to practice digital editing techniques. Kids can save and print their work, and even design decorations and greeting cards.
What We Thought: “Crayola Art Studio is a great tool for developing young minds in art,” wrote an 8-year-old girl who reviewed this product. She observed that some tools, like pencils, are thin, some tools, such as the tempera paint and slick stick, don´t have much of a difference, and other tools, such as oil pastels and markers, are very different. She especially enjoying zooming in on images to see the pixels, and felt like kids could easily create an entire art gallery with the elements available in this program. Her younger sister, 5, most enjoyed using one tool with the symmetry feature that shows a mirror image of the artist’s drawing. Stamps can be added to pictures and shapes, too.
Why They’ll Want It: Aside from parental help when installing the program and saving artwork, the children were able to navigate and enjoy Crayola Art Studio on their own. Although they wished the program would allow them to animate images, overall, they said they prefer Crayola Art Studio to Kid Pix by Software Mackiev because of the variety of colors and tools available. The reviewers spent a couple of hours (not consecutively) with the software during the initial evaluation, and said they definitely plan to use it again! — Julie L. Jones, 5/29/09
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 Name: F.A.S.T.® SpeedDial®
Company: YOYOFACTORY
Age: 8 and up
Price: $50.00
Category: Yo-Yos
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Morph-O-Scopes Kit - Sports of All Sorts
Company: OOZ & OZ
Age: 5-14
Price: $15.99
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Perfect Sense
Company: PATCH PRODUCTS INC.
Age: 12 and up
Price: $25.00
Category: Board Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: SLIDER™ the Unscooter™
Company: IDEA MILL LLC
Age: 3-99
Price: Not Specified
Category: Sporting Goods & Accessories
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Make Shrink Art Jewelry and Tags for Your Pet and You Too
Company: BOWWOWMEOW
Age: 8 and up
Price: $17.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Bye Bye Monster Gift Set
Company: YOUR THYME INC.
Age: 4-12
Price: $49.95
Category: Eco-Friendly
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Sweet as Can Be Fairy Doll
Company: LINDA RICK, THE DOLL MAKER
Age: 3 and up
Price: $25.00
Category: Dolls
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Jim Copp, Will You Tell Me a Story? Three Uncommonly Clever Tales
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
Age: 6-9
Price: $17.95
Category: Music
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Ask the Planet: The Missoula Coyote Choir & Friends
Company: THE BIOMIMICRY INSTITUTE
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.98
Category: Music
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Rocketship Run
Company: TWO TOMATOES RECORDS LLC
Age: 1-6
Price: $15.00
Category: Music
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Ultimate Spinner
Company: ROBBINS TOY
Age: All Ages
Price: $49.95
Category: Wooden Toys
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Food Pyramid Bingo Updated Deluxe Edition
Company: SMARTPICKS INC.
Age: 10 and up
Price: $29.95
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Comet, The Fast Path to Learning - Family Edition
Company: ACTIVE MINDS INC
Age: 11 and up
Price: $39.95
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: 36 Cube
Company: THINKFUN
Age: 8 and up
Price: $24.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: CALAFANT Treehouse
Company: CREATIVE TOYSHOP
Age: 3-12
Price: $25.00
Category: Creative Activities
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Debbie and Friends: Story Songs and Sing Alongs
Company: DEBBIE AND FRIENDS
Age: 2-7
Price: $14.95
Category: Music
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Jimmies - Make Your Own Someday
Company: PLUCKYPEA INC.
Age: 2-11
Price: $15.00
Category: Music
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Globe-Toddlers French Classical Music for Children CD
Company: TOT TALK INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.99
Category: Music
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Treasure Chest Monkey
Company: Treasure Chest Pets, LLC
Age: 3-12
Price: $30.00
Category: Plush
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Accessory Chest Dog
Company: Treasure Chest Pets, LLC
Age: 3-12
Price: $30.00
Category: Plush
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Media Chest Bear
Company: Treasure Chest Pets, LLC
Age: 3-12
Price: $30.00
Category: Plush
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Bummkinn Band: Rockin´ the YeeHaw
Company: BUMMS THE WORD PRODUCTIONS
Age: All Ages
Price: $12.97
Category: Music
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Here Comes Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could
Company: BUMBLIN´ BEE RECORDS
Age: All Ages
Price: $15.98
Category: Music
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Rebecca Frezza & Big Truck: Special Kind of Day
Company: BIG TRUCK MUSIC LLC
Age: 4-8
Price: $15.00
Category: Music
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Safari Jeep
Company: WOODLAND MAGIC IMPORTS
Age: All Ages
Price: $35.95
Category: Wooden Toys
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Elf Magic Doll
Company: ELF MAGIC LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: $26.95
Category: Christmas
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Portable Playtime - Plane Fun
Company: PORTABLE PLAYTIME™
Age: All Ages
Price: $35.00
Category: Preschool
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Spot Me ID Temporary Tattoos, Bracelets and Lanyards
Company: SPOT ME ID
Age: 1-10
Price: $9.99
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Go Glider - Pink
Company: GLIDE BIKES
Age: 5-10
Price: $129.99
Category: Vehicles - Riding
What It Is
This balance bike is created for 5- to 10-year-olds who are still working to perfect the art and balance of bike riding. It does not have training wheels or pedals, and is outfitted with 16" EVA foam tires and an adjustable seat and handlebars.
What We Thought
A 7-year-old girl who tested out the Pink Go Glider had a blast, commenting that, "It´s like a scooter but more fun." She had a very easy time navigating the bike and learning how to ride it. She felt very safe on the Go Glider, too, except when riding downhill; she thought she might have more control over a regular bike in that situation. Her younger sister, 4, had a harder time riding the bike but enjoyed it, nonetheless, as long as someone was around to supervise. [There´s also a Mini Glider for ages 2 to 5.] The bike´s strong, sturdy quality speaks for itself, as does its potential for fun! It does, however, carry a higher price-point than some balance and traditional bikes.
Why They´ll Want It
In addition to the rich pink shade (blue and red are also available), this bike offers adjustability to grow with the child, and provides a sturdy base for kids to learn the balance and confidence they need for riding. Since most balance bikes are sized for younger children, this one distinctively opens up opportunities for a different age range, including use in therapy and development for kids with disabilities. It features quality construction and keeps children active, which is something both parents and their kids can appreciate. — Julie L. Jones, 4/1/2009
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 Name: Triton: The Ultimate Three-Wheeled Cruiser
Company: ASA PRODUCTS INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $379.00
Category: Vehicles - Riding
What It Is
This three-wheeled cruiser is a smooth, low-riding alternative to biking or “scooting.” It has an adjustable frame, pedals at the front so that legs are comfortably stretched forward while riding, and unique, side-handle steering.
What We Thought
The Triton certainly offers a good workout because being in such a reclined position challenges the leg muscles to take on the brunt of the work. I particularly appreciated the adjustability of the frame and the supportive seatback, which encouraged me to remember proper posture. The two side handles for steering keep the arms in a very natural position, as opposed to reaching forward as one would on a bicycle, and offer a nice effect given the decent turning radius of the cruiser. I had a little trouble getting the mudguards to fit snugly over the tires (they move back and forth a bit), but on the whole, the Triton wasn’t too difficult to assemble. The cruiser boasts a solid foundation but is also on the heavy side, so it´s not the most convenient for portability. I should mention, though, that ASA Products has a new cruiser model, the Mobo, with a folding design, which I imagine is much more conducive to both transport and storage.
Why They’ll Want It
The Triton gives a riding experience that’s distinctive from what many ride-ons offer. It would be especially nice to enjoy along the beach, and might be a good complement to a regular workout schedule. Also, parents will likely appreciate that its low-to-the-ground configuration makes it feel a little safer. — Julie L. Jones, 3/24/2009
What Others Thought
One Amazon.com reviewer raved about this product and gave it 5 out of 5 stars, but another posted a discussion saying that three out of the four Tritons he received were defective in some way. The product received four 5-star ratings and one 1-star rating on Overstock.com, where it was lauded for relaxed seating, the different sizes available, adjustability, solidity and exercise potential. The one negative review complained about broken wheels and brakes. The pink cruiser garnered 5 stars on Target.com from three reviewers, all of whom noted how wonderful it is for kids with disabilities.
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Name: SLIDER™ the Unscooter™
Company: IDEA MILL LLC
Age: 3 and up
Price: $179.95
Category: Vehicles - Riding
What It Is
SLIDER the Unscooter is a three-wheeled vehicle that gives the thighs a mighty workout. Essentially, it is a hybrid between a scooter, skis and a ThighMaster. Unlike a scooter, you need never push your foot against the ground; the motion is all in the legs and hips. Easy to ride and maneuver, it’s a fun and different way of propelling yourself downtown.
What We Thought
We took turns Unscooting on SLIDER in the office courtyard, and it was easily our favorite ride-on. In that tight space, we could still take corners and even build up speed without much effort. You can propel it by scissoring your legs or swaying side to side, and more daring riders could, I’m sure, devise a myriad of tricks and other methods of getting from here to there right quick. The SLIDER was pretty easy to assemble and can stand alone without needing a kickstand.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids who want to go fast would love the SLIDER. Parents who are trying to encourage their kids to be more active will love it even more. It’s a great way to exercise your body without putting stress on the joints, and a fun way to go fast without expending fuel — but fear not, parents, the hand breaks works really well. — TDmonthly Staff, 3/17/2009
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 Name: Ballpark Classics™
Company: BALLPARK CLASSICS, INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $349.00
Category: General Games
What It Is
Designed on a 1:18 scale, this mostly wooden tabletop ballpark lets players pitch and hit alone or in teams. The game easily assembles to recreate a classic ballpark, down to the vintage advertising decals on the fence and the lawnmower trails on the field. The pitcher rolls a ball down the pitching tube and the batter swings a miniature bat by pulling a lever. Since there’s a lever on both the pitcher’s and batter’s sides, it’s easy to play solo. Players keep track of innings with a peg by home plate. Each player also has a scoring disk to tally runs.
What We Thought
Ballpark Classics is a beautiful, arcade-style game that is good-looking enough to hang on the wall. The game is easy to play in concept, but as on a real field, it’s much harder to get a hit than it seems. The pitching pipe, however, allows a player to “throw” different types of pitches, and one can simulate various scenarios, including fastballs, sliders, walks, strike outs and home runs. The classic design will especially appeal to those with nostalgia for smaller, outdoor fields before the days of Astroturf. The no-batteries-needed game is made in the USA of quality materials, but does carry a high price tag.
Why They´ll Want It
Ballpark Classics would be a perfect gift for a baseball fan who can’t bear to hang up his cleats in the fall. It would be fun game for families to play together, since little legs wouldn’t be a hindrance to getting a home run. Dad will definitely forget the bad report card as long as he finds Ballpark Classics under the tree. — Alison Marek, 3/16/09
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 Name: Karaoke Edge
Company: AUDIOSTREAM INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $14.99
Category: Music
What It Is
Karoake Edge is a computer game on a hybrid CD+G disc that can also be used in a karaoke machine. It scores singers based on their ability to match pitches and is supported by various albums users can collect to build their karaoke library. In the game, the words of the songs show up as notes on a staff, convenient for sight-reading, and turn red or blue according to whether they're sung correctly or incorrectly. Singers use a microphone that plugs into the computer.
What We Thought
I enjoyed both the game and the on-screen feature that allows you to sing karaoke as you normally would. I was encouraged to see words like "Wow!" and "Awesome!" over many of the notes when I sang one of Taylor Swift's songs on the "Easy" level, but noticed when I tried to conquer the "Hard" level for the same tune, such praises were few and far between. The program stores scores so that individuals can compete against each other and even try to beat their own best performances. I liked, too, that for those who might be unsure of the notes or their pitch, it offers the option of having the vocals on, or even having a vocal come in when the singer fails to utter a note. My main complaint is that I couldn't see all the notes on the bottom staff of the game, and the window wouldn't expand; perhaps a formatting change might help.
Why They'll Want It
Who doesn't want to imitate their favorite rock star or country artist? Or better yet, steal the spotlight! For anyone who loves music (and especially loves to sing), this is an ideal gift. It would be a fun and competitive activity for friends to go back to again and again, with different songs, and would be awesome entertainment at a party. — Julie L. Jones, 12/23/2008
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 Name: Zube Tube™
Company: ULTIMATE COSMIC TOY COMPANY, INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $12.95
Category: Novelties
What It Is
The Zube Tube™ is a long tube that consists of inner coils that produce various sounds through vibration. It was introduced 10 years ago and has since been recognized by “Good Morning America,” “The Washington Post” and “Parents” magazine.
What We Thought
The Zube Tube is very simple yet very enjoyable. It emits a myriad of sounds when one merely shakes or yells into it. During our office breaks, it is not uncommon for someone to pick it up and starting talking — or even singing! — into the tube. It definitely brings out the inner child in everyone who plays with it.
Why They’ll Want It
The Zube Tube can be shaken, plucked, yelled into, twisted and even sung into to produce “out of this world” sounds. It is simple, but everyone who sees it wants to try it … yes, even adults. — Melvin Chua, 12/2/2008
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 Name: Snuggle Bears Baby Journal Organizer & Keepsake
Company: WS PUBLISHING GROUP
Age: All Ages
Price: $24.95
Category: Infant & Toddler
What It Is
“Snuggle Bears” is an all-in-one reference guide and guide for baby’s first years. It has pastel-colored pages with cute illustrations throughout, plus room for photos, space to catalog monumental “firsts” in a child’s life, and special sections for parents’ reflections and hopes for their child. In the back is an accordion file with space for medical records, artwork, birthday mementos and other important documents.
What We Thought
I was surprised to find that, for being so compact, this book is designed to cover up to a child’s 3rd birthday. Not only is the design of the journal darling, but it also boasts a lot of functionality. My personal favorite is the removable, full-color growth chart that measures up to 39”. There are 27 pages that will accommodate photos, and the simple profiles for mom’s and dad’s family trees are great as well. The size of the files in the back is not large enough for every document, or a wealth of keepsakes, but select items could definitely be folded and stored there.
Why They’ll Want It
Any sentimental mother (or father) will delight in recording everything from the price of gas and stamps at the time of baby’s birth, to when the child got his first tooth or went for his first haircut. For caregivers who aren’t into designing their own scrapbooks, this journal offers a pre-organized shortcut that still accounts for milestones in a baby’s/toddler’s life and results in a beautiful keepsake to treasure for years to come. — Julie L. Jones, 12/2/08
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 Name: Lars Ümlaut Guitar Hero Action Figure
Company: MCFARLANE TOYS
Age: 14 and up
Price: $10.99
Category: Action Figures
What It Is
The Lars Ümlaut Guitar Hero action figure is based on a character in the popular video game, “Guitar Hero” from Activision Publishing. It is a 5” figure with a removable guitar and various movable parts.
What We Thought
The figure is extremely detailed and enables kids to use their imagination. My cousin, who is an avid “Guitar Hero” player, appreciated the fact that the figure looks exactly like the character in the game.
Why They’ll Want It
Devotees of the video game will want to add this action figure to their collection of “Guitar Hero” paraphernalia. Also, there are many other figures in the series, opening up the potential for repeat business. — Melvin Chua, 12/2/2008
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 Name: Djubi
Company: MoonRacer
Age: 8 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: Sporting Goods & Accessories
What It Is
This outdoor toy consists of two racquets and a custom ball with an elastic ring attached called a “Djubi.” It’s a new and exciting way to play catch while at the park, beach or any open space. There is a special hook on the racquet that allows each player to effortlessly launch the Djubi to the other player. A set comes with two racquets and two Djubis.
What We Thought
Djubi is an innovative game that is fun, versatile and does not take long to get accustomed to. Since there are no rules and no particular way to play, my friend and I made our own rules and created our own game utilizing the Djubi. The ball is soft enough that it would not hurt if it were to hit you. The game definitely has a high entertainment value because it combines the nostalgia of the game of catch with the technology of today.
Why They’ll Want It
Djubi is entertaining because it can be launched fairly accurately more than 100’. The net on the racquet is large enough to make catching the Djubi pretty easy. It is a great product for people who love outdoor games. — Melvin Chua, 12/2/2008
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 Name: Bari Koral Family Rock Band
Company: LOOPYTUNES
Age: 2-7
Price: $10.00
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Thaddeus Rex: Shakin’ in Chicago
Company: THADDEUS REX PRODUCTIONS
Age: 4-10
Price: $16.98
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Dixieland Jazz for Children
Company: WIGGLE WORM RECORDS
Age: 4-8
Price: $15.99
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Double Shutter Jr.
Company: BLUE ORANGE GAMES
Age: 8 and up
Price: $21.99
Category: Travel
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Potions™: A Wizard´s Apprentice Game
Company: DISCOVERY BAY GAMES
Age: 8 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Special Cross 40 Building Blocks
Company: BIM BOM TRADING INC.
Age: 3-12
Price: $15.99
Category: Construction
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Hoppers® Jr
Company: THINKFUN
Age: 5-7
Price: $14.99
Category: Puzzles & Skill
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Poingo
Company: PUBLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL LTD.
Age: 3-7
Price: $34.99
Category: Books
What It Is
Poingo is a system designed to make reading books an interactive experience for children. When the Poingo pen is touched to select text and pictures on the pages of Poingo books, it responds with sound, music or words — even questions to get kids more involved in the story or complementary activities on the pages. Book titles include “Finding Nemo,” “Cars” and other licensed stories from Disney.
What We Thought
Poingo definitely has a “wow” factor that catches children’s attention. After all, how many books talk back to you? A 4-year-old girl who tried out Poingo really enjoyed the interactive pen and soundbooks, and especially liked the side games and voices used. She had a little trouble with the directions on her own, but was able to get more out of it with an adult there to explain. Her older sister, 7, most appreciated the feature that allows you to click on the highlighted words and hear a definition. At her age, however, she found the constant repetition (e.g., “How many splashes do you hear?” in a game in the “Nemo” book) annoying and would prefer more grown-up stories.
Why They’ll Want It
While Poingo isn’t likely to replace old-fashioned reading, it does provide a novel alternative that offers a short-term activity allowing kids to explore stories in a whole new way. — TDmonthly Staff 11/14/08
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 Name: Spalding Rookie Gear
Company: SPALDING SPORTS WORLDWIDE
Age: 6-10
Price: Not Specified
Category: Sporting Goods & Accessories
What It Is
Spalding’s Rookie Gear is a set of lightweight sports balls that is designed in proportion to a child’s size and weight. Each ball can be purchased separately for football, soccer or basketball play. The basketball and soccer ball come in two design choices. The balls are made with the same quality as standard Spalding sports balls, which will give kids a sense of importance and professionalism. They’re ideal for players aged 6 to 10.
What We Thought
Full-sized sports balls are often too heavy and large for children, which makes young players feel clumsy. By engineering a set of balls to match young hands, feet and muscle power, Spalding is sending the message that growing athletes are just as important as their older counterparts. The balls are approximately 25% lighter than standard youth balls, making them easier to toss or kick to impressive lengths.
Why They’ll Want It
Strangely enough, kids love kids-sized things! And what could be better than a set of balls that makes them feel like pros? Even if they have to shoot baskets against Big Bro or Sis to avoid vacuuming the living room this week, they’ll be able to hold their own with these balls designed just for their build and weight. The colorful designs will also appeal to their sense of individuality and playfulness. — Alison Marek, 11-6-08
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 Name: JUMBULAYA: The Rearranging, Ever-Changing Word Jumble Game
Company: PLATYPUS GAMES LLC
Age: 10 and up
Price: $29.95
Category: Board Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Family Dinner Box of Questions
Company: THE BOX GIRLS
Age: All Ages
Price: $19.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Flashflight® SpokeLit™
Company: NITE IZE INC.
Age: 7 and up
Price: $6.99
Category: Safety
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Fan-Tastic Teeth Paint
Company: NUDENT LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: $8.99
Category: Costumes & Accessories
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Little Passenger Backpack
Company: UNIVERSAL MAP
Age: All Ages
Price: $21.95
Category: Kits
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: 32 Artist Color Oil Pastels
Company: eeBoo corp.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $8.95
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Brain Boogie Boosters
Company: THE LEARNING STATION
Age: 3-8
Price: $15.00
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Wiggles: “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing”
Company: KOCH ENTERTAINMENT
Age: All Ages
Price: $18.00
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Makin Waves
Company: LEONARDO MUSIC
Age: All Ages
Price: $12.99
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Terrible Twos: Jerzy The Giant
Company: POQUITO RECORDS
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Bitty Fish
Company: KANE PRESS INC.
Age: 3-7
Price: $5.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Think Green!
Company: KIDS THINK BIG LLC
Age: 4-10
Price: $14.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Johnny Appleseed
Company: HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS
Age: 6-9
Price: $16.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Three Little Pigs’ Christmas
Company: PC Treasures, Inc.
Age: 3-8
Price: $6.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Oh, the Wondrous Places You´ll Go! Travel Cards
Company: THE WONDER FORGE LLC
Age: 8 and up
Price: $12.95
Category: Educational
The Dr.’s Impressions
This set contains 21 cards, each featuring a different location. Each card shows a beautiful photograph, facts, history and trivia about the location.
Kids’ Perspective
The kids who looked at these cards, ages 9 and 12, liked the pictures and the strange facts but were a little overwhelmed by the amount of information.
Recommendation
These cards are beautiful and the facts and trivia are fascinating, but it is a little like reading an encyclopedia. We take one or two out at dinner to introduce a new place, but are usually not able to read through the entire card without getting overwhelmed. — Dr. Tiffany Wright, 11/1/08
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 Name: Visiting My Grandmother
Company: BOYS TOWN PRESS
Age: 2-8
Price: $13.95
Category: Books
What It Is
This interactive book is written to be a collaborative project between a child and grandmother, or completed after a visit to grandma’s house. It allows the child to write, draw and include photos of his or her time with grandmother, providing a unique way for the two to spend quality time while also preserving memories.
Why You Should Carry It
This book is one to pass down through generations as an information piece and, most of all, a part of heartfelt memories. “Visiting My Grandmother” is only one in a series of interactive books by K.A. Bye. Other titles include “My Trip to the Zoo,” “I Like Holidays!” and “I Like Birthdays!” I love the concept of the series but feel it is more appropriate for ages 4 to 8. Although the illustrations are cute, the book as a whole lacks the strength to meet the needs of the audience that would be most likely to make it into a project. As is, the series might be more easily marketed to parents, as they are more likely to complete each project.
What Kids Think
Although written for beginning readers, ages 2 to 8, those who experienced the book (2- to 4-year-olds) were more interested in looking at the pictures and didn’t show much interest in committing to it long term. On average, most children aged 2 to 8 will only spend 30 minutes working on it. — Sheri Williams, 11/1/08
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 Name: Pliko Switch Completo Stroller
Company: PEG PEREGO
Age: All Ages
Price: $599.00
Category: Infant & Toddler
What It Is
The Pliko Switch Completo is an Italian-designed, fully accessorized stroller with a lightweight aluminum frame, a hood/sun canopy, height-adjustable handles, and front swivel wheels. It reclines and adjusts in multiple ways, and the back footrest is fashioned to accommodate an older sibling.
What We Thought
Every claim that the company makes about this stroller is true. The Italian tailoring creates a chic and elegant design, but the real benefit of this attractive stroller is in its other features. The stroller is very sturdy, its components fold easily into a compact formation, and the brake system gives the user extra confidence in the safety of the product — once the back brake is set on one wheel, it automatically sets on the other as well. In addition, the stroller steers without difficulty and is lightweight enough to lift and place in or remove from a car. The convenience of the adjustable handle and the ability to reverse the seat so that the baby can either face forward or face the operator make the stroller comfortable for multiple users in various environments.
Why They´ll Want It
In short, it´s all there. As one new dad said, "The company thought of everything I would have wanted in a stroller." In a market overwhelmed with options, this stroller impresses with its sharp design, convenient adjustability and no-hassle features that contribute to its overall safety and comfort. — TDmonthly Staff 10/23/2008
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 Name: WowWee Flytech Bladestar
Company: WOWWEE GROUP LTD.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $49.99
Category: Remote Controlled
What It Is
The Flytech Bladestar is an intelligent and rechargeable indoor aircraft that hovers with the use of a remote controller, via autopilot mode or when guided with your hands. The three-channel controller also stores the charger.
What We Thought
This is a very interesting toy that kids will have a great deal of fun with. My 15-year-old cousin tried it and said the aircraft takes a little getting used to, but after one minute he was flying like a pro! Every charge affords five minutes of flight. Flying into walls is no problem because the body was made to be crash-resistant, and it also comes with spare blades and propellers.
Why They’ll Want It
The helicopter-like hovering action is fun for all children ages 8 and above. There is a dogfight feature that kids can use to face off against each other with two Flytech Bladestars. It has different modes and comes with a durable case, which makes the Flytech Bladestar a very versatile toy. — Melvin Chua 9/15/08
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 Name: EeZee Kricket
Company: EeZee Kricket
Age: 8 and up
Price: $15.00
Category: Board Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Scribble Puzzle
Company: SCRIBBLE MATS
Age: 4-11
Price: $5.00
Category: Puzzles & Skill
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: If You Don´t Take Care of Your Body, Where Else Are You Going to Live?
Company: PORCHLIGHT HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Age: 6 and up
Price: $14.98
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Tri-Cross™
Company: GFC GEORGIA LLC
Age: 10 and up
Price: $22.95
Category: Board Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Wood Puzzle School Bus
Company: SCHYLLING
Age: 2 and up
Price: $5.99
Category: Preschool
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Teasing Bird and Other Stories
Company: BRAINY TUNES RECORDS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $12.00
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Let´s Go! Travel, Camp and Car Songs by (Susie Tallman & Friends)
Company: ROCK ME BABY RECORDS
Age: 2-7
Price: $13.99
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Two Flowers
Company: DANIELLE SANSONE
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.00
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Connie Talbot: Over the Rainbow
Company: RAINBOW RECORDINGS
Age: All Ages
Price: $21.65
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Imaginary Menagerie
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 6-9
Price: $16.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Because You Are My Baby
Company: ABRAMS BOOKS
Age: 2-7
Price: $18.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Roonie B. Moonie – Lost and Alone
Company: ILLUMINATION ARTS
Age: 4-8
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Sir Reginald’s Logbook
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 5-9
Price: $17.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Ruin
Company: BUFFALO GAMES INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: Board Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Qubits® the Construction Toy of the Future
Company: QUBITS TOY COMPANY
Age: 7 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: Construction
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Playful Chef
Company: PLAYFUL LIFE
Age: 3 and up
Price: $39.99
Category: Creative Activities
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Hip Hop for Kids: School House Hop
Company: JUMPING FISH PRODUCTIONS
Age: 5-14
Price: $19.50
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Carpet Bocce
Company: SIMTEC CO.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $16.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Kaboost Portable Chair Booster
Company: KABOOST CORP.
Age: All Ages
Price: $37.95
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Adventures from the Book of Virtues
Company: PORCHLIGHT HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Age: 4-11
Price: $29.98
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Skippyjon Jones and the Treasure Hunt
Company: PENGUIN GROUP USA
Age: 3-6
Price: $9.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Dropping in on Andy Warhol
Company: CRYSTAL PRODUCTIONS
Age: 6-10
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Big Little Book of Happy Sadness
Company: KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 5-9
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Little Shepherd Girl
Company: DAVID C. COOK
Age: 3-10
Price: $14.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Blunders™ - Make Learning Manners Fun
Company: SUCCESSFUL KIDS INC.
Age: 5-10
Price: $24.95
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.Back to top
 Name: The Farming Game®
Company: THE WEEKEND FARMER CO.
Age: 10 and up
Price: $34.95
Category: Board Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Claire and the Bakery Thief
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 7-10
Price: $7.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: One City, Two Brothers
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $16.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: MVP
Company: BOYDS MILLS PRESS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $9.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: doodlebugz™ Crayola Chalk Talk Table Mate
Company: PRINCESS LINENS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $12.00
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Alphabet and Phonics Flash Cards
Company: GALLOPING MINDS
Age: 1 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Preschool
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: WorldTeasers™ World Culture & Geography Edition I
Company: ELM EDUCATION MARKETING LLC
Age: 8 and up
Price: $16.95
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about WorldTeasers™ World Culture & Geography Edition IBack to top
 Name: Who Will Save Our Planet?
Company: ALL 4 KIDZ ENTERPRISES
Age: 7-12
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: GeoPuzzle Europe
Company: GEOTOYS LLC
Age: 4 and up
Price: $14.99
Category: Puzzles & Skill
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Rapid 4® More
Company: UNCLE SKUNKLE TOYS, INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $74.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Pop-Up Pen Pal Cards
Company: PLAY ODYSSEY INC.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $12.99
Category: Creative Activities
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Sparkle PlayFoam 6-pack
Company: EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $10.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
What It Is
PlayFoam is a lightweight, colorful foam-sculpting material that won´t crumble, stick to skin or surfaces or dry out.
What We Thought
This product is innovative, high quality and amusing. Kids can play with for a long time. It doesn’t make a mess. However, the label says it “never dries,” which can be misleading, because the foam balls can gather dirt, hair, etc., and very slowly but surely lose their stickiness.
Why They’ll Want It
The addition of glitter should increase the appeal of this popular product. Some retailers, however, have noticed a big drop in PlayFoam sales over the last year. – TDmonthly Review Team, 6/22/08
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 Name: Stretchy Elastic Science Lab-Top
Company: TEDCO INC.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $11.00
Category: Science & Nature
What It Is
Kids will learn what makes rubber stretchy and about elastic potential energy and kinetic energy. They´ll also experiment with sound using rubber bands. Included in this compact kit are a rubber band racer, rubber band flyer, groovy guitar, bouncy rubber ball, winding wheeler and speedboat, for six elastic experiments.
What We Thought
Overall, the quality of this kit was not very high. Assembling the car was neither difficult not easy. However, the gear mechanism would not engage, so the car could not be wound up. It just didn’t work.
Why They’ll Want It
The price might appeal to kids or parents looking for a quick way to introduce their kids to some basic scientific principals, but the quality of the kit itself is quite low. – TDmonthly Review Team, 6/22/08
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 Name: Gravitron Space Gyroscope
Company: TEDCO INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $9.00
Category: Science & Nature
What It Is
A Gravitron is a gyroscope concealed in a space ship and operates with a simple-to-use T-handle. Even a small child can operate this "gyroscope". A T-handle, pedestal and instructions are included. Made in USA.
What We Thought
This is a fun and amusing toy that lets kids get creative with motion.. It seems to be well built; the disk inside keeps turning for a long time. However, despite the protective rubber ring, the scope would break if it fell on a hard surface.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids who are interested in moving objects and/or science will be amused by the gyroscope’s surprising and counter intuitive movements. – TDmonthly Review Team 6/22/08
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 Name: My Belly Button Baby
Company: SMALL WORLD TOYS
Age: 2 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: Infant & Toddler
What It Is
This soft plush rag doll features magnetic feet and hands that let her touch her hands, feet and belly button. The doll comes with a corresponding lift-the-flap book. 5
What We Thought
The little board book was easily understandable by my 11-year-old stepdaughter who’s just learning English, and she thought the magnetic limbs, mouth, eyes are belly button were a great touch. She also found the baby’s face and cuddliness absolutely adorable.
Why They’ll Want It
Very young children will be able to relate to this soft, adorable baby and will easily be able to follow the instructions in the book. Making the doll touch her own hands, feet, mouth, eyes and belly-button gives kids a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment as they learn about their own body parts. – Alison Marek, 6/30/08
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 Name: Adorable Girl Doll - The Girly Girl
Company: ADORABLE ORIGINALS INC.
Age: 3-9
Price: $39.95
Category: Dolls
What It Is
In this collection of six hip and huggable soft-bodied dolls are Girly Girl, Sporty Girl, Creative Girl, Free Spirit Girl, Social Girl and Performer Girl. Each name carries a special meaning and helps little girls define themselves by their qualities rather than their looks. Plus, their identity tags invite girls to log on to Adorable Girl Doll website for even more interactive fun.
What We Thought
Spongy springy, trademarked yarn hair really sets Adorable Original dolls apart from other rag dolls. Their cartoony faces make them friendly and appealing to little girls and to the adults who love them. Their outfits are to also die for.
Why They’ll Want It
Little girls who want something cuddly for bedtime will love to have these dolls on their pillows. Parents and grandparents who are looking to help instill self-esteem in their children will appreciate the message that every girl, no matter what she looks like, is beautiful and unique in her own way. - Alison Marek 6/30/08
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 Name: Calin Cheerful Pink
Company: COROLLE DOLLS
Age: 2 and up
Price: $26.99
Category: Dolls
What It Is
This 12" doll has a soft beanbag body and eyes that close when she´s "sleeping." She can wear clothing from Corolle´s Mon Premier collection. As with all Corolle babies, she’s delicately scented with vanilla.
What We Thought
This tiny baby is just the right size for little girls, ages 18 months and up. She’s pretty, sweet and has great clothes. My 11-year-old stepdaughter thought she was a very good quality doll and gave her the highest rating.
Why They’ll Want It
Little girls who love babies will adore this tiny doll sized just for them. The cute outfits and accessories will let them play mommy for hours. - Alison Marek 6/30/08
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 Name: Baboo's Bird UglyDoll
Company: PRETTY UGLY LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Plush
What It Is
The soft and huggable blue plush has big round eyes and two yellow front teeth. Like all Ugly Dolls, he comes in a variety of sizes, from key-chain to 2” tall.
What We Thought
My 11-year-old European stepdaughter had never seen an Ugly Doll before and fell instantly in love.
Why They’ll Want It
Ugly Dolls are about the cutest nonliving things on earth. And they’re cuddly! – Alison Marek, 6/30/08
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 Name: Puzzibits™ Flexible 3D Puzzle Art™ - Ocean Depths
Company: MANHATTAN TOY
Age: 6 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Puzzles & Skill
What It Is
The 150 flexible, interlocking pieces included in this set can be used to create three 3D designs — a turtle, a seahorse and an octopus.
What We Thought
TDmonthly staff enjoyed assembling the Puzzibits pieces to quickly create a turtle in its shell. The flexible plastic pieces easily fit together and it didn’t take us long to figure out how they should be connected. My 11-year-old stepdaughter also thought the kit was great and loved the feel of the flexible pieces.
Why They’ll Want It
Retailers raved about the original kit when it first came out. One reported that a grandmother returned to buy 12 more versions of the kit for each of her grandchildren, since nobody wanted to disassemble their creations once they were made. Kids will love being able to assemble the creatures in this kit using just the illustrated instructions. Or, of course, they could improvise and create their own. Once hooked, they’ll probably be back for more, so Puzzibits could generate some nice repeat sales. – Alison Marek 6/30/08
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 Name: Ultra Stomp Rocket
Company: D & L COMPANY
Age: 8 and up
Price: $15.00
Category: Rockets
What It Is
Stomp on the launch pad and the blast of air can propel the Ultra Stomp Rocket more than 200´ in the air. The kit contains four rockets with the OG-1 Nosecone. The Stomp Rocket by D&L is consistently named as a great seller by specialty toy store owners across the country.
What We Thought
The stomp rocket support took just a few minutes to assemble. My 11-year-old stepdaughter was thrilled to see how far her first rocket went. She and her Dad (and the dog) devised a few games of competition and fetch that kept them occupied for some time.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids love the idea of stomping on something and causing a rocket to soar higher in the air than they could ever possibly throw it. By changing the angle of the launcher, they can aim for height or length in the rocket’s trajectory. It’s a fun toy for them to play with to challenge themselves, or to compete with friends or family to see whose rocket goes farthest. – Alison Marek 6/30/08
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 Name: Sweeters Pals
Company: SWEETERS LLC.
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Plush
What It Is
These hand-knit dolls are made from 100 percent cotton in the U.S.A. Each doll can be personalized. The MSRP ranges from $36 to $60 depending on the doll’s size.
What We Thought
This is just the type of doll that grandmas love to buy for their grandchildren. They have an old-fashioned appeal with a modern design. The fact that they’re handmade lends them the aura of a keepsake, even though grandma didn’t do the knitting herself. My 11-year-old stepdaughter thought the doll was cute, but was perturbed that it didn’t have any hair.
Why They’ll Want It
Shoppers who are looking for wholesome, US-made products will appreciate these dolls’ quality and cuteness. Little girls will like the vibrant colors and cuddliness. – Alison Marek 6/30/08
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 Name: PlayMais Fun Farm Dice Game
Company: PLAYMAIS CANADA INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Construction
What It Is
PlayMais is a colorful, corn-based, biodegradable construction product. Kids can cut, twist and shape the pieces, which are colored with natural food dyes. Simply wet one end of a piece by dabbing it on a damp cloth to make it stick to another PlayMais. In this set, kids can also sculpt their own playing pieces for a fun-farm dice board game.
What We Thought
My 11-year-old stepdaughter and I played with this set for hours. She created everything from family portraits to rain clouds with the sun peeking through. We had so much fun recreating creatures and nature that we never even got around to playing the dice game. One potential problem with the set is that it smells so much like cereal that it attracted the attention of our popcorn-loving dog and cat. Finished pieces were therefore put up on a shelf and will soon go behind a shadowbox to protect them!
Why They’ll Want It
This eco-friendly, biodegradable kit will appeal to parents who are looking for safe and natural toys for their kids. Children will love the unique play pattern, which allows them to create free-standing pieces with a minimum of manual dexterity. The creative possibilities are virtually endless, as the PlayMais pieces can be cut, twisted and reshaped and do not require armatures. – Alison Marek 6/30/08
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 Name: Abraham Lincoln and the Forest of Little Pigeon Creek
Company: AMERITALES ENTERTAINMENT LLC
Age: 8 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Witch's Child
Company: ABRAMS BOOKS
Age: 7-11
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Rosie and Buttercup
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 4-8
Price: $17.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Adventures of Cow, Too
Company: TRICYCLE PRESS
Age: 3-6
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Quick Count Football
Company: FLYING PIG GAMES, INC.
Age: 7 and up
Price: $7.99
Category: Card Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Party Pooper
Company: OUT OF THE BOX PUBLISHING
Age: 12 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: How Soccer Works
Company: MAPLE TREE PRESS
Age: 8-12
Price: $10.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: ZipBin® Softie™ Wheelie™
Company: NEAT-OH! INTERNATIONAL LLC
Age: 3 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Play Sets
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Mark-My-Time™ Digital Bookmark
Company: MARK-MY-TIME LLC
Age: 5 and up
Price: $8.95
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: TC Monkey
Company: Treasure Chest Pets, LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Plush
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Language Littles - Jolie
Company: LANGUAGE LITTLES
Age: 3 and up
Price: $39.99
Category: Plush
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Warm Whiskers Laraby Lab Body Pillow
Company: DREAMTIME INC
Age: 3 and up
Price: $39.00
Category: Plush
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Warm Whiskers Polar Bear Buddy Body Pillow
Company: DREAMTIME INC
Age: 3 and up
Price: $34.00
Category: Plush
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Carrera Go!!! Speed Racer 1:43 Scale Slot Car Race Set
Company: CARRERA
Age: 8 and up
Price: $79.99
Category: Licensed Products
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Wedding Day Kits for Children
Company: PAPER POSIE
Age: All Ages
Price: $8.95
Category: Creative Activities
What Is It?
This wedding day kit contains an assortment of items that will keep your little one busy during your special day. The kit features wedding stickers, coloring postcards, memory card-photo frame, a temporary tattoo, non-toxic crayons, flavored lip balm, an unbreakable mirror, a photo frame, and a couple other fun activities. The wedding day kit comes in a fun plastic package with a handle for easy carrying purposes.
What We Thought
This was a fun and innovative activity kit that makes the children feel like they are a part of the wedding. All of the items are safe for children, which is one less thing that the bride and her party have to worry about. The “Wedding Scavenger Hunt” that is included in the kit allows the children to stay active. The items in the hunt can be found at every wedding. The plastic carrying case serves as a goodie bag that the children can tote around with them throughout the wedding. These kits are designed to keep the children busy with fun-filled activities but, more important, it makes the children feel more like they are a part of the wedding.
Why They’ll Want It
This is a great kit for brides and grooms that will have children attending the most important day of their lives. The children will particularly love the fact that there are so many activities included in the kit that can be done together with the other children. — Melvin Chua, 6/12/08
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 Name: Walt Disney´s “The Gremlins” PVC Set – Gremlin Gus
Company: DARK HORSE COMICS, INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $14.99
Category: Action Figures
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Gremlins
Company: DARK HORSE COMICS, INC.
Age: 12 and up
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Set Cubed
Company: SET ENTERPRISES INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $20.00
Category: Board Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Paper'oni Space Activity Kit
Company: PLASMART INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Guess What I Am!
Company: TECHNO SOURCE
Age: 3 and up
Price: $15.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Tear Thief
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 6-10
Price: $16.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Red Dragon Codex
Company: MIRRORSTONE
Age: 8-12
Price: $9.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Looking Closely Through the Forest
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 4-7
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Making Me: The Pregnancy Activity Book for My Big Brother or Sister
Company: MOTHERLY WAY ENTERPRISES INC.
Age: 5-10
Price: $24.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 4-8
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
Company: ABRAMS BOOKS
Age: 8-13
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Potty Monkey
Company: POTTYMD
Age: 2 and up
Price: $35.99
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Flatsy Doll
Company: SCHYLLING
Age: 3 and up
Price: $5.99
Category: Dolls
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Building Thinking Skills Software
Company: THE CRITICAL THINKING CO.
Age: 7-12
Price: Not Specified
Category: Software
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Building Thinking Skills
Company: THE CRITICAL THINKING CO.
Age: 4-18
Price: Not Specified
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Star Wars mimobot - Boba Fett
Company: MIMOCO INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $49.95
Category: Electronics
What Is It?
This Bob Fett mimobot is a USB flash drive — available in 1-, 2- and 4-gigabyte versions — and Star Wars collectors´ item in one. It can be attached to backpacks and bags when dressed in a protohoodie keychain. MSRP ranges from $49.95 to $109.95.
What We Thought
Mimobots are novel compared to ordinary flash memory sticks. That´s the only edge I would give them, considering all the Star Wars merchandise that´s available. The 1GB size is a plus, although memory sticks go upward to 8GB for around $20. Functionality is the industry standard, but collectibility is off the charts, since you can pick up a mimobot that represents a character you like.
There were 16 different wallpaper designs included, each one having different resolutions so people can choose the resolution that best fits their screen size. The majority of the wallpapers involved a backdrop from the first three Star Wars movies and featured an illustrated mimobot in place of the actual character. It´s an interesting concept, but they could have used better quality images from the films, since the image and illustration did not mesh well. The other wallpapers are high quality and involved the illustrated mimobot in different angles and configurations — great as a wallpaper for minimalists.
Extras besides the wallpapers include avatars, screensavers, soundbytes, and web browser icons. Despite the Star Wars theme, Darth Vader was missing from the avatars, which I found disappointing.
Why They´ll Want It
Younger kids who may not be familiar with the Star Wars franchise may not have as strong a connection with this product, but might still like its artistic nature. For those who have seen the earlier trilogy, they will probably feel they have something special. Kids can use the drive to store media and then showcase the mimobot as a collector´s item when not in use, or show off the product among Star Wars friends when sharing files. — Allen Tran, 5/21/08
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 Name: NASCAR Team Activity Book & CD
Company: PC Treasures, Inc.
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Two Tuba Switch
Company: TOYS 'N TAYLS
Age: 4-9
Price: $24.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Character Creator: Robots JR
Company: PLAY ODYSSEY INC.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $12.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: True Learning
Company: TRUE LEARNING
Age: 3-6
Price: $39.99
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about True LearningBack to top
 Name: Green Baby: "Return to Nature"
Company: GREEN BABY PRODUCTIONS
Age: 1-6
Price: $19.99
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Gustafer Yellowgold´s Have You Never Been Yellow?
Company: APPLE-EYE PRODUCTIONS
Age: All Ages
Price: $16.99
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Gustafer Yellowgold´s Have You Never Been Yellow?Back to top
 Name: My Knee-Rider
Company: MY KNEE-RIDER DANOCO CORP.
Age: 1 and up
Price: $32.50
Category: Plush
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: I-Gami Starter Kit
Company: PLASMART INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Construction
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Zoobie™ Pets - Kojo the Croc and Hada the Hippo
Company: ZOOBIES
Age: 3 and up
Price: $30.00
Category: Plush
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Zoobie™ Pets - Kojo the Croc and Hada the HippoBack to top
 Name: The Rogues
Company: PENGUIN GROUP USA
Age: 10 and up
Price: $18.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Stellaluna
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 2-5
Price: $7.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: My Very Own Fairy Tale
Company: I SEE ME! INC.
Age: 1-12
Price: $35.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Will It Blow? Become a Volcano Detective at Mount St. Helens
Company: SASQUATCH BOOKS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $13.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Playing by the Rules: A Story about Autism
Company: WOODBINE HOUSE
Age: 4-8
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: My Two Homes
Company: FAMILYSTORIES
Age: 6 and up
Price: $17.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Banana Split Card Game
Company: U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS, INC.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $15.95
Category: Card Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Merriam Webster´s Befudiom Word Game
Company: BEFUDIOM
Age: 8 and up
Price: $24.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Merriam Webster´s Befudiom Word GameBack to top
 Name: OOgal!
Company: MOUNTAINMEN ENTERPRISES
Age: 6 and up
Price: $15.00
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about OOgal!Back to top
 Name: Air Rocket Kit
Company: DESIGN YOUR OWN
Age: 4 and up
Price: $14.99
Category: Novelties
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: 4th Corner
Company: STRATEGIC SPACE INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $14.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Clics 175-Piece Bucket
Company: TOYLINKS INC.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $24.95
Category: Construction
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: "what's the deal?" Game
Company: ethiKids, inc.
Age: 8-11
Price: $15.95
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Mighty Pigeon Club
Company: TRICYCLE PRESS
Age: 6-10
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Man in the Iron Mask
Company: BARRON'S EDUCATIONAL SERIES
Age: 8 and up
Price: $8.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Where the Giant Sleeps
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 3-7
Price: $16.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: When Mama Mirabelle Comes Home
Company: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Age: 4-7
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Renoir and the Boy with the Long Hair
Company: BARRON'S EDUCATIONAL SERIES
Age: 8 and up
Price: $14.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Renoir and the Boy with the Long HairBack to top
 Name: Grafix Rub-onz
Company: GRAFIX INC
Age: 5 and up
Price: $8.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Hello Kitty Hello Nature! Explorer Kit
Company: ABRAMS BOOKS
Age: 4-8
Price: $14.95
Category: Kits
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Little Love Book – The Story of a Boy´s Beginning
Company: THE LISALEE COMPANY LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: $25.00
Category: Gifts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Little Love Book – The Story of a Boy´s BeginningBack to top
 Name: Goosie Cards®
Company: GOOSIE CARDS
Age: 1 and up
Price: $34.00
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The T-Shirt Game
Company: BUFFALO GAMES INC.
Age: 10 and up
Price: $17.95
Category: Card Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Good Citizenship Flash Cards
Company: eeBoo corp.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $12.00
Category: Creative Activities
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Spanish Bingo
Company: eeBoo corp.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $14.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Rock Beat Rhythm Sticks™
Company: WOODSTOCK CHIMES
Age: 3 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Musical Toys
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: FlyBall, The Coach's Friend
Company: PROBALL INC.
Age: 7 and up
Price: $9.95
Category: Sporting Goods & Accessories
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Kubit2me Lil' Scholars ABC's & 123's
Company: KUBIT2ME INC.
Age: 3-6
Price: $24.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Kubit2me Lil' Scholars ABC's & 123'sBack to top
 Name: John Denver’s Grandma’s Feather Bed
Company: DAWN PUBLICATIONS
Age: 4 and up
Price: $8.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about John Denver’s Grandma’s Feather BedBack to top
 Name: Smart-opedia: The Amazing Book about Everything
Company: MAPLE TREE PRESS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $22.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: A Practical Guide to Monsters
Company: MIRRORSTONE
Age: 10 and up
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Pssst!
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 16 and up
Price: $16.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Let’s Go! The Story of Getting from There to Here
Company: MAPLE TREE PRESS
Age: 6 and up
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Let’s Go! The Story of Getting from There to HereBack to top
 Name: The Wave
Company: STREET SURFING LLC
Age: 12 and up
Price: $99.99
Category: Sporting Goods & Accessories
What Is It?
The Wave combines three sports (skateboarding, snowboarding and surfing) into one dynamic adventure. It is uniquely shaped with concave platforms (with an outrageously cool design for the deck plates) conjoined by a spring-oriented torsion bar promoting the “S” shape for self-propelled movement. The Wave is curved at the nose and tail to accommodate tricks, and has traction plates for extra grip and casters that turn 360 degrees for superior control. It comes with an instructional DVD and is packaged with fantastic designs unique to the board you choose.
What We Thought
WOW! This is the most fun I’ve ever had at the skate park. Before “The Wave,” I would have rather just watched, as I’ve experienced more than my share of wipeouts. (Note: Wear protective gear!) Though I’m not an expert in any of the three sports The Wave combines, this did not deter me from practicing and riding the board. Street Surfing has signature helmets and gear that are a must for the boarding enthusiast — which you will soon be after mastering your first “S” shaped, self-propelled move.
Why They’ll Want It
Once you get the moves down with practice, The Wave is a blast! The board is definitely for all seasons, but do avoid dirt and sand. I’ve experienced this and it is NOT fun. I would love to see the famous sportsman Shaun White, a.k.a. “The Flying Tomato,” ride this board at the X Games. — Dena Welter, 2/11/08
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 Name: Pockets Pizza Numbers Game
Company: POCKETS OF LEARNING LLC
Age: 1-8
Price: $24.95
Category: Educational
What Is It?
This game for young children includes a soft, cloth box that opens to reveal four pieces of pizza joined by Velcro®. On the inside of the box top are five cloth toppings (pepperoni, mushroom, meatball, tomato and onion) tucked into pockets and a server holding four recipes (Majestic, Deluxe, Old Fashioned and Super Duper) that show the numbers and pictures of the ingredients that go with each. The toppings have Velcro backs for attachment to the pizza, and the box also closes with Velcro.
What We Thought
Pockets Pizza displays good, old-fashioned quality with hand-sewn appeal and a softness that makes it safe and playable for toddlers. The little server is cute, and the details of the presentation, such as the bright, embroidered names of the ingredients, make it attractive. Also, the opportunities to count, match and learn fractions make it a nice educational tool. Overall, the game might benefit from different or brighter colors, as the box and some of the other shades seem a bit dull. I would also recommend two more toppings, in order to fill all the open spots on the pizza. This game made me hungry!
Why They’ll Want It
Children will want to eat this game up as they act like little chefs, placing pepperoni or mushrooms onto their masterpiece. The machine-washable toy is a great take-along and would be easy to pack due to its soft, compressible nature. Especially with parents’ help, kids could really reinforce their early math skills and have fun while they’re at it. — Julie L. Jones, 2/7/08
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 Name: Simplymini Fashion Stickers Variety Set
Company: AK TOY COMPANY INC.
Age: 5-10
Price: $15.99
Category: Creative Activities
What Is It?
These press-and-peel vinyl animé-styled stickers let little girls try out fashion and hairstyles in a big (mini) way. The reusable teeny-tiny clothing and shoes are dusted with glitter for extra pizzazz. The mini characters range from babies to big girls, and some even have their own pets. A charm, complete with an assortment of puffy stickers to decorate it, is also included. This collectible series of fashion books and stickers is produced in limited quantities.
What We Thought
Simplymini is a simple way to keep mini girls entertained for hours. Whether playing alone in the car or with friends during recess, kids will have fun swapping out hairstyles, skirts, shirts, dresses and boots just by peeling and sticking. The styles are fun, colorful and fancy enough for the pickiest fashionista.
Why They’ll Want It
This reviewer played with an included sample and had no good reason for opening and playing with the full-sized product, but nevertheless found it irresistible. Simplymini would make a great birthday gift, travel gift, get-well soon gift, stock stuffer, etc., etc. for just about any little (or big) girl who likes pretty clothes and lots of choices. — Alison Marek 2/4/08
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 Name: Nuchi 15-Piece Circle Train Set
Company: THE LITTLE LITTLE LITTLE TOY COMPANY
Age: 2 and up
Price: $17.99
Category: Wooden Toys
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Trailblazing Life of Daniel Boone
Company: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Age: 8 and up
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Little Toot
Company: PENGUIN GROUP USA
Age: 4-8
Price: $17.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Gold Medal for Weird
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 8-12
Price: $6.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
Company: LAUGHING ELEPHANT
Age: 4-8
Price: $9.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 10 and up
Price: $17.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Kookeys
Company: 10VOX ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $11.99
Category: Plush
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Froggy Boogie
Company: BLUE ORANGE GAMES
Age: 4 and up
Price: $24.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Origin of Expressions™
Company: DISCOVERY BAY GAMES
Age: 12 and up
Price: $29.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Pre-assembled Alpha Male Series 01
Company: STIKFAS/SAIZON
Age: 8 and up
Price: $4.95
Category: Action Figures
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Yackle Ball Jr.
Company: TTALF "TOYS" CORPORATION
Age: 2-12
Price: Not Specified
Category: Developmental Toys
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $17.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Preschool Fun
Company: TEACHER CREATED RESOURCES INC
Age: 3-5
Price: $2.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: A Child's Guide to Common Household Monsters
Company: BOYDS MILLS PRESS
Age: 4-8
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Discovery of Dragons
Company: ABRAMS BOOKS
Age: 10 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Jango
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 12 and up
Price: $17.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Peek-a-Boo Zoo
Company: TRANSGLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS GROUP INC.
Age: 3-6
Price: $8.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Sixteen
Company: ALPINE GAMES
Age: 8 and up
Price: $6.95
Category: Card Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Discombobulation™
Company: CONTINUUM GAMES INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $9.99
Category: Card Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Six Generations™
Company: SIX GENERATIONS PUBLISHING
Age: 6 and up
Price: $8.97
Category: Card Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Imaginiff – Revised 2006 Edition
Company: BUFFALO GAMES INC.
Age: 10 and up
Price: $20.00
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Head1Liners Board Game
Company: KVALE GOOD NATURED GAMES LLC
Age: 12 and up
Price: $38.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Abalone Classic
Company: FOXMIND GAMES
Age: 7 and up
Price: $24.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Zilch™ Zonk™ Farkle™
Company: KEITH ROBINSON & ASSOCIATES
Age: 6 and up
Price: $16.98
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Glow in the Dark Dino 3-D Puzzles
Company: PUZZLED, INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $9.99
Category: Puzzles & Skill
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Fraction Whirl I
Company: EMINES
Age: 8 and up
Price: $11.99
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: I Love My Pirate Papa
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 4-7
Price: $16.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: "Iggy Peck, Architect"
Company: ABRAMS BOOKS
Age: 6-10
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Emma's Turtle
Company: BOYDS MILLS PRESS
Age: 3-6
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Mrs. Marlowe´s Mice
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $17.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: When Fish Got Feet, Sharks Got Teeth, and Bugs Began to Swarm
Company: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Age: 8-12
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: BookBox Stories from Around the World
Company: MASTER COMMUNICATIONS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $14.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Creativity Express
Company: MADCAP LOGIC LLC
Age: 7 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: Computers
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: My First Signs
Company: BABY EINSTEIN
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: A Hop, Skip, and a Jump: Activity Songs for the Very Young by Pam Donkin
Company: A GENTLE WIND
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.95
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Happi Tummi
Company: HOUSEHOLD Name products Inc.
Age: Adult
Price: $24.95
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Gymboree Bubble Play Activity Kit
Company: KEY PORTER BOOKS
Age: All Ages
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Mr. Bach Comes to Call
Company: THE CHILDREN'S GROUP INC.
Age: 2 and up
Price: $21.98
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Poof! You´re a Magician!
Company: MAGIC OF CURTIS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $14.99
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Ugly Duckling and Me: School Days
Company: ALLUMINATION FILMWORKS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $14.98
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Sneeks Shoe-Tying Aid
Company: SNEEKS INTERNATIONAL
Age: 4-7
Price: $9.95
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Fashion Fun Kits
Company: FASHION FUN STORE
Age: 6-14
Price: Not Specified
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Raise a Reader Language Learning System
Company: MY LITTLE THINKERS
Age: 2 and up
Price: $26.95
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Bobs & Lolo - Sea Notes
Company: BOBOLO PRODUCTIONS
Age: 2-10
Price: $15.98
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Joe McDermott: Everybody Plays Air Guitar
Company: TRUE BLUE MUSIC
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.99
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: BeBop Kidz Sing-Along CD Player
Company: MUSIC FOR LITTLE PEOPLE/MFLP DISTRIBUTION
Age: 3 and up
Price: $59.98
Category: Musical Toys
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Last Word
Company: BUFFALO GAMES INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $27.99
Category: Card Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Arena
Company: PLAYMOBIL INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $89.99
Category: Pretend Play
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Shrinky Dinks for Computer Ink Jet Printer
Company: SHRINKY DINKS ® (K & B INNOVATIONS, INC.)
Age: 13 and up
Price: $8.50
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Diaper Change Travel Kit
Company: MUNCHKIN INC.
Age: Adult
Price: Not Specified
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Clayton + Carol Cattle (Holstein)
Company: Caboodle! Toys LLC (Noah's Pals)
Age: 3 and up
Price: $12.00
Category: General Toys
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Ziba Came on a Boat
Company: KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 7-12
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Rabbit´s Gift
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 4 and up
Price: $16.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Mother Goose Numbers on the Loose
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 3 and up
Price: $17.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Could You? Would You? A Book to Tickle Your Imagination
Company: KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 7-12
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley
Company: KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 7 and up
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Amazing Places: National Parks
Company: BIRDCAGE PRESS
Age: All Ages
Price: $9.95
Category: Card Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Shrek Swamp Party DVD Game
Company: b EQUAL
Age: 6 and up
Price: $24.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Griddly Headz Baseball Game
Company: GRIDDLY GAMES INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $49.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Spider-Man Reversible Deluxe Action Suit
Company: DISGUISE INC.
Age: 4-8
Price: $24.99
Category: Pretend Play
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Indie’s Great Teddy Bear Hunt
Company: JUNO BABY INC.
Age: 1-5
Price: $20.00
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Easy2Draw Dolphins & Reef Animals with Cordi
Company: ARTRAGOUS DESIGNS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $24.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Saddle Club: Horse of a Different Color
Company: ALLUMINATION FILMWORKS
Age: 8-14
Price: $14.98
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Sophie´s Big Bed
Company: KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 2-5
Price: $4.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Let´s Play!
Company: KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 3-6
Price: $4.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Little Rabbit's Christmas
Company: PEACHTREE PUBLISHERS
Age: 3-7
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Santa's Eleven Months Off
Company: PEACHTREE PUBLISHERS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Christmas Princess
Company: PICTURE ME PRESS
Age: 2-6
Price: $4.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Color, Paint, and Draw Dinosaurs
Company: CROCODILE CREEK
Age: 5-8
Price: $4.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Culinary Herb Garden
Company: DUNECRAFT INC.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $24.99
Category: Science & Nature
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Artlab Fashion Studio
Company: SMARTLAB TOYS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Peel & Stick by Number
Company: LAURI, a division of PATCH PRODUCTS INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $9.95
Category: Creative Activities
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Christmas Scribble Mat
Company: SCRIBBLE MATS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $7.00
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Baby Banz Sunglasses and Hat
Company: BABY BANZ
Age: 1-2
Price: Not Specified
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Chakra Energy
Company: SPIRALING HEARTS
Age: 6 and up
Price: $29.50
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: iPod Nano Carrying Case – Oinky
Company: FUN FRIENDS
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.99
Category: Electronics-Accessories
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Nick Jr. Sprinklers
Company: IMPERIAL TOY LLC
Age: 3 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Toys
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Designer Golf
Company: DESIGNER GOLF LLC
Age: 4 and up
Price: $79.95
Category: Outdoor Fun
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Nature of the Beast: City vs. Suburb
Company: EYE-LEVEL ENTERTAINMENT LLP
Age: 12 and up
Price: $17.95
Category: Card Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Masquerade Cards
Company: PINX A CARD CO. INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $3.98
Category: Pretend Play
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Computer Magic Pen Painting – The Wild West
Company: LEE PUBLICATIONS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $13.49
Category: Computers
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Coin Hopping - Washington D.C.™
Company: COIN HOPPING GAMES LLC
Age: 8 and up
Price: $29.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Make-Your-Own Thank-You Notes
Company: MADE BY HANDS
Age: 4 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Play Clay 6-Pack
Company: PLAY CLAY FACTORY
Age: 2 and up
Price: $12.95
Category: Creative Activities
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: b2 mi Jam mini Lixx
Company: BLUE BOX TOYS INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $20.00
Category: Electronics
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Internet Safety
Company: THE SAFE SIDE, LLC
Age: 7-11
Price: $12.99
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Critter Friends
Company: THE LITTLE PLAYDATES COMPANY
Age: 1-3
Price: $16.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: We Sign – Santa's Favorite Christmas Songs
Company: PRODUCTION ASSOCIATES INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Night of the Black Bear
Company: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Age: 8-12
Price: $4.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Star Sisterz: Maya Made Over
Company: MIRRORSTONE
Age: 9-13
Price: $4.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: We´re Sailing Down the Nile: A Journey Through Egypt
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 4 and up
Price: $16.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Shrinking Sam
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 4-8
Price: $16.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Student from Zombie Island: Conquering the Rumor Monster
Company: FIVE STAR PUBLICATIONS INC.
Age: 6-10
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Mario Kart DS Visual Echo 3D Puzzle (Luigi Kart)
Company: HOBBICO
Age: 6 and up
Price: $7.99
Category: Puzzles & Skill
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Tinpo Fashion Victims - Series 2
Company: UNKL
Age: 8 and up
Price: $25.00
Category: Collectibles
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Woodstock Conga Drum
Company: WOODSTOCK CHIMES
Age: 4 and up
Price: $45.00
Category: Musical Toys
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: FlyZone Micro Ultrix
Company: HOBBICO
Age: 12 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Remote Controlled
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Slugga™ the Bat and Ball Carrier
Company: THE ORIGINAL BULLPEN CO (OBC)
Age: 3 and up
Price: $45.00
Category: Sporting Goods & Accessories
What Is It?
This unique plush cartoon bat-and-ball carrier makes toting baseball equipment a cinch for kids of all ages. The bat slips into Slugga’s face and body, while the ball rounds out his cap-topped head. Although the carrier can be worn like a backpack, Slugga can also hang from the shoulders in the front, so kids can walk with their baseball buddy down the street like real pals. A special padded pillow prevents the base of the bat from slamming against the wearer’s body.
What We Thought
No one in the office had ever seen a product like Slugga for toting baseball equipment. One staffer thought her little nephews would go crazy for it. Though we didn’t have any balls or bats handy, we found Slugga made a good Sno-Fling porter, too.
Why They’ll Want It
Parents of little sluggers who are apt to drop balls into oncoming traffic while running to games will appreciate Slugga. The strap keeps the ball and bat snugly against the wearer, ensuring the safety of both the child and the equipment. — Alison Marek, 12/13/07
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 Name: What's a Dame to Do?
Company: games for dames™ by sisters 2 inc.
Age: 18 and up
Price: $29.00
Category: Adult Games
What Is It?
A circular boardgame for gal friends, “What’s a Dame to Do?” presents a player with a dilemma and the other players must guess how she’ll resolve it. The one who most often guesses the “correct” answers wins. So what’s a dilemma? Oh, being called “Ma’m” for the first time or being hit on by a guy 20 years older than you. And possible solutions? Helpful strategies, such as speaking in a foreign accent, downing the Chardonnay or using a hose.
What We Thought
After two rounds, we initially skeptical gals were convulsed with laughter, mascara’d tears and snot running down our faces. Not attractive, but that made it even funnier. What busted us up? Potty humor, of course. When faced with the horror of overflowing the toilet at a friend’s housewarming party, our very well-mannered Southern colleague was presented with such helpful solutions as “Speak with a foreign accent!” “Make a game of it!” and “Start a trend!” We all (including she) agreed that the second choice was her best bet, and we’ve haven’t been the same since.
Why They’ll Want It
”What’s a Dame to Do?” is an outrageously funny game that reminds us all of those uncomfortable moments that require quick thinking and creative resolutions. It’s a great game for friends, enemies, co-workers, sisters, moms and great-grandmas. Any woman with a bit of “experience” can relate. Got problems, sorrows, embarrassments? “Make a game of it!” — That’s what they did at Sisters 2 Inc. and we three dames think it’s gonna be all right. — Alison Marek, 11/20/07
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 Name: Playful Chef
Company: PLAYFUL LIFE
Age: 3 and up
Price: $39.99
Category: Creative Activities
What Is It?
The cooking set includes kid-sized versions of real chef utensils, including a mixing bowl, baking pan, whisk, measuring cups, measuring spoons and more — all packaged in a little backpack. A denim apron, a three-minute timer and bright orange, plastic safety scissors are also included.
What We Thought
The set is very well thought out, emphasizing parent-child bonding, safety, fun, healthy habits and cooking before children even learn to read! Color-coded measuring spoons and cups allow pre-readers to join the fun, while recipe cards detail preparation instructions on one side and ten steps to healthy eating on the other. The cards even include quotes that parents can repeat to their kids, such as “You want to take good care of your special tools, so we can use them again”!
Why They’ll Want It
Kids will love feeling like real chefs with these miniaturized, but fully functional utensils that fit perfectly in their little hands. The tool belt apron itself is absolutely amazing, with its adorable design and adjustable straps (which will allow kids to continue using the apron as they grow). After kids are done cooking and cleaning, they can neatly place the utensils and apron back into the backpack and take it with them anywhere. — Sivhour Sim, 11-1-07
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 Name: Bump 'n Chuck RC Bumper Cars
Company: KID GALAXY INC.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $34.99
Category: Remote Controlled
What Is It?
The Bump ‘n’ Chuck (which got a giggle from 8-year-old Cole – “Do they throw up?”) is a radio-controlled bumper car game with two bumper cars, two ejectable bumper car drives (they pop out when one of the cars is hit in a certain way; there are two “eject” buttons on the sides), two controllers and the need for lots and lots of batteries.
What We Thought
“They go pretty fast,” commented Cole, who raced his orange bumper car up and down the sidewalk. “And they’re easy to control,” chimed in Gabby, doing spins and figure-eights with her blue one. But when bumper time came... nothing. “They’re hard to hit right,” pointed out Cole. “Really hard. I can’t get the guy to pop out. Make sure you write about that.” And he was right. The kids tried slamming into each other, into walls, into a dog (a big dog). Nothing. So they hit the buttons on the cars themselves, and the plastic drivers jettisoned... and made “the best screamy noises ever.”
Why They’ll Want It
Yup, with a sound chip, the drivers fly out, screaming all the way. The kids forwent the bumper car aspect and began playing their own imaginary games with the bumper cars and drivers. Space ship fights, movie action scenes and just plain making the drivers fly up and scream. “They’re pretty fun,” acknowledged Cole, “but not for playing bumper cars.” That pretty much sums them up. — Mark Zaslove, 10/23/07
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 Name: Kingka
Company: KINGKA LLC
Age: 3 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: General Games
What Is It?
This matching and memory game introduces kids (and their folks) to basic Chinese characters and pronunciations. Kingka comes with color boards lain out with squares that introduce a single Chinese character; corresponding photos of the actual objects are printed on the flip side. The instructions give recommendations for three basic games ranging in level from elementary to advanced. In addition, the more advanced games have variations that expose kids to the characters in new and exciting ways. Kingka also includes a CD that helps players learn the subtle differences in Chinese pronunciation. Made in USA, this brain teaser game challenges people in all age groups.
What We Thought
The various Kingka games are an easy way to boost Chinese character recognition. The glossy cardboard playing pieces are nicely designed and hefty enough to withstand repeated play. Printing photos on the backs of the character cards lets kids easily and quickly associate the two corresponding visuals, thereby increasing their chances of learning the Chinese word for a common object or number.
Why They’ll Want It
Kingka would be a great supplement at Chinese language schools; even adults will enjoy this fun and nonthreatening introduction to a whole new way of reading! It’s also perfect for Chinese-American parents who want to expose their children to Chinese characters. However, the game has broad enough appeal to reach a much wider audience, since parents are always searching for ways to stimulate their kids’ developing brains and language skills. - Alison Marek, 10/18/07
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 Name: Pop Up Pen Pal Cards - Holiday
Company: PLAY ODYSSEY INC.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $12.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
What Is It?
This set of 12 easy-assemble pop-up self mailers is meant to inspire beginning writers. The glossy printed card stock comes prefolded. It’s also ruled with manuscript printing guidelines on the front cover and inside, underneath the greeting, so little holiday-card creators can easily write addresses and messages neatly and correctly. The kit comes with glue-in supports for the pop-ups and an assortment of potential pop-ups with a holiday theme, such as the three kings, a penguin, Santa’s elf, etc.
What We Thought
The cards are easy to assemble; a glue stick is required as a separate purchase. Making pop-up greetings would be a fun project for a young family and a great way to get the kids to practice their penmanship. There don’t seem to be any identifiably female characters among the pop-ups, but boys will find plenty of characters to love.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids are fascinated by the magic of pop-up books and they’ll have fun creating their own pop-up pages. The pop-up support is easy for little hands to fold and even clearly marks where the paste should go. Kids will especially love that there are no envelopes involved; just fold over the card, seal it with the included snowflake stickers, address it, stamp it and sent it to grandma! — Alison Marek, 10-5-07
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 Name: Groovy Girls Holiday Sylvie Starr
Company: MANHATTAN TOY
Age: 3 and up
Price: $17.00
Category: Dolls
What Is It?
This velour plush rag doll wears tights of a silver, sparkling fabric and gold satin shoes that complement the gold touches in her pageant-winner look. She’s not easily poseable, but has whimsical hair and a purse that dangles with the ladylike swing of her legs. Her dress is removable, but the other clothing and accessories, which are not, might make another outfit a difficult fit. Her earrings are sewn in so she doesn’t have to worry about losing them. She has a star’s smile.
What We Thought
I don’t consider myself a “doll person” but the more I looked at her, the more I liked her. And my mother — also not a “doll person” — commented, “She is really CUTE!” This is a great doll for a collection or to serve as a girl’s daily companion. Groovy Girls have accessories, too, which add to the fun. How about a stylish car or pet horse for starters?
Why They’ll Want It
Remember Holly Hobby? Well, Sylvie’s the new “it” girl in the ragdoll world, and every girl identifies with glam. They can bring her into their imaginary worlds and create stories for any number of daily experiences. Sylvie Starr would make a great gift. — Dena Welter, 10/2/07
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 Name: Farkle
Company: PATCH PRODUCTS INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $8.99
Category: General Games
What Is It?
In this simple dice game, two or more players try to be the first to gain 10,000 points, and may risk “losing it all” on each turn as they strategically decide whether or not to roll for more points.
What We Thought
There’s not much to this game — a score pad, a shaker cup and six dice — but it can be a lot of fun! The hardest, and potentially most frustrating, point is at the very beginning, when each player must secure 500 points by their roll(s) in one turn to get on the scoreboard. I had to wait a few rounds to be a part of the scoring game, but the nice thing is that things can change quickly! A roll of three pairs, for example, boosts a player’s status by 1,500 points.
Why They’ll Want It
The name alone sparks curiosity, so kudos to the manufacturer for keeping this classic alive and well. It’s simple, which may be frustrating to those who anticipate more involved games, but the fact that it’s easy to learn makes it a great pick-me-up-and-play game at a party or casual social gathering. Want to add a little more participant involvement? Try getting everyone to yell “Farkle!” when a player loses points. — Julie Jones, 10/2/07
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 Name: Kids Love Spanish: Volume 1 – Basic Words
Company: BROCK SISTERS PRODUCTIONS LLC
Age: 2-8
Price: Not Specified
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Dynasties
Company: JOLLY ROGER GAMES
Age: 10 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Backpacks
Company: FRECKLES & MAYA GIRLS ACCESSORIES USA
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Gifts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: NASCAR Baby
Company: TEAM BABY ENTERTAINMENT LP
Age: 1 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Making Healthy Choices
Company: STARBOUND BOOKS
Age: 5-7
Price: $11.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Dolly Goes to the Supermarket
Company: DHM
Age: 3 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Small Sister
Company: CLARION BOOKS
Age: 3-5
Price: $16.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Your Very Own Robot, Choose Your Own Adventure
Company: CHOOSECO LLC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $5.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Where, Oh Where, Is Santa Claus?
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 3-7
Price: $16.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Wake Up Engines
Company: CLARION BOOKS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $16.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: City Lullaby
Company: CLARION BOOKS
Age: 3-5
Price: $16.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Jazz Baby
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 3-7
Price: $16.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Hello Rousseau
Company: BIRDCAGE PRESS
Age: 7 and up
Price: $9.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Auto Mobiles – Galactic Pals
Company: UP AND AWAY INC
Age: All Ages
Price: $12.99
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Giant Open Gift Box of Beads
Company: HAMA - MALTE HAANING PLASTIC AS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $34.95
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Ball of Whacks
Company: U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS, INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $29.95
Category: Puzzles & Skill
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: i-gami – Color Harmonies
Company: PLASTIC PLAY INC.
Age: 10 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: Construction
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Touch It Bubbles / Burbujas Tocables
Company: YOMAX INC.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $1.59
Category: General Toys
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Play Scene: Happy Camper
Company: MUDPUPPY PRESS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $11.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: BibleMan PowerSource Series: Tuning Out the Unholy Hero
Company: TOMMY NELSON
Age: 6 and up
Price: $14.99
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Cartooning: Shortcuts, Formulas, & Cheap Tricks
Company: HAMMINATION
Age: 8 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Eloise Goes to School
Company: STARZ MEDIA
Age: 6-10
Price: $14.98
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: "Dreams Can Come True": An Early-Start Career Guide for Girls and Boys
Company: ALL 4 KIDZ ENTERPRISES
Age: 8-12
Price: $10.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Wag a Tail
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 3-7
Price: $16.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Handstand Kids Italian Cookbook and Chef’s Hat in a Pizza Box
Company: HANDSTAND KIDS
Age: 6 and up
Price: $28.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Evil Genius
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 12 and up
Price: $17.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Time Spies: Magician in the Trunk
Company: MIRRORSTONE
Age: 6-10
Price: $4.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Senior Year Game
Company: CYGNETCOMM
Age: 12 and up
Price: $29.95
Category: Educational
What Is It?
“Senior Year Game” is a board game that helps prepare kids for the extreme social pressures of high school— in a fun way! Two to six players ages 12 and up move around the board, hoping to avoid pitfalls such as “Flunked test because you’re too high,” and make it to graduation.
What We Thought
Even good kids go bad in this game. In one turn, a player snags the lead in the school play; on the next he sniffs glue and can’t find his way out of the house. The game aptly mimics the public humiliations of high school by forcing players to answer “pop quiz” questions, thereby revealing their ignorance to co-workers and friends. In our experience, the “You’re Busted!” cards elicited the most glee from fellow players, but everyone got busted sooner or later. Some of the advice is questionable: On one space, a player is “involved in a ‘date rape’ situation”; the recommendation is “be more careful,” where it should be “report the creep to the police!!”
Why They’ll Want It
Parents and educators will find “Senior Year Game” a useful tool for teaching kids how destructive behavior will hinder their progress in life. Kids will enjoy the extreme twists and turns of the play, as well as quizzing their elders on long-forgotten trivia. “Senior Year Game” also provides a great opportunity for adults to discuss serious issues, such as drug use, sexuality and responsibility, in a nonconfrontational way. — Alison Marek (8/28/07)
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 Name: Fun-Vee Storage Chest
Company: PUZZLECRAFT FURNITURE
Age: All Ages
Price: $179.99
Category: Furniture & Decor
What Is It?
This hand-sanded, twice-lacquered toy chest looks like a truck and can be decorated with paint, decals or anything a kid dreams up. It assembles in minutes, primarily with a slot-and-groove technique that’ll make Santa’s elves sigh in relief. The only screws go in the safety hinge that keeps the top from slamming down on tender fingers. The front of the truck can even be used as a seat by little ones weary from cleaning up their rooms.
What We Thought
The truck really was easy to assemble, even though the wrong set of instructions was included! Within minutes, ToyDirectory had an attractive new way to store all the samples that arrive for review.
Why They’ll Want It
Little kids will like having a toy chest they can use as a toy, too — especially if they decorate it themselves. Parents will appreciate the safety lid, the chests’ hassle-free assembly and the inspiration it provides kids to get their junk off the floor! — Alison Marek, 8/6/07
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 Name: Squint Junior
Company: OUT OF THE BOX PUBLISHING
Age: 8 and up
Price: $16.99
Category: General Games
What Is It?
In this family-oriented game, players use transparent shape cards to build simple pictures and then other players guess what the picture might be. Kids can learn how to create images from shapes and improve their perception skills. Adults just like the challenge. This game received Learning Magazine´s 2007 Teachers´ Choice Award for the Family.
What We Thought
The family who tested it for ToyDirectory has a 6-year-old who is just starting to learn to read, and now she wants to play Squint Junior every day! The unexpected bonus of the game is that the game is actually improving the little girl’s reading skills. Her parents also appreciate that it’s an easy game to clean up.
Why They’ll Want It
“Squint was very easy to learn and very entertaining for almost all ages — kids to very old people,” Dad assured TDmonthly Magazine. “It´s a great game.” — Alison Marek, 8/6/07
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 Name: Abima
Company: PRETTY UGLY LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: $20.00
Category: Plush
What Is It?
Abima is part of the award-winning collection of “ugly” plush created by Pretty Ugly. There’s not a whole lot to Abima, but his own story and personality — not to mention his look of bewilderment — make him intriguing.
What We Thought
Uglydolls are fun because they’re unique, and they’re empowering people all over to love and accept something atypical, which is, of course, a cool thing to do and a trend unto itself. Abima and the other dolls boast huggable bodies (cuddly and flat, kind of like a pillow), quality fabric and attractive colors. There are smaller-sized plush and keychains, too, so customers can have their picks.
Why They’ll Want It
In short, Uglydolls are still popular (see TDmonthly’s Top-10 Most-Wanted Plush), so anyone interested in stuffed creatures, home decorating or out-of-the-ordinary gifts should be steered toward Abima. Perhaps the best thing about Uglydolls is that they don’t just belong in the toy box. A contemporary color palette and soft appeal give them just as much ownership on a couch or bookshelf, where they can exude personality all day long. — Julie L. Jones 7/30/07
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 Name: Harry Potter Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry Building Cards
Company: KLUTZ
Age: 8 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Construction
What Is It?
This kit includes a Harry Potter figurine and 275 cards and instructions for building the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry.
What We Thought
I asked a Harry Potter fanatic what he thought about the set. It’s fun, he said, to be able to design your own castle. The booklet includes instructions on how to build different the structures — spires, walls, steeples, turrets — and shows pictures of various castle options. There are no step-by-step instructions for each, however, so it was difficult to build things exactly as they are shown, since Hogwarts is not displayed from every angle.
Why They’ll Want It
The package itself is attractive, and the pieces are sturdy and well-designed, with detailed parts for windows, doors, floors and roofs. There are even pieces with grass on the bottom and ivy growing up the side for the bottom level. The set invites creativity, and the result is an impressive Hogwarts School, with Harry included! As my friend pointed out, this toy is ideal for kids who aspire to be wizard architects. — Julie L. Jones, 7/31/07
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 Name: Be the Ball Ornament/Figurine - Dude
Company: BE THE BALL 4 U
Age: 4 and up
Price: $9.99
Category: Novelties
What Is It?
This fun figurine with a detachable base serves as both a stand-alone and an ornament, and is part of a line that includes several golf-ball characters with plenty of personality.
What We Thought
This product is simple, playful and fun — the perfect gift for a golf fanatic or someone who even mildly likes the sport and needs cheering up. The piece is pretty solid, but parts, such as the golf club, are flexible. Its duality makes it ideal not only for the holidays, but also year-round, as long as the right audience is there to snatch it up.
Why They’ll Want It
These figures would make a playful addition to a golfer’s office desk, a bookshelf or a room dedicated to sports paraphernalia. — Julie L. Jones, 7/31/07
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 Name: Sara — Yellow
Company: PEDIPED
Age: All Ages
Price: $29.00
Category: Apparel
What Is It?
This pair of premium leather toddler shoes is outfitted with soft, cushioned soles and Velcro fasteners.
What We Thought
Not only do Pedipeds have a cute name, but they’re adorable and stylish in their design, too. The hand-stitching around the edges of this pair, hemming in the black-bottomed soles, gives it extra class, and the leathery smell right out of box lets buyers know they’re getting a quality product. The color scheme is multi-seasonal, so these shoes can have a long life, even as a hand-me-down.
Why They’ll Want It
These PediPeds are flexible for endless play and, despite their slipper-like appeal, are durable enough to be worn both inside and outdoors. They have a non-slip sole for safety, and little ones and their parents will likely have an easy time getting these shoes on and off. They’re so soft, flexible and lightweight that toddlers won’t have to bear the burden of trying to run around in clunky shoes. — Julie L. Jones, 7/3/07
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 Name: The Terrible Twos: If You Ever See An Owl...
Company: POQUITO RECORDS
Age: 3-11
Price: $13.98
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Listen in Addition
Company: JANDIE JAMS MUSIC LLC
Age: 4-8
Price: $16.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta TWINKLE
Company: HUNK-TA-BUNK-TA® MUSIC
Age: 1-10
Price: $15.99
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Exercise Party
Company: CASABLANCA KIDS INC.
Age: 2-5
Price: $5.95
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Just Imagine
Company: ILLUMINATION ARTS
Age: 4 and up
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: One Well: The Story of Water on Earth
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $17.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Noom & Raj Start a Business: The ABCs of Money
Company: MOONJAR
Age: 6 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Anne Frank: The Young Writer Who Told the World Her Story
Company: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Age: 8-12
Price: $17.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: SENSEsational Alphabet
Company: SENSESATIONAL ALPHABET
Age: 1-7
Price: $29.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: ZipBin™ Softie Train Depot
Company: NEAT-OH! INTERNATIONAL LLC
Age: 3-8
Price: Not Specified
Category: Play Sets
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Ministers Chess — Third Edition
Company: CORINTHIAN GAMES LTD.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $32.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Perler Beads Bead Blast
Company: DIMENSIONS/PERLER
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Shining Stars - Beagle
Company: RUSS BERRIE
Age: 4 and up
Price: $15.00
Category: Plush
What Is It?
This cuddly creature comes with a secret code that allows kids to name an actual star in the sky through the National Star Registry and print an official Shining Star Chart. In addition, kids will be able to officially name their Shining Star friend. They can also assign it character traits using a simple drag and drop method, make a wish upon their very own star, and more.
What We Thought
The stuffed animal is not only cute and cuddly, but it is accompanied by many online features, including the ability to add Shining Star friends, watch Shining Star movies, play games, send e-cards, chat and download wallpapers and icons. The Web site is child-friendly, with large, colorful images and icons, fun sounds and intuitive setup. Although it was easy to use, there was a glitch in which the site kept prompting me to exit the screen and try again. The site also had about three features that seemed really cool, such as voting and discovering unique facts about specific constellations. But when I clicked on them, I got the message, "Coming Soon!" which was kind of disappointing.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids will love the opportunity to officially name and assign character traits to their Shining Star friend. Such personalization allows kids to develop strong emotional attachments to their new friend, while the animals’ cuddliness allows kids to develop strong physical attachments to the toy. Kids can give their little friends “star makeovers” at any time, changing the toys’ personalities as they themselves change and grow, thus making their Shining Star friend a friend for life. — Sivhour Sim, 6/5/07
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 Name: Ultimate Family Wagon
Company: RADIO FLYER
Age: All Ages
Price: $179.00
Category: Vehicles - Riding
What Is It?
This convertible wagon can accommodate one or two riders, thanks to its pop-up, five-fold seats. For tots who like to hit the road alone, one seat can be flipped down and used as a table top or covered storage area. Both wagon seats can also be folded to make a flatbed wagon. Child seat belts and a UV-protection canopy are included, as are two child-sized and two adult-sized cup holders.
What We Thought
The Ultimate Family Wagon is great for tugging the kids along on a sunny day because the canopy provides a nice shade that keeps them comfortable and helps protect them from damaging rays. Our toy tester especially appreciated the double seat, since his two little girls didn’t have to fight over who got the first wagon ride. The storage space is great for stowing favorite toys and games to keep kids amused on their journey. The large wheels and easy steering make for a comfortable ride. The handle can also stay in the “up” position, which prevents parents from having to bend down to pick it up every time the kids are ready to ride.
Why They´ll Want It
The little girls who tested the Ultimate Family Wagon found it “cozy” and “fun,” said their father. Kids will love having a vehicle all their own … which they can nevertheless choose to share in their more generous moments. — Alison Marek, 5/14/07
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 Name: SnoFling
Company: SNOFLING
Age: 2 and up
Price: $5.00
Category: Outdoor Fun
What Is It?
The SnoFling has the feel of Wiffle ball bat: hard, yet lightweight plastic with a nice handle that’s easy to grip. The design is pretty much perfect for its purpose, which is hurling snowballs at friends and enemies. Simply stab the SnoFling scoop into a snowbank and remove a nicely formed snowball. The length provides optimal leverage for young and old to fling snowballs as far as they can.
What We Thought
Upon picking up this badboy, I instantly knew I was going to have fun with it, especially in New England. As soon as it snowed, I took my plastic friend out on the town, digging into piles of snow to scoop out snowball after snowball and toss them around at innocent targets. The scoop held the ball firmly until ready to fling.
Why They’ll Like It
There are absolutely no drawbacks to the SnoFling. I wish I had it as a kid and am glad to have it as an adult. Fortunately, this product hasn´t become mainstream just yet, so walking around with a SnoFling tethered on your arm makes people think you are on the cutting edge of “what’s cool.” Overall, this product is a great addition to any kid’s outdoor sporting supplies. — Jon Arsenault, 5/5/07
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 Name: Goodnight, Sweet Pig
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 2-5
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
What Is It?
In this adorable story, Pig No. 1 is desperately trying to get to sleep, but her mission is interrupted over and over again with one pig visit after another. Rhymes relay the spirited entrance and, eventually, exit of each numbered character, bringing Little Pig full circle toward a good night’s rest.
What We Thought
This is one of the cutest looking books I’ve ever read — and it’s well written, too. The little pig’s bedroom is decked out in appealing green, gold and red tones, and pleasing colors echo throughout the communicative illustrations. The characters are interactive and expressive in their scenes — from Pig No. 8’s Spanish dancing to sweet little pig’s clutching a pillow, huddled on the floor amidst the pandemonium. Details such as the “Porkeo & Juliet” book on the floor and outdoor scenes through the bedroom window give the story extra flair.
Why They’ll Like It
Kids will love “Goodnight, Sweet Pig,” not only for the rhyming verse, but also for the bright and fresh, yet still traditional, color scheme. Readers will identify with Pig No. 1’s frustration and with the remorse the other pigs eventually feel for disturbing her. Their kindness (as they make the little pig’s bed, read her a story, sing lullabies and turn the lights out) is heartwarming, as is their characterization and individuality. The story is fun, moving and perhaps the perfect story to help a little one get to sleep. — Julie L. Jones, 5/2/07
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 Name: Bella and the Bunny
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 2-5
Price: $14.95
Category: Books
What Is It?
This book tells the story of a little girl, Bella, who loves the classroom rabbit at her school and the special sweater her “Nonna” knit for her — both of which are “soft, furry and white.” When Bella loses the sweater at school and the rabbit goes missing, she and the other children search until they find them both…cozily cuddled up together.
What We Thought
“Bella and the Bunny” is filled with charming pastel drawings and a rabbit theme that make it nice read-aloud to a group of preschoolers, who can relate to the search for something lost and the school setting illustrated on many of the pages.
Why They’ll Want It
Little kids will cherish the idea of a “favorite” something, as well as the love of a “Nonna” who’s kind enough to knit a sweater even for a bunny, as the end of the story reveals. The familiar classroom surroundings — story time chairs, bookcase, craft table — will draw in readers. And they will delight in the bunny’s house hutch, complete with curtains and pictures printed on the wall. — Julie L. Jones, 5/2/07
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 Name: Sleep, Black Bear, Sleep
Company: HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $15.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Forest Bright, Forest Night
Company: DAWN PUBLICATIONS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $7.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Pirates Don’t Change Diapers
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 3-7
Price: $16.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Rebecca’s Realm, A Collection of Goth Toons
Company: BLEEDING EDGE
Age: 8 and up
Price: $12.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Bear Bear and Messer Combo Pack
Company: SPAZZMANIA ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Age: 2-7
Price: $29.98
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Amazon Hop: A Madcap Jungle Adventure Game
Company: MOMS ON EDGE LLC
Age: 3 and up
Price: $24.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Giant Interlocking Edublocks
Company: EDUSHAPE LTD.
Age: 3-5
Price: $69.95
Category: Construction
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Learn Magic With Lyn
Company: LYN DILLIES
Age: 7 and up
Price: $14.99
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Hip Hop Multiplication DVD
Company: KIMBO EDUCATIONAL
Age: 8 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Animated Noom & Raj Start a Business – the ABC’s of Money
Company: MOONJAR
Age: 4-8
Price: $9.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Yoga Kit for Kids
Company: IMAGINAZIUM
Age: All Ages
Price: $19.95
Category: Play Sets
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Volangulary: The International Vocabulary and Language Game
Company: VOLANGULARY LLC
Age: 5 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: beeboo Big Bubble KIT
Company: EXTREME BUBBLES INC.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $9.99
Category: Outdoor Fun
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Mini Tangoes Puzzle Game
Company: SMART TOYS AND GAMES INC
Age: 5 and up
Price: $4.50
Category: Puzzles & Skill
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Shuffle Up Playing Cards
Company: SHUFFLE UP INC.
Age: 11 and up
Price: $39.95
Category: Card Games
What Is It?
It’s a brand new look for the classic deck of playing cards. The cards are encased in a hard, lightweight plastic sheath. The face of the cards is concealed by a plastic shield, and is revealed only when sliding the covering down. These cards are designed for the shuffling-impaired, giving everyone a chance to be the dealer. Boxed neatly in a leather case, the cards are lined up in two rows of 26 cards each, with the two Jokers in the center. Resistant to wind, water and the usual wear and tear of regular playing cards, Shuffle Up opens the door for card games to be played outdoors or even in the pool.
What We Thought
The design of these cards is certainly revolutionary. The concealment of the cards is useful in a number of ways: 1) Fundamentally, the design allows anyone to shuffle cards. No longer is any person singled out during game night for not being able to shuffle correctly. 2) The chances of your opponents seeing your cards during Poker and other betting games are greatly reduced. However, dark sunglasses are still recommended for a poker face.
Why They´ll Want It
For players who can´t shuffle, but always wanted to be the dealer in a card game, then this deck is the solution. Even for players who can shuffle, Shuffle Up Playing Cards are a good variation to the norm, giving rise to new and creative card activities and games that can´t usually be performed with regular playing cards. And the nice carrying case adds a bit of intrigue and mystique when you bring it to the table, hyping the anticipation for a night of cards. — TDmonthly Staff, 4/3/07
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 Name: Little Tikes Bubble Countin' Chomper
Company: IMPERIAL TOY LLC
Age: 2 and up
Price: $5.99
Category: Preschool
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: SmartKids Multi-Laptop Imagination PL-780
Company: CONCEPT ENTERPRISES INC.
Age: 3-6
Price: $39.99
Category: Electronics
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Go Fish for Wildlife: Sea Creatures
Company: BIRDCAGE PRESS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $9.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Speed Limit
Company: ENGLISH TIGER GAMES
Age: 6 and up
Price: $9.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Thumball
Company: ANSWERS IN MOTION
Age: 5 and up
Price: $10.99
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Go Potty Go!
Company: MAZZARELLA MEDIA
Age: 1-3
Price: $14.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Baby IQ: The World Around Us
Company: BRAINY BABY
Age: 1-3
Price: $17.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Baby China
Company: B_ME COMPANY
Age: 1-6
Price: $19.99
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Authentic DaVinci Dilemma
Company: RUMBA GAMES INC.
Age: 14 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Pitch-a-Story!
Company: IMAGINE THIS COMPANY INC.
Age: 10-18
Price: $29.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Complete Gardens in a Can
Company: GIFTS THAT BLOOM
Age: 3 and up
Price: $7.95
Category: Science & Nature
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: l8r, g8r
Company: ABRAMS BOOKS
Age: 13 and up
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Company: ABRAMS BOOKS
Age: 9-12
Price: $12.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Sing & Read With Greg & Steve – Rhyme Time
Company: CREATIVE TEACHING PRESS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $50.87
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Sing & Read With Greg & Steve – Rhyme TimeBack to top
 Name: Can You Hear It?
Company: ABRAMS BOOKS
Age: 4-8
Price: $18.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Can You Hear It?Back to top
 Name: Cupid: A Tale of Love and Desire
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 12 and up
Price: $17.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Cupid: A Tale of Love and Desire Back to top
 Name: Discovery Edition WordSpot
Company: FRONT PORCH CLASSICS
Age: 8 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Discovery Edition WordSpotBack to top
 Name: Happy Retirement
Company: MARTY'S GAMES CORP.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $29.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Happy RetirementBack to top
 Name: The Horse Race Game
Company: BOARDWALK DESIGN INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $38.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about The Horse Race GameBack to top
 Name: athleticBaby: Soccer!
Company: athleticBaby LLC
Age: 1 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about athleticBaby: Soccer!Back to top
 Name: Wild Animal Baby
Company: TOPICS ENTERTAINMENT
Age: 2 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.Back to top
 Name: Time for Manners: American Manners
Company: TIME FOR MANNERS
Age: 2 and up
Price: $16.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Time for Manners: American MannersBack to top
 Name: Zoomorphs Deluxe/Tub Set
Company: RIVER DOLPHIN TOYS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $50.00
Category: Construction
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Zoomorphs Deluxe/Tub SetBack to top
 Name: Crayola Color Wonder Sprayer
Company: CRAYOLA LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: $24.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Crayola Color Wonder SprayerBack to top
 Name: Codebreakers
Company: DOUBLESTAR LLC
Age: 7 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about CodebreakersBack to top
 Name: Braidy, the StoryBraid
Company: MINDWING CONCEPTS
Age: 4-7
Price: $139.95
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Braidy, the StoryBraidBack to top
 Name: Fins and Grins: Johnette Downing
Company: WIGGLE WORM RECORDS
Age: 3-9
Price: $15.99
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Fins and Grins: Johnette DowningBack to top
 Name: Jim Cosgrove: Mr. Stinky Feet's Road Trip Live
Company: WARNER BROS TOYS
Age: 3-7
Price: $12.99
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Jim Cosgrove: Mr. Stinky Feet's Road Trip LiveBack to top
 Name: Travel With Kids Hawaii: The Big Island
Company: EQUATOR CREATIVE MEDIA
Age: 6-10
Price: $14.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Travel With Kids Hawaii: The Big IslandBack to top
 Name: Me, Eloise
Company: STARZ MEDIA
Age: 4-8
Price: $14.98
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Me, EloiseBack to top
 Name: The Adventures of the Little Prince: The Magic Case
Company: KOCH ENTERTAINMENT
Age: 6-10
Price: $9.98
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about The Adventures of the Little Prince: The Magic CaseBack to top
 Name: All Together Now
Company: LITTLE MONSTER RECORDS
Age: 2-6
Price: $13.99
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about All Together NowBack to top
 Name: Asian Dreamland
Company: PUTUMAYO KIDS
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.95
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Asian DreamlandBack to top
 Name: New Clothes for New Year´s Day
Company: KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 4-8
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about New Clothes for New Year´s DayBack to top
 Name: Who´s Hiding?
Company: KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 2-6
Price: $14.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Who´s Hiding?Back to top
 Name: Dinosaur Alphabet
Company: NORTH ATLANTIC BOOKS & FROG, LTD.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $18.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Dinosaur AlphabetBack to top
 Name: The Learning Calendar 2007
Company: FAT BRAIN TOY CO.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $11.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about The Learning Calendar 2007Back to top
 Name: Yamodo! Volume 1
Company: IDEA STORM PRODUCTS, LLC.
Age: 10 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Yamodo! Volume 1Back to top
 Name: Adventure Science Series - Volcano Madness
Company: THE YOUNG SCIENTISTS CLUB
Age: 5 and up
Price: $14.99
Category: Science & Nature
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Adventure Science Series - Volcano MadnessBack to top
 Name: Giggles Computer Funtime for Baby: My Animal Friends
Company: LEVERACTIVE LLC
Age: 1-2
Price: $24.95
Category: Computers
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Giggles Computer Funtime for Baby: My Animal FriendsBack to top
 Name: LearningCents Bank
Company: BEAR Enterprises, LLC
Age: 4 and up
Price: $21.99
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about LearningCents BankBack to top
 Name: You've Been Sentenced!
Company: McNEILL DESIGNS FOR BRIGHTER MINDS LLC
Age: 8 and up
Price: $24.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about You've Been Sentenced!Back to top
 Name: Yoga Ma Baby Ga
Company: DOWN DOG PRODUCTIONS LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Yoga Ma Baby GaBack to top
 Name: Going to School in India
Company: MASTER COMMUNICATIONS
Age: 5 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Going to School in IndiaBack to top
 Name: Flora Segunda
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 12 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Flora SegundaBack to top
 Name: Celebrate Ramadan & Eid Al-Fitr With Praying, Fasting and Charity
Company: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Age: 10 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Celebrate Ramadan & Eid Al-Fitr With Praying, Fasting and CharityBack to top
 Name: Star Seeker: A Journey to Outer Space
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 1-7
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Star Seeker: A Journey to Outer SpaceBack to top
 Name: A Dragon on the Doorstep
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 1-7
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about A Dragon on the DoorstepBack to top
 Name: Tic Talk: Living With Tourette Syndrome
Company: FIVE STAR PUBLICATIONS INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Tic Talk: Living With Tourette SyndromeBack to top
 Name: Maisy´s Book Tower
Company: CANDLEWICK PRESS
Age: 2-5
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Maisy´s Book TowerBack to top
 Name: The Barefoot Book of Classic Poems
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 5 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about The Barefoot Book of Classic PoemsBack to top
 Name: The Adventures of Odysseus
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 5 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about The Adventures of OdysseusBack to top
 Name: Be Careful and Stay Safe
Company: FREE SPIRIT PUBLISHING
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Be Careful and Stay SafeBack to top
 Name: Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Company: FIVE STAR PUBLICATIONS INC.
Age: 9 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Gunfight at the O.K. CorralBack to top
 Name: Letter Hold 'Em
Company: ON THE SPOT GAMES
Age: 12 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Letter Hold 'EmBack to top
 Name: I Spy Eagle Eye
Company: BRIARPATCH INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about I Spy Eagle EyeBack to top
 Name: Veggie Rattles
Company: BLABLA
Age: 1-2
Price: $28.00
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Veggie RattlesBack to top
 Name: Space Module
Company: PACIFIC PLAY TENTS INC
Age: 3 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Pretend Play
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Space ModuleBack to top
 Name: Push Up Face Paints
Company: CRAFTY DAB
Age: 6 and up
Price: $4.00
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Push Up Face PaintsBack to top
 Name: MiniLabs Crystal Radio
Company: POOF-SLINKY INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $12.99
Category: Science & Nature
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about MiniLabs Crystal RadioBack to top
 Name: You Are My Little Bird
Company: SMITHSONIAN FOLKWAYS RECORDINGS
Age: All Ages
Price: $11.98
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about You Are My Little BirdBack to top
 Name: Spin Your Web
Company: MARY KAYE MUSIC
Age: 1-8
Price: $15.00
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Spin Your WebBack to top
 Name: We Can Make It Happen!
Company: KIDZPOETZ PUBLISHING
Age: 5 and up
Price: $14.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about We Can Make It Happen!Back to top
 Name: The Happy Cricket
Company: CLEVER IMAGE STUDIOS
Age: 3 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about The Happy CricketBack to top
 Name: Creative Movement for Children
Company: YOURCREATIVECHILD.COM
Age: 3-6
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Creative Movement for ChildrenBack to top
 Name: The Wind in the Willows
Company: FREMANTLEMEDIA
Age: 3 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about The Wind in the WillowsBack to top
 Name: Sudoku 4x4
Company: THINKFUN
Age: 5-7
Price: Not Specified
Category: Puzzles & Skill
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Sudoku 4x4Back to top
 Name: Syzygy
Company: SYZYGY
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about SyzygyBack to top
 Name: Crackernomics
Company: KSA INTERNATIONAL
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about CrackernomicsBack to top
 Name: Seismic
Company: ATLAS GAMES
Age: 10 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about SeismicBack to top
 Name: Holidays Around the World: Celebrating Thanksgiving
Company: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Age: 4-8
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Holidays Around the World: Celebrating ThanksgivingBack to top
 Name: Once Upon a Banana
Company: SIMON AND SCHUSTER CHILDREN'S PUBLISHING DIVISION
Age: 4-8
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Once Upon a BananaBack to top
 Name: 30-Minute-a-Day Learning System: Preschool
Company: BRIGHTER MINDS MEDIA
Age: 2-5
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about 30-Minute-a-Day Learning System: PreschoolBack to top
 Name: Hello, Hello
Company: KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 2-5
Price: $4.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Hello, HelloBack to top
 Name: Chinese Fables Remembered
Company: HEIAN INTERNATIONAL INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Chinese Fables RememberedBack to top
 Name: Holidays Around the World: Celebrating Diwali With Sweets, Lights and Fireworks
Company: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Age: 4-8
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Holidays Around the World: Celebrating Diwali With Sweets, Lights and FireworksBack to top
 Name: Becoming Buddha: The Story of Siddhartha
Company: HEIAN INTERNATIONAL INC.
Age: 8-10
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Becoming Buddha: The Story of SiddharthaBack to top
 Name: Charlotte in Paris
Company: BEACON STREET GIRLS
Age: 8-13
Price: $7.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Charlotte in ParisBack to top
 Name: Life As We Knew It
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 12 and up
Price: $17.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Life As We Knew ItBack to top
 Name: Saint Iggy
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 14 and up
Price: $17.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Saint IggyBack to top
 Name: The Prince´s Bedtime
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 4-10
Price: $16.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about The Prince´s BedtimeBack to top
 Name: Cleo´s Color Book
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 2-5
Price: $15.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Cleo´s Color BookBack to top
 Name: Disney´s The Little Mermaid Storybook Pillow
Company: SENARIO LLC
Age: 3 and up
Price: $34.99
Category: Furniture & Decor
What Is It?
This full-sized sleeping pillow imprinted with Disney’s The Little Mermaid is also a book. Its soft padded cover opens to reveal cloth pages that relate the story of Ariel’s adventures as she struggles to become human and win her Prince.
What We Thought
Marrying a cloth book with a fluffy pillow is a great idea, and it’s surprising that no one came up with it before in this particular form. The pillow is a wonderful way for Little Mermaid fans to relive Ariel’s story and then drift straight to sleep without worrying about putting away a pesky hardcover. The cloth pages are lavishly illustrated in color, with pictures and text on each page. The pillows also come in smaller versions.
Why They’ll Want It
Any Little Mermaid fan will sleep easier with this storybook pillow. It will help fantasy-oriented little girls transition to fashion- and room-décor-conscious tweens. Little girls will love to be able to share the story at sleepovers, too. It would make a surprising and much appreciated gift for any Little Mermaid fan. — Alison Marek 12/11/06
Learn more about Disney´s The Little Mermaid Storybook PillowBack to top
 Name: Agon: The Mysterious Codex (PC Version)
Company: VIVA MEDIA
Age: 10 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
What Is It?
Our hero, Professor Hunt, is on a mission to find mysterious lost board games and mark his path with a strange stone to show the way for others. The quest for the truth will lead players to surprising discoveries, challenging puzzles and amazing characters. In three thrilling episodes, the quest for Agon takes players from London ´s British Museum, north to the Polar Regions and south to Madagascar.
What We Thought
Agon is one of the cleverest and exiting adventure videogames I have ever played. Exploring the Museum building in search of clues and hints begins the game and foreshadows the excitement of the coming adventure. Players must “borrow” keys from a sleeping guard, comb through old books for clues, and translate messages from Morse code. The 3-D graphics in this game are amazing. It was a lot of fun for my 10-year-old daughter and me to work together to unfold the clues and link them in order to get to the next level.
Why They’ll Want It
Agon is a great game to play together with your children, as you help each other solve the series of mysteries. Players will need to take notes, write down key combinations, and keep track of some important clues. The more you progress, more you will be willing to play. Supreme graphics and sound effects will take players to different parts of the world and make them feel the thrill of adventure. Even though my daughter doesn’t speak English and lives an ocean away, with my guidance she is still able to play and progress to the next exciting level. — Alex Sormaz and Alison Marek, 12/11/06
Learn more about Agon: The Mysterious Codex (PC Version)Back to top
 Name: The Happy Elf
Company: ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about The Happy ElfBack to top
 Name: Anatomics
Company: POOF-SLINKY INC.
Age: 6 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Construction
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about AnatomicsBack to top
 Name: Super Fun Animal Folding Chairs
Company: PACIFIC PLAY TENTS INC
Age: 2 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Super Fun Animal Folding ChairsBack to top
 Name: BubbleBrain
Company: PATCH PRODUCTS INC.
Age: 10 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about BubbleBrainBack to top
 Name: Cluzzle
Company: NORTH STAR GAMES
Age: 8 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about CluzzleBack to top
 Name: Baby Dance!
Company: SCHOLASTIC
Age: 1-5
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Baby Dance!Back to top
 Name: Braincandy — My 5 Senses
Company: BRAINCANDY
Age: 1-4
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Braincandy — My 5 SensesBack to top
 Name: Teeny-Tiny and the Witch-Woman ... and 4 More Spine-Tingling Tales
Company: SCHOLASTIC
Age: 3-9
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Teeny-Tiny and the Witch-Woman ... and 4 More Spine-Tingling TalesBack to top
 Name: Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Hanukkah With Light, Latkes and Dreidels
Company: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Age: All Ages
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Hanukkah With Light, Latkes and DreidelsBack to top
 Name: Augustine
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 4-8
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about AugustineBack to top
 Name: Buckamoo Girls
Company: ABRAMS BOOKS
Age: 3-8
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Buckamoo GirlsBack to top
 Name: Voices
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 12 and up
Price: $17.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about VoicesBack to top
 Name: The American Story: 100 True Tales From American History
Company: RANDOM HOUSE INC.
Age: 9-12
Price: $34.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about The American Story: 100 True Tales From American HistoryBack to top
 Name: Uno´s Garden
Company: ABRAMS BOOKS
Age: 4-8
Price: $19.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Uno´s GardenBack to top
 Name: Sock Monkey Dreams
Company: PENGUIN GROUP USA
Age: 17 and up
Price: $14.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Sock Monkey DreamsBack to top
 Name: Wilky the White House Cockroach
Company: G.P. PUTNAM'S SONS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $16.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Wilky the White House CockroachBack to top
 Name: Ryan and Jimmy: And the Well in Africa That Brought Them Together
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 9-12
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Ryan and Jimmy: And the Well in Africa That Brought Them TogetherBack to top
 Name: This Jazz Man
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 3-7
Price: $16.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about This Jazz ManBack to top
 Name: Toddler Toons
Company: THINGAMAKID
Age: 2-5
Price: $9.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Toddler ToonsBack to top
 Name: Anne of Avonlea
Company: KOCH ENTERTAINMENT
Age: 6 and up
Price: $29.98
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Anne of AvonleaBack to top
 Name: Mr. Christmas
Company: LUMINOUS FILMS INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $14.98
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Mr. ChristmasBack to top
 Name: Write On! Printing DVD Tutor Kit
Company: INCREDIBLE KID
Age: 3-8
Price: $24.99
Category: Educational
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Write On! Printing DVD Tutor KitBack to top
 Name: Animals — Craft Kit & DVD
Company: TOT-A-DOODLE-DO!
Age: 3-7
Price: $19.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Animals — Craft Kit & DVDBack to top
 Name: You Build It — Motor Mania
Company: SMARTLAB TOYS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $18.99
Category: Science & Nature
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about You Build It — Motor ManiaBack to top
 Name: Diner Dash
Company: BRIGHTER MINDS MEDIA
Age: 5 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about Diner DashBack to top
 Name: You Mix It – Secret Formula Lab
Company: SMARTLAB TOYS
Age: 5 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Science & Nature
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about You Mix It – Secret Formula LabBack to top
 Name: What a Way to Play!
Company: VERY DERRYBERRY PRODUCTIONS
Age: All Ages
Price: $12.00
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about What a Way to Play!Back to top
 Name: New Orleans Playground
Company: PUTUMAYO KIDS
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.98
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
Learn more about New Orleans PlaygroundBack to top
 Name: Just-Like-Mine! Doll or Stuffed Toy Booster Car Seat
Company: JOOVY
Age: 3 and up
Price: $34.99
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Twisted Tales, Phonics Comics
Company: INNOVATIVEKIDS
Age: 6 and up
Price: $3.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Each Little Bird That Sings
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 8-12
Price: $7.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Calavera Abecedario: A Day of the Dead Alphabet Book
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 3-7
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Christmas Eve Magic
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 5-8
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Lift Off: A Photobiography of John Glenn
Company: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Age: 10-12
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: What Elephant?
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 3-7
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Benny
Company: KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 3-5
Price: $7.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Marco Polo: The Boy Who Traveled the Medieval World
Company: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Age: 4-8
Price: $17.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: How Do Dinosaurs Play With Their Friends?
Company: SCHOLASTIC
Age: 2-5
Price: $6.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Jurassic Poop: What Dinosaurs (and Others) Left Behind
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 8-12
Price: $14.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Let´s Go Lobstering
Company: BARKING LOBSTER ENTERTAINMENT
Age: 2 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
What Is It?
“Lets Go Lobstering” is a child-friendly introduction into the world of lobster fishing. This 30-minute educational DVD follows the daily life of Lobsterman Chris as he tries to help out his friend in Vermont, where every restaurant seems to have run out of lobster.
What We Thought
The story starts with a bumbling joe roaming from restaurant to restaurant in search of delicious lobster, which segues nicely into the world of his friend Lobsterman Chris. Chris takes kids into the world of lobstering where they’ll learn everything from the kinds of boats used for catch lobsters, to the equipment needed, to what lobsters like to eat (literally everything). While watching, I took mental notes of questions that I wanted answered. Because this is a homegrown production and not some Discovery Channel exclusive, I assumed that there would be certain items of interest that would be overlooked. I was wrong! The DVD is surprisingly comprehensive and as fun for adults as it is for kids. I would absolutely recommend this for any public or private viewing.
Why They´ll Want It
Kids will be fascinated by these “insects” of the ocean, as there isn´t much kid-friendly lobster material out there. “Let’s Go Lobstering” does an excellent job imparting an all-around knowledge of lobstering with a style and presentation that is meant for kids, but will appeal to all ages. — Jon Arsenault, 12/4/06
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 Name: Storytime: First Tales for Sharing
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 1-7
Price: $19.99
Category: Books
What Is It?
This book retells seven of the world’s best-known folk tales, including “The Three Little Pigs” and “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” in a fashion ideal for reading aloud so that parents and young children can enjoy the adventurous stories together.
What We Thought
“Storytime” provides a solid introduction to stories that children are likely to hear time and again, familiarizing them with the world of folk tales. For this reason, it carries lasting quality in any home library and can be passed down through generations. Some kids may lose interest because it’s rather text heavy, but that gives parents a chance to return to the stories often.
Why They’ll Want It
Seven stories makes for a great value and give children a whole week’s worth of bedtime reading. Kids will love the colorful, playful illustrations, and can learn lessons along with the characters while laughing at the dilemmas that entangle them. — Julie L. Jones, 11/27/06
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 Name: The Farmyard Jamboree
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 1-7
Price: $15.99
Category: Books
What Is It?
In this book inspired by a Chilean folktale and illustrated with an Andean setting, each verse of the story introduces another animal. A male narrator leads readers through an upbeat song on the included singalong CD.
What We Thought
The story provides a great way for young children to learn about animals, their babies, and families, as each animal is given to the little boy narrator by a different member of his family. Bob King’s music and sound effects bring an extra dose of life to the bright pages. By the time there were 12 or 14 animals on the scene, I even found myself boppin’ and singing along with the music. Each verse renames the previously mentioned pets, reinforcing their identities for attentive children.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids will go crazy over the animals sounds ¾ everything from “cluck” to “oink” ¾ and will certainly appreciate the audible sampling. This is one book where an accompanying track really makes a difference. They will learn to love the farmyard pets as much as the narrator does, and will want to dance with the entire crew at the conclusion of the story. — Julie L. Jones, 11/27/06
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 Name: Magic Train Ride
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 1-7
Price: $16.99
Category: Books
What Is It?
On this train ride, the locomotive stops in all sorts of “wild and wonderful places,” taking readers on a magical journey that will pique young imaginations. A singalong CD accompanies the book.
What We Thought
Just when you think the journey’s over, the train whistle blows again and it’s off to another destination. The stations are fun and unpredictable, and the train boasts a mix of eclectic characters. How often does an octopus ride with a fairy, after all? The music complements the story, but children will probably want more time to explore the pages on their own.
Why They’ll Want It
Excitement ensues at the beginning of the CD, as the train starts chug-a-chugging along and the whistle blows. The sound effects bring readers closer to the action, drawing them into the inviting illustrations, and the “faster, faster we go, then suddenly we’re slow” sections give children a fun pace to recreate on their own. Whether they like outer space or forests or cakes, they’re sure to enjoy the ride! — Julie L. Jones, 11/27/06
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 Name: Gift of Enlightenment
Company: VERITAS PRODUCTIONS
Age: 14 and up
Price: $39.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Eric Carle Books Block Puzzle
Company: MUDPUPPY PRESS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $13.00
Category: Puzzles & Skill
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Bananagrams
Company: BANANAGRAMS
Age: 7 and up
Price: $14.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Happy Birthday CoCo
Company: KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 4-8
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Strictest School in the World
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 9-12
Price: $6.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: All Hallow's Eve: 13 Stories
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 12 and up
Price: $17.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Crispin: At the Edge of the World
Company: HYPERION BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
Age: 10-14
Price: $16.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Cremation of Sam McGee
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: All Ages
Price: $17.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Boris and Bella
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 4-7
Price: $6.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Rainbow Web
Company: BLOCK PUBLISHING
Age: All Ages
Price: $24.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Sixth Sense
Company: SIXTH SENSE GAMES
Age: 16 and up
Price: $16.00
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Word Sweep
Company: INTELLINITIATIVE INC.
Age: 10 and up
Price: $29.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Dreamblade Starter Set
Company: WIZARDS OF THE COAST
Age: 13 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Tyler
Company: PEDIPED
Age: 1-2
Price: Not Specified
Category: Apparel
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Tumblin' Dice
Company: NASH GAMES
Age: All Ages
Price: $59.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Clever Catch
Company: SCOTT RESOURCES
Age: 4-7
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Clean Shopper
Company: BABE EASE LLC
Age: 1 and up
Price: $34.95
Category: Infant & Toddler
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 Name: Roald Dahl's The BFG (Big Friendly Giant)
Company: ART & ENTERTAINMENT
Age: 7 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: My Baby Can Talk: First Signs
Company: BABY HANDS PRODUCTIONS
Age: 1-3
Price: $19.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Big Sunday Strategy Football Board Game
Company: THE RANDOLPH ROSE GROUP
Age: 8 and up
Price: $39.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Hold-it! Game Card Organizer
Company: INNOVATIUM INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $20.00
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Around the World - the Ultimate Global Board Game
Company: AROUND THE WORLD LLC
Age: 8 and up
Price: $26.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Antarctica
Company: SAVITA GAMES INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $49.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Solar System Learning Wheel
Company: MUDPUPPY PRESS
Age: 6 and up
Price: $10.00
Category: Science & Nature
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Pirates Scramble Squares®
Company: b. dazzle, inc.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $9.95
Category: Puzzles & Skill
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Swimming Champions Scramble Squares®
Company: b. dazzle, inc.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $9.95
Category: Puzzles & Skill
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Beauty Dress With Red Cloak
Company: LITTLE ADVENTURES LLC
Age: 3-5
Price: Not Specified
Category: Pretend Play
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Thumb Thing
Company: FUN-N-NUF INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $2.95
Category: Novelties
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Zodiac: Celestial Circle of Sun
Company: FRANCES LINCOLN LTD.
Age: 4-8
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Parade Day, Reader´s Choice Level 2
Company: BARRON'S EDUCATIONAL SERIES
Age: 2-6
Price: $3.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Kali and the Rat Snake
Company: KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 4-8
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Fairy Tale Feasts
Company: INTERLINK BOOKS
Age: 10 and up
Price: $24.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: A Kid's Guide to Giving
Company: INNOVATIVEKIDS
Age: 12 and up
Price: $9.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: One White Wishing Stone: A Beach Counting Book
Company: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Age: 4-8
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Casey at the Bat
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 10 and up
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Once Around the Sun
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 5-10
Price: $16.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Gigglator
Company: BASIC FUN INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $17.99
Category: Novelties
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Toss the Taggie
Company: TAGGIES INC.
Age: 1-3
Price: $19.95
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: TeleStory
Company: JAKKS PACIFIC INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $34.99
Category: Electronics
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: My Baby Can Talk—Sharing Signs
Company: BABY HANDS PRODUCTIONS
Age: 1-3
Price: $19.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Always Play Fair
Company: ALWAYS PLAY FAIR LLC
Age: 6-12
Price: $19.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Dinosaur Holiday
Company: MUSEUM MUSIC, INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $15.95
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: ArtShark
Company: BIRDCAGE PRESS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $24.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Holiday KLIK Dispenser
Company: AU´SOME CANDIES
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Candy & Food
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 Name: Chef Dramatic Dress Up
Company: BRAND NEW WORLD
Age: 3-6
Price: $29.95
Category: Pretend Play
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Qolf
Company: BONFIT AMERICA INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $24.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Cantos y Rimas
Company: CANTARIMA MULTIMEDIA LLC
Age: 1-5
Price: $19.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Fifteen Minutes: Of Mice and Mops
Company: AMALGAMATED PUPPETWORKS LLC
Age: 6 and up
Price: $9.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Jack Grunsky: My Beautiful World
Company: CASABLANCA KIDS INC.
Age: 1-6
Price: $14.98
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: The Monkey Doos: Things That Go!
Company: MAZZARELLA MEDIA
Age: 2-6
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: SteveSongs: Marvelous Day
Company: ROUNDER RECORDS
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.98
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Stylin´ Pony
Company: AVAN INC.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: General Toys
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Taggies Fun Shapes Cuddlin' Cube
Company: TAGGIES INC.
Age: 1-3
Price: $12.95
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: Off We Go to Mexico! An Adventure in the Sun
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 1-7
Price: $16.99
Category: Books
What Is It?
In this brightly illustrated hardcover book, readers accompany a family of five on a vacation to Mexico, exploring the country´s land, culture, history and language. Every other page features a lesson in Spanish vocabulary.
What We Thought
The book reads quickly and easily due to the rhyming phrases, and couldn´t be more filled with vibrant color. Eyes travel across the pages, then back again, because there´s so much to absorb. The pictures alone could triple the reading time, and are captivating even without the words. The educational quality of this book is outstanding! In addition to the four or five Spanish words and phrases that accompany each story section, the back of the book contains a map of Mexico, facts about the country, information about the three most popular festivals, historical explanations and a section on "First Spanish Phrases."
Why They'll Want It
Children are welcomed into a colorful and rhythmic journey in this book. The repetition is not only in the sentences, but also in the artwork. Kids will delight in the festive illustrations of people, houses, plants, instruments and animals. Can they count the dozens of butterflies across one spread? Boys and girls don´t have to pay attention to the Spanish words, but will probably want to after a read or two. And as they get older, they can discover all the educational insights at the story´s conclusion. Before long, they´ll be asking to take their own trip to Mexico! — Julie L. Jones, 11/22/06
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 Name: I Dreamt I Was a Dinosaur
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 1-7
Price: $6.99
Category: Books
What Is It?
This delightful board book follows one little kid´s dream of becoming a dinosaur in a land filled with all sorts of creatures. It takes children back in time, introducing them to various dinosaur species by name, through a simple story and attractive illustrations.
What We Thought
From the cover to the conclusion, unique illustrations that accompany simple sentences make this book an eye-catching treat. The backgrounds and characters are laid out like an art project in felt, enhanced with beads, sequins, yarn, and embroidered material. The dinosaur names will likely prep preschoolers for a school science lesson later on, but pronunciation-conscious parents might want to do a pre-read to make sure they get them right!
Why They'll Want It
The book´s 3-D quality - from the sequined dragonflies to the stitched dinosaur smiles - invites readers to "reach out and touch." And once children have enjoyed the story a few times, they can take up the challenge of finding the purple snail hidden on every page. None of the featured dinosaurs are "scary," with the exception of Rex the Wrecker. So at most, kids might release a few giggles when the other dinosaurs are running from him. In the end, the young dreamer is tucked safely in his bed holding a stuffed dinosaur, leaving readers with the fascination of his journey. Perhaps his story will encourage kids to share their own dreams. — Julie L. Jones, 11/22/06
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 Name: Putt Poker
Company: DREAM PLAY LLC
Age: 12 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: General Games
What Is It?
Game fans can test their dexterity and strategy by putting a golf ball onto a 17” x 36” game mat printed with poker card values. Instructions are included for three levels of play for Texas Hold ‘Em, 5-Card Stud and 7-Card Stud. No betting is required. The matt can be rolled up for easy travel. A golf ball and scorecards are included, but the putter must be provided separately.
What We Thought
I’m neither a golf nor a poker fan, but as soon as my opponent and I rolled out the printed mat and grabbed our “putter” (a cardboard mailing tube), we were hooked. Getting the ball onto any score card proved to be a challenge for both of us, even though we were playing by the game’s “amateur” rules. Our scorecard was pretty much filled with nils, but that just made us try harder (and our coworkers cruelly mock our pathetic efforts). The challenge of the play made it fun and we were sorry to see the game end.
Why They’ll Want It
Putt Poker is a great game for family and friends. Almost anyone can play because even if you don’t score at all, you’ll still have a blast trying to figure out how to control the ball better and actually get a score. The worse you are, in fact, the more valuable the game, because you’ll get plenty of exercise chasing your wayward ball. — Alison Marek, 11/17/06
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 Name: Scare "D" Cat
Company: ANTENNA FRIENDZ
Age: 3 and up
Price: $5.99
Category: Novelties
What Is It?
A weather-resistant PVC cartoon action figure that swirls around a car’s radio antenna when the vehicle is in motion, Scare “D” Cat comes with his own backstory. He’s just 5 years old, but he’s got 9 lifetimes of experience “lazin’ around, chasin’ bugs and sleepin’,” according to his official bio. But despite his love of speed, he’s just a regular kitty who cares not for Big Dawgs or — perish the thought — vacuum cleaners.
What We Thought
With his eyeballs hanging from his sockets and his tongue whipped behind him like Isadora Duncan’s scarf, Scare “D” Cat looks like he’s having the ride of his life. He’ll cheer up the dingiest of jalopies and lighten up the poshest luxury sedan with his good-old boy can-do and will-do attitude. While others keep on truckin’, he’ll keep on spinnin’. The coolest thing about Scare “D” and his friends, is that they can also be attached to backpacks, so when kids run, they’ll be part of a chase, too.
Why They’ll Want It
What’s the most boring place in the world for kids? Inside a moving car. But being able to watch Scare “D” do his daredevil spins as mom scoots down the highway will keep the juniors amused. Kids and teens will want this novelty toy to show the world that even when driving the same old box as everyone else, they still have some pizzazz. Scare “D” has his own Antenna Friend in Junkyard Dawg. There are also some more, um, risqué models (i.e., scantily clad female humans) for the bigger boys. — Alison Marek, 10/28/06
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 Name: EntertainMe Play Gym
Company: THE BOPPY COMPANY
Age: 1 and up
Price: $64.99
Category: Infant & Toddler
What Is It?
This interactive musical gym for babies lets parents change the placement of toys, remove the padded bars from which they hang, and add a pillow to cushion baby’s tummy or back. Babies have 15 different developmental activities with which to amuse themselves, including a musical bee, a ladybug hiding under a crackly leaf, a child-safe mirror for peek-a-boo and a teether ring.
What We Thought
The big, cheery faces on the soft plush characters make this gym set especially appealing. And since they’re bugs, each one has six dangling legs for baby to reach out and pull. The bee plays music when his head is pressed. The little bugs double as rattles and squeak toys, for added stimulation. The playmate has numerous textures for baby to explore.
Why They’ll Want It
This is a great gym to keep both babies and parents amused. Since the toys can be changed from the bars to mat to the pillow and back, babies will be constantly stimulated as parents “shake up” the scene. The bars are easily detached from their fabric hooks, allowing the playmate to be folded up and transported to Grandma’s or the park. It’s a great first gym with bright, bold, unfussy graphics that are stimulating but not overwhelming. — Alison Marek, 9/25/06
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 Name: Cinderella
Company: AWESOME KIDS
Age: 3-8
Price: $25.95
Category: Pretend Play
What Is It?
The Cinderella in a Boxx play set from Awesome Kids has everything a little girl needs to recreate and embellish the Cinderella story, including tiny figurines of Cinderella, the Prince, the Ugly Stepmother and Sisters as well as various servants. And for every little girl who’s envisioned herself as a Fairy Godmother, there’s a feathered fairy tiara for her to wear and a wand for her to wave so that she can change the included four mice into four white horses and the lizard into a Coachman. Also included are a pair of child-sized acrylic “glass slippers” and a cardboard castle backdrop.
What We Thought
This amazing set lets little girls put together their own pumpkin coach, turn mice into men and back again, and otherwise have fun reliving the Cinderella story in whatever role they choose. Including costumes for both Cinderella (the shoes) and the Fairy Godmother (wand and tiara) was a smart move that should preclude real fights between real sisters battling for these must-have costume pieces.
Why They’ll Want It
The Cinderella in a Boxx play set is the kind of toy that sets little girls jumping up and down with feverish excitement as soon as they see it. It reaches out to them on a number of levels: First, they’ll feel a sense of accomplishment by assembling their own coach (with help, if they’re on the young side); second, they can play with the little doll characters; and third, they get to dress up and be part of the action, too! — Alison Marek, 9/25/06
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 Name: Monster
Company: MIMOCO INC.
Age: 10 and up
Price: $69.95
Category: Electronics
What Is It?
A computer device cleverly disguised as a monster, this is a limited-edition designer flash drive that makes collecting data ultra-chic. All Mimobots have their own personalities and hobbies. They come in well-designed, attractive packaging along with some fun stuff, such as wallpapers, already stored on the drive. Compatible with both Mac and Windows, Mimobots comes in 256MB, 512MB, 1GB and 2GB versions (with price ranging from $69.95 to $144.95).
What We Thought
This super-cool monster works just like any other USB drive. Monster looked funny when plugged in, though because it looked like s/he (Monster´s sex is unknown) had plunged its head into the computer, searching for data. The Monster´s head is screwed on pretty tight — it is hard to remove the cap when it´s clicked in. Monster was smaller than expected, too, which is a good thing in this case. However, if you have two USB ports adjacent to each other, it may be hard to fit a second USB device.
Why They´ll Want It
This is a trendy and highly collectible item. So trendy that Mimobots are on MySpace! It is a must-have for all the coolest nerds of (almost) all ages! — TDmonthly Review Team, 9/21/06
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 Name: My Loving Jesus Doll
Company: HF CORPORATION
Age: 1 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Dolls
What Is It?
A 16" Jesus doll clothed in a removable robe of brushed flannel and a fleecy blue undergarment, My Loving Jesus comes with a scroll that contains a letter addressed to "a Dear Sweet Child." The scroll briefly retells the life of Jesus in English on one side and Spanish on the other. The doll is soft and well made.
What We Thought
The expression on this doll’s face is undoubtedly loving. There are many Jesus merchandise/images out there that can be described as "contemplating Jesus," “suffering Jesus," "I- know-you -did-something-bad-Jesus," "angry Jesus" or just plain "creepy Jesus." But no matter how you look at this Loving Jesus Doll, his face tells you, "I love you!" and his open arms scream "Hug me!"
Why They´ll Want It
My Loving Jesus Doll not only serves as a great spiritual companion for young children, it’s also cuddly and lovable. It can also serve as a great novelty item for adults, and would make a welcome and surprising gift for that someone who thinks he has everything. – TDmonthly Review Team, 9/21/06
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 Name: Toothbrush, Jammies, Man In The Moon ... Why Is It Bedtime So Soon?
Company: MODERN PUBLISHING
Age: 3-8
Price: $14.99
Category: Books
What Is It?
Who wants to sleep when there are so many fun things to do? But Dad says, “Bedtime’s as fun as playtime,” and then he and Mom show their little kids how. This hardcover illustrated book by Nicole Tocco takes kids through nightly rituals, such as bath time and reading time, to make the transition to sleep that much easier.
What We Thought
The little kids in the book are just as resistant to leaving their toys at night as their real-life counterparts. But Tocco reminds them how important sleep is, and how much fun getting ready for and snuggling into bed can be. From bubble baths to a last sip of water, Tocco reinforces the routines that every child engages in at bedtime.
Why They’ll Want It
“Toothbrush, Jammies, Man in the Moon … Why Is It Bedtime So Soon?” is a great book for parents to read at bedtime. Kids can shout along with the little protagonist when she protests, “I don’t understand. It’s just not fair! WHY can’t I stay up all night?” They’ll identify, too, with the rituals of bathing, brushing teeth, getting their plush friend into his nighties and hearing a lovely story before drifting off. “Toothbrush, Jammies, Man in the Moon … Why Is It Bedtime So Soon” will make kids feel like they have allies in the I-don’t-wanna world, and give parents a helping hand getting their kids out of the playroom and into the bed. — Alison Marek, 9/6/06
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 Name: Fly — Totally Stumped
Company: BINARYLABS INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Computers
What Is It?
Totally Stumped is a trivia game designed for 1 to 4 players … and a LeapFrog Fly Pentop Computer (sold separately). The game comes with 68 Trivia Category Cards, 4 Answer Cards, 2 Category Counter Cards, a carrying case and a rulebook. It is also a 2006 Parent's Choice Gold Award Winner.
What We Thought
The solo games are fun. The Flypen actually keeps track of how many questions you get right in a row. I only got 3. Some of questions are hard. For example: “Which one of these products was not invented by a woman? Band-Aids, Circular Saw, Windshield Wipers or Duck Shoes?”” The answer was Band-Aids; I’d chosen Duck Shoes. Totally Stumped would be good for travel if you planned on playing solo games. The game requires too much setup and too many cards to accommodate multiple players on a car trip, though you could always improvise and test each other with the questions alone, avoiding the actual laying out of the cards.
Why They’ll Want It
Basically the game is fun! The questions are broad enough to make it comfortable for an adult to play against a child. The kid may know the answers to the video game trivia and random questions about pop culture, while the adult would favor other categories based on accumulated knowledge. The only drawback was that the Flypen volume was sometimes too low for a public setting. You have to pass the pen back and forth for each player to hear it. Using the earbuds solves that problem when playing solo. — Jon Arsenault, 8/25/06
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 Name: Wrap-n-Rides — Dragon
Company: AEROMAX INC.
Age: 3-5
Price: $39.95
Category: Pretend Play
What Is It?
This big goofy dragon with a pink smile is really a wrap-around costume for hot tots. Kids who’re ready to breathe fire can just slip into the adjustable shoulder straps and wrap the dragon’s soft blue and green plush body around their waists, sealing it closed with a Velcro strip. A tab on the dragon’s head lets kids pull him upright, make him look left and right for marauding knights, and gallop around, long green tail trailing behind, just as a tail should.
What We Thought
While we were all a bit too oversized to slip comfortably into the shoulder straps, this wrap-around-costume brought out the Little Kid in the TDmonthly staff members. One tester quickly located the elastic strips that attach the wings to the wrists and started flapping away. Most appreciated the vinyl paw pads and talons, which give this silly toy just the slightest air of realism. But nothing can beat having a tail for the day, especially when it’s lined with purple scales.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids who love dressing up and kids who love plush will want to wrap themselves up in these soft, cuddly costume/toys. Do you play with it, or be it? A little of both. And when play day is done, this Dragon and his companions, such as Flamingo and Duck, easily slip back off again and into bed for some serious nighttime snuggling. — Alison Marek, 8/17/06
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 Name: Playfoam
Company: EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Signing Time! My Favorite Things Volume 6 DVD
Company: TWO LITTLE HANDS
Age: 1 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Dimity Duck
Company: PHILOMEL BOOKS
Age: 2 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: My Little Pony: Sing & Play Piano Songbook
Company: BRIGHTER MINDS MEDIA
Age: 3 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Satryan Ball
Company: ECLIPSE BALL INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Outdoor Fun
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Happy Cube
Company: KYP SALES & DISTRIBUTIONS
Age: 5 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Puzzles & Skill
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Boyz & Girlz Puzzles
Company: PLAYROOM ENTERTAINMENT
Age: 4 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Puzzles & Skill
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Children Are the Sunshine
Company: COV PRODUCTIONS
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Scaredy Squirrel
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 4-8
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Parlay
Company: REAL DEAL GAMES
Age: 9 and up
Price: $14.00
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Baby Road Trip: City
Company: BABY ROAD TRIP LLC
Age: 1-3
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Adventures in Storytelling: Christmas
Company: STORYWATCHERS CLUB
Age: 4-10
Price: $19.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: What's GNU
Company: THINKFUN
Age: 5-8
Price: $15.00
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Trixieville — Avena
Company: MANHATTAN TOY
Age: 6 and up
Price: $14.99
Category: Dolls
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Peekaboo Polar Bear
Company: BRIGHTER MINDS MEDIA
Age: 3 and up
Price: $9.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Skies
Company: COLORCALM INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Twisted Fish
Company: McNEILL DESIGNS FOR BRIGHTER MINDS LLC
Age: 10 and up
Price: $9.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Santa´s Trivia Game
Company: b EQUAL
Age: 6 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: The Books of The Holy Bible Learning Activity
Company: BOOKS OF THE HOLY BIBLE LEARNING ACTIVITY
Age: 8 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Educational
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: U GO GRL Activity Collectible Trading Cards
Company: LOCASMARTS
Age: 8 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Trading Cards
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Inventive Thinking
Company: SCHOLASTIC
Age: 5-17
Price: Not Specified
Category: Science & Nature
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Baby Clothes Quilt Kit
Company: TICCHE & BEA
Age: Adult
Price: Not Specified
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Now I´m Reading! Silly Story Laboratory
Company: INNOVATIVEKIDS
Age: 6 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Educational
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Panzer Grenadier - Airborne, Introductory Edition
Company: AVALANCHE PUBLISHING
Age: 10 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Peer-X Binocular-Scope
Company: PEER-X INT'L
Age: 7 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Science & Nature
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Verticon Air Battle Arena
Company: WILD PLANET
Age: 6 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Travel With Kids Caribbean DVD
Company: EQUATOR CREATIVE MEDIA
Age: 5-16
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Chicka Chicka 1 2 3 ... and More Stories About Counting
Company: SCHOLASTIC
Age: 2-6
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Our World: A Child's First Picture Atlas
Company: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Age: 3-6
Price: Not Specified
Category: Books
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Sunny Sunshine
Company: THINKATIVITY INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Glue Dots Sheets — Memory Book
Company: GLUE DOTS INTERNATIONAL
Age: 5 and up
Price: $4.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Logicolors
Company: GEFFNER - PLAY & LEARN
Age: 6 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Giza
Company: FUN FACTORY GAMES
Age: 8 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Petfolio
Company: WESKEL GAMES
Age: 3-6
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Diary of a Worm & Friends Finger Puppets Playset
Company: MERRYMAKERS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $15.00
Category: Books
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Street Smarts
Company: K.C's PRODUCTION GROUP
Age: 3-9
Price: Not Specified
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Dogs WoW Dogs
Company: ANIMAL WOW ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Age: 3-7
Price: $19.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review.
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 Name: This Little Piggy and Other Rhymes to Sing and Play
Company: CANDLEWICK PRESS
Age: 1-5
Price: $19.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Ladies First
Company: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Age: 10 and up
Price: $18.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review.
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 Name: In-Jean-Uity
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 10 and up
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Alaska Scramble Squares
Company: b. dazzle, inc.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $8.99
Category: Puzzles & Skill
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Roll 'n Multiply
Company: EMINES
Age: 8 and up
Price: $24.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Zingo! Heroes
Company: THINKFUN
Age: 4-8
Price: $16.99
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this TDmonthly's Toy Expert review.
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 Name: Ruth
Company: CANDY BOX KIDS INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $24.99
Category: Dolls
Please click here to read this TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review.
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 Name: GoScope 350
Company: ORION TELESCOPES & BINOCULARS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $149.95
Category: Science & Nature
What Is It?
This is the coolest, most transportable little scope around — good for terrestrial viewing, as well as skywatching. There’s a 70mm achromatic refractor, complete with alt/az tripod, two eyepieces (a 10mm and a 20 mm Kellner), a correct-image diagonal and an EZ Finder II. Everything fits into a backpack for easy transport, and there’s even a DVD version of the Starry Night software, which lets you play astronomer on the computer before nightfall (which my seven year old did constantly for a week straight).
What We Thought
One seven-year-old avid astronomy buff, one nine-year-old smart older brother, and I took this baby camping up at Sequoia National Monument (with a group led by a well-known nature photographer). 7000 feet up with clear skies, sitting in the middle of the sweetest alpine meadow anyone’s ever seen, we could only drool, waiting for darkness. In the group was a professional astronomer from UC Santa Cruz, who brought his expensive apo refractor, GoTo mount and CCD camera (we used this as a comparison with the GoScope 350). The kids couldn’t wait, so before complete blackness, we spotted the 1st quarter moon, and played around with the eyepieces. Score one for us, as the professional astronomer hadn’t even begun to put his scope on his mount yet. Come darkness, and we sighted on Jupiter. Sure, it looked color-perfect in the pro-scope, but we could see the Galilean moons no sweat, and I taught the kids how to find things with the scope themselves – a draw here with the professional. This was July 4th weekend, and mid-summer beautiful. The Sagittarius and Scorpius star clouds were in full bloom, and we were now gathering other kids from the group. All wanted to try their hand at the scope. Open clusters, globular clusters, the Trifid Nebula (M20). It was spectacular. Okay, it was even more spectacular in the bigger, much more costly pro scope with the computer-controlled mount, but no way would the astronomer let anyone mess too much with his scope. I let the kids go wild.
Why They’ll Want It
Hey, this is a beginner’s scope cum backpacker’s dream. There are small super-expensive options out there, but for kids, nothing beats this. Hands-on is hands-on, and this rugged little thing can take a bit of punishment. Plus, it comes in a backpack, so kids can go to their friends’ with it, take it to school, etc. It’s great for nature spotting, too. The Starry Night is pretty incredible, and this is too much fun to pass up.
-- Mark Zaslove, 7/25/06
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 Name: Starry Night Explorer Binocular Stargazing Kit
Company: ORION TELESCOPES & BINOCULARS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $79.95
Category: Science & Nature
What Is It?
These rugged 7x35 binoculars are a great introduction to the heavens and binocular astronomy. With a Star Target year-round star map showing what’s up there, a RedBeam Mini LED astronomy flashlight to read the map by, and the Starry Night DVD software to have on the computer back in the house, as well as a case and strap, this kit leaves nothing to chance.
What We Thought
We tested these babies out on a camping trip up at Sequoia National Monument (with a group led by a well-known nature photographer), 7000 feet up with clear skies, July 4th weekend, and the summer Milky Way above us. I had my seven year old and his nine-year-old brother along, and as soon as it got dark, we let ‘er rip. One thing about binocular astronomy: with a telescope, you spot the object, get it into range, focus and then view a stationary object. Binoc viewing, is totally different: it’s free. It’s like, the wind and the lion. The lion is noble, but earthbound, the wind is free to go anywhere. These binocs let the kids truly see the wonders of the sky. Wherever they turned in the tapestry of night, there were star clusters and nebula, the moon and planets. And stereo-optically viewed, the brain makes it seem 3D. It was amazing, and the kids were immediately fighting over who got to view next.
Why They’ll Want It
Astronomy, at its core, is about a sense of wonder. Ancient man looked up at the stars and wondered what was up there. The freedom of using these binoculars maintains that sense of wonder. There’s no mount to calibrate, eyepieces to drop on the ground, cords to get tangled in. One simply points and looks, and the heavens open up. This kit is a perfect starter for any fledgling astronomer: not too heavy, but rugged enough to take some wallops. Get a dark sky and let your wonder take over.
-- Mark Zaslove, 7/25/06
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 Name: Works of Art: Watercolor Workshop
Company: RED FARM STUDIO
Age: 6 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Exploring Our United States
Company: GEFFNER - PLAY & LEARN
Age: 6-8
Price: Not Specified
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: The Super Duper Art & Craft Activity Book
Company: CHRONICLE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
Age: 4 and up
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: What a Way to Play!
Company: VERY DERRYBERRY PRODUCTIONS
Age: All Ages
Price: $12.00
Category: Audio & CD
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: The Funky Bead Chest
Company: BEAD BAZAAR/KID JOURNEYS
Age: 4 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Magicrayon Coloring Shirts
Company: MAGICRAYON INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $12.95
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Glockenspiel
Company: HOHNER
Age: 3 and up
Price: $17.99
Category: Musical Toys
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Play & Freeze Ice Cream Maker
Company: INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $34.95
Category: Candy & Food
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Terri Lee Princess Ballerina
Company: TERRI LEE ASSOCIATES
Age: 3 and up
Price: $24.99
Category: Dolls
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Mighty World: Diego the Firefighter
Company: INTERNATIONAL PLAYTHINGS LLC
Age: 3 and up
Price: $3.99
Category: Action Figures
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: WavyWand
Company: ALIGHT TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Age: 6 and up
Price: $30.00
Category: Electronics
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: My Mei Mei
Company: PENGUIN GROUP USA
Age: 4 and up
Price: $16.99
Category: Books
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Margaret
Company: ACTION PUBLISHING
Age: 3-12
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Scrapbookit Baby's Story
Company: AVALANCHE PUBLISHING
Age: All Ages
Price: $19.95
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Little Scrapbook in a Box
Company: S.E.I.
Age: All Ages
Price: $24.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
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 Name: UglyDoll Card Game
Company: GAMEWRIGHT
Age: 6 and up
Price: $10.00
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Chocolate Chip Bath Cookie kit
Company: KITS FOR CRAFTS
Age: All Ages
Price: $39.95
Category: Arts & Crafts
What Is It?
This kit contains all the ingredients to make a delicious batch of chocolate chip cookies that you’d never dare eat. Following simple instructions, you coat big chunks of rock salt with glycerin and black mica until they look like chocolaty chips. A bit of milk-chocolate scent adds to the illusion. Then mix milk powder, oat meal and baking power with some cocoa butter (Mom or Dad will have to melt it for the kids), add some glycerin, more scent and fractionated coconut oil and … voila! The cookie batter’s ready, too! All of the ingredients are included.
What We Thought
This was a fun activity that’s easy to do. Many of the products are premeasured, but there’s still plenty of chance for kids to learn the difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon. The finished product smells very much like chocolate and looks something like cookies, too. Included are cellophane gift bags, gold-toned twist-ties and labels so kids can send cookies off to all of their friends and relatives. The cookies make bath time nice and soothing. But not only will kids learn to “cook” they’ll also learn about housekeeping: The mica leaves a very noticeable Cat-in-the-Hat type ring around the bathtub that really requires a bit of scrubbing!
Why They’ll Want It
This is a great kit for a slumber party or other kid get-together. The ingredients even need to be mixed up in two different bowls, which means that one set of kids can make the chips while the other whips up the batter. They’ll especially love being able to give the “cookies” away as a unique and unexpected gift. And what could be better than taking a bath in cookie dough?
— Alison Marek, 6/30/06
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 Name: Coocoo the Rocking Clown
Company: BLUE ORANGE GAMES
Age: 3 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Preschool
What Is It?
Coocoo the Rocking Clown is a colorful all-wood rocking clown who balances colored wooden circles on his arms and head. Kids are challenged to add as many “balls” to Coocoo’s arms as possible, without throwing him off balance. The game includes one wooden rocking clown, 24 wooden balls and instructions.
What We Thought
Judging by the reactions of the kids we showed Coocoo, it’s a great toy! Even though the age grade recommends 3 and up, even the 1-year-old was fascinated (although she didn’t actually understand how it worked!). And the adults liked it, too. The concept is so simple, that you don’t even need the included instructions. One father who looked at it said, “It improves eye-hand coordination; develops kids´ intuition for physical balance and requires thinking and planning.” He especially liked that the playtime was short, the game could be replayed multiple times, and that it takes up very little space.
Why They’ll Want It
It’s nicely made, fun to play and it’s a great kids’ room decoration, too. Kids will want it because it’s an easy game that’s resolved quickly. Parents will appreciate its quality, ease of use, and the fact that it’s cute enough to not need storage. Just let Coocoo rock on the shelf!
— TDmonthly Staff, 6/30/06
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 Name: Miss O & Friends Trouble With a Capital O
Company: MISS O & FRIENDS™
Age: 8-12
Price: $5.99
Category: Books
What Is It?
Miss O & Friends are a group of characters (originally started on the web site, Miss O & Friends) first thought up by then 10-year-old Juliette Brindak. Over five years, Juliette, her younger sister Olivia (the real Miss O), some friends and their art director/artist mom Hermine, evolved an organic, authentic tween world based on the very girls who thought it up. This is their first foray into novel form. The book takes up and expands where the Web site leaves off, giving a prose view of the life of Miss O (into soccer and baking), while cousin Harlie is funky and urban and waaay into gymnastics, and Juliette, Justine and Isabella (sister and friends) are into all the things they’re into being into.
What We Thought
Very cool. I may not be a tween girl (and never was), but these books are a fun, easy read, which are both age-appropriate and not patronizing in any way, shape or form. I ran them by my niece (age 11), and she thought they were great (though, to be honest, she already is on the Web site). She liked the fact the girls sounded and acted like her friends. She wanted to see more books, and when I told her that one of the new books were written by girls her age (Miss O & Friends Write On!: The Miss O & Friends Collection of Rockin’ Fiction), she thought that was great.
Why They’ll Want ItFace it: it’s By Girls, For Girls, and there’s nothing out there so integrated to that age group. It’s fun, it’s sassy, and it’s heartfelt. The illustrations are hip, and there’s no “talking down”. This is about tweens, and it works. Much as Nancy Drew spoke to generations of girls in its time and place, Miss O speaks to the tween generation of girls today … and tomorrow.
— TDmonthly Staff, 5/11/06
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 Name: What Should We Name the Twins?
Company: WEE GALLERY
Age: All Ages
Price: $6.95
Category: Books
What Is It?
A board book with simple black-and-white illustrations enhanced by swaths of muted colors, “What Should We Call the Twins?” is designed to stimulate tiny brains and introduce them to the concept of twindom. Artist Surya Sajnani was inspired to create such a book shortly after becoming a mother. She used high-contrast drawing to stimulate her own baby’s brain, then jumped into authordom.
What We Thought
I don’t know how babies’ll respond, but adults will like the humor and sketchy drawings. What should we call the twins? How about “Cal” and “Identi-Cal”? Since it’s a board book, it’ll take some wear and tear. It’s a nice way to introduce babies to the idea of books without worrying whether they’ll understand the words or not.
Why They’ll Want It
Any parent who’s interested in giving his or her kids a developmental head start will grab this book. Babies will like looking at the nearly identical twin drawings and, as they grow older, will appreciate the humor in the name play, too.
— Alison Marek, 5/5/06
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 Name: Moo, Moo Who Are You?
Company: BRIGHTER MINDS MEDIA
Age: 2 and up
Price: $6.95
Category: Books
What Is It?
In “Moo, Moo Where Are You?” kids visit a farm. Jango is excited about making friends with all of the animals. Spike is a little nervous. But luckily, all of the animals in this illustrated book are friendly. Each one introduces herself or himself and gives the kids a little pertinent info, such as “I love to east grass. How do you do? I give lots of milk and I say MOO!” Readers unfold the flap and reveal a photograph of a real cow.
What We Thought
The illustrations are adorable, and real photos help kids remember that the animals exist outside the cartoon world, too. Since the book is a joint venture with PBS Kids, the back has plenty of tips for parents and caregivers so they can encourage the kids to make sounds of the animals, fill in the missing blanks of the rhymes in the story and quiz them on colors.
Why’ll They Want ItThis is a great book for caretakers to read aloud with their favorite kids. There’s plenty of room for Mooing — and learning, too. Kids will especially like being able to open the flap to reveal the real animal. It makes peek-a-boo just a touch more edifying.
— Alison Marek, 5/5/06
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 Name: Noah’s Ark – Baby’s First Pop-Up
Company: BRIGHTER MINDS MEDIA
Age: All Ages
Price: $19.95
Category: Books
What Is It?
A soft, colorful cloth book relating the tale of Noah’s Ark’s is filled with pop-up surprises for young “readers.” All of the pop-up animals come in appropriate sets of two and have nice detailers such as trunks, horns, tails and fins.
What We Thought
This is a cute book for any kid who likes animals, which means, I guess, any kid. The pop-up animals will withstand substantial tugging and stand up nicely as soon as the page is opened. Kids will learn about animal names and will be introduced to the concept of animals pairing off. For kids who “read” at naptime, the book’s soft enough for a sleepy head.
Why’ll They Want It
Parents and other gifters will like giving a baby his or her first book. Adults will also appreciate that the book can get dunked in the tub, left in the rain or dragged through the mud without dire results. A quick wash in the sink and spin in the dryer will bring the book back to normal. Kids will be excited by the little “toys” in the book, and also by the myriad of cute animals that decorate its pages.
-- Alison Marek, 5/5/06
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 Name: Beethoven’s Wig 3
Company: ROUNDER RECORDS
Age: All Ages
Price: $15.99
Category: Audio & CD
What Is It?
Zany lyrics and classical music get together in this fun CD for kids and parents. An accompanying booklet with “librettos” lets kids sing along with the Toreador Song from Bizet’s Carmen: “Please keep your bull outside the china shop. No bulls allowed; that’s where they stop.” Opera lovers might cringe, but kids’ll squeal. For the purists (and for kids’ education), the sing-along symphonies are then followed by instrumental performances. The booklet is also filled with trivia questions that teach kids about the instruments and the composers.
What We Thought
Unlike many CDs for kids, the music is high quality. Well, with composers such as Bach, Bizet and Mozart, how could they go wrong? The Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra doesn’t hurt either. The lead soloist, Richard Perlmutter, has an appropriately kid-friendly voice, but he’s surrounded by hard-hitting sopranos and tenors, a contrast that adds to the silliness of the entire venture.
Why’ll They Want ItParents will love being able to introduce their kids to classical music in a fun and friendly way. Kids will enjoy the kookiness for itself and will undoubtedly get excited when hearing and recognizing the “songs” in their more normal context. Still, you have to wonder what it will be like for that grown-up kid when she sees Kubrick’s “2001” for the first time with the lyrics “Men of earth obey! Take me to your leader, take me to your leader” running through her head simultaneous with Strauss’s “Also Spake Zarathustra.”
-- Alison Marek, 5/5/06
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 Name: Diving Off the Coral Reef of Integers
Company: WORLD CLASS LEARNING MATERIALS INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $21.95
Category: Educational
What Is It?
It’s a board game that deals in math, but very specific math: adding and subtracting integers, positive and negative integers. For those who don’t remember what an integer is, or, more importantly, what a negative integer is, this is the game for you. And, it’s definitely the game for kids first learning about them. It has a colorful undersea-inspired board with a bubble route that leads to a treasure chest. Up to six “divers” (cool colored plastic game pieces) start at the top. In the easiest incarnation of the game, players roll three dice (one red, one white, one blue) and form an equation. If the answer is a positive number, the player moves forward accordingly. A negative number: back. First person to the treasure chest wins.
What We Thought
Okay, this is a game for ages 8 and up and my son’s 7, but he’s pretty darn good at math (and we’ve done negative numbers for a couple years now), so we thought we’d give it a try. First, we talked about the cool underwater stuff (he just got back from Hawaii and has been seeing this stuff for real). We then started the game. He was green, and I was blue. He rolled the dice and made the equation. Negative number. I rolled the dice and got a negative number. This went on for awhile, and we got a little frustrated, but finally, he got a positive number, and we were on our way. It took a little skull work, and a long time (too many negative numbers), but we finally came to a final equation showdown. I got the negative solution, and my son got the positive and won.
Why They’ll Want ItIt’s an excellent primer for adding and subtracting negative and positive numbers; a fun way to learn. Unfortunately, for us, there was more going backwards than forwards. There’s a level 2 and level 3 (for more sophisticated players). These are decks of equations (with the answers on the backs). Rather than two term equations, there were three term equations, and the upper level added multiplication and division. This should be useful for a number of learning years to come. All in all it’s a fun game and keeps the mind sharp, but there could be a few more twists and turns on the board. It’s definitely unique for what it does. -- TDmonthly Staff, 4/24/06
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 Name: Electronic T-Rex Battle
Company: UNCLE MILTON INDUSTRIES INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $26.99
Category: Science & Nature
What Is It?
In a kind of a prehistoric “Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Robots,” two ferocious T-Rexs (plastic and articulated) face off in a rocky ring for a battle to the death. One player grabs the “controlling” tail of one carnivore, and the other player grabs the tail of the other. Switch it on, and there are roars galore. There’s also an electronic counter to keep track of their “health” — 9 is healthy, and 0 … is extinct. The first player to drop the opposing T-Rex’s health to 0 wins.
What We Thought
My 7-year-old son isn’t a big dinosaur fan yet (he’s more into astronomy), but this is more about battle than paleontology, so he was game. After putting in the batteries and attaching the tails, we were “Reaaaady to ruuuuumble!” My son took the green T-Rex, and I took the greener T-Rex, and the battle commenced. We found by twisting the tails, the mouths opened and closed, then, by sliding the base, we got into it. It was a little like thumb wrestling, each of us trying to grab the other with our “jaws” and score a point on the other (take away one of their health points). It was a little difficult to actually know what worked, and what didn’t, but there was lots of roaring, so it was pretty cool. Seems biting the neck and chest do the trick. My son won the first round, and I won the second. It was time for the deciding battle royale! Unfortunately, my tail kept coming off in the heat of the match, and I lost resoundingly. I was bummed. Not by losing, but by losing because of injury. Seems T-Rex tails are pretty fragile things.
Why They’ll Want ItIt’s loud, active, biting, munching, point scoring and full of T-Rexs. It’s pretty great. But … the plastic seems a bit breakable, and the tails definitely came off too easily. Whether this would hold up more than a week with two rambunctious kids is the real question, but for playability, it scores a nine out of 10 on the Dino-rating system. -- TDmonthly Staff, 4/24/06
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 Name: Spalding Never Flat basketball
Company: SPALDING SPORTS WORLDWIDE
Age: 9 and up
Price: $39.99
Category: Sporting Goods & Accessories
at Is It?
It’s a basketball. A Spalding basketball. A Spalding composite leather indoor/outdoor basketball (29.5”). So it’s the real McCoy. But here’s the twist: It has NitroFlate, a groundbreaking technology developed by former NASA and Dupont scientists, which is guaranteed to keep this basketball holding air up to 10 times longer than traditional basketballs (it is, in fact, guaranteed to stay fully inflated for at least one year — with no additional air needed during that period). Now that’s a basketball.
What We Thought
My 7-year-old son is just learning the ins and outs of b-ball (I’m a former Pali High grad, and we lived basketball, mostly for spare change and as a feeder school to UCLA) so we took to the park Saturday morning for a game of hoops. We dribbled, we passed, we dunked (I held him on my shoulders). We kicked the ball around. We played handball with it, dodge ball, and we even dropped the thing from the top of a 10-story building (don’t try this at home; I’m a professional toy reviewer). The ball held up like an NBA champ. And we did it the next Saturday, too. And the next. It is now four months later, and the ball is still as dribble-able (is that a word?) as the day we first tried it. Hasn’t lost a breath of air. Now that’s some basketball. It’s been in pickup games, was lent to a girls’ basketball team for an inside game, and was dropped a few more times from the 10-story building. It definitely lives up to its guarantee.
Why They’ll Want It
For a general, all-around, never-worry-about-it basketball, this is it. No muss. No fuss. No pumps. No saggy ball. This gets our full, whole-hearted recommendation. On the Kobe Bryant scale of 1 to 81, this gets a Wilt Chamberlain 100.
-- TDmonthly Staff, 4/24/06
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 Name: Mommy, Teach Me Spanish! —– Que Duermas Bien (Sweet Dreams)
Company: FIESTA FRIENDS LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Videos & DVDs
What Is It?
This video series centers on the home and daily routines of babies and children through age 9. Kids meet Fuerte, the adorable Chihuahua, and his amigo Fuego, a chili pepper. The video also stars the Fiesta Friends Kids, bright graphics, fun musical scenes and unique toys. “Que Duermas bien — Sweet Dreams” centers on the bedtime routine.
What We Thought
Cute kids and puppets abound in this colorful instructional DVD. Children learn to sing familiar songs, such as “Are You Sleeping?” in Spanish. The video also teaches them key phrases through repetition. Later in the video, they build on their skills by asking and answering simple questions.
Why They’ll Want It
Parents can use this video to gently introduce their kids to a new language. Kids will love the silly puppets and will also have fun learning new words and commands along with the other kids on the video. Since the Fiesta Friends Kids are themselves at different levels of learning Spanish, children won’t feel intimidated if they can’t pronounce all the words exactly right the first time. They’ll also want to replay the DVD again and again — thereby strengthening their skills — to hear their favorite songs and to watch Fuerte and Fuego create mischief in two languages.
— Alison Marek, 4/18/06
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 Name: Kids Cook!
Company: IDEALS PUBLICATIONS
Age: 8-12
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Meet the Letters Lift the Flap Book
Company: PRESCHOOL PREP COMPANY
Age: 1-5
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Reversible Princess Costume
Company: BDAY PARTIES LLC
Age: 3-7
Price: $15.00
Category: Pretend Play
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: ZipBin — Mansion
Company: NEAT-OH! INTERNATIONAL LLC
Age: 3 and up
Price: $24.99
Category: Play Sets
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Little Storyteller
Company: THINKATIVITY INC.
Age: 1-3
Price: $19.99
Category: Infant & Toddler
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Cuddle'ums Elephant
Company: BESTEVER INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $20.00
Category: Plush
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Stranger Safety
Company: THE SAFE SIDE, LLC
Age: 5-10
Price: $19.98
Category: Videos & DVDs
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: The Knit-It Kit for Kids
Company: CHRONICLE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
Age: 4 and up
Price: $16.95
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: ME! etc.
Company: DIMENSIONS/PERLER
Age: 6 and up
Price: $14.99
Category: Play Sets
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Wai Lana's Little Yogis Fun Songs CD & Lyric Book
Company: WAI LANA
Age: 3 and up
Price: $18.00
Category: Musical Toys
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Animal House
Company: PLAY SMART
Age: 2 and up
Price: $11.00
Category: Play Sets
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Wordzzo
Company: WESTWIND GAMES
Age: 7 and up
Price: $9.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Cardformers
Company: RAINBOW GAMES INC.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $20.00
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Ancient Egypt Toob
Company: SAFARI LTD.®
Age: 3 and up
Price: $7.50
Category: Play Sets
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Slooh Explore Space Live Telescope Time Card
Company: BLUESTORM PRODUCTIONS INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: Not Specified
Category: Science & Nature
What Is It?
It is a “credit card” of astronomical fun: The Slooh card allows an “observer” using their home computer to log onto one of the two robotic observatories located in the Canary Islands (off the African Coast) and observe in real time deep sky objects, planets, the moon, asteroids, the whole shooting match, while helping to choose sights, as well as take pictures to their computer! It’s like being a real astronomer.
What We Thought
My 7-year-old son has been an astronomy buff since he’s been two (knows all the planets, knows about the Big Bang, etc.); we love the planetarium and going out with a little telescope and looking at the stars. The Slooh is perfect for us. We logged in on the computer, and because the Slooh observatories are in Africa, it’s early afternoon for us when the observing starts. First, you go to the Launch Pad screen, where you see what the weather’s like, get real time pictures of the observatories, see what the “missions” are going to be for that night (every five minutes each of the telescopes changes missions, from planets to nebulae, to galaxies), we helped vote on some of the missions and picked one ourselves. Then, we waited for the observing to begin. When it does, it’s very cool. Each observatory dome has two telescopes in it, one wide-field, the other higher powered, and when a new mission starts, you switch between the two as the CCD cameras capture more and more light and the image gets better and better. There’s a “DJ” that’s kinda mellow, playing music and talking about the different astronomical objects (kind of New Age meets Carl Sagen), there’s a chat room to talk to other observers, and you can snap your own digital photos. It’s addictive!
Why They’ll Want It
It’s real astronomy from your very own home. It’s exciting to watch each object “develop” on-screen. The views run from pretty good to spectacular. It’s great for birthdays, Christmas and any kid (or adult) who likes astronomy. It’s a must have if you like the night sky.
— TDmonthly Staff, 4/17/06
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 Name: Built for Speed Race Car
Company: BESTEVER INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $18.00
Category: Infant & Toddler
What Is It?
The Built for Speed Race Car is a 14” long, 7” tall, 9” wide plush race car. The bright yellow car is emblazoned with red flames and the name “Speedster” on the hood. It consists entirely of soft plush with the exception of two small red plastic headlights, approximately ˝” in diameter.
What We Thought
When I first saw the toy I was disappointed in the fact that, because it was all one piece, the wheels did not turn. However, the toddlers who played with it did not even notice that fact. The bright colors and large size attracted them immediately. The non-moving wheels may be an issue for older children. The fact that it’s completely plush (except for the headlights) is a plus when dealing with the average toddler’s habit of throwing things, and it can even serve as a pillow in a pinch.
Why They’ll Want It
I think the bright colors and size will make this car a standout on retailers’ shelves for children. But more importantly, I think adults will look at it and say, “A plush car — now I can have play dates without worrying about tears.” Retailers should consider this race car, along with the plane and truck, because although there are other plush vehicles on the market, this is one of the largest, and it’s realistic enough to inspire a “vroom” from the young children in my life.
— Jodi M. Webb, 4/05/2006
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 Name: A Fire in My Hands
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 12 and up
Price: $16.00
Category: Books
What Is It?
Exploring the everyday moments of life, author and poet Gary Soto uses words of wonder inspired by his youth in California´s Central Valley to create rich poems. They move with direct and vivid prose that brims with emotions. This critically acclaimed collection revisits favorite poems and introduces new ones — some humorous, some heartfelt, all memorable.
What We Thought
I loved this book. The poems don’t rhyme and only provide a brief snapshot of who Soto was as a young man. Each poem spans a mere one to two pages and includes a short introduction from Soto. For instance, he presents his poem “All the Luck” with “In high school I nursed my loneliness by the school fountain where others like me sat with nothing to do. I was seventeen.” His poems are stark and yet lyrical at the same time, all either slightly tragic or somewhat uplifting. In “All the Luck,” for example, he talks of his being in love with the homecoming queen who was in love with “some muscle in a letterman’s jacket” while he “wore a hairnet and served chili beans.” He studies cells in his biology class and then goes to his fountain to find trash floating in it while the homecoming queen sails by on a float. He sheds a tear, one would conclude, because he feels more connected to the trash on the water than the beautiful girl on the float, though they are both comprised of the same organic matter. Yet, rather than overtly state this, Soto just presents the details, gives hints to his emotions, and lets the reader feel each scene on his or her own.
Why They’ll Want ItBecause these poems read like brief narratives, they are easy for everyone from children to adults to embrace. Soto’s sparing use of imagery and his discussion of familiar topics makes the poetry universally easy to understand. Yet, as readers grow and revisit the poems over the years, they will invariably find new meanings in the words. It’s the kind of book that won’t gather too much dust sitting on a family’s shelf. — Vanessa VanderZanden, 4/05/06
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 Name: DVD MagIQ
Company: TINY LOVE
Age: 1-2
Price: Not Specified
Category: Infant & Toddler
What Is It?
This combination educational DVD and interactive plush toy lets baby watch television with a cuddly companion who laughs and sings along. The DVD develops children’s learning abilities by enveloping them in an interactive environment where they are led through lessons by a trio of barnyard friends. They can join Tiny the dog, Tickle the lamb or Dot the cow (who’s recommended for ages 12 to 36 months) as they help build vocabulary and motor skills while always managing to have fun. And the plush version of the cartoon sits beside them, taking part in the story and helping them learn, too.
What We Thought
Although the doll and television should be synchronized, probably due to our bad sound system, we could only get it to work a couple of times. When it works right, the doll comments on what´s going on onscreen, "talks" to the other animals, or sings along. I acknowledge that the concept of the interaction between the doll and the video is very interesting, but in our reality, I don´t think it actually added that much to the experience. Our 1-year-old loves the video and the plush doll on their own merits. She calls them both "Shiny!" for some reason. She will stand at the television and call, "Shiny!" when she wants to watch it.
Why They’ll Want It
Although my daughter is a little older than the recommended age for this toy, she loves the little songs that the animals sing, and often asks me to sing them. The doll talks and sings when you press its belly button, too. When watching the video, Sarah names some of the objects that appear on the screen, and "dances" to the music. There is a version for older babies that I may look into … I´m sure she´ll like it if "Shiny" is in it!
— Michelle Quirk, 4/04/06
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 Name: The 40 Year-Old Virgin Talking Doll
Company: KAMHI WORLD
Age: 18 and up
Price: $14.95
Category: Novelties
What Is It?
The collector collected: This 7” high vinyl figure is a miniature replica of Andy Stitzer, the 40-year-old collector of miniature replicas whose obsession with teeny tiny vinyl men prolonged his virginity. Sculpted by Paul Brooke, little Andy looks startlingly like big Andy (Steve Carell) from the hit film, “The 40 Year-Old Virgin,” thanks to true-to-life details such as an overdeveloped schnoz and underdeveloped physique. Andy is dressed fetchingly in navy blue dotted-swiss boxers with brown anklets and matching shoes. He comes post-wax job, with a nice smiling face etched into his manly chest fur. He stands jauntily on a talking plinth that’s activated with a red hot button, emitting nine phrases from the movie, such as “I’m shyyyyyyy!” and “You know, guys … this is not a good look for me!” in Carrell’s own voice.
What We Thought
He’s cute, he’s little and he’ll go anywhere you want him to … what’s not to love? The sculpting and paint job are high quality and his confidently unconfident pose is instantly endearing. Taking the talking Andy doll at his own word (“It loses its value if you take it out of its packaging.”) I couldn’t quite bear to “open him up” but since his own clear packaging has a finger hole near the plinth to access the hot button and a perforated top to allow for maximum sound transmission, there’s really no need. Besides, the package insert is illustrated with scenes and dialogue from the movie, which only adds to the fun.
Why They’ll Want ItThe 40 Year-Old Virgin Talking Doll should reach a wide demographic: guys who laughed their guts out during the movie, gals who fantasized about “curing” Andy, and 40-year-old collectors who can finally collect themselves. It’s a perfect gag gift and would be a great distraction from office work when plopped next to the computer. Which is why I’m taking this one, Boss. — Alison Marek, 4/04/06
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 Name: I’ve Never … The Game of Truth
Company: INI, LLC
Age: Adult
Price: $19.99
Category: General Games
What Is It?
Let’s make this perfectly clear: this is an adult game that rocks. It’s based on the old drinking game of the same name, but brought to a professional level, with slick board and funny cards to draw from. In a nutshell: players roll the dice, moving along the board. When a player lands on “Draw an I’ve Never Card,” that player draws a card from the pile and reads the question aloud. “I’ve never toilet papered someone’s house.” If True: You’re a wimp, take a big drink. If Not True: Free Ride. The cards can get very suggestive. After the player answers the question and moves according to the card, the next player goes. To win: first player to the “Finish” line. If you lie and get caught: Imaginative punishments can be doled out.
What We Thought
So, perfect game for a New Years Eve party, right? First thing: the youngest player begins the game. Everyone claimed to be the youngest player, even a grandmother of eight. After we got that sorted out, we handed shot glasses to everyone (size of drink is user established) and got the big gallon bottle of vodka out. We were ready. First draw for a woman doctor? “I’ve never had sex while at work?” Obviously we had to clarify other doctors, patients and cadavers. She answered false (if true, she would have moved forward) and had to squeal like a pig. And so it went: cheating on exams, cheating on spouses, drinking, quacking like a duck and one big ol’ lie: we can’t say what, but we knew the guy in college and he fibbed big time. We made him get spanked by his wife. (We agreed that the wife was a little too enthusiastic about it.) A good drunken time was had by all.
Why They’ll Want It
Hey, it’s really fun. And you get to drink a lot. And you talk about sex. And there’s even a “strip” version (none of us were brave enough, or going through a divorce enough to try it). This is a particularly handy game because most of the time, no one can think of a good drinking game, and even if they do, they can’t always remember the rules. This takes care of all of that, plus makes the game more entertaining. Grab the game, grab a bottle, grab some people and play!
--TDmonthly Staff, 1/30/2006
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 Name: Glamaphone
Company: FASHION ANGELS
Age: 8-12
Price: $49.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
What Is It?
What could be more fun for tween girls? Decorating this phone with gems and maribou or rappin’ with their friends? This high fashion phone comes with adorable flower power buttons and super tape ready to decorate. All kids do is attach the multi colored gems, glitter and fabulous fur after they’ve removed the paper containing adhesive and they´re ready to chat for hours.
What We Thought
What a fantastic phone! Not only is it easy to stick the sparkly buttons onto the adhesive that is already wrapped around the phone base and handle, but the bits stay on even as the phone gets used during mega-chat sessions. Be careful not to remove the adhesive, though, because once it’s removed, it’s hard to find a glue that will keep the buttons on as tight. Also, the glitter won’t stick without it. And, though this reviewer prefers cordless phones, it’s no hassle using this stationary phone as the cord is long and the base is easy to drag from room to room. At least, if you live in a one-bedroom apartment, that is.
Why They’ll Want It
Make-it-yourself crafts that allow the user to show off her hard work and artistic zealousness is all the rage right now, and this phone looks great on a side table or shelftop. With only a modicum of effort this useful telephone becomes a work of art, providing a real sense of accomplishment for busy girls who still like to remain crafty. And besides, it’s so glamorous that chatting on this phone while wearing a smoking jacket and sipping a martini (not recommended for users under the age of 21) feels like an event.
-- Vanessa VanderZanden, 1/30/06
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 Name: Quelf
Company: WIGGITY BANG GAMES
Age: 6 and up
Price: $34.99
Category: General Games
What Is It?
Bearing the slogan, "Random has a new name," this unusual family, friend and party game challenges players to escape from the unusual land of Quelf. But it´s not easy. As characters move down a topsy-turvy, colorful brick road surrounded by pink blimps and peculiar creatures, players must answer bizarre questions and meet peculiar demands in order to advance. For instance, "How many fingers and toes combined do four one-legged weathermen and three blind, armless, retired submarine commanders have?" one player may be asked. Another may be told, "For the remainder of the game, every sentence that you speak must end with the words: ´Hear me, for I have spoken.´ If you forget, pay the penalty." The game has 720 cards, 8 game pieces, a game board, 2 pencils and a pad of paper, 1 dice and 1 timer as well as 1 giant invisible harpoon.
What We Thought
The game includes five differently colored stacks of cards that each stand for a different kind of activity. Our favorite was the red stack, that involved players going around the circle trying to remember a different boy band that hadn’t been said yet or a one syllable word that starts with the letter W. Less enjoyable cards were the yellow ones, or stunt cards, which demanded players do something silly like “pretend you’re a mute prison guard with your legs glued together” or “do the hula dance while singing a hula song.” Sounds funny, but is probably more of a howl for kids age 8 and under. Still, the other cards fell somewhere in between silly and intellectual and proved entertaining for all.
Why They’ll Want It
The board is colorful, the character pieces are humorous and every third card or so drawn brought a chuckle to at least one player. The game play was long enough to enjoy over a solid evening without dragging on interminably and cards were challenging enough that movement up the board was possible, but not so facile as to be a no-brainer. Also, the directions were easy to understand and easy to implement so that game play could get started soon after taking pieces out of the box. -- Vanessa VanderZanden, 1/30/06
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 Name: Giant Glitter Scoubiloop
Company: SCOUBILOOP LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Arts & Crafts
What Is It?
Scoubiloop strands are a colorful collection of plastic hollow strands that can be braided into key rings, friendship bracelets and even animals. This particular pack of high quality, odorless glittery strands is larger than the normal fare, measuring a full 6.5 feet per strand, and considerably thicker in width. The package includes instructions to a basic rectangular knotted design that can be attached to a large key ring and used as a key holder or tied to a doorknob as a decoration. Visitors to the Scoubiloop Web site can view instructions to other designs that the colorful strands can woven into.
What We Thought
Because these strands are so thick and long, they can be a bit more unwieldy than the normal Scoubiloop variety. However, they can also make larger crafts, a boon for anyone who likes to show off the results of their labor in a big way, and the basic weaving instructions are still relatively easy to follow. The fact that the plastic strands are round also poses logistical problems that would be less taxing were the strands flat, but the round, hollow design does allow for wire to be easily fit within the material, making more complex projects easier to pull off. All in all, crafting with Scoubiloop Giant Glitter strands is worth the effort.
Why They’ll Want It
Playing with pastel rainbow-colored glitter strands is good times for any girl, especially when the activity can be done while watching close football matches, episodes of The Office or while chilling on the playground, talking trash about the hall monitor. And what mom, best friend or future boyfriend wouldn’t want to receive a plastic glitter rectangle thingy that can be put to a million uses, from holding the laundry key to dangling off the paper towel dispenser to decorating a belt loop or baseball cap size adjuster? The addictive activity will have many converts in the new year — mark my words.
-- Vanessa VanderZanden, 1/30/06
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 Name: Isolate
Company: EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS INC.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: General Games
What Is It?
Each player is given 4 tiles of either red, green, yellow or blue to place on the board, touching other tiles on at least one side. Then, players move by sliding rows of tiles either vertically or horizontally. This game of strategy challenges players to isolate their colored tiles from other bordering tiles. In so doing, they can remove their pieces from the board. The first player to remove all of his or her four tiles, wins.
What We Thought
The directions were easy to follow, with detailed images to guide players through game play. The plastic pieces slid easily in the grooves on the board during game play and fastened tidily in the bottom of the board for easy storage. It only took about 20 minutes to complete one game, which meant more opportunity for rematches so that multiple players had a chance to win at a single sitting. In addition, players could learn quickly what strategies worked best and use that knowledge to improve during future games. All in all, Isolate is a handy little game, nice for passing the time between conversation and is small enough that it can be brought along on car trips.
Why They’ll Want It
Isolate is so simple to pick up, it nicely rounds out any game player’s collection. It’s perfect for evenings when players want to have a little fun, but don’t want to commit to a long bout of competitive strategizing. It will force players to think in a new, visual way, without taxing their brains after a long day of work or studying. In addition, all members of the family can play this game together, since the game doesn’t require knowledge of facts or trivia.
-- Vanessa VanderZanden, 1/30/06
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 Name: Nightmorphs
Company: RIVER DOLPHIN TOYS
Age: 4 and up
Price: $24.95
Category: Play Sets
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Speed Spell
Company: BECKY'S HOME CIRCLE
Age: 8 and up
Price: $12.00
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: BuyWord
Company: FACE 2 FACE
Age: 8 and up
Price: $27.00
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Get Ready For Kindergarten!
Company: INNOVATIVEKIDS
Age: 3-6
Price: $24.99
Category: Educational
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: 1001 Stories
Company: KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 4 and up
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
Please click here to read TDmonthly´s Toy Expert review of this product.
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 Name: I'm a Pill Bug
Company: KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $7.95
Category: Books
What Is It?
A book about a pill bug … plain and simple, written by Yukihisa Tokuda and illustrated by Kiyoshi Takahashi. It’s kind of a day-in-the-life of a pill bug: what they eat, what they do, why they curl up into little balls. The pictures are stylized and beautiful. The words are a little beyond the very beginning readers, but not much.
What We Thought
My 6-year-old son likes pill bugs. This book made him want to go get a bunch of pill bugs and bring them inside. Fortunately, the book itself suggests this very thing, so we collected the bugs, put them in a jar, then read the book to them.
Why They’ll Want It
Any child interested in insects will want to read this book, and it’s a very beautiful primer for parents who like a little education with their picture books.
--TDmonthly Staff, 1/5/06
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 Name: Radio Controlled Fly Wheels
Company: JAKKS PACIFIC INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Remote Controlled
What Is It?
Red. Radio controlled. And very cool. These full function Fly Wheels go forwards, backwards, 360 degrees, with a radio control that sends them skittering around like waterbugs on steroids. With varying-sized wheels (from High Performance to All Terrain), these things rock.
What We Thought
Okay, let’s be honest, you shouldn’t torture dogs. But me and The Boy (with six years under his belt of high spirited mischief) couldn’t resist hounding our hound with this R/C Fly Wheel. It’s just two wheels and a motor and has the ability to spin and change directions on a dime — enough for us to be able to have pursued the mutt over, under, sideways, down, and finally under the bed … where we went in for the coup de grace. I heard tell the babysitter got a good workout later that night, too.
Why They’ll Want It
This thing is so easy to control, so responsive and because it’s only two-wheeled, really pretty impossible to stall, that anyone with a need for speed will love it. And it keeps the dog from getting fat and complacent. Now if we can just find a cat ….
--TDmonthly Staff, 1/5/06
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 Name: Farting Fred & The Dog Show
Company: RUNNING PRESS BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
What Is It?
There’s a loudly farting furry whoopee cushion built into this book. And if that isn’t enough, the inside tale is “ripe” with enough bathroom humor to make any little boy pee his pants. The story is about Fred the dog who wants to impress the judges at the dog show. Unfortunately, right before he heads out, Grandma gives him a big treat: all of his favorite things to eat. Will Fred make it through the show without ... uh ... blowing the judges away?
What We Thought
My 6-year-old son thinks farts are the funniest things in the world; so, when he got hold of Farting Fred and pressed the furry whoopee cushion for the first time, he lost it. The story was hilarious (he kept making his own fart noises along with the book’s). Poor Fred: haven’t we all been somewhere important and had to let rip? Of course, once the tale was told, the book became the “butt” of many a practical joke. The dog (our real one) was very confused. Anyone sitting down anywhere got a “brrft” for their trouble. A good, scent-free, time was had by all.
Why They’ll Want It
It farts. A boy, a furry whoopee cushion, the story of a gaseous dog. It doesn’t get better than that.
--TDmonthly Staff, 1/5/06
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 Name: Bass Angler Championship TV Games
Company: JAKKS PACIFIC INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Electronics
What Is It?
The Bass Angler is the latest title from JAKKS Pacific’s award-winning Plug It In & Play TV Games brand. It comes with a fishing-reel controller that plugs directly into the TV (nothing else required) and features fishing so realistic, you’ll wanna wipe the worm goo from your fingers when you’re done. It has all the elements: weather, temperature, water conditions, time of day and more than 30 different lures and six different lakes to create a fishing extravaganza. And the controller vibrates real cool, too when you hook a fish and reel it in.
What We Thought
So, me and The Boy (six years old and already a fishing fanatic) opened up the package on a Saturday morning, plugged it in, and went straight to fishing, completely bypassing the practice mode. Who needs to practice when the fish are biting? We cast and let the first lure sink down into the depths. Fish were everywhere as we reeled in, bouncing the bottom and then … getting a strike! The reel-controller tugged and vibrated, and my son totally started screaming. He landed a 1.2 lb bluegill, and we were — dare I say it — hooked. Saturday night saw us still playing, our biggest fish being a 5.4 lb. largemouth bass and some big ol’ pike. It was a good day at the lake.
Why They’ll Want It
It vibrates and feels like a fish is at the end of the line. Who can resist that? Plus, there are lots of different places to fish, types of fish and lures to fish with, so it doesn’t get boring. Tournament play adds an extra element (we kicked butt), and any fisherman worth their waders will want one of these babies. The only thing missing is being able to fry up your catch at the end of the day. We went out and got some fish sticks, and the world was perfect.
--TDmonthly Staff, 1/5/06 Back to top
 Name: Snowman Soup
Company: PELICAN BAY LTD.
Age: All Ages
Price: Not Specified
Category: Candy & Food
What Is It?
A mixture of cocoa, white chocolate and marshmallows, it comes with its own wire whisk to make sure all the ingredients are properly blended. Mixed with hot milk, Snowman Soup becomes a hot sipping drink for a cold wintry day.
What We Thought
“Sugary goodness!” exclaimed one enthusiastic reviewer. The wire whisk was a hit with all.
Why They’ll Want It
The teeny-tiny snowman bits (marshmallows) are so evenly dispersed throughout the cocoa mixture that you´re sure to get plenty of them in every spoonful. And, though the marshmallows float to the top, many still remain down to the last sip. Since the cocoa´s main selling point is that a live snowman has in fact been melted into the chocolaty beverage, this will delight children who crave the product for that very reason. It´s what distinguishes the drink from other cocoa beverages, and it´s always nice to enjoy a product that truly delivers. Also, it´s just plain tasty. And being tasty counts for a lot.
-- TDmonthly Staff, 1/5/06
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Name: Children's Snow Sled
Company: 1618340 ONTARIO LTD
Age: All Ages
Price: $25.00
Category: Outdoor Fun
What Is It?
This nifty, collapsible sled won’t be rusting in any garages. Made of durable plastic and nylon web, it folds flat to almost nothing and assembles in just a minute or two. The sled can be assembled as a one- or two-seater. Seat belts and lead are included.
What We Thought
We’d never seen anything like it and couldn’t, at first, envision how the pieces we received would become a sled. A quick glance at the instructions, however, and we were off and sledding. Everything snapped together in a jiffy and we’d soon equipped it with a couple of stuffed moose riders to add to the wintry feel. Since we’re in California, we couldn’t test it on the snow, but it scooted very nicely across our less-than wintry carpet.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids will want it because they can sit comfortably as Mom or Dad does all the work. This is a very little sled for very little kids and is not safe for downhill trips, said the manufacturer. But it’s great for taking little ones for a snowy adventure while keeping them safe and minimizing strain on Mom or Dad. Once the child outgrows the sled, it certainly makes a good transport for stuffed animal or dolls, as our moose can attest.
-- Alison Marek, 1/5/06
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 Name: Yoga, Ages 8-15
Company: BABY BUMBLEBEE
Age: 8-15
Price: $19.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
What Is It?
This DVD is designed to teach kids the basics of Yoga as well as good nutrition and fitness. Kids follow three tween/teen girls and a teen girl narrator through the basic Yoga poses, punctuated by cute pop-ups, such as “I hope nobody sees me doing this” and “This makes me feel like super-girl.” The DVD includes a brief introduction to the history of Yoga, 30 minutes of standing poses, 15 minutes of sitting poses, Teen Talk interviews, healthy lifestyle information and free On-Line Resources.
What We Thought
The workout was more thorough than some Yoga videos meant for adults, and provided a good introduction to basic Yoga poses. The girls in the video are real girls and not pro athletes, which should make kids feel as though they can do the poses, too. The narrator explains the poses and reminds the viewers to keep breathing, just like a real Yoga instructor. Pop ups show the name of each pose, so kids can remember them. The sections on nutrition are also basic, but are a good way to get kids thinking about what kind of lifestyles they’re going to choose for themselves.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids love to watch other kids. Listening to a teen narrator and watching the girls do the poses will make kids feel that Yoga can be a part of their lives without becoming a geek or a super athlete. Since the DVD is divided into sections, kids can choose to do either the sitting poses or the standing poses separately or, if they have enough time, do them both together as a long and thorough workout. The Teen Interviews may inspire them to ask their own friends similar questions, and come up with answers that will help them integrate nutritious food and exercise into their daily lives.
-- Alison Marek, 12/2/05
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 Name: Best Friends Journal
Company: BEACON STREET GIRLS
Age: 9-13
Price: $12.00
Category: Books
What Is It?
This hardcover journal with a dial on the front that lets girls zip through faces of the Beacon Street Girl characters and settle on a favorite, this is a diary meant for sharing. No lock needed here, since girls can fill out these pages together. The book begins with the story of the Beacon Girls’ friendships, then encourages the reader to write down the story of how they met her own best friends. Girls can paste in photos of their friends, write down the Fun Stuff We Do Together and Stuff We Wish We Could Do. There are pages for drawing or writing about Sleepovers they’ve had, and trivia quizzes about the Beacon Street Girls, too.
What We Thought
The book is designed with tween girls and all their riotous emotions in mind. With pages for Secrets, Distractions, Dreams and Crushes, girls will find plenty of space to share whatever’s on their minds. It’s a nice way, too, for girls to think of their lives being story material. They can identify with the Beacon Street Girls, but find their own little gang and identity, too.
Why They’ll Want It
Girls will love filling this out with their best friends and making a scrapbook of their lives and times together. It’ll be a great memento when they’re older too, though there might be a few scraps over who gets to keep the diary! The simple pink design on the cover and the friendship dial make this an elegant journal for older tweens who are ready to share some of their thoughts with the world.
-- Alison Marek, 12/2/05
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 Name: Happy Lucky Thingy Journal
Company: BEACON STREET GIRLS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $12.00
Category: Books
What Is It?
This hardcover journal is faced with the “happy lucky thingy” character, who changes mood and position depending on the angle of the book. Inside are pages that encourage girls to write down their “mad nasty thingy thoughts” as well as their “happy lucky thingy thoughts.” There are plenty of blank pages, too, for free expression.
What We Thought
The unique cover will catch many a tween girls’ eyes. The colors are vivid and fun, just like girls want to be. The doodle pages interspersed throughout will give girls with writer’s block a nice way to express their Thoughts of the Day.
Why They’ll Want It
Since there’s no lock, this is definitely a diary for girls with little brothers who understand boundaries. Girls will love the animated character on the cover and may find “it” so mesmerizing that they’ll forget what they were so mad about they just had to go write in their journal that minute, anyway. Girls who have other happy lucky thingy products will especially want this journal. Girls who just have the journal, might find it necessary to add more happy lucky thingies to their Tween Existence, just to make their lives thematically complete.
-- Alison Marek, 12/2/05
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 Name: Groovy Girl Mini Gwen
Company: MANHATTAN TOY
Age: 3 and up
Price: $5.00
Category: Dolls
What Is It?
A bendy, flexy mini Groovy Girl not more than 4” high, Gwen is perfect for dollhouses or hanging out in pockets. She’s fully poseable and wears a cool teeshirt, skirt and leggings set – all nonremovable and therefore non-loseable. She has a mischievous smile and a button nose.
What We Thought
These are very collectible dolls for kids of all ages. They’re great for decorating a bookshelf or a desk. They’re playable, too. Kids can definitely imagine them hanging out with dollhouse critters of all species and sizes. They have their own playspaces, too, so girls can create a whole world for these tiny playmates.
Why They’ll Want It
They’re cute, collectible and small. Since there are no removable parts, little girls won’t get frustrated by losing a shoe or a favorite skirt. Gwen looks as much like a real little girl as a little rag-doll-inspired vinyl toy can, and kids can easily identify her and use her to act out all their daily dilemmas and dramas, plus take her into their imaginary worlds. Groovy Girl Mini Gwen and her friends, Reese, Oki, O´Ryan, Vanessa and Yvette, are great gifts for little girls to get or give themselves.
-- Alison Marek, 12/2/05
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 Name: Me: Uncut and Uncensored
Company: AVALANCHE PUBLISHING
Age: All Ages
Price: $12.95
Category: Books
What Is It?
A double hardcover diary that closes with a lock, this is book lets girls express their good thoughts and bad without running them all together. Side one, “Uncut and Uncensored on Stuff I Love” is bright yellow and cheery, illustrated with a happy tween girl in a rollercoaster car, painting a rainbow. Side two, flipped over, is “Uncut and Uncensored on Stuff That Bugs, with the same Tweenie on the rollercoaster, but this time she’s going down, she’s mad, the cover’s red, the wind blows and lightning strikes. Both books are secured by one heart-shaped lock that has two keys. Stuff That Bugs pages are blue and stormy; Stuff I Love’s are yellow and splattered with flowers.
What We Thought
“Uncut and Uncensored” is a great way for tween girls to deal with conflicting feelings without guilt. They can rant away when they feel like it, and rave on a day when that seems fine, too. Journaling is a wonderful way for tweens to deal with the frustrations and joys of everyday life and this double book gives them two ways to do it.
Why They’ll Want It
If they’re a tween, they’re gonna want this book, because “it’s just so me!” The cartoon cover character is cute and fashionable, the drawings are bright and amusing, and the double diary means double the secrets, hence double the fun. Girls will especially appreciate the double-book design, because it’s different than any other book out there … and what tween doesn’t want to be unique?
-- Alison Marek, 12/2/05
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 Name: Picture Me Jolly Christmas
Company: PICTURE ME PRESS
Age: All Ages
Price: $5.99
Category: Books
What Is It?
A die-cut board book/ornament, this is a simple arts and crafts kit that brings baby onto the Christmas tree in a big way. By cutting and pasting a photo of a favorite infant (or, kitten or Granpa, for that matter) into the back of the book, the little one’s face peeks through a hole in the books pages, instantly transforming her or him into a variety of Holiday icons, including a snowman and a reindeer.
What We Thought
Picture Me Jolly Christmas is a simple way to make a keepsake ornament of Baby that can hang on the tree for generations to come. The little story lets little ones know what each of the pictures depicts. Photos of other babies dressed in the same costumes are also included for extra giggles.
Why They’ll Want It
Grandma and Granpa will want one of these for every grandchild they have – even if it means weighing down the tree with Jolly ornaments. Kids will get a kick out of seeing their own faces in the various costumes – particularly as they grow and can look back at how cute they were when they were babies.
-- Alison Marek, 12/2/05
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 Name: Secrets of Dripping Fang, Book One: The Onts
Company: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Age: 8-12
Price: $11.95
Category: Books
What Is It?
Orphans, giant ants, stinky feet and snot abound in this first of a series of “Dripping Fang” books by Dan Greenburg, illustrated by Scott M. Fischer. Book One is a hardcover with a full-color illustration on the cover, pen-and-ink illustrations within. Twin orphans Wally and Cheynne Shlufmuffin think they’ve scored a real family when they’re adopted by a pair of large, strange looking sisters who smell faintly of copper. But after their new “Onts” bring them home to a spooky house in the middle of a spookier forest, the siblings’ time at Jolly Days Orphanage begins to seem like heaven! When Wally finds a ghastly secret in the basement, the orphans have to make a run for it … through a forest filled with creepy things that like to munch on orphans’ feet. Will they find a real home after all, or meet a grisly end in Dripping Fang Forest?
What We Thought
Greenberg’s mixture of gross humor, creepy giant bugs and orphans makes this a fun book for kids to read with or without their parents. Wally and Cheyenne each have strong personalities and peculiar afflictions (see stinky feet and snot) that kids can easily latch on to and have fun with. Fischer’s illustrations add to the gleeful ickiness. It’s a real page-turner and kids will want to know what happens to the orphans in Part II.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids will like reading about someone else’s stinky feet and snotty nose. They’ll enjoy the scary dilemmas in which the orphans find themselves, and will have fun trying to guess how they’re going to get out of each of their scrapes. “Secret of Dripping Fang” is the kind of book that kids’ll want their folks to read again and again, just so they can relive the grossest parts.
-- Alison Marek, 12/2/05
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 Name: Sleep By Numbers
Company: MOON CYCLE RECORDS
Age: 1-3
Price: Not Specified
Category: Audio & CD
What Is It?
This CD is designed to help kids get to sleep. The collection features a number of original lullabies composed and performed by vocalist/guitarist Arby DeCamp. The title song, “Sleep By Numbers,” is a sing-along that encourages children to count backwards – which some experts claim to be a useful sleep aid.
What We Thought
The songs are soothing, with repetitive verses that help lull the listener into a state of relaxation. In addition to DeCamp, many of the tracks include choruses of backup kid singers, which add to the charm of the songs. “Slumberland” was an especially nice piece, but all of the lullabies should help children nod off into dreamworld.
Why They’ll Want It
Parents are always looking for ways to help their small children unwind before bed. Singing these songs, which are pretty and fun, but soothing, too, will help kids transition to a more relaxed state. “Sleep By Numbers” would be a great gift to give a new parent, or a great gift for parents to give themselves.
—TDmonthly Staff, 12/2/2005
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 Name: Teach-a-Tot
Company: LANGUAGE LITTLES
Age: 1 and up
Price: $34.99
Category: Educational
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Parent’s Magazine Young At Art
Company: BATTAT INC.
Age: 1 and up
Price: $24.99
Category: Educational
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: The Ladybug Game
Company: ZOBMONDO ENTERTAINMENT
Age: 3-7
Price: $11.95
Category: General Games
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Fun With Rock Painting
Company: WALTER FOSTER PUBLISHING INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $14.95
Category: Arts & Crafts
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Math Mastermind: Grade 1
Company: SILVER DOLPHIN BOOKS
Age: 5-7
Price: $14.99
Category: Educational
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Aerobloks Starter Kit
Company: TINKER MINDS INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $52.99
Category: Construction
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: My Giant ABC Bath Book
Company: INNOVATIVEKIDS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $14.99
Category: Educational
Please click here to read this special TDmonthly´s Expert Mom review.
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 Name: Waddlers Glow Duck
Company: WADDLERS/ASSURANCE INDUSTRIES CO.
Age: All Ages
Price: $4.99
Category: Novelties
What Is It?
This is your basic rubber duckie with glow powers. It will start glowing after being exposed for 20 minutes to sunlight or artificial light. It also works well with blacklight. Glow Duck comes in smaller keychain versions, too, for those who like to keep their ducks close at hand.
What We Thought
Because it seemed a bit hefty, we were a bit skeptical at first about its floatability. However, after testing it has been confirmed that the duckie indeed floats and glows – all at the same time, without batteries or gizmos.
Why They’ll Want It
This is a perfect toy for kids who like to bathe in the dark but still need a little company. The duckie is cute, the glow is hot and the combo’s a winner for this bather.
– TDmonthly Review Team, 10/25/05
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 Name: PaintWorks Tiger Reflection
Company: DIMENSIONS/PERLER
Age: 3 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
What Is It?
A step-by-step systematic approach to painting, the set includes eight different vials of paint, a brush and a guide with tips and directions. The booklet includes instructions on how to mix paints to obtain different shades.
What We Thought
The intermediate-level Tiger Reflection design is delicate and takes some patience and diligence to complete. But once finished it is a piece worth framing! The intricate details would probably be more suitable for teens to adult or young kids with adult supervision.
Why They’ll Want It
Even artistically challenged people can create beautiful works of art with this well-designed kit. The instructions are simple and everything you need is there. You simply have to learn to stay in the lines.
– TDmonthly Review Team, 10/25/05
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 Name: Beaded Bracelet Kit - Bling Bling
Company: FASHION ANGELS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Arts & Crafts
What Is It?
Beaded Bracelet Kit – Bling Bling is a complete beading kit that includes 12 mini cases of metal and glass beads and a spool of elastic thread. The kit makes 24 bracelets plus 12 rings. It includes instructions and tips in English, Spanish and French.
What We Thought
The beads are packed in 12 individual packages according to color, which makes color coordinating easy. But be careful when you open them – they are easy to spill. The packages are resealable so you can save the beads for another day. The high quality beads and attractive packaging make this a great buy.
Why They’ll Want It
Girls love to express their creativity and make individualized bracelets. The variety of beads allows plenty of design combinations. This is the perfect kit to bring out at a bead party!
– TDmonthly Review Team, 10/25/05
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 Name: Fashion Angels Super Mini Day Book
Company: FASHION ANGELS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $7.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
What Is It?
A teeny-tiny diary that hooks to a girl’s purse with a ribboned clasp, the mini date book snaps shut with a strap and sparkles with an undercoating of glitter. Inside is a whole school year and summer-vacation’s worth of pages so that tween girls can keep track of their busy schedules. The front cover is decorated with the four Fashion Angels characters. The books come in a variety of colors, including orange, lime, fuschia, turquoise, lavender or silver.
What We Thought
These little books are eyecatching and will look pretty hanging from a little scribner’s backpack or belt loop. The pages are miniscule, so the writer will have to be concise in her expression, but it’s a great way for little girls to show each other just how much they have to do each week! Each page is illustrated with a cute character from the Bead Shop. Every month has a summary page with entry lines so tiny that girls will have to tax their best “I can writer smaller than you” skills.
Why They’ll Want It
It’s small, bright, pretty and unique! So what’s not to want? Tween girls will like the intro page, where they can write down all their pertinent information, including their height and their best friends’ names. Because the book is so tiny, they’ll probably feel free to write a few secrets in their most minuscule hand, without the fear that little brother will discover anything scandalous (unless he has a magnifying glass). The back of the book has a section for names and addresses – perfect for little tweenies who don’t yet have their own private cell phones.
-- Alison Marek, 10/24/05
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 Name: Fashion Angels Super Stackable Gel Pens
Company: FASHION ANGELS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $4.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
What Is It?
This set of 6 stackable gel pens comes in a tube. Each fine-pointed pen is only about 2” long. The fluorescent colors include lime, lemon, tangerine, blueberry, grape and strawberry.
What We Thought
This is a unique, space-saving way to keep track of pens. The pens write smoothly and the colors are luscious. Writing with the entire stack in hand is a bit ungainly, but the pens easily snap apart for easy sketching.
Why They’ll Want It
What tween girl wants to write a letter in boring navy blue or black ink? They’ll love the bright colors, the smooth sensation of writing and drawing with the fine-tipped gel pen, and the hip, chunky design of the pens. The Super Stackable Gel Pens are a colorful addition to any girl’s desk and a sure way to make her notes and diary entries even more memorable.
-- Alison Marek, 10/24/05
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 Name: Rip Squeak and His Friends Discover the Treasure
Company: RIP SQUEAK INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
What Is It?
Rip Squeak the mouse and his sister Jesse have just made friends with Abby – a kitten who luckily doesn’t eat mice – and Euripedes the frog, whom they consider to be a fine actor. One day, Euripides finds a treasure map hidden inside a book of pirate stories. The four friends decide to dress as pirates and find the treasure. In the course of this 32-page hardcover book written by Susan Yost-Filgate and lavishly illustrated by Leonard Filage, the little gang befriends a number of other animals -- all of whom have a different conception of what a treasure is.
What We Thought
The warm and lovely paintings in the book make Rip and his friends nearly walk off the page. Big-eared and bright-eyed, the little mouse brother and sister are perfect surrogate selves for small children who like to be adventurous, but still want to stay safe, and surrounded by friends and family. Parents will have a great opportunity to create real and funny characters as they enact the hammy frog Euripides, the cautious kitty Abby, ebullient little Rip and sentimental Jesse, along with their new friends.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids will probably wish that Rip Squeak were real, so they could cuddle up with him in bed as Mom and Dad read about his adventures. The paintings are fully of lovely details to keep kids engaged and bring them into Rip’s make-believe world. Children will appreciate how well the friends get along, and that the treasure they find is something that can send the gang onto new adventures. They’ll especially appreciate the moral of the story, which is that the best treasure of all is wonderful friends.
-- Alison Marek, 10/24/05
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 Name: Quiddler
Company: SET ENTERPRISES INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $12.00
Category: General Games
What Is It?
A fast word game played with cards, Quiddler is designed for 1 to 8 players. Each game consists of 8 hands. The first hand is played with 3 cards, and a card is added during each hand until the players begin the final hand with 10 cards each. The object of the game is to combine an entire hand into words of two or more letters, drawing and discarding on each turn. The first player to have an entire hand of words goes out. Bonus points are given for the longest words and the most words made by players in each round. The average play time ranges between 20 and 40 minutes
What We Thought
Even small words count, so the youngest players can win by deftly combining their cards. The game moves quickly in the early hands, then requires a bit more concentration as the number of cards increases. Quiddler combines a bit of Scrabble, a bit of rummy and a lot of fun.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids will want this game because it’s a fun way to compete against their friends to find out who can compose the cleverest words most quickly. They can challenge words and look up meanings, adding to their vocabulary, without having to invest in a long-playing word board game. Quiddler is a deck of 181 cards, so it’s transportable enough for long trips or boring visits to relative’s houses, or just a fun way to liven up a slumber party without toting around a heavy game.
-- Alison Marek, 10/24/05
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 Name: The 13 Pet Geists
Company: ROSEKNOWS INC.
Age: 4-12
Price: $15.99
Category: Books
What Is It?
It’s a book about ghosts (well, actually, Geists, which are animal ghosts that live on the Geist Reserve, their enchanted afterlife home). This is the companion piece to Geist Junior, and has … count ‘em, 13 Geists in it, each with a little rhyming story written by Rose Anderson. There’s Sami the Geist crocodile, Twinga the Geist giraffe, a cat, a lion, all the way to a zebra. With very slick illustrations by Jean-Baptiste Tournay that almost jump out of the page.
What We Thought
Have to say, we didn’t know the book was a companion to anything when we got it, so my 6 year old and I simply took it at face value (but now that we know there’s a game, we’re gonna try that, too). First, to quote my kid: “The pictures are cool!” It’s very “rendered” looking, with a touch of later Berkeley Breathed, mixed with some basically good solid illustration for the Geists. We laughed at lines such as, “Fingers like Popo’s would be pretty neat. If yours were that long, they’d go down to your feet” for Popo, the Geist bat, and one from Kiboko the Geist Hippo (who’s a singer, though not a very good one), “She sings every night and still waits for the cheers, While the Pet Geists all run as they cover their ears.”
Why They’ll Want It
This is just a great book with great pictures and fun stories/rhymes. Ghost animals could be really scary, but Anderson plays these for laughs and fun, and gets a lot of both. My son and I are looking forward to trying the game. If it’s half as good as the book, it’s a winner.
--TDmonthly Staff, 10/18/05
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 Name: Toads Of Fun
Company: DAD'S INK LTD.
Age: 4-8
Price: $14.95
Category: General Games
What Is It?
It’s a board game with a toady theme. You get a toad of a different color, and when your turn comes around, you spin not one, but two spinners (one’s numbers, the other’s colors). You then find a lily pad that matches the spun color, and a number on the lily pad. So far, so toady. If there are flies where you land, catch them and put them on your home “log.” First one to fill their log with six flies, wins. But … there are some catches. You can get dumped into the pond. The dreaded bumblebee or another toad can send you back to your log, and if this happens, your flies go back to the lily pads, and you have to start over.
What We Thought
Well, it was pretty easy to grasp the game, when the family sat down to play (with a 6 and an 8 year old). We spun, we caught flies, we got dumped in the pond, we lost our flies, someone won. We played another game, and had some more toady fun. It was a pleasant game that occasionally got bloodthirsty when one of the boys knocked the other’s toad about. We got into a discussion about the differences between toads and frogs, amphibians and reptiles, and one of the boys (the older) wanted to play the game with real toads. A good time was had by all, and it was voted as a keeper.
Why They’ll Want It
It’s a deceptively fun game, and one of the few games that can truly span the 4 to 8 year old gap. Normally what’s good for a 4 year old is too young for the 8 year old, or what’s fine for the 8 year old is too tough for the 4 year old. Toads of Fun was great for everyone. Its very simplicity makes it addictive. It’s all about the spinners, and the tides of the play can change at any moment, so there’s nothing predictable about it. Good for the whole family.
--TDmonthly Staff, 10/18/05
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 Name: Extreme 3-D Scary Bugs!
Company: SILVER DOLPHIN BOOKS
Age: 8-12
Price: $19.95
Category: Books
What Is It?
This is a cool book on the world of the ultra-tiny, full of electron microscope pictures of bees and ants and bugs of all sorts. They look monstrous at these magnifications and are very cool. But the real bonus is the pair of 3-D glasses that come with the book which add to these pictures, dare we say it, a whole extra dimension! Written by Shar Levine and Elaine Humphre, and illustrated (what illustrations there are) by Leslie Johnson.
What We Thought
My six-year-old can’t put it down, and neither can his two friends. They’re playing tug-of-war with the 3-D glasses as I write. The coolest picture for these guys was the millipede – it looked like the scariest dragon ever to romp through mythology, but it’s real! We all talked about the bugs, then went outside to find a few live ones. The kids took the glasses… you can never be 3-D enough.
Why They’ll Want It
What can we say? It’s gross, fun, has 3-D glasses, and it’s educational. What’s not to like about it? Losing the glasses could put a crimp in the book in the future, but there must be ways to get an extra pair or two. Two 3-D thumbs up.
--TDmonthly Staff, 10/18/05
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 Name: Dr. Dreadful Freaky Food Lab
Company: FUNRISE INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $24.95
Category: Kits
What Is It?
The Dr. Dreadful Food Lab is an interactive activity thingie that is part food, part monster, all gross. The set comes with "Lab Links" that can be used to build your own laboratory environment (they kinda hook together like a playset), an injector station, a skull bowl, beakers, molds for making gruesome gooey creatures and more. It’s got food packets and collectible experiment cards that include give step-by-step instructions on how to make food that looks gross but tastes great! Makes slime and edible monsters and bubbling brains and everything a kid (and dad) could want.
What We Thought
First off, this thing rocks! From a kid standpoint, from a parent standpoint — it rocks hard. My six-year-old and I opened the thing up and it was full of weird and wonderful items, like the skull bowl and the monster molds. First thing we did was build our “laboratory”! My son did most of the work while I deciphered the instructions. Then, we looked through the experiment cards and picked our first mad scientist experiment: bubbling brains! We measured (and that was great — my son got into that) and stirred and: “It’s a alive!!!” The brains bubbled over the skull bowl and we slurped our fill (sickly sweet, but much better than real brains). We spent the rest of the day measuring, stirring, filling monster molds, and eating the monsters. It was pretty disgusting, and we both brushed our teeth well after it was all over. And it was great.
Why They’ll Want It
It’s got monsters and experiments, and kids who can read (it was a little too advanced for my six-year-old), can spend hours safely creating all sorts of gross things (which later show up at dinner). There’s also extra Food Lab Booster packs, as well as a whole Demented Drink Lab that goes along with this. It’s totally fun and ghastly. What more can you ask for?
--TDmonthly Staff, 10/18/05
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 Name: Omega Boy Vs. Dr. Diabetes
Company: OMEGA7 INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $5.00
Category: Books
What Is It?
Created by the two young sons of respected comic book author and publisher Alonzo Washington, Omega Boy is a superhero who helps educate kids about diabetes. “Omega Boy Vs. Dr. Diabetes” is the first in the series. These comic books are short, but would be very useful in helping a young person to understand the disease. The goal is admirable, as the letter of support signed by President Bush at the end of issue No. 2 would attest.
What We Thought
The first comic in the Omega Boy series is not only educational but has funky graphics and an action-filled plot as well. The background designs in each of the panels are a trip, and lines such as, “Diabetes is not contagious, but my fist is,” from Omega Boy keep the dialog clever despite the informative overtone.
Why They’ll Want It
For coming from a small, independent publisher, the second title in this series, “Enter the Blaze!” comic has already managed to line up ads from Hershey’s, General Mills, Wendy’s and Osco Drug, to name just a few. In the reprinted copy of a letter from George W. Bush, the young author, Kamaal Washington, is encouraged to “study hard, make the right choices, and help others in need.” If any comic can inspire young kids to reach out to their surrounding communities and help make a difference, this just might be it.
-- Vanessa VanderZanden, 9/26/05
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 Name: Infinifield
Company: INFINIFIELD INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: General Games
What Is It?
Infinifield is an abstract strategy game for 2 to 4 players, ages 8 to adult. Players use their creativity and imagination to build a two- or three-dimensional board from 24 blocks for every round. Then they use logic and strategy skills to chase and eliminate opponents´ pawns in a fast-paced game. Infinifield was invented and produced by an 8-year-old boy (now 10) and his father as a homeschooling project. It won a Parents´ Choice 2005 Silver Honor Award.
What We Thought
The best part of the game is selecting how to set up the playing field so that the largest quantity of blocks touch one another. This allows for multiple moves between players and produces a more challenging game. Also, the further away from one another on the board players set up their pieces, the more moves a round will tend to have. One necessary aspect of the game, to keep players from coming to a standstill, is that one board piece is taken away after each move.
Why They’ll Want It
The game challenges players to think several moves ahead, improving their tactical reasoning abilities and strategic thought. The lightweight plastic board blocks are easy for little hands to lift and smooth enough that they won’t cause injury. They can withstand spills, and if thrown, won’t be very harmful.
-- Vanessa VanderZanden, 9/26/05
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 Name: Make ‘N’ Break
Company: RAVENSBURGER
Age: 8 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: General Games
What Is It?
Players get 10 wooden building blocks, a timer ticking per the number rolled and a card showing players what to build in that time. When the time is up, players total the points on their completed building cards and collect tokens. After four rounds, the one with the most points is the winning builder. The game comes with an expert version as well.
What We Thought
For such a simple concept, this game is surprisingly addictive! Players try to make as many matches to the formations they see on the cards they draw before the timer ticks down, so while players try to beat one another, they wind up racing themselves to become more adept at placing blocks in the right order. Though it may seem easy, many formations are quite complicated to complete by the time the clock winds down.
Why They’ll Want It
This intense game can be played by kids of any skill level. The “pass” feature means that no one can whine “but I get stuck with all the trickiest cards!” and get away with it. The game is quick, mentally-stimulating, and in an age of video game overkill, is more hands-on fun than clicking a computer mouse at a screen during Tetris.
-- Vanessa VanderZanden, 9/26/05
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 Name: The Amazing Live Sea-Monkeys Ocean Zoo
Company: EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS INC.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $7.95
Category: Science & Nature
What Is It?
It’s the only classic toy that gives you or your family instant pets. This is “The tank that started it all!” That’s right, the oldie but goodie that all the parents out there either had or wanted when they were kids. It comes with everything you need to bring to life these fascinating aquatic pets, including the always hip classic vented tank with magnifying portals and a molded seascape base.
What We Thought
I was very excited when I brought this toy home. Who doesn’t want to watch life spawn out of thin air, or purified water as it is in this particular case. I got my tank all set up and anxiously awaited for the first 24 hours to come to pass, so that I could finally play Dr. Frankenstein and create life as it were. After I stirred in the powder, I stared eagerly into the tank, through the magnifying portals to see the first signs of life. I am a little disappointed that I didn’t see some sign of initial life spark into existence and I am still uncertain as to whether it was the sea-monkeys I was looking at, or some powder that had not completely dissolved. But it was clear to me the next morning, that in fact I was now a successful new owner of about a dozen tiny little creatures swimming around in an almost surreal jittery fashion. Little did I know how much joy these tiny little sea-farers would bring to me as I watched them develop into adulthood in the days that followed!
Why They’ll Want It
Let’s face it. This is fun for all ages. They make a great first step for parents trying to teach their children responsibility, before taking on a more labor intensive pet (you only have to feed them about once a week!) They make an excellent office or cubicle mate as they take up next to no room, and can be left on the weekends with no worries. Best of all, they can’t help but bring a smile to your face and the faces of your co-workers as they suddenly find increasingly inventive reasons to come over to your desk. Bottom line … what’s not to like!?!
-- Shane Raniere, 9/26/2005
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 Name: Light ‘N’ Strike Math
Company: LEARNING RESOURCES INC.
Age: 6-11
Price: $29.95
Category: Educational
What is it?
Light ‘N’ Strike Math is like an amusement park calculator: large and brightly colored with a soft mallet for striking big lit-up buttons in “Whack-a-Mole” style. Each button lights up with the correct answers for basic multiplication, addition, subtraction and division problems. Kids have to hit the button before the light goes out—a lot more fun than memorizing times tables. (AA batteries not included.)
What we thought
Remember flash cards? Light ‘N’ Strike Math takes that concept it into the 21st century by upping the action and interactivity—two features kids today are reared on. It’s simple and fun; players wouldn’t be able to keep from learning math even if they tried.
Why they’ll want it
This is an out-of-the-box learning toy that requires no instruction or down time, only a familiarity with basic arithmetic. It’s a great toy for reinforcing math skills through friendly competition between students or siblings. Besides, what kid wouldn’t want to whack something with a mallet?
-- TDmonthly Staff, 9/26/2005
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 Name: Sensory Dome
Company: DUNECRAFT INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $24.99
Category: Science & Nature
What is it?
Sensory Dome is a complete terrarium kit containing soil, decorative gravel, “Contemplation Stones,” decal photos of different ecosystems and seed packets for Aloe, Pink Polka Dot plant, herb mixture, Eucalyptus and Cabbage Palm. Each plant has a different texture or odor, with kids encouraged to go “hands on” in learning about the natural world.
What we thought
The Sensory Dome’s simplicity is its strength: no moving parts or batteries required. This would be a great kit for the classroom, or for a child who’s not quite ready to take care of a pet. Nurturing a living thing, even if it doesn’t have fur, teaches kids responsibility and that all of us have an effect—hopefully positive—on the world around us.
Why they’ll want it
Many parents will be happy to give their kids a learning toy that doesn’t involve pixels or digital sound effects, but that comes to life through actual oxygen and sunlight. The Sensory Dome’s low maintenance—the plants require watering only once every four months if the top is kept on—ensures that even when kids’ attention wanders, life will go on.
-- TDmonthly Staff, 9/26/2005
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 Name: Pretend & Play School Set
Company: LEARNING RESOURCES INC.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: Pretend Play
What is it?
The Pretend & Play School Set consists of a tri-fold, travel-ready case which folds out into the shape of an old-fashioned red schoolhouse. The set includes a dry-erase chalkboard and markers, maps of the United States and the world (including a weather map) calendar, clock with moveable hands for learning to tell time, crayons, “Hall Pass,” report cards, award certificates and even a brass school bell!
What we thought
The School Set creates a subtly empowered ownership of learning—a child can carry it with her just like a book bag—and the set includes everything but the classroom hamster.
Why they’ll want it
For 4-5 year olds who long to tag along with their older siblings to school, this toy is the next best thing. Everything needed for a parent to help a child learn his/her ABC’s, days of the week and other kindergarten essentials is here in one easily transported and durable package, ready to be brought along on family trips or to the doctor’s waiting room.
-- TDmonthly Staff, 9/26/2005
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 Name: Safari Express Motorized Train Building Set
Company: LEARNING RESOURCES INC.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $39.95
Category: Construction
What is it?
The Safari Express Motorized Train Building Set is a construction toy that moves under its own power (AA batteries not included), featuring a working head light on the locomotive and “Chugga, Chugga” sound effects. The set comprises 127 pieces, including interlocking gears, four jungle animal figures, two kid figures, stickers and four flags for customizing your own Safari train.
What we thought
This set fills a niche not usually served by construction toys—the kindergarten through first-grade crowd. Its rounded gears and bright colors will make it irresistible to kids reaching the age of fantasy play, while the color-coded instructions won’t interfere with kids’ natural inclination to go hands-on right out of the box.
Why they’ll want it
The Safari Express set is compatible with all of Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears! sets, making it a value-added toy for both parents and kids. The bright colors and whimsical shapes will appeal to both boys and girls, and the carrying case means the set’s pieces are more likely to stay in the box and out of the vacuum cleaner.
-- TDmonthly Staff, 9/26/2005
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 Name: Picture + This
Company: ACT GAMES
Age: 12 and up
Price: $29.95
Category: General Games
What Is It?
Two teams (or two players) compete in this challenging game to get to the end of the board first by solving picture clues. Players take turns guessing a place, cliché, person or entertainment-related concept (such as a movie title or lead character) based on the combination of cartoon images depicted on the game cards. For each clue that the card holder has to give to stuck teams, the guessing team gets docked an additional point when they guess the right answer, with a maximum of five points per answer.
What We Thought
This entertaining game is most fun when played “party-style,” with every woman shouting out answers for herself and a new card reader on each turn. Players quickly begin to understand that, strategically, it’s sometimes better to work out the clues in one’s head rather than blurting out guesses haphazardly. This is a fun, fast-paced game that evokes plenty of laughs.
Why They’ll Want It
The cartoons on each game card are easy to see, though the answers can be a trick to solve. The game has cards that range in difficulty, and because they’re dual-sided, the stack should last a number of plays before bonus card packs are required. It exercises not oft used brain muscles that are fun to stretch.
-- Vanessa VanderZanden, 9/26/05
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 Name: Kazink!
Company: JAX LTD INC.
Age: 7 and up
Price: $18.95
Category: General Games
What Is It?
Players are each dealt three cards. When it is a player’s turn, he/she discards his/her card, placing his/her poker chip on a corresponding game board square. When all of the squares of one suit are covered, that player can choose to crown his/her chip or can place the crown on someone else’s chip. Players win by completing two rows (three chips in a row) of triple-stacked chips of in their poker chip color.
What We Thought
This game of strategy and skill requires a calculating mind, yet can still be fun for all ages. The game has enough chips for two or three players (or teams of players) to enjoy anywhere from a 20-minute to an hour-long match. Competition grows more intense as more chips stack up on the board and players are left with fewer board options. In addition, the inclusion of three special types of cards — crown cards, wild cards and double-up cards — keep the game play interesting.
Why They’ll Want It
It doesn’t take long to get down to game play after reading the instructions, yet it does take multiple rounds to understand the finer strategic nuances. In other words, this game can be enjoyed by family members for years to come. Conveniently, the board folds up into a manageable size, just at little bit smaller than 8” x 11”, so it’s no problem to pack for weekends away or to store at home.
-- Vanessa VanderZanden, 9/26/05
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 Name: Take & Make Pizza Food Fun
Company: MANHATTAN TOY
Age: 3 and up
Price: $20.00
Category: Educational
What Is It?
A cloth pizza box, decorated in the authentic pizzeria colors of red, white and green is secured by Velcro fasteners. Pull them open, lift the top of the see-through box and - Presto! - baby´s first pizza. But it´s not just any pizza, it´s four slices of brightly colored triangles with "crust" made of clingy fabric that´s just perfect for sticking to the cotton and Velcro "sauces" that kids can rearrange at will. Topping it all off are a variety of toppings that are numbered so kids can learn to count while learning to order the perfect pie. Inside the box there´s also a grill with a glossy card printed with flames that can be slid back and forth to turn the grill "on" or "off."
What We Thought
The box and the slices are well-proportioned for little hands. The clear plastic window in the top of the box is not only authentic, but also gets kids hungering for what´s inside. But to get inside, they´ll have to pull the flaps and then lift the top, which means they´ll develop some dexterity while satisfying their curiosity. The toy encourages creativity, too, since kids can mix and match sauces and toppings to create a mouthwatering treat for Mom or Rocking Horse.
Why They´ll Want It
Kids will feel grown up making, baking and delivering their very own pizzas. They can serve the slices plain, with sauce alone, toppings alone, or all three combined deliciously together. Kids will feel smarter, too, when they start recognizing the numbers that go along with the toppings. They´ll undoubtedly find ingenious ways of combining all the elements in this toy to make a pizza slice unlike any other. Pizzerias of the world, take note: Your competition is in training.
-- Alison Marek 8/30/05
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 Name: Crčme Puff Elephant
Company: FIRST & MAIN INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $9.00
Category: Plush
What Is It?
A floppy, fluffy elephant made of purple plush, this cuddly toy would stand almost 15" tall - if he could stand. But he´s more of a lying-down, rolling around the Savannah type of elephant -- just the right kind of puffy toy to use as a pillow. He has black embroidered eyes, small white tusks, and a long crooked trunk. His ears are lined with pastel pink and are just as floppy as the rest of him. He has orange, pink and purple feet that are filled with pellets for weight, as is his tummy. His tail is tipped with purple fake fur. He´s made of nontoxic and nonallergenic materials.
What We Thought
Crčme Puff lives up to his name, because he´s an airy, fluffy confection of a toy. Soft and silky to touch, he has plenty of squeezable, cuddly parts. His cute, chubby cheeks and innocent expression will endear him to young and old alike. He and the other animals in the First & Main line bring the zoo to the cradle so that kids become as familiar with elephants and giraffes as they are with cats and dogs.
Why They´ll Want It
What kid doesn´t want an elephant? And this one requires a lot less upkeep than the real thing. He´s a good baby substitute for kids who don´t like dolls but still feel like nurturing. And since he´s a tiny tyke of pachyderm, he´ll be perfect company for babies who like to hang out with their own. He´s practically feather-light, so even the smallest tot can tote him around without effort. Parents will like him because he doesn´t make a peep and will probably keep the baby quiet, too.
-- Alison Marek, 8/30/05
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 Name: Power Brain XP
Company: YOMEGA
Age: 8-12
Price: $12.95
Category: Yo-Yos
What Is It?
Designed for beginner yo-yo enthusiasts, the Power Brain XP features a" Smart Switch" auto-return clutch that allows the user to switch between manual and automatic returns. Beginners can easily get a sense of the rhythm while they´re learning to handle the yo-yo. As their skills increase, they can switch to a manual return mode for longer spin times and more challenging tricks. It comes in blue, orange or neon green. The back of the yo-yo has a transparent window so the user can view the Smart Switch mechanism.
What We Thought
Even the clumsiest of yo-yoers can achieve graceful yo-action releasing this mechanized marvel of yo-yo ingenuity. Springing back in a buoyant bounce when it reaches the end of its tether, the Power Brain XP reassures novice yo-yoers that mastering the elusive string and semi-orb is within reach. In no time at all, beginners will be walking the dog and taking it around the world. Once confident in their skills, intermediate yo-ers can switch the Power Brain XP gears and embark on the path to flat-out, no holds barred, all expenses paid, collect $200 as you pass GO, hardcore, old school yo-yoing.
Why They´ll Want It
It´s yo-yoing with training wheels. Even big kids will get a kick out of being able to yo with ease from the first snap of the wrist and release of the Power Brain XP. Sized just right to fit in the palm of a big kid´s hand, the Power Brain XP is designed for kids to grow into. Improving on a childhood staple, the Yomega Power Brain XP could quite possibly be the yo-yo of the future and is, in fact, the yo-yo of now.
-- Vanessa VanderZanden, 8/30/05
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 Name: Babies-a-Bloom “Daisy”
Company: MARIE OSMOND DOLLS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $89.95
Category: Dolls
What is it?
This Retailer Exclusive doll is sculpted by Ping Lau and comes with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. Made of a super-soft “Cuddle Me” vinyl that gives flexibility to her fingers and limbs, her pale ivory “skin” has a porcelain look but silky feel. Her palms, cheeks, knees and toes are tinged with blushes of pink. She’s 20” tall and is weighted to feel like a real baby. She has a soft stuffed cloth body and even her vinyl arms and legs are stuffed to make them feel more realistic. Her neck can turn and tilt, giving her a wide range of expressions. Her short blond wig is stitched to her head and is wreathed in a fleece headband decorated with cheerful fleece daises. Her radiant blue eyes are fringed with “real” upper lashes. She’s dressed in a white cotton blouse and pinafore edged with lace, a soft blue fleece apron splashed with fleece daisies, with matching booties and bloomers, and white socks. She has a special pocket in her chest for an included mechanism that sets her “heart” a-beating when a little girl holds her close. Her belly button is a real button, trimmed with a felt flower.
What We Thought
This beautifully made doll has the shape and feel of a real baby. An incredible amount of attention has been given to details that will warm the heart of any doll lover, from the dimples in Daisy’s elbows, to the soft painted highlights in her lips. Her matching outfit is cheerful, cuddly and fun for girls, while still being elaborate enough to satisfy a demanding collector. Even her little socks are knitted with a cable stitch.
Why They’ll Want It
Daisy’s big blue eyes, soft skin and daisy-splashed fleece outfit will attract attention from little girls or collectors looking to adopt their next baby. She’ll make a little girl feel like a real mommy, toting her around and showing off her super smooth skin and her lovely detailing. Little girls will especially appreciate how soft and squeezable she is and how she’ll fit into their arms almost as if she were their own baby sister. Kids will also like the fact that her head can tilt, so they can really “talk” to her. Collectors will appreciate the fine workmanship as well as the lifelike size and weight of this special baby. Grandparents, in particular, will want to give Daisy as a keepsake for their special little girls, to hand down the tradition of nurturing play to the next generation.
– Alison Marek, 8/29/05
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 Name: Pinky Street
Company: VANCE PROJECT
Age: All Ages
Price: $9.99
Category: Dolls
What is it?
A Pinky Street doll is a fashionably dressed young anime/manga figurine that comes with an extra outfit. But she doesn’t just change her clothes: she changes body parts as well. Her legs, skirt, hair, head and trunk all pop off and are interchangeable not only with her extra outfit, but with other Pinky Street dolls and their outfits as well. Girls can be especially creative once they have an assortment of Pinkies by swapping hairstyles, heads and fashions. They’re only about 4” tall, so they’re pocket-sized and completely transportable. Designed by modeler Yuki Kanaya (Baby Sue), the theme for the figurines is “the girl next door.” Each doll comes with accessories, such as a necktie for a school uniform or radio. Some have buttons that kids can wear, too.
What We Thought
These dolls are cute and childlike, with sullen or pensive expressions; one little girl has fangs. Since Pinky Street dolls are based on kids, they’re a nice alternative to fashion dolls that require girls to imagine themselves as already grown. Not only does changing the costumes change the fashion look of the doll, but the mood as well. Hand and feet positions vary, too, so a Pinky Street can be demure in one outfit, but forthright in another. The interchangeable hair is an added bonus and dramatically alters the doll’s looks.
Why They’ll Want It
Pinky Street dolls are cute, fun, and encourage creativity. Everyone from little girls to grown men have been collecting these figurines in comic and manga shops. Little girls will like them because they’re sweet without being cloying. They’re girls with a grown-up attitude (but not bodies), and the fashions are adorable. Changing the clothes and hairstyles is fun and just encourages collecting, because the more dolls someone has, the more possibilities for new styles there are. Moms will like them because they’re a great alternative to those other fashion dolls that encourage little girls to imagine themselves as scantily clad teenagers. Pinky Street dolls dress like kids – albeit fashionably dressed, Tokyo-style-influenced kids.
– Alison Marek, 8/29/05
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 Name: You Build It Voice Changer
Company: CHRONICLE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
Age: 8 and up
Price: $15.95
Category: Electronics
What Is It?
Build a real voice changer! That’s right, a few wires, a resistor, capacitor and transistor, a circuit board, a couple of red plastic doohickeys that make up the case, some speakers, and voila: a voice changer that would do James Bond Jr. proud. You got your squeaky, helium-kinda voice, robotic voice, scary voice and booming, echo voice. Along the way, a fun (it’s got the SmartLab dog in it) illustrated book/manual talks about sound, sound waves, and all sorts of other things scientific-sorta things. It’s very cool looking in the box.
What We Thought
First, find an 8-year-old. That done (I used a nephew and his friend), we began to build it. I read the instructions, and the kids built. After a few false starts (no one really listens to the instructions until things go wrong, do they), we got the whole thing together. Unfortunately, batteries not included (or in this case, one 9-volt battery). We hunted around the house and came up with… a dead battery. We hit the store and came back with a live one. The rest is silly-voice history. It’s pretty loud, and definitely changes the voice, if in a kind of computer-y way: it sounds digitized (which, come to think of it, it is). The kids fought over it (should have gotten two), and eventually we taped them doing some silly stuff, and we got a kick out of playing their voices back to them. A good time was had by all.
Why They’ll Want It
It’s ingenious: scientific, but cool. Electronics kits are always fascinating, but the SmartLab line comes up with particularly intriguing stuff – and fun. Not only did we all get an education in the physics of sound and the electronics of sound manipulation, both analogue and digital, we had a blast. Perfect for the budding scientist or voice-over artist.
-- TDmonthly Staff, 8/29/05
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 Name: The Sisters Grimm
Company: ABRAMS BOOKS
Age: 8-12
Price: $14.95
Category: Books
What Is It?
Sabrina and Daphne Griimm, two orphans, are dropped off at their grandmother’s house 18 months after the disappearance and suspected murder of their parents. Street smart Sabrina isn’t buying sweet old Relda Grimm’s story that she and her sister come from a long line of fairy tale detectives; that Ferryport Landing — their new home — is the enchanted settlement of Everafters (old fairy tale heroes and villains); or that Relda Grimm is anything more than a senile old bat who has mistaken her and her sister for blood relations. Yet, before she has a chance to escape with Daphne, the two find themselves caught in the center of a supernatural mystery.
What We Thought
At times funny, harrowing and touching, this adventurous tale takes readers on a surreal romp through magic forests and pristine balls. As witnessed through the disbelieving eyes of Sabrina and Daphne, all the mad ins and outs of Ferryport Landing spring to life in this easy to read, 304-page book. Rather than sugarcoat events, the story explores issues of death and abandonment between walloping readers with an amusedly mocking Mirror (“as in mirror, mirror, on the wall”) and hoards of stinky, blood-thirsty giants.
Why They’ll Want It
Prince Charming as a corrupt mayor, the Big Bad Wolf as a tormented, modern-day werewolf, Jack the beanstalk climber as an egomaniacal ne’er-do-well — what’s not to love? Author Michael Buckley reinvents favorite fairy tale characters with wit and compassion, creating a unique world that readers will be eager to revisit in his second book, “The Unusual Suspects.” The two young heroines are intelligent, bold and human — solid role models for both boys and girls of all ages.
-- Vanessa VanderZanden, 8/29/05
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 Name: Dinosaurs
Company: KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: All Ages
Price: $11.95
Category: Books
What Is It?
It’s a book about dinosaurs… with a hole in it. That’s right, a hole. A hole to put a face in (either a kid’s or an adult’s). Inside there are dinosaurs who (in one easy to read—except the names—line) tell what they like to eat. From the fern-loving Diplodocus to the dino-loving T-Rex, each page gives the name and eating habits of another animal. The hole? That’s right where the dinosaur’s face is, so you look pretty silly and have a lot of fun.
What We Thought
Sometimes dinosaurs frighten the very smallest children, so having their faces look out from the book, or better yet, having an adult’s is very un-frightening. With my nephew, it worked like a charm. I read the line, did the sound effects of eating, and even ran after him as if I were a Tyrannosaurus. He laughed so hard he got the hiccups. Then he tried it for the rest of the day, running after his older sister, his mom and his dad. Granted, he and I are both hams, so we took to it like a Plesiosaurus to water (one dino that isn’t in the book). Still, it’s a hoot, and lots of fun. My only comment: I’m a dinosaur fan, so I knew the pronunciation of all the names, but a handy-dandy phonetic guide might be a good addition, though it’s a minor point.
Why They’ll Want It
Hey, it’s dinosaurs—which are timeless (or at least 65 million years old—the end of the Cretaceous era). Also, it’s got a hole in the book, a novelty right there. It’s fun to play with, and a unique way of demystifying a potentially frightening subject. All in all: two thumbs up.
-- TDmonthly Staff, 8/19/05
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 Name: Sea Monkeys Mini World Hang 10
Company: EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS INC.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Science & Nature
What Is It?
Like the beach? Like Sea Monkeys? This has both. First, there’s a small beach-scape monkey-arium that has a plastic beach scene complete with hoops and beach towels and surf’s up for the Sea Monkeys to swim in. It comes with water conditioner, Sea Monkey instant eggs and a packet of food. It has a small spoon for stirring and measuring the food. It has instructions. Follow the instructions, and it has… drum roll please: Sea Monkeys!
What We Thought
So, we conditioned the water, waited 24 hours, put in the instant eggs, and voila… really, teeny-tiny Sea Monkeys. Cool. Granted, quite a few other people couldn’t see them (that’s how small they were)—but they were there. A few days later (no feeding yet)—they were small but quite visible, zooming around on their backs. Each day, they got bigger. Each day, there seemed a few less, but their growth made up for that. At the five day mark, the first feeding. Bigger and bigger they got until they became crowd pleasers. Everyone always stops by for a look. So far so good. Unfortunately, the instructions don’t say what to do about evaporating water, so at the two week mark I’m hoping it won’t be a problem. Should I add more? Without conditioner? How much more? I don’t want to lose these babies, as they are great fun swimming around in a playful way.
Why They’ll Want It
They’re cool, and they’re alive, and they’re called Sea Monkeys. Granted, the first few days the kids might be a little impatient, but once they grow big enough to be cute, they’re easy to grow attached to. Can’t wait to see how big they get (I’m told about one inch, but I want to see—maybe I’ll have the world’s record). They are interesting, cool to watch, and fun to talk about. Recommended with pleasure.
--TDmonthly Staff, 8/26/05
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 Name: Bionicle (Visorak Vhotarak)
Company: LEGO
Age: 7 and up
Price: $8.99
Category: Action Figures
What Is It?
This is the latest and the greatest in the Bionicle mythology: Visorak Vhotarak (say that fast three times), VV for short. The story: Web Of Shadows (year 2005): Hordes of these spider like creatures appeared in Metru Nui following the great quake. They quickly took over the Coliseum and spread out through the metru, weaving their webs and capturing Rahi. All Visorak have the ability to create and climb webs as well as a default paralysis power in their spinners.
What We Thought
First, you have to build the thing, and that can be pretty complicated (48 pieces in total). With the help of a savvy 12 year old, I managed to put it together (not without a little frustration and one piece hiding under a chair). VV folds and bends and shoots a spinning disk into the air. It has great mandibles. The legs articulate, and it looks very cool.
Why They’ll Want It
First off: you gotta collect them all. The fans will get it for that reason. For playing fun: it’s part spider, part mechanical, part weird. It eats miniature plastic army men as well as other toys. Get it playing with other Bionicles, and a whole legendary world comes into play. It’s very fun and imaginative.
--TDmonthly Staff, 8/26/05
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 Name: Rep Pals (Red-Eyed Tree Frog)
Company: DARMOS TOYS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $4.95
Category: Novelties
What Is It?
This is a cool, squishy, squashy, vibrantly colored replication of a Red-Eyed Tree Frog. It feels clammy, it looks clammy, and it’s altogether gross… which is the whole point. It’s a fairly accurate reproduction (except that it’s an order of magnitude larger than a real Red-Eyed Tree Frog), and would look quite comfortable out in the wilderness… except for the fact that it doesn’t move unless you move it.
What We Thought
This thing is gross in a fun way, and when thrown against the wall gives a resounding “splat”. From an educational standpoint, me and my son sat down, discussed frogs in general, what kind of frog this was in particular (the Red-Eyed Tree Frog, or Agalychnis callidryas), and then… “splat”! We threw it against the wall. It’s fun to play “frog catch”, “frog ball” and “frog daredevil” with it. Froggy don’t mind. All in all, a very fun fake frog. And did I mention educational?
Why They’ll Want It
For the grossness factor. For the “splat” factor. And for the “scare mom” factor. This is great for the kid who doesn’t live near a pond, is too young for a pet of their own, or simply wants to play “frog ball” and a living frog just won’t do. It also doubles as a great “Show & Tell” project for school. But of course, after the science demonstration… “splat”!
-- TDmonthly Staff, 8/2605
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 Name: Lotty Ladybird Activity Toy
Company: MAMAS & PAPAS LTD.
Age: All Ages
Price: $19.95
Category: Infant & Toddler
What is it?
This cheerful toy is a brightly patterned plush ladybug with lots to stimulate babies’ senses. Her flower antennas make a crinkle noise when crunched in the hands. Her pillowy body is crunchy, too. Two legs squeak, two crunch, and two rattle. One of her rattle legs even plays a synth version of “You Are My Sunshine” when pressed. Tots can examine their own smiles in the kid-safe mirror that’s sewn into the ladybird’s tummy. She has a red body, yellow face, orange hat, and multicolored patterned legs. She’s 7”H x 10” W x 10” deep.
What We Thought
Her blue smile and rosy red cheeks are friendly and endearing. The embroidery on her face and the stitching on her appliqués are close and tight, as is the stitching on all the seams. Even her body is sectioned to give a variety in color, texture and sound. This is a toy that can be cuddled and played with.
Why They’ll Want It
Babies will love squeezing this ladybird and hearing all the different sounds she can make. She has plenty to grab and pull and crunch without the worry of anything coming off. The bright colors will appeal to tots and parents alike. Babies will love being able to look at their own adorable faces in this cute bug’s tummy. Full of music, noise and cuddling, this is a perfect toy to make a baby smile.
-- Alison Marek, 8/19/2005
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 Name: Don't Quote Me - TIME For Kids Edition
Company: WIGGLES 3D
Age: 10 and up
Price: $6.95
Category: General Games
What Is It
This travel trivia game challenges kids to identify books, films, people, places, and things using quotes and multiple choice clues. Broken down into five different kinds of questions per trivia card, this educational game touches on history, geography, and the arts. Players win by moving their magnetized peg around the small board first.
What We Thought
The questions allow players of varying skill levels to compete. The compact travel board with a magnetic lid keeps the game pieces together and the bright colors used to highlight the game board and trivia cards offer a pleasing design. It may require booster sets of trivia cards down the road.
Why They’ll Want It
It keeps kids informed, entertained, and most of all, occupied during long trips. Kids will enjoy guessing the answers to the questions and parents will have fun aiding in their child’s learning. At the low price of $6.95, the easy to pack game is also quite affordable.
Wiggles 3D Inc.´s ToyDirectory Listing
-- Vanessa VanderZanden, 8/19/05
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 Name: Fashion Angels Too Cool 4 School Scrapbook
Company: FASHION ANGELS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $20.00
Category: Arts & Crafts
What Is It?
A glossy cardboard scrapbook decorated with the Fashion Angels girls comes with everything a little girl needs to begin her scrapbooking career. Pockets in the front let her store photos that she can later cut up to make trading cards, or add to other scrapbooking pages while keeping track of the year’s events. Protected by plastic snap pockets are trading card forms in different colors and forms; kids can insert their best friends’ pictures, fold the card, glue it, then fill out the form that keeps track of the girl’s name and important “stats,” such as grade, favorite colors and favorite bands. Funny bright stickers are included, so that the photos can be decorated with mustaches, silly hats, flowers, labels and more. There are four report card and autograph pages so girls can keep track of their social progress through four years of school and fun. It comes with a pen and a glue stick. There are also our protective sleeves where they can store their trading cards permanently.
What We Thought
This is a great way for kids to start documenting the important moments in their lives. They’ll have fun making trading cards of their friends and gathering autographs at the end of the school year. There’s plenty of space in the scrapbook to add extra pages, too, so kids can continue to be creative after they’ve made their cards and filled out their first year’s school report. The trading card frames are nicely varied, so you can really pick the right one for each friend. The cards fold over easily so that it doesn’t take much dexterity to make a really super-looking card. The stickers peel off easily and have a lot of variety. There are even word balloon stickers, so kids can make their friends say funny things.
Why They’ll Want It
Scrapbooking is all the rage. This set will appeal to little girls because it’s filled with fun activities that are easy to do. The instructions are clear and inspiring. The stickers are silly, colorful and have girl-important labels such as “Big Crush,” “Drama Queen” and “Whatever.” If one girl gets this, her friends will want one, too, so they can make cards of each other, trade them, and compare their notes and decorations. Girls and their friends will feel like little stars once they’ve become a hot trading card! It’ll also be fun for them to fill out their year’s report card, since it asks them to think about what their biggest accomplishment was and what they need to work on for the next year. The best thing is, this is a craft activity that they can do all by themselves, without supervision, making it a real Girl Power item.
The Bead Shop´s ToyDirectory Listing
-- Alison Marek, 8/19/05
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 Name: Harold Hound Teether Rattle
Company: MAMAS & PAPAS LTD.
Age: All Ages
Price: $17.99
Category: Infant & Toddler
What Is It?
A white plastic O-ring teether, decorated in orange stripes, forms the middle portion of a friendly looking hound dog made of motley plush. His long gingham blanket-stitched ears crunch when they’re crinkled and his head rattles when it’s shaken. He has blue hind legs, an orange tail, a blue smiling face and a big yellow nose. The fabric is polyester and the crunching in his ears is from the cellophane lining inside.
What We Thought
This is a rattle that kids will want to keep around past infancy. Harold has a sweet and goofy face that will endear both parents and kids. Made of brightly colored solid and patterned fabrics, Harold is a patchwork of lovability.
Why They’ll Want It
Babies will like to gnaw on Harold’s bright yellow nipple-like nose, and gum the plastic teether. There’s a lot to grab and bite on this little toy. The crunchy ears will help infants develop motor skills and have the same kind of textural, aesthetic appeal that bubble wrap has for adults. The toy is well made and, though it’s a perfectly utilitarian teether and rattler, definitely has a longer life than most infant toys: Kids will be playing with this toy well into their 2s and 3s or even beyond.
-- Alison Marek, 8/19/05
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 Name: Travel Blokus
Company: EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: General Games
What Is It?
A travel version of Blokus -- winner of Dr. Toy’s Best Children’s Vacation Products 2003 -- the game is simple to play. Each player takes turns placing variously shaped pieces on the board, touching corners with at least one other piece of their own color. The goal is to cover as much of the board as possible, at the same time minimizing the area of a player´s remaining pieces. The player with the smaller area when no more moves are possible wins. Although four players can compete against each other with the full-sized game, the travel version is designed for two players. What We Thought
It look literally 30 seconds to learn the rules of the game. It didn´t seem like a challenging game at first glance: After all, what is so difficult about putting shapes on a board? But as you play, you realize there are certain strategies to choosing and placing the pieces to block your opponent from putting down their pieces, or expanding your options to place your next piece. Each game took less than 10 minutes which is perfect for on-the-go. If needed, you can even save your board while jumping out for a quick fast-food break! The box is ingeniously designed in such way that you can pack up within a minute and get back on the road. Why They’ll Want It
Travel Blockus is a game for all ages. Children and adults can develop different levels of playing strategy depending on their spatial planning capabilities. The best part is that the rules are simple! Players don´t have to read 15 pages of instructions to set up the game. The game is short and is perfect for quick breaks while traveling.
Educational Insight´s ToyDirectory Listing -- Raywon Wang, 8/16/05
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 Name: NAMiTS Junior
Company: NAMiTS LLC.
Age: 3-8
Price: $9.95
Category: General Games
What Is It?
There are four different color-coded kinds of cards that ask children to name items that share a common feature, such as all things with buttons or things that are shaped like a circle. Other times this open-ended game has kids make up stories or share their knowledge of a specific topic. There are no winners or losers. What We Thought
This simple game is a fun conversation-starter and creates talkative children, aiding in building their vocabulary. Most adults will find this rudimentary game enjoyable only in the company of young kids as a way to bring them out of their shells. By far the biggest crowd-pleaser for any family is bound to be the “Clap out the names of different … Stores, Opposites, Insects, Meals” card. It’s a truly ingenious feat trying to guess what others are clapping. It would have been nice to have a few more abstract cards, like this one, thrown into the game. Also, it would be nice to see versions of NAMiTS in foreign languages, which would be useful for players of all ages. Why They’ll Want It
This deck of brightly colored cards will occupy young minds on long road trips. The compact playing cards are looped on a plastic ring, guaranteeing that they won’t spill all over the car. The product encourages a creative mind and advances English skills. Players can make up their own rules if they decide to turn the game into a competition. -- Vanessa VanderZanden, 8/16/05
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 Name: Reading Roadway USA
Company: LEARNING RESOURCES INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: General Games
What Is It?
Using over 100 trivia questions relating to different geographical regions across the continental United States, this unique board game builds reading comprehension skills while educating kids about U.S. history and culture. The board game depicts a map of the United States with six differently colored regions that players move across using different colored plastic cars. Each of two to four players compete to answer reading comprehension questions, gaining game pieces shaped either like a mug, pennant, T-shirt, cap, or bumper sticker. The player that wins four game pieces and manages to make it back to his or her home region first, wins. What We Thought
Used as an educational tool in schools or tutoring groups, this game will both entertain and captivate young minds. However, when used for family play, parents may need to act as readers rather than players due to the nature of the questions. Although the rules state that readers can join in on guessing answers to questions, the game is fairer when readers refrain from doing so. Also, because there are only two or three question cards per state, bonus packs may be required after a few rounds of play. Why They’ll Want It
The game gets shaken up when players spin a tornado, which can allow them to take game pieces from winning players, leveling the field of play. The bright game board and game pieces are visually exciting and the icons on the game board are cleverly designed. Kids don’t have to wait until it’s their turn to shout out answers, keeping them enthralled throughout the game. -- Vanessa VanderZanden, 8/16/05
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 Name: Mini Fancy Pal
Company: AURORA WORLD INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $4.99
Category: Plush
What Is It?
This adorable little puppy won’t have to go into the cargo hold on a plane because he comes in his own blue plush zippered and lined suitcase marked “Precious.” Open the suitcase and that’s just what you’ll find: a precious little plush Beagle pup in black, tan and white. He looks up with soulful black button eyes, his head cocked hopefully, as if waiting for a delicious doggy treat. His tail’s cut short and his ear’s are cut long, but kids won’t have to worry where this little dog’s gone because his carry case comes with a hook that can attach to a belt loop or a purse. The suitcase also has two handles.
What We Thought
It’s very hard to actually put the puppy in his case. Not because he’s too big or the case is too small, but only because you don’t really want him to go “bye-bye.” The purse is a pretty, sparkly blue plush trimmed with silvered blue cording for kids who are still into Bling Bling. And for the more sentimental, the puppy is as precious as a nonliving thing can be -- down to his shiny plastic nose and pensive expression. Also, the suitcase is washable. This isn’t the manufacturer’s claim; it’s the reviewer’s experience. A nice plum juice stain washed right out with soap and water.
Why They’ll Want It
It’s cute, it’s transportable, and it’s collectible. Since bags with bags are popular with Big Sis, Little Sis will like to add this suitcase/puppy combo to her own backpack, purse or book bag. Just small enough to sneak into school, the Mini Fancy Pals could become a girl’s best friend. The little suitcase is lined and sturdy, so when the pup’s out to play, his carrier can be used as a change purse or a jewelry carrier.
Aurora´s ToyDirectory Listing
-- Alison Marek, 8/9/05
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 Name: Yesteryears Star Horse
Company: MARY MEYER CORP.
Age: All Ages
Price: $15.00
Category: Pretend Play
What is it?
A stick horse with a retro design, he’s 33 inches long and made with a plastic riding stick fitted with a blue plush head. His eyes are embroidered, his face emblazoned with blue stars. He wears a bridle with a carrying loop so kids can teach him to “whoa!” His mane is made of dark blue plush. His nostrils and mouth are black appliqués.
What We Thought
He’s a perfect classic gift for a grandparent who wants to be sure the next generation knows something about the Pony Express. Kids have the freedom to interact however they want with this little steed, traveling across the continents or all the way to Mars. Little kids might be surprised to learn that horses were yesterday’s cars. Slightly bigger kids will probably just grab their cowboy or cowgirl hat and ride away.
Why They’ll Want It
Parents and grandparents will want this because it hearkens back to the days when kids were allowed to use their own imaginations when they played, rather than have the storyline spelled out for them in a video. Kids will love the soft colors and the plush, squishy head. And they’ll have their first taste of independence as they go galloping off into the future on this old-fashioned stick horse.
-- Alison Marek, 8/9/05
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 Name: Feet Are Not for Kicking
Company: FREE SPIRIT PUBLISHING
Age: 2-5
Price: $7.95
Category: Books
What is it?
A 6” x 6” glossy board book by Elizabeth Verdick and illustrated by Marieka Heinlen, “Feet Are Not for Kicking” is all about toes and where they “goes” – or shouldn’t. The bright, cheery illustrations show kids doing fun things with their feet, such as standing, walking, running and climbing. But the “kicker” is that – though they may kick balls – people are not for kicking.
What We Thought
All the characters in this book look very happy, including the cat… except when someone kicks them! Kids will like reading about other kids and learning what they can and cannot do in a gentle, amusing way. They’ll love exploring their own precious feet while Mom or Dad reads to them. The book is sturdy and the glossy finish means that even if a Tippy Cup ends up tipping after all, the story can be wiped clean and kept fresh.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids will respond to the cheery illustrations and the simple story. They’ll like thinking about what feet can do and will probably want to talk to Mom and Dad about the things they have or have not kicked. This is a great way for parents to teach a little lesson in a very painless way. Kids will be able to turn the pages themselves, too, which will make them feel more a part of the story.
Free Spirit Publishing´s ToyDirectory Listing
-- Alison Marek, 8/9/05
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 Name: Let’s Pretend Toaster
Company: EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $12.99
Category: Infant & Toddler
What is it?
This little toaster is about 5” high and has a weighted base. It comes with two pieces of play bread that can be placed the toaster. Kids just push down the lever at the side and the bread drops down, ready for toasting. A dialed timer allows up to seven different settings for the perfect piece of toast. A mechanical toy that requires no batteries, the timer is sufficiently noisy for the most demanding of tot chefs. The toaster is bright yellow with red, blue and white details.
What We Thought
The bread is removable, which means that little kids can serve their dolls or teddies a good nourishing breakfast every morning. The molded air holes on the bread and its brown crust makes it more realistic looking, though it’s still small enough for small hands. The colors are appealing and the mechanisms are easy to work. This toaster’s a great way to keep kids occupied while Mom or Dad makes breakfast on Sunday morning.
Why They’ll Want It
Two pieces of removable bread means that this bright yellow play kitchen tool is really three toys in one. Kids’ll have fun “toasting” the bread for their toys, or serving up a special snack for Mom or Dad. It’s a great size for them, too. They’ll feel even bigger, knowing that their kitchen toys are well proportioned for their growing hands.
Educational Insight´s ToyDirectory Listing
-- Alison Marek 8/9/05
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 Name: Henna Tattoos for Kids
Company: LAKAYE STUDIO
Age: 9 and up
Price: $15.00
Category: Arts & Crafts
What is it?
This kit lets kids mix their own squeeze bottle of natural henna and practice the art of “mehndi” (the Indian word for henna body painting). It comes with a henna solution and a henna powder that have to be mixed in a special included plastic cone, massaged, then funneled into the squeeze bottle, which is fitted with an applicator top. Kids who want to trace out elaborate designs can do so using a page of reusable stencils that are applied to the skin with the aid of eucalyptus oil, which is also included.
What We Thought
The instructions, though long, were easy to follow. Impatient kids might have trouble with the “wait 2 hours” after the henna solution and paste have been mixed together. Once ready, the formula squeezed easily through the applicator tip. It was easy and fun to draw freehand, especially since we knew that nothing would be permanent! It might be difficult to keep the paste on the hands or other much-used body parts for the entire 4 to 6 hours that the manufacturer recommends, but it adhered well to legs and ankles. The images were clear and lasted more than a week.
Why They’ll Want It
Even our boss wanted a tattoo. That says it all. But, in case it doesn’t, here’s the rest: the tattoos are easy and fun to apply. This would be a great activity for a slumber party. Girls will enjoy tattooing each other into their latest “secret society.” Boys will like it, too, because who wouldn’t be cooler with a new “tattoo?” The included stencils have images of a dragon, lizard and scorpion, as well as the gentler butterfly, sun and heart, among others.
Lakaye Studio´s ToyDirectory Listing
-- Alison Marek, 8/9/05
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 Name: The Continent Puzzles: North American Edition
Company: A BROADER VIEW
Age: 7 and up
Price: $9.95
Category: Puzzles & Skill
What Is It?
This 12.25” by 15” map of North America uses different colors to depict all U.S. states and their capitals, all Canadian provinces and their capitals, and most countries of Central America and their capitals. The thin cardboard map includes over 25 pieces and makes a solid educational tool for anyone who wants to learn their geography for the first time or just brush up on lessons they learned years ago.
What We Thought
This puzzle map stands out because most geography puzzle maps only include the states and capitals of the United States. As globalization increasingly brings world events closer to Americans’ doorsteps, it’s encouraging to see a product that offers children — and adults — the opportunity to learn about foreign lands in a fun and challenging way. However, this reviewer would have liked to have seen a single puzzle piece for a single state or country, rather than, in some cases, multiple states or countries on one puzzle piece. Also, eight countries in Central America were not included on the map, which is a little concerning if this product is to be used as an educational tool. However, it is understandable that the puzzle is only so big and that puzzle pieces need to be of a certain size due to small part choking rules. Also, the back of the puzzle does make note of the missing countries, left out due to their small size.
Why They’ll Want It
The pieces easily fit into the proper place on the board, and the colorful pieces excite imagination while kids learn their geography. It is a useful, fun and reasonably-priced product that will help kids better understand the world around them. Also, it makes learning the capitals of the United States easier come quiz time.
A Broader View´s ToyDirectory Listing
-- Vanessa VanderZanden, 7/29/05
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 Name: DaVinci’s Challenge
Company: BRIARPATCH INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $24.99
Category: General Games
What Is It
This ancient game challenges either two players or two teams to create and see patterns in the pieces they place on the giant symbol in the center of the game board. One side has black wooden pieces and one side has white — both must try to form one of nine patterns when it is their turn to play, or they can try to block the other team from forming a pattern. The game become more complex as more pieces appear on the board, as multiple patterns can be made with one move. If a team does not note that they have made a pattern on their move, the other team is under no obligation to point out the symbol for them.
What We Thought
Like chess, this game requires a good deal of concentration. Moves become a strategic operation, and the atmosphere can become quite intense. It forces players to be on guard, as they try to protect their patterns while attempting to squelch the patterns of the other team. It’s fun, it’s thought-provoking and it’s relatively easy to play. The only drawback is that only two people can play, or two teams, which makes it difficult for odd numbers of players to enjoy the activity. While it has a sufficient number of double-sided score pads, players will need to make copies when they get near the end of the stack.
Why They’ll Want It
The back story of the game is quite interesting. The main symbol, called the Flower of Life, the Language of Silence and the Language of Light, has shown up everywhere from Ephesis, Turkey in the first century to Nikko, Japan in the 14th century on building walls and in artistic pieces. Leonardo DaVinci studied the symbol extensively, and with Dan Brown’s “The DaVinci Code” being one of the most read books in recent memory, this game will no doubt receive a lot of attention.
Briarpatch´s ToyDirectory Listing
-- Vanessa VanderZanden, 7/29/05
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 Name: Marble Mania Extreme
Company: THE LEARNING JOURNEY INTERNATIONAL
Age: 5 and up
Price: $49.95
Category: Construction
What Is It?
Marble Mania Extreme is a 325-piece marble run and gears construction set with a motorized gear that will mechanically return the marbles to the top of the run. It contains mills, various channels — such as pendulum, drop, release, funnel and straight — and all kinds of connectors, gears, and base pieces that allow numerous marble-run designs. The set’s instructions are in Spanish and English.
What We Thought
In addition to the educational benefits listed on the box such as “introduces concepts of basic mechanics,” “stimulates tactile skills,” and “develops problem solving skills,” one major benefit not listed is “builds patience and diligence.” The 30 different types of pieces require a lot of time to sort out. It also takes a lot of concentration to go through the manual to make sure the motor and gears fits and works correctly. A 5-year-old would definitely need adult supervision to build a working model.
Why They’ll Want It
The harder the effort, the sweeter the fruit of achievement. Once the child sees the magnificent gears churn and the marbles flying through the marble run that they helped mom or dad build, they won’t be able to take their eyes off it.
The Learning Journey´s ToyDirectory Listing
– TDmonthly Review Team, 7/29/05
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 Name: Baffle Gab
Company: DISCOVERY BAY GAMES
Age: 8-Adult
Price: $29.95
Category: General Games
What Is It?
This word game can be enjoyed by the whole family. Five word cards drawn from a pile that includes nouns, verbs and adjectives are placed face up on the table for all to see. The sandtimer is turned over in the center of the table, allowing any number of players one minute to form a story that includes as many words as possible from the five on the table. Bonus points are given to players who are able to put all five words in one sentence, and all words in a sentence that is not completed by the time the sand runs out from the timer will not be counted.
What We Thought
The game leads to silly stories and bizarre sentences that can often be best described as abstract poetry. While it encourages young minds to experiment with vocabulary they may not be entirely comfortable with, adults will put five words in one sentence in a minute with little challenge. Still, older players can make up their own rules, using more than the suggested five words, to make a more competitive game. No matter what the age, it’s still no easy feat to string together a number of unrelated words into one coherent statement, and the resulting tales are laugh-inducing.
Why They’ll Want It
The game allows kids to be creative while learning new vocabulary. It asks them to structure complex sentences quickly, and it provides an opportunity for parents to share in the learning process while having fun. Best of all, the game’s theme character is a dog named Gabby, which gives the game heart.
-- Vanessa VanderZanden, 7/28/05
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 Name: Uglydog
Company: PRETTY UGLY LLC
Age: All Ages
Price: $24.00
Category: Plush
What Is It?
Developed by artists David Horvath and Sun Min-Kim, this irresistible 12” to 14” tall hot pink plush creature looks like a Cyclops caught in a nuclear meltdown. The “dog” has four feet and a tail, all in a row, which look more like the outline of a clenched foot than individual appendages. Made of a soft fabric akin to the inside of a fleece sweatshirt, the doll is easy to squeeze and hard to put down. Uglydoll describes the character as “the ultimate pet” because “what he really likes to do is stand on his tail and live out his big dream … to be just like you!!!”
What We Thought
Eccentric and ugly, as the name implies, this ridiculous little dog makes a fine companion. Uglydoll knows how to craft unusual plush figures that speak to a girl’s inner freak. Who wouldn’t love a deformed, fuzzy hot pink stuffed dog? For the girl who has everything, from stuffed wombat to millipede, this plush “man’s best friend” will complete her stuffed animal collection. That is, until she sees one of Uglydoll’s other bizarre designer plush creations …
Why They’ll Want It
Uglydoll knows how to market their designer toys, that’s for sure. One look at the list of celebrities who claim an infatuation for the peculiar plush line will have any kid — age irrelevant — asking for one from their local toy retailer. The list includes Paris Hilton, “American Idol” finalist Constantine Maroulis and Robin Williams, to name a few. The dolls are even sold at hip spots like Barney’s New York and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, so that even if little ones don’t know what they are yet, their chi-chi aunts and uncles will no doubt introduce them to the dolls before long. And once one kid on the playground has one, well, say no more.
-- Vanessa VanderZanden, 7/27/05
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 Name: Webz 54
Company: PROGRESSIVE TRADING
Age: All Ages
Price: $25.00
Category: Construction
What is it?
Webz consists of transparent colored stars, bars and square plates with magnetized ends that attach to silver-toned magnetic connecting balls. Builders can create spheres or towers. The pieces are small, ranging from approximately ˝ inch for the balls and 2 inches for the largest plate. Colors are candy bright and the textures of the pieces vary from smooth to brushed. The Webz sets are also compatible with Magz and Skrooz.
What We Thought
The finished constructions are really pretty. The difference in texture between the pieces makes it appealing. It would definitely take a little time to make some of the creations on the box. The pieces will easily get lost, and the balls will probably roll under the furniture or get stuck underneath the sofa cushions. But it’s easy to make even a simple construction. Even if the kid (or reviewer) has no particular shape in mind, the finished construction is pleasant to look at owing to the contrast in textures, shapes and colors.
Why They’ll Want It
Well, everyone else has it, so… Anyone who’s into construction toys will want this, especially if they already have Magz. Kids will enjoy the physical sensation of the magnets attracting and repelling each other, as they have for generations. But now they can build really colorful, cool-looking creations, too. They’ll probably leave them assembled when not playing with them, because the magnetic attraction is strong enough so that the pieces can be moved without the whole thing collapsing. Definitely more fun than blocks. Tiny kids might be intimated by all the various pieces and frustrated by not being able to make all the connections they might like to make, owing to magnetic repulsion, but bigger kids will have fun challenging their own building skills. Adults will probably grab these, too.
Progressive Trading´s ToyDirectory Listing
-- Alison Marek, 7/26/05
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 Name: Fashion Angels Fashion Design Sketch Book
Company: FASHION ANGELS
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.00
Category: Arts & Crafts
What is it?
The Fashion Angels Fashion Design Sketch Book is a portfolio that closes with a snap and is filled with a “croqui” sketch pad, tiny colored pencils and eraser, an assortment of small colored markers, and a Style Guide designed by “the pros.” The sketch pad comes with a preprinted design of a Fashion Angel’s body outline and full-color cartoon face. Kids can then use the markers to clothe the sketch. There’s a column on the right side for kids to add the date, title of the designer, their name, which character they’re deisgning for, which fabrics should be used, specs and notes. The Style Guide flip book gives them ideas for sleeve and neckline styles, various skirt shapes, and other style pointers they can use to make their creations.
What We Thought
The Style Guide acquaints kids with some basic fashion terminology and gives them ideas of shapes to try out on the doll sketches. The markers are so small that it would take quite a bit of time to color in the outfits with them, but they’re good for outlining. The pencils are good for filling in color and the markers draw right over them for detailing. The little eraser was hard to remove from its tiny pocket. If there was a sharpener included, it had already fallen out. Keeping track of the tiny pieces might be the biggest problem with this cute set.
Why They’ll Want It
This would be a fun activity to do alone or with friends or Mom. The sketches are easily removed from the pad so several people can draw at once. There’s a pocket for storing finished sketches, too. Girls will like learning fashion terms while using their imaginations to put together outfits of their own design. Fashion-conscious tweens will love the fashion/accessories aspect, but younger girls will like it, too, since it’s a step up from the average coloring book.
The Bead Shop´s ToyDirectory Listing
-- Alison Marek, 7/26/05
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 Name: LighTalk
Company: Compact Impact.com, LLC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $39.99
Category: Electronics
What is it?
Lightalk is a handheld scanner that transforms drawings or words into pictures that can be seen in the air. The 8-1/2” toy has a scanning area of 4” x 7”. A press of a button allows the user to scan an image made with a black marker that’s at least .2” thick. After the image has been saved, the user flicks the switch again and waves the Lightalk back and forth extremely rapidly; a series of orange LED lights magically recreates the image, thanks to the persistence of vision. It can also be programmed to store up to 4 images at a time. The scanner comes in blue, white or pink and includes a matching cord so kids can carry it around their necks to scan at a moment’s notice.
What We Thought
Once our fumbling tester mastered the timing of the little switch and the scanning/saving button, the toy did just what the manufacturer said it would, though the image was a bit more pixilated than the illustration on the package led us to be believe. Simpler images worked best. Swinging in a darkened room was better than a light room, though the most important thing was to choose a nondistracting background.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids can waves secrets at each other in the backseat of the car for hours on end. They’ll have fun guessing what the drawing or message is. It’s a great bit of high tech for a relatively low price. Two AAA batteries are included, as is a page of instructions, so kids can get started scanning right away. It’s a cool gift to give, too, for birthdays or holidays.
-- Alison Marek, 7/20/05
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 Name: Little Daydreamers Wizard With Dragon Hat
Company: ELOPE INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Pretend Play
What is it?
A stuffed green dragon with shiny wings, pointy teeth and fire-red nostrils has wrapped himself around the brim and cone of a star-spangled black wizard’s hat. Lined with polyurethane foam and fabric, the hat has a secret pocket to hide magical toys and fairy dust. Elasticized Velcro tabs adjust the hat to size without the bother of casting spells.
What We Thought
Little kids will probably want to pull the dragon off the hat, and they can! Velcro tabs are all that secure the beast to the hat. This feature makes the hat much more playable. The mottled green plush fabric gives the dragon an authentic look. The hat and dragon seem to be durable; the tiny white triangular teeth and scales are securely sewn to the dragon’s mouth and back. The extra-long tail makes the dragon great for swinging around or wearing on the shoulder like a well-trained familiar. The hat can even be used as a domicile cave in which to store the dragon when he needs a nap.
Why They’ll Want It
It’s a fashion rule: a detachable dragon makes the hat. Kids who are into witches, goblins, dragons and dungeons will want to add this chapeau to their wardrobe. The dragon, of course, will lend the little wizard an air of menace, which could greatly enhance play value.
Elope´s ToyDirectory Listing
-- Alison Marek, 6/15/05
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 Name: Little Daydreamers Forest Princess Green Hat
Company: ELOPE INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Pretend Play
What is it?
A cone-shaped princess hat in bright green plush lined with polyurethane foam is encircled by a band of shiny green Mylar-like leaves and multicolored satin flowers. A sheer lime-green scarf cascades from the top, lined in dark green satin. The inside of the hat is capped in the shape of a beanie, so the hat sits securely on little heads. Velcro tabs allow quick and easy size adjustment. The lining opens up at the top so that the cone can be stuffed for support.
What We Thought
This pretty hat can transform a simple nightgown into a princess outfit. Little girls will be drawn to its bright colors and contrasting fabrics. It took two TDmonthly testers to find the secret pocket at the tip of the cone, but they were disappointed when the pocket was open at the bottom and no secret fortune could be found! Because it’s a solid, pale color, it might pick up dirt, so Princesses should be warned to stow their special hats carefully.
Why They’ll Want It
Princesses are beautiful. Princesses are good. And Princesses need fantasy hats to set them apart from the little people. Especially if they are little people themselves. This lovely hat will make any girl feel majestic and sweet. Since it’s adjustable, she’ll probably put it on the heads of her dolls and teddy bears, too.
Elope´s ToyDirectory Listing
-- Alison Marek, 6/15/05
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 Name: Little Daydreamers Royal King Hat
Company: ELOPE INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Pretend Play
What is it?
This fully lined crimson velvet plush hat is trimmed with fake ermine and bedecked with plastic jewels and gold filigree. A large plastic sapphire festoons the front. The hat is trimmed with intricate gold and blue ribbon and set with a jeweled golden knob. A secret pocket hidden in the lining holds a fortune for the King to read. Or, it can be used to hide state secrets from unruly contenders. Velcro tabs allow adjustment for almost any head size.
What We Thought
Elaborate, colorful and highly decorated, the crown confers instant royalty on its wearer – kid or adult. It’s great for funny photos, birthday parties and – most important – dressing up and pretending to rule the world. Even if a few of the doodads fall off over time, it’s well made enough to go through a few lives: dress-up toy & Halloween costume for little kids, then joke prop for the older set.
Why They’ll Want It
Why settle for Princess when you can be King? Kids will like its adjustability and the fact that no hard plastic or metal pieces will ever touch their heads. The secret pocket is a big plus and will probably get a lot of use. Kids may fight over who gets to wear the crown, but that’ll just make the play more realistic.
Elope´s ToyDirectory Listing
-- Alison Marek, 6/15/05
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 Name: Pink Panther Plush Clip-On Figure
Company: AURORA WORLD INC.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $4.99
Category: Plush
What is it?
A pink cat with attitude, this 5” Pink Panther is soft, pettable and portable. Plastic yellow eyes are lidded with dark pink. His black eyebrows give him an air of insouciance. Four whiskers remind one that this high-tone character is, indeed, feline. A plastic clip secured to his head with a pink cord lets kids or adults attach Mr. P to a purse, belt loop, key ring or even a car visor.
What We Thought
Okay, maybe we’re just prejudiced in favor of cool cats who can wear pink without flinching, but this guy is irresistible. TDmonthly staff can’t keep their hands off the Pink Panther, no matter what form he manifests. Those with a fetish can easily keep this little panther close at hand with the easy-to-use clip. He looks enough like a cat to please animal lovers, and enough like a person to tickle the fancy of those who prefer their characters in human form.
Why They’ll Want It
Pink, soft, funny and cheap make this toy a pretty safe bet for an impulse item. Dangling from the ceilings or perched in baskets on the counter, kids and adults will probably find themselves picking him up. And once he’s in their hands, well – they’re just a $5 bill away from taking him home. The pink might turn off some boys, but that could change, once they see MGM’s new “Pink Panther” movie starring Steve Martin, due out next year. The little clip-on could also be perched next to his big-brother poseables: the 12” version has an MSRP of just $7.99.
Aurora´s ToyDirectory Listing
-- Alison Marek, 6/15/05
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 Name: Batman Begins ActionCape Batman
Company: MATTEL INC.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $25.99
Category: Action Figures
What is it?
Batman Begins ActionCape Batman is a 14” highly articulated action figure with an expandable fabric cape. The cape can be contracted to be less conspicuous or – with a touch of a button – expands to give batman a fighting display. The cape can also be tilted up with its supportive armature, to give the appearance of downward flight. Batman comes fully masked, leaving Bruce Wayne in permanent hiding. His head and waist swivel 360 degrees. He has articulated shoulders, upper arms, elbows and wrists, as well as articulated hipbones, upper thighs, knees and ankles. Dressed entirely in black, his waist is accented with a gold-colored utility belt. He comes with a gold-colored Batman boomerang to bring Gotham’s nasties to justice.
What We Thought
The figure is impressive looking and extremely poseable. His joints were stiff at first, but a little physical therapy from our testing staff loosened them up. He can balance on his own two feet, even when standing on a fairly slippery surface. The cape mechanism was trickier. The release mechanism sometimes stuck, releasing only half of the cape at a time. His permanent scowl makes him a formidable figure, especially appealing to kids who want a super hero who can scare off all contenders.
Why They’ll Want It
The super-articulation of the figure makes it really fun to pose. Kids who are into comics will want this figure not only for play, but also as a model for their own drawings. Batman would probably be best displayed out of the box and next to some books on drawing your own comics, or even a comic or book-making kit. The figure could even be used for stop-action movies, since so many kids have digital movie cameras these days. And of course, anyone who’s seen the movie will want the figure just so he or she can relive the best battle scenes and give the villains a good KAPOW!
-- Alison Marek, 6/15/05
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 Name: SuperStructs Starter Set
Company: WABA FUN LLC
Age: 3 and up
Price: $29.95
Category: Construction
What is it?
Superstructs is a building set comprising 96 brightly colored plastic rods and multi-perforated connector wheels, foam accent pieces, and the head of an unshaven construction worker. The worker has a choice of two hats to wear, depending on what kind of vehicle the child builds. The starter kit includes materials for building a dune buggy, dragster, monster truck and tractor. The instruction book shows kids how to put together the vehicles using simple step-by-step illustrations and arrows. Reading is not required. Young kids who might not be able to follow the instructions can improvise and create their own vehicles.
What We Thought
Little children might need some adult helping hands when assembling these toys. A 4 year old probably will get frustrated trying to follow the picture instructions – especially when a page turn is required. Our staff tester took 15 to 20 minutes to assemble the monster truck, so even older kids might need a little patience. The finished pieces are pretty irresistible: the bright array of colors catch the eye and the instant mobility conferred by the wheels means that the vehicles can join the child’s fleet of trucks or cars or dolls right away.
Why They’ll Want It
The vehicles are cool, the colors bright. Foam and smooth plastic materials make the pieces pleasant to handle. Kids will be inspired by the vehicles they’re supposed to construct, and will also be intrigued by the possibilities of designing their own cars and trucks. The construction worker personalizes the toy and will add to imaginative play. Once assembled, the vehicles are so bright and pretty that kids might not even want to disassemble them.
Waba Fun´s ToyDirectory Listing
-- Alison Marek, 6/15/05
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 Name: Magna Morphs
Company: WILD REPUBLIC
Age: 3 and up
Price: $13.95
Category: Educational
What is it?
Magna Morphs are wild animal toys inspired by classic building play activity, employing a unique concept that uses animals as building blocks. Magna Morphs come in over 30 different species including alligator, gorilla, lizard, cheetah, toucan, elephant, giraffe and dinosaur. The animal body parts are held together by magnets, making the animal’s front legs, back legs, tail and head detachable from its body. With a number of Magna Morphs in hand, the limbs can be interchanged to build one’s own ferocious beast.
What We Thought
Magna Morphs are made of plastic with magnets inside. They’re strong, durable, lightweight, and fit into a purse or large pocket. All of these qualities make it a great choice for travel. The magnets, however, could be a little stronger, as the Magna Morph will lose its limbs if dropped, but can easily be put back together.
Why They’ll Want It
Magna Morphs inspire the imagination. Once a child gets a hold of one, he or she will want more to be able to create the beast of choice. With over one billion different combinations of animals that can be created, the possibilities are practically endless.
--Susan Maddela, 6/1/05
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 Name: Polly Pocket Adorable Storable, Too!
Company: MATTEL INC.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $6.99
Category: Dolls
What is it?
The Adorable Storable, Too! mini case is stackable, portable and modular, and easily fits larger Adorable Storable case for the ultimate storage solution. “Too!” has three compartments for storing Polly’s shoes, dresses, handbags and all things Polly. As a bonus, “Too!” comes with a matching pink hat, purse and pair of shoes for Polly, along with fun little stickers to decorate the container.
What We Thought
The Adorable Storable, Too! is just the right size for a girl with a smaller Polly collection. It’s made of durable plastic in a bright pink color that little girls will love. The container is transparent, so its contents are easily seen.
Why They’ll Want It
The added bonus of three wardrobe pieces alone will entice Polly Pocket fans. The storage compartments are just the right size for the beginning Polly Pocket collector.
--Susan Maddela, 5/3/05
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 Name: Polly Pocket Quik-Clik Boutique
Company: MATTEL INC.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $13.99
Category: Dolls
What is it?
Polly Pocket is a doll with many fashion possibilities, which can literally change clothes in a snap. The Quik-Clik Boutique includes a magic dressing room feature – just insert the clothes into the dressing room, slide Polly into the dressing room and she spins out dressed in a new outfit. The Quik-Clik Boutique comes with a selection of hip fashions, including skirts, dresses, jackets and shoes for endless fashion combinations. After Polly comes out of the dressing room, choose from a number of hairstyles, such as ponytails or braids, and hair accessories. There is also a cashier area with a tiny register, a clothing rack and a display area. All clothing, accessories and hair attach to Polly by click-on magnets. The Quik-Clik Boutique is also its own carrying case that easily folds together and contains all 26 pieces, so that everything stores inside.
What We Thought
The Quik-Clik Boutique is a fun toy for little girls who like to dress their dolls, which is just about every little girl. The magnets contained inside the clothing and in the doll have a strong grip, which make dressing easy and allows the clothes and accessories to stay on. The small pieces allow for development of fine motor skills and encourage creativity through outfit combinations and color coordination.
Why They’ll Want It
Polly Pocket is a toy with a hip, edgy look that will stand out on the shelf. The Polly Pocket line is available in other play sets including the Cool Careers Gift Set and the Relaxin’ Resort Rock-n-Roller Coaster Hotel. All of the outfits and sets can be interchanged and are specially fitted for Polly Pocket dolls, and kids will want to collect them all.
--Susan Maddela, 5/3/05
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 Name: KeyChain Misting Fan
Company: IELLO
Age: 6 and up
Price: $3.99
Category: Water Activities
What is it?
The Key Chain Misting Fan allows one to carry their keys and have a handy spray mist on those hot days. Conveniently fitting into the palm of the hand, it’s like a mini spray bottle with a key ring attachment. Just pour water in the small tank and seal with the rubber stopper, which is included. Insert a AA battery and turn on the fan, and then spray the water manually.
What We Thought
The misting fan works well, and is made of a flexible but sturdy foam rubber material. When spraying while the fan is in operation, sometimes fingers get in the way of the fan. The spray button has to be pressed repeatedly for the water mist, and the fan can work independently of the water spray. It’s a great little item that fits into a beach bag and even a purse, so that a fine cool mist is always handy.
Why They’ll Want It
A great product for the hot summers, this item will work well at the beach, sporting events, picnics or any outdoor recreational event.
O2-Cool´s Directory Listing
--Susan Maddela, 5/3/05
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 Name: Squeeze Breeze Water Misting Fan
Company: IELLO
Age: 6 and up
Price: $5.99
Category: Electronics
What is it?
The Squeeze Breeze is a spray bottle with a battery-operated fan attached to the nozzle. Fill the bottle with water. Insert two AA batteries into the nozzle head. Just flip the switch and the fan spins while you manually spray the water.
What We Thought
The spray bottle alone is made of durable plastic that sprays a nice even mist. The handy carrying strap makes for easy transport to the beach, or other hot places where a fine, cool mist is welcome. The propellers of the fan are made of a soft, flexible foam rubber material that better distributes the mist and aids in keeping a person cool. The propellers, however, do sometimes get caught on the spray nozzle, and need to be bent out of the way so that the fan can properly work.
Why They’ll Want It
It’s a nice way to keep cool in the summer, and for a relatively low price. It’s a great impulse buy and would display well near a cash register and/or in a section of a store that sells outdoor products such as beach chairs and coolers.
--Susan Maddela, 5/3/05
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 Name: Bratz Sportz, Slammin' Soccer Yasmin
Company: MGA ENTERTAINMENT
Age: 6 and up
Price: $9.99
Category: Dolls
What is it?
The Sportz line is the latest from MGA’s group of girls we love. In line with the dolls’ theme of confidence, swagger and attitude, these sporty girls will tear up the field, golf course, bowling alley or sidelines and look good doing it! Yasmin has long braided hair, cleats, long socks, a stylish soccer skort and midriff top. Also included are her very own soccer ball, gym bag, collectible sticker and star-shaped hair brush. The Sportz line also includes Rockin’ Cheerleader, Groovin’ Golf and Bangin’ Bowlin,’ all of whom boast, “It’s not just a game…it’s how good you look winning it!”
What We Thought
The Bratz never disappoint! Yasmin can kick a goal without her makeup getting smudged. Her eyes are perfectly shadowed and her lips a red hue. Her hair is coiffed just right for the soccer match, and she’s ready to take on the fiercest opponent. Yasmin stands about nine inches tall, and she’s easy to move and position at the arms, head, and legs.
Why They’ll Want It
With more girls embracing sports, and more opportunities for girls to play sports, the Sportz line will is right in step with today’s young athletes. The Bratz prove that fashion and good looks don’t have to be sacrificed just because a girl is good at sports. There truly is an outfit for every occasion. And girls will not only want to buy Yasmin, but they’ll also want to buy Yasmin’s friends!
--Susan Maddela, 5/3/05
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 Name: Bibble
Company: MATTEL INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $14.99
Category: Plush
What is it?
Part of the Barbie Fairytopia line, Bibble is the winged pet of fairy Elina. Bibble joins Elina on her adventures in the Magic Meadow of Fairytopia, where Elina lives with her other friends, Dahlia and Dandelion. A plush toy with turquoise and lavender fur, Bibble makes a whistling, chirping sound when he gets a squeeze. Bibble requires three AA batteries.
What We Thought
The exterior of the toy is soft over a plastic interior. Its durability will last many hours of playtime and cuddling.
Why They’ll Want It
Fairytopia is the latest line of Barbie dolls, and little girls will love the whimsical feel of this new line.
--Susan Maddela, 4/15/05
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 Name: American Idol Barbie - Tori
Company: MATTEL INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Dolls
What is it?
Based on the popular TV reality show, American Idol Barbie is one of the latest in the Barbie line, and comes in three different characters – Tori, Simone and Barbie. Tori has cascading red hair with braids and comes with two edgy, trendy outfits, along with matching accessories. All three American Idol girls have “Ever-Flex” bodies, making movement and positioning easy. Also included are three miniature CDs and her very own working karaoke machine. Just press the button and she’ll sing “What I Like About You.” The karaoke machine requires three AAA batteries.
What We Thought
The “Ever-Flex” makeup of the dolls allows for freer movement, more so then the traditional Barbie doll. The colors of her hair and makeup and unique, cool and match the “rocker” image of Tori. The karaoke machine only plays one line of the song, as opposed to the whole song, then fades to silence.
Why They’ll Want It.
With the popular TV show still in full swing, young girls will love this new Barbie line that plays off the show. Retailers will love this doll because it appeals to fans of both Barbie dolls and American Idol.
--Susan Maddela, 4/15/05
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 Name: My Vacation: A Picture, Play & Tote Book
Company: PICTURE ME PRESS
Age: 3-7
Price: $6.99
Category: Books
What is It?
My Vacation is a 10-page cardboard book with a handle for little hands and 6 built-in frames in which children can insert vacation pictures. The book is colorful and includes a poem that tells a story about the accompanying pictures. Each insert contains a suggestion about what kind of picture to include so as to create viable narrative flow.
What We Thought
This product is simple yet creative and practical. It allows children to document family vacations in a unique and colorful way, which will help children (and parents, for that matter) preserve priceless vacation snapshots.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids love pictures – they love taking them, being in them, looking at them, and looking at them again. This book is small, lightweight, cute and manageable. It makes the perfect novelty or impulse buy and is a cherished keepsake for youngsters.
--Andrew Robinton, 4/15/05
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 Name: Forest Bright, Forest Night
Company: DAWN PUBLICATIONS
Age: 3-8
Price: $8.95
Category: Books
What is It?
In this title from acclaimed children’s author Jennifer Ward and illustrator Jamichael Henterly, the world of the forest comes alive. Someone is always awake in the forest – and someone else is always asleep! Some animals are alert in daytime and sleep at night. Others are alert at night, and are sleepyheads during the day. You can flip this book to flip from day to night – and back again! And when you do, be sure to count the animals you see.
What We Thought
Besides the obvious – that the book is beautifully illustrated and simply told – what is marvelous and unique about this work is its recognition of two different forestall existences and its manifestation of these differences through illustration. There is no correct way to look at the book – upside down is right-side up – as readers perusing the book’s ‘By day’ section must flip the book to view the ‘At night’ section
Why They’ll Want It
The forest world springs to life with Henterly’s vivid illustrations and Ward’s playful language. The perfect after-school snack (figuratively, at least), post-dinner dessert or pre-bed read, ‘Forest Bright, Forest Night’ is, in a single word, alive – and that’s why kid’s will love it.
The only item that would make this book even more pleasurable would be an accompanying soundtrack of animal sounds. But until Dawn Publications throws that into the mix, use your imagination as you read this beauty.
--Andrew Robinton, 4/15/05
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 Name: Bag of Bonz
Company: BAG OF BONZ
Age: 4 and up
Price: $20.00
Category: General Games
What is It?
Bag of Bonz is something you’d find in the Games aisle of your local toy store, not next to the rawhide in the neighborhood pet store. Made of a durable, resin material, these 28 bone-shaped dominoes are the perfect treat for the domino aficionado. In addition to the resin set, the bones also come in a camouflage resin set, a ceramic set, and a bronze set
What We Thought
Why play dominoes with those traditional (and might I say boring) dominoes of yesteryear when you can shift gear and use Bag of Bonz bone-shaped dominoes set? The dominoes are a must have for both long-time domino fans and children looking to learn the game. Stored in a black velveteen bag, the dominoes can be packed up easily and transported with you wherever you go, which makes life so easy. What’s more, the dominoes come with rules for two games: the Bonz “Train” Game and the Bonz Dominoes Game. Personally numbered with a serial code, these bones are a collector’s treat!
Why They’ll Want It
As parents yearn for simple diversions for their children – and children yearn simply for fun – Bag of Bonz is the perfect fit.
--Andrew Robinton, 4/15/05
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 Name: Elina Doll
Company: MATTEL INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $15.99
Category: Dolls
What is It?
Fairytopia is a new line of Barbie dolls who live in the Magic Meadow of Fairytopia. Elina is a whimsical new doll with brightly-colored, magical wings that light up, a dress made of faux flowers, a pink butterfly necklace and matching shoes. Elina flies through the Magic Meadow with her friends, Dahlia and Dandelion. Elina is about the same size and height as Barbie, and her soft golden hair with faux flowers falls to her waist.
What We Thought
Elina’s moveable joints at the shoulders, neck, waist and knees allow for fun pretend play by any little girl. Her beautiful colorful markings on her arms and hands are done with non-toxic paint that will stay put.
Why They’ll Want It
Mattel comes through once again with a Barbie line that little girls will love and want to collect. Included with Elina are her little Bibble and three replaceable AG13 button cell batteries, making it convenient to give as a gift and easy to operate once the package is opened.
--Susan Maddela, 4/15/05
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 Name: The Ooshes
Company: LAVINIA'S WORLD (AURORA LIBRIS CORP.)
Age: 3 and up
Price: $18.99
Category: Plush
What is It?
The Ooshes are a new line of plush toys by Lavinia’s World (ToyShow) that come included with a new series of modern fairy tales by the same name. The dolls come in five appealing candy colors – orange, green, pink, yellow and purple – and each has its own special personality and biography. What We Thought
The velboa exterior, squeezable polyester fill and plastic pellets give The Ooshes a level of softness and warmth rarely seen in plush dolls. The correspondence of color to personality gives each doll a unique image and identity that children can relate to, and the included storybook is a great way to encourage literacy.
Why They’ll Want It
Lavinia’s World has created a product that combines an important ecological and educational message in a soft, lovable and high quality toy at a below average retail price.
- Andrew Robinton 4/4/05
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 Name: Farm Friends
Company: BARRON'S EDUCATIONAL SERIES
Age: 1 and up
Price: $9.95
Category: Books
What is It? Barron’s Farm Friends is a colorful cloth book for babies to touch and feel, and enjoy. Each book features eight animal faces: A cow, dog, rooster, rabbit, mouse, duck, lamb, and horse. There is also a Jungle Friends cloth book. What We Thought This is one of those first toys that one’s baby will appreciate. The fabric on the animals is cuddly soft. Additionally, the mouse’s nose squeaks when it is squeezed. The book is lightweight, colorful, and of high quality. Why They’ll Want It Because even if they don’t yet understand just what it is that they’re playing with, babies will come to love the colors, sounds and feel of this toy’s fabric. Back to top
 Name: America Votes
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $9.95
Category: Books
What Is It? An illustrated book discussing the processes by which the American President is elected. The book also explains what the job of American President entails as well as the various political parties, the “language of campaigning,” and much more. What We Thought This book is as entertaining as it is informative. The illustrations are vivid and the content is explained in an easy to understand and engaging manner. An excellent choice! Why They’ll Want It Because the complexity of the subject matter is offset with wonderful illustrations and entertaining trivia. Educational children’s books are rarely this fun to read. Back to top
Name: Print-On Magnet
Company: SEIBUN INTERNATIONAL
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.00
Category: Arts & Crafts
What Is It? Three sheets of magnetic paper that can be run through an ink-jet printer to produce images that can then be cut into magnets. What We Thought This is a great way to customize magnets, slogans, make calendars, stick important documents on one’s refrigerator, make magnetic arts and crafts etc. There is almost no limit to the amount of creativity and fun that this product inspires. Why They’ll Want It For all of the magnets one can make with this kit, they would spend a lot more money actually buying magnets from a store. Moreover, even if money is no issue, stores cannot possibly offer all of the wonderful magnet ideas that, with a bit of creativity, can be generated through one’s computer. Back to top
Name: Farm Friends
Company: BARRON'S EDUCATIONAL SERIES
Age: 1 and up
Price: $10.00
Category: Infant & Toddler
What is It? Barron’s Farm Friends is a colorful cloth book for babies to touch and feel, and enjoy. Each book features eight animal faces: A cow, dog, rooster, rabbit, mouse, duck, lamb, and horse. There is also a Jungle Friends cloth book. What We Thought This is one of those first toys that one’s baby will appreciate. The fabric on the animals is cuddly soft. Additionally, the mouse’s nose squeaks when it is squeezed. The book is lightweight, colorful, and of high quality. Why They’ll Want It Because even if they don’t yet understand just what it is that they’re playing with, babies will come to love the colors, sounds and feel of this toy’s fabric. Back to top
Name: SEE-THROUGH PIRATES
Company: RUNNING PRESS BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: All Ages
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
What is It?
SEE-THROUGH PIRATES is a large, comprehensive and highly illustrated book about pirates. The book is rich in historical facts and includes special, partially transparent pages with vivid pictures of pirates and their ships, equipment, etc.
What We Thought This is quite possibly the best children’s pirate book ever written. The pictures are highly vivid and captivating. Within them, readers will quickly learn what the hull of a pirate ship looks like, what weapons pirates used, how they entertained themselves while at sea, punished prisoners, and much more! It comes as little surprise that the Parent’s Choice Foundation has recommended this book for children.
Why They’ll Want It
Because those dreaded sea predators, pirates, have never ceased to appeal to kids, and this book provides remarkable, vivid images and interesting and highly-detailed facts.Back to top
 Name: Dinosaur Habitat
Company: FAITH KIDZ
Age: 4-7
Price: $15.99
Category: Educational
What is It?
The Dinosaur Habitat is a set of four dinosaurs: Stegosaurus; Triceratops; Tyrannosaurus Rex; Brachiosaurus. The set includes two plastic boulders, two plastic plants, a natural environment playmate, and a backdrop so kids can set up a dinosaur environment anywhere. What We Thought
Playing with dinosaurs never goes out of style. The Dinosaur Habitat is timeless fun that will even bring back good times for adults. As children set up the habitat, they learn about the natural environment and history of the preshistoric age. Why They´ll Want It
What little kid hasn´t played with dinosaurs? Although it´s educational, the Dinosaur Habitat encourages an imaginative play-style that is fun for all. The detailed dinosaur figures can take the child back to a world of raw adventure and survival of the fittest beasts. Back to top
 Name: Formula Fuelers
Company: MATTEL INC.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Vehicles - Small Toy
What is It? Formula Fuelers are plastic toy cars that run on whatever there is for kids to drink in the refrigerator. They can also add the included Nitrox2™ liquid, tablets and powders. The goal is for kids to experiment with various combinations of kid-safe household substances in order to find the fastest fuels. Mattel maintains that there is one optimal combination and that it is up to the kids to discover what that is. What We Thought This is one of those toys that’s made for children but gets adults riled up as well. The concept of challenging people to come up with the best liquid concoction invokes a level of curiosity that is simply irresistible. Kids and even adults will find themselves pondering things like-what’s faster, Orange Kool-Aid or root beer and a Nitrox2 tablet? Once fueled and the release button is pushed, the car boasts an impressive engine-rev sound and then screeches away, sometimes remarkably fast. Why They’ll Want It Kids will want to become expert authorities on what the best fuels are---and they’ll want to have car races with their friends to prove the worth of their liquids. Back to top
 Name: Harry & Hannah---The American Adventure Book & Teddy Bear Set
Company: HERRINGTON TEDDY BEAR COMPANY
Age: 3 and up
Price: $22.00
Category: Books
What is It?
The American Adventure Book & Teddy Bear Set is a remarkable book about brother /sister twin teddy bears that embark on an educational journey. The set includes 4.5 inch plush versions of both teddy bears.
What We Thought
Not only does the book present a fun adventure through Harry and Hannah Herrington’s journey across the United States, it also teaches kids about historical landmarks. The story is engaging and the images are superb. There’s even a nicely drawn map of the United States which makes the book highly educational. The teddy bears are high quality and cute.
Why They’ll Want It
Because in one box, kids will get a fun, colorful book, two teddy bears, and a fabulous lesson in geography.
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 Name: My Family Interview Album
Company: MRS GROSSMANS PAPER CO
Age: 8 and up
Price: $12.95
Category: Arts & Crafts
What Is It?
My Family Interview Album by Mrs. Grossman´s (ToyShow) is a 3-ring album designed to illustrate stories, history and even bring families closer together. Layout consists of pages lined for text, and blank pages for photographs. The album includes stickers in a zip-lock pouch to decorate pages and photographs.
What We Thought
This is a fantastic way to interview and get to know family members like grandparents, parents, or even celebrities! More significantly, the Interview Album teaches the importance of documenting family history and events that are often too easily forgotten over time.
Why They’ll Want It
Adults will appreciate the stories told through the eyes and minds of younger ones. Stickers, including the alphabet make story telling an educational and creative activity. My Family Interview Album is an all in one scrapbook that instills the values of journaling, art and history for everyone to enjoy.
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 Name: Frightful Finger Puppets and Door Knob Cover
Company: AURORA WORLD INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $2.50
Category: Halloween Merchandise
What Is It?
More cute than spooky, these little finger puppets from Aurora are Glow in the Dark laughs. Frightful Finger Puppets fit snuggly over a person´s finger and each have their own haunting costume. The skeleton´s bones glow, as does the pumpkin headed costume. The Jackolantern Door Knob Cover subtly illuminates in the dark and chuckles "Happy Halloween" when squeezed.
What We Thought
Just looking at these guys helps everyone get into the spirit of Halloween. They are soft and cuddly plush, with finger puppet flair.
Why They’ll Want It
Halloween knows no age limit and Frightful Finger Puppets easily amuse children of all ages. No one can deny the lighthearted laughter of finger puppets.Back to top
 Name: 10 Days In Africa
Company: OUT OF THE BOX PUBLISHING
Age: 10 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: General Games
What Is It?
10 Days in Africa by Out of the Box Games is a strategy game where players plot their journey across the continent of Africa. Each player gets two trays of card-holders with spaces numbered for days 1-10. Then cards are shuffled and laid next to the board. Players draw cards and eliminate or replace them in the holders. Transportation cards and country cards facilitate connections from one country to another and the player able to successfully travel all 10 days throughout Africa wins! 10 Days in Africa is also the 2004 winner of the "Best Smart Play" award from Dr. Toy.
What We Thought
This game is intriguing to anyone who enjoys traveling and planning adventures. A definite amount of strategy and planning goes into placing each card, and plotting one´s trip. Geographical facts, like population and square footage are detailed on each card, for those who enjoy a bit of trivia.
Why They’ll Want It
With a full colored map of Africa, this game is an absolute geography lesson. It challenges even the most experienced traveler. Navigation is the key to the game and anyone who has ever found themselves inspired by Indian Jones will want to investigate this geographical game of distant lands.
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 Name: Bean Bag Desk Fan
Company: IELLO
Age: All Ages
Price: $4.99
Category: Novelties
What is It?
Typical fans are plastic and metal, big and bulky. O2-Cool´s (ToyDirectory) Bean Bag Desk Fan is a nice compact fan that can fit in your space-constricting cubicle for a little air circulation. The blades are made of soft foam so you don´t have to worry about hurting yourself, and the base is made of a bean bag pouch, which makes the fan easy to set on any angle surface.
What We Thought
This fan is convenient to use and lets off a decent amount of heat-relief for its size and use of only two AA batteries. The fan also comes in fun colors that are still office savvy.
Why They´ll Want It
This compact, colorful fan is a great addition to any desk top.
--Nancy Tan
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 Name: Warm Whiskers: Dog
Company: DREAMTIME INC
Age: 3 and up
Price: $18.00
Category: Plush
What is It?
Warm Whiskers are wonderful eye masks used to reduce facial tension and ease headaches. This plush dog is filled with a material that absorbs the heat from your microwave and the cold from your refrigerator, making it the cutest way to gently relieve stress. Warm Whiskers contain lavender and chamomile to further soothe and relax your senses and aid a good night´s sleep.
What We Thought
This neat little dog stays warm for a long time and is a joy to use after hours of eye strain.
Why They´ll Want It
This is a great toy to have whether you are young or old because it gives off a nice warmth, sweet scent, and soft feel. For younger children, Warm Whiskers also manufactures larger plush animals that are wonderful for a good night of cuddling.
--Nancy Tan
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 Name: Babar Goes to School
Company: ABRAMS BOOKS
Age: 4 and up
Price: $9.95
Category: Books
0
What is It?
Remember elementary school? Trying to impress your classmates? Those difficult science experiments? Well, apparently Babar forgot how hard it is to be a kid when he berates his children for being too loud and dismisses their woes of youth. Being a good father, though, Babar decides to go to school with his children and attempt to remember what it is like . After a disaster of a day where he breaks his pencils and sits in gum, Babar ultimately decides that being a grown-up is a much easier job than student life.
What We Thought
This a fun story that young and old can enjoy. Children will be delighted to have a sympathizer on their side.
Why They´ll Want It
Babar is a classic figure in children´s literature that has appealed to youngsters for many generations. Children will enjoy Babar´s ineptitude in the classroom and wonder how such a silly elephant got to wear that crown.
--Nancy Tan
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 Name: Mynci
Company: THINKWAY
Age: 3 and up
Price: $14.99
Category: Novelties
What is It?
It´s not quite clear what Mynci is, but the closest description could probably be akin to an emotionally-charged monkey. This voice activated creature, when on "play" mode, reacts to the tones of your voice. It can be content (nodding its head and flapping its ears), happy (flashes its cheeks twice along with nodding and flapping), or sad (flashes its cheeks three times). Mynci also plays over 30 sounds, making its chatter and moods slightly more discernible.
What We Thought
Mynci is incredibly happy to talk to you, but if you speak to it too much, it will get tired and become irritable. If you don´t keep it entertained, though, it will get bored and go to sleep. This little moody monkey is a fun novelty to have around. Best of all, you can always reset it to make it "content" again.
Why They´ll Want It
Taking care of a pet is a big responsibility--one that many children are not ready for quite yet. A neopet is a fun and less messy alternative to the real thing.
--Nancy Tan
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Name: The Adventures of Harry & Hannah: The American Adventure Book & Teddy Bear Set
Company: HERRINGTON TEDDY BEAR COMPANY
Age: 3 and up
Price: $22.00
Category: Books
What is It?
Harry and Hannah are visiting their grandparents in the country when they find a map of the U.S. with a clue for a treasure hunt. Grandpa tells the cubs that they have the ability to magically transport themselves to different places just by closing their eyes, which the cubs do to follow the different clues and by doing so, travel to important landmarks around the country. Along the way, they encounter many creatures, including Trusty Tortoise, Monarch Fish, and Manny, the pigeon who is afraid of heights. This fun, 66-page storybook also comes with two miniature plush versions of Harry and Hannah for kids to reenact the cubs´ adventures.
What We Thought
The Adventures of Harry & Hannah is a great way to infuse imaginary storytelling with geography. Additionally, upcoming stories in the series include travels to Australia, Britain, Japan, Africa, and South America, which will allow children to become acquainted with different cultures and learn a global geography.
Why They´ll Want It
Adventures can occur without leaving the confines of a comfortable chair, and a book is typically the way to do it. Children will enjoy the experience of vicariously living the fantastic voyage Harry and Hannah take across the U.S.
--Nancy Tan
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 Name: Feed Me Pumbaa
Company: HASBRO INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Plush
What is It?
"Uh oh! You might not want to stand downwind!" says Feed Me Pumbaa, which is based on the smelly warthog from Disney´s animated classic, The Lion King. This grotesque yet loveable creature speaks whenever you feed him one of the three plush bugs included in the set. To add to his fun little quips and silly sounds, Pumbaa will let out an enormous, giggle-inducing gas bomb whenever you pull his tail.
What We Thought
The hygienically-impaired character that audiences enjoyed watching on the big screen has a special place in all our hearts, which makes this soft plush a fun toy to have for play or simply for its novelty.
Why They´ll Want It
Children love interacting with their stuffed animals, and who makes a better companion than someone that is smellier and sillier than yourself! Pumbaa will delight children and the silly at heart and make them laugh whenever they hear his "rootin´" and "tootin´."
--Nancy Tan
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 Name: Puppettos: A Day at the Zoo
Company: MANHATTAN TOY
Age: 3 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Infant & Toddler
What is It?
Puppettos: A Day at the Zoo is a set of finger puppets that contains a tiger, giraffe, panda bear and zoo keeper.
What We Thought
This is a great toy because it is versatile: adults can use it to have a quality, interactive bedtime story with their kids;children can play with it on their own, giving them the opportunity to create zoologically-themed plotlines.
Why They´ll Want It
These fun, portable puppets are fuzzy, cute delights that little ones will adore.
--Nancy Tan
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 Name: Flavas
Company: MATTEL INC.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: Dolls
What Is It?
Flavas is Mattel´s latest line of dolls that give girls a fun, hip alternative to your typical blonde, blue-eyed fashion doll. With a little bit of edge and a dash of character, Mattel creates its newest addition to the Flavas family: Bike Date—a set that includes Kiyoni and Tre dolls complete with matching outfits, motorcycle bike and helmets.
What We Thought
This is a great toy that allows girls to play with dolls that they can identify with. Their matching outfits give them some street cred, but mothers may be upset by Kiyoni´s mid-drift shirt.
Why They´ll Want It
This toy gives girls another option in their imaginary storylines that reflects their desires rather than their fantasies. Bike Date appeals to the older group of girls that dream about a fun night on the town rather than princes on white horses.
--Nancy Tan
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Name: Tricero Dino Glo Bonz
Company: CURIOUS TOYS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $10.00
Category: Construction
What Is It?
Tricero Dino Glo Bonz from Curious Toys is a 13-piece set of glow in the dark components that connect to create an imaginative prehistoric creature. The parts are made from well crafted, durable plastic.
What We Thought
What stood out the most about this toy was the quality of its components and its attractive glow in the dark quality. However, the way the toy is marketed on the container, it seems as though a five year old child can successfully design several creative prehistoric creatures. While this may be the case if one purchases additional sets, we were not convinced that, on its own, the Dino Glo Bonz offers many constructible options.
Why They’ll Want It
The Tricero Dino Glo Bonz is easy and fun to construct. Once assembled, the creature makes a terrifying yet cute addition to any child’s toy collection. It glows like a glaring chunk of kryptonite and is a great nighttime decorative for a child’s bedroom. The Tricero Dino Glo Bonz components can also be used interchangeably with other Bonz sets such as the T-Rex, Pterodac and Deluxe Dino sets which can amount to many creative and enjoyable building options.
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 Name: Sky Blaster
Company: RHINO TOYS INC.
Age: 10 and up
Price: $12.99
Category: Outdoor Fun
What Is It?
The Sky Blaster by (Rhino Toys, Inc.) is a compact skyrocket designed with a built-in, elastic launcher similar to a sling shot. It achieves great speed and can travel over 130 feet. The rocket is built with a soft foam tip and whistles while in flight.
What We Thought
This compact, lightweight craft is remarkable and will provide hours of fun. A word of caution, however; although there is a warning not to launch the toy at anyone from point-blank range, it might be wise to revise the warning to state “do not launch the toy at anyone’s face from any distance.”
Why They’ll Want It
What more could one ask for; it’s fast, it’s fun, and it whistles. Children can launch the rocket by themselves or play a game of “catch” with a friend. Its bright coloring makes it a wonderful spectacle while in flight.
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 Name: Twirled Paper
Company: KLUTZ
Age: 10 and up
Price: $16.95
Category: Arts & Crafts
What Is It? Twirled Paper is an arts and crafts kit containing spaghetti-thin paper strips that can be twirled into coils and glued together to make cute animals, flowers, insects and more. It comes with everything you need to twirl your way into a land of paper characters; including glue, plastic eyes, a twirling stick and a “how-to” book. What We Thought Twirled Paper is definitely a project for the artistic child. The twirling takes a great deal of concentration and time. Those who are content to quietly sit and create will find satisfaction in this kit. Why They’ll Want It This handy self-contained kit can provide silent amusement for the mature child. Constructing characters is challenging and rewarding. Children can be proud of their concentrated efforts through an artistic final product.
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 Name: Sort ´N Shake Dump Truck
Company: SHELCORE TOYS
Age: 1 and up
Price: $15.00
Category: Infant & Toddler
What Is It?
This colorful, plastic truck includes four basic shapes that fit into their respective holes on the side of the dumpster. Press the head of the truck driver to start up the engine, sound the horn and watch the little truck drive away!
What We Thought
The Sort ‘N Shake Dump Truck uses the brilliance of simplicity. It stimulates developing minds with distinct sounds, moveable parts and bright colors.
Why They’ll Want It
The youngest children will have so much fun putting the shapes into the dumpster and emptying them out that they won’t even realize they are developing hand-eye-coordination.
--Rosette Gonzales Back to top
 Name: Bella's Mystery Deck
Company: MINDWARE
Age: 10 and up
Price: $14.95
Category: General Games
What Is It? Bella’s Mystery Deck is a set of 52 illustrated mystery cards, each telling the story of a different mystery that Bella and her dog Noche have solved. At the end of the story, kids can try and solve the mystery, but if they get stuck, the mirror card will decipher the answer written on the bottom of the card. Bella herself is a modern-day Nancy Drew with a Latina twist. Many of the mystery cards have a word or two in Spanish written into the text. What We Thought This is a great way to analytically challenge young minds with the art of mystery solving. The characters and dialogue are entertaining but the mysteries are concise enough for shorter attention spans. Why They’ll Want It Since Bella calls herself a “Chicana,” children of Latino decent may identify with her amusing anecdotes of the “barrio” more than other famous sleuths like Encyclopedia Brown or Nancy Drew. --Rosette Gonzales
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 Name: Bug Jar
Company: HAPPY DOG TOYS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $14.99
Category: Science & Nature
What is it?
The Bug Jar ($14.99) proves once again that Happy Dog Toys is the leader in one-of-a-kind pet toys. Designed to look like a home-made bug jar, a small fan in the weighted base causes the lightweight “bugs” to flutter around the jar—an irresistible draw to any cat. The weighted base allows kitty to swat at the bugs, rocking the jar rather than knocking it over. Requires 4 AA batteries.
What we thought
This is a wonderfully inventive toy for cats and their owners. Durable, simple and imaginative, it will deliver plenty of feline fun.
Why they’ll want it
I want one, and I don’t even own a cat. What does that tell you? This toy is a kick, and will probably provide more family laughs than most sitcoms.
--Tim Connolly
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 Name: Thing in a Bag
Company: HAPPY DOG TOYS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $12.99
Category: Novelties
What is it?
Thing in a Bag ($11.95) is yet another inventive and fun pet toy from Happy Dog Toys (ToyDirectory, ToyShow). The “bag” resembles an ordinary brown paper lunch bag, but is made of a durable material that’s claw and bite resistant. Inside the bag are crinkly-sounding materials and a battery-operated device that produces random movements from within. Requires 3AA batteries.
What we thought
A great example of simplicity and innovation, Thing in a Bag will entertain both cats and their owners, and will surely deliver more laughs than a fake mouse.
Why they’ll want it
Anyone who’s ever spent any time near a house-cat (all of us) knows that they have an inexplicable fascination with paper bags—giving this toy instant appeal.
--Tim Connolly
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 Name: Legends of Flight WWII Aces
Company: CORGI USA
Age: 8 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Collectibles
What is it?
Corgi’s (ToyDirectory) History Channel: Legends of Flight WWII Aces series comprises six 1/72 scale die-cast replicas of the immortal fighter planes of WWII: the F4U Corsair, Messerschmitt Bf109E-1, FW190A-3, P-51D Mustang, Hawker Hurricane Mk1 and Supermarine Spitfire Mk1. Each aircraft comes in a sturdy blister box suitable for collectors, complete with the pilot’s name on the front.
What we thought
The detail on each plane is what you’d expect from Corgi, with accurate markings right down to the fuel capacity (85 gallons on the Spitfire). The propellers turn and the wheels roll—but they don’t retract. The metal has a sturdy weight to it that tells you this plane will survive the occasional crash landing.
Why they’ll want it
These little fighter planes are the perfect size for desktop display, or for die-hard collectors; the blister box (with built-in display stand) makes for a perfect way to preserve and enjoy each plane. And at $19.99, it won’t take long to collect all six.
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 Name: Alphabet Lotto
Company: USBORNE PUBLISHING
Age: 2-6
Price: $12.95
Category: General Games
What Is It?
Part of the “Farmyard Tales Games” series from Usborne Publishing, Alphabet Lotto is a kid-friendly educational game for up to 4 players, and specifically designed for youngsters ages 2-6. The game consists of four brightly colored Lotto boards with letters on one side and pictures on the other. There are 36 letter cards, one for each of the letters on the boards, as well as 36 picture cards. The cards offer games of varied difficulty according to the age and stage of each child.
What We Thought
Enhancing pre-reading skills such as word and picture matching, featuring colorful cards of farmyard animals, as well as contents that can be adapted to varied difficulties depending upon the children, Alphabet Lotto is a friendly, inviting, and intellectually stimulating game.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids will surely have fun and learn valuable pre-reading skills, such as word and picture matching, with Poppy and Sam and the animals from Farmyard Tales. Parent’s notes are included to offer insight in helping children learn that words and reading can be fun. Alphabet Lotto is recommended for homeschoolers, and is a welcome addition to preschool and kindergarten curriculum enrichment resource collections.
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 Name: Groovy Girls
Company: MANHATTAN TOY
Age: 3 and up
Price: $9.99
Category: Dolls
What Is It? Groovy Girl dolls from Manhattan Toy are made of soft velour fabric with embroidered facial features and yarn hair. Outfits are interchangeable and come in all sorts of fun and funky fabrics. What We Thought The Groovy Girls are quite cute with their snazzy outfits and sweet-smiling faces. We liked these dolls not only because they are fun for young girls to play with, but also because they teach children to celebrate the world of diversity, and that beauty comes in all colors, styles and sizes.
Why They’ll Want It
Each Groovy Girl is unique from the others, with her own cool details adding to her personality. The clothes are also easy to remove, so even small fingers will not have too much trouble getting the Groovy Girls all “dolled” up.
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 Name: Crayola Zoogles Model-Painting Kit - Clump 3
Company: CRAYOLA LLC
Age: 3-14
Price: $5.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
What Is It?
Zoogles are characters that kids can personalize. These little creatures are made with special materials that young artists can customize and collect. The 3-inch tall mini-monsters allow the Crayola washable paints to immediately soak in, making this a low-mess creative activity. There are three kits, each containing three Zoogles, eight washable watercolors, a paintbrush and three collectible cards describing each Zoogle personality.
What We Thought
With three kooky Zoogles to decorate, eight different washable watercolors and one brush, this kit makes craft time a blast anytime.
Why They’ll Love It
Kids will love decorating the zany characters. Plus each Zoogle comes with a trading card that reveals pieces of his or her personality, including favorite foods and secret hiding spots.
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 Name: Zoolio Activity Toy
Company: MANHATTAN TOY
Age: 1 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Infant & Toddler
What Is It?
The Zoolio Activity Toy is a travel case that holds six animal-inspired panels featuring different classic toddler activities like buttoning, zipping and snapping. It comes with a convenient travel case with six individual panels that have separate features for development and playtime fun.
What We Thought
This soft and colorful activity toy is ideal to take on long car rides or even simple runs to the grocery store.
Why They’ll Love It
Lots of engaging activities will surely keep toddlers occupied and entertained…a plus for on-the-go parents! A series of fun hidden graphics are rewarding to discover.
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 Name: Ocean Explorer 1
Company: MEGATECH INTL. INC.
Age: 10 and up
Price: $109.99
Category: Remote Controlled
What is It?
Megatech’s (ToyDirectory) Ocean Explorer 1 is an RC submarine able to submerge in water up to 6 feet deep. All that’s needed are eight AA batteries (for the controller), and you’re ready to explore the depths of your backyard pool or goldfish pond. Comes with an AC charger for the sub’s rechargeable battery and a carrying case to hold everything on your trip to the lake.
What We Thought
Some people might be disappointed in the submarine’s diminutive size (3.75”x2.75”x1.75”), but the fun of having an RC submarine ready to take to the water right out of the box will outweigh size considerations. The flashing red and green running lights keep the sub in sight, and the forward shining searchlights help you find your way in the murkiest body of water. A failsafe device prevents losing the sub to the depths: if the power is interrupted, the twin motors shut down and the ballast tanks blow, sending the sub to the surface.
Why They’ll Want It
This is a toy that will give fathers and sons something fun to do on those fishing trips when the trout aren’t biting, or at the backyard pool when it’s too cold to swim. The $109 price tag may seem steep, but considering you get the Sub, RC controller and charger in one purchase, it’s worth busting out the credit card.
--Tim Connolly
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 Name: Crayola Crayon Maker
Company: CRAYOLA LLC
Age: 8 and up
Price: $22.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
What Is It?
The Crayola Crayon Maker lets kids take those worn-down crayon nubs and recycle them into new crayons of their own creation. The maker uses a small electric bulb to melt the old crayons, which are then poured into a mold as kids watch it all through the clear plastic top.
What We Thought
With each melt taking about twenty minutes, kids will need parental coaching to be patient. The safety features are good: the lid locks until the melting process is over, and there’s an automatic shut-off switch on the bottom of the unit which stops the process if the Maker is turned on its side. Available accessories—molds shaped as alligators, ships or trucks—will make the process even more fun.
Why They’ll Want It
Crayola Crayons have been around for a hundred years and have lost none of their popularity. Giving kids the ability to create their own multi-colored crayons, before wrapping them in the 24 genuine Crayola labels provided, will be a hit at home or in art class.
--Tim Connolly
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 Name: ello Jungala
Company: MATTEL INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $34.99
Category: Construction
What Is It?
Ello Jungala is a construction set for girls comprising 306 pieces of different shapes and sizes. Also included are reusable vinyl stickers so girls can customize their creations. All pieces are contained in a neon-pink, zippered carrying case.
What We Thought
Mattel did its homework when creating ello. The organic shapes and bright colors have strong girl appeal, as ello’s brisk sales will attest. Knowing that instructions are the last thing a kid wants to deal with, Mattel wisely omitted them, instead providing a color fold-out showing some of the possibilities: jewelry, CD racks, animals, people, picture frames or whatever a girl’s imagination can conjure.
Why They’ll Want It
Many parents searching for an alternative to fashion dolls for their daughters will be attracted to ello’s ability to build self-confidence and imagination.
--Tim Connolly
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 Name: Baby Mood Swings
Company: PENGUIN GROUP USA
Age: 9-12
Price: $7.99
Category: Books
What Is It?
Just published in November 2003, Baby Mood Swings is a desktop display book capturing babies’ faces in their myriad emotions. The book’s jacket can be opened into a free-standing base for easy display.
What We Thought
If this book can make a misanthrope like me laugh, it must have something good going for it. The photos of wee ones’ facial expressions—with headings such as “I’m feeling grossed-out” or “I’m feeling naughty”—are so adult-like (without being posed), they can’t help but make you laugh in recognition that, even at the diaper stage, children possess very developed personalities.
Why They’ll Want It
Like I said, Baby Mood Swings will make even the cynics smile. Any new parent will want this book for their desk or kitchen counter.
--Tim Connolly
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 Name: Color and Wash Finger Puppets
Company: THE CHILDREN'S FACTORY
Age: 5 and up
Price: $11.00
Category: Arts & Crafts
What Is It?
Color and Wash Finger Puppets by Fanny´s Play House (ToyDirectory) come in a set of three (fish or butterflies), with six markers for kids to create their own colorful puppets. Puppets are machine-washable.
What We Thought
Children can enjoy the fun of a coloring book, while creating a toy all their own.
Why They’ll Want It
These are puppets parents will want to keep in a scrapbook long after their kids outgrow them.
--Tim Connolly
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 Name: Wall Street Spin
Company: FUN SPIN
Age: 9 and up
Price: $29.95
Category: General Games
What is It?
Wall Street Spin by Fun Spin (ToyDirectory) is a board game that lets you “play” the market without risk. Mastery of complicated stock market jargon is not required to take a spin on this pretend version of Wall Street. Just as Monopoly taught people how astute property development creates revenue, Wall Street Spin gives players an entertaining introduction to smart investing.
What We Thought
The game is challenging, but easy to master, so families can enjoy playing it together. It bridges the generation gap, teaching kids how to value and invest money.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids will find the cool board and colorful pieces engaging. Plus, how fun would it be to acquire all of Dad’s hard-earned assets! Parents will love it because it teaches children valuable lessons about saving money. No more misspent allowances!
--Karen Grafe
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 Name: Alien Agency
Company: MEGA BRANDS
Age: 6 and up
Price: $9.99
Category: Construction
What is It?
Young sci-fiers can catch their own extraterrestrials that are hiding out in an intergalactic Burger Barn by Mega Bloks (ToyDirectory, ToyShow). The 100-piece kit comes with a comic book, Agent Buzz, and bioplasm to mold and create slippery aliens.
What We Thought
This fun kit allows children to explore construction and move into an imaginary world filled with creatures from another planet. They can also experiment with different mediums in this creative process: bloks and bioplasm.
Why They´ll Want It
Alien Agency provides hours of fun by enabling children to pretend that they are Alien Agency Agents saving the Earth from space invaders.
--Nancy Tan Back to top
 Name: Teams of Enemies
Company: BIG TOE GAMES INC.
Age: 12 and up
Price: $29.95
Category: General Games
What is It?
Teams of Enemies by Big Toe Games (ToyDirectory) is a trivia game where teams keep changing and, in the end, only one player wins. With each round, new captains and teams are picked to answer challenging questions about nine different categories, including movies, music, and sports.
What We Thought
Big Toe Games has a hit with this game that requires players to build bridges while getting ahead of the group. Another unique aspect of the game is that there isn´t just one trivia game but five separate games that probe players’ brains.
Why They´ll Want It
All the brain-bending questions combined with a dog-eat-dog scoring mentality makes the game not only a test of knowledge but also of strategy.
--Nancy Tan Back to top
 Name: Oops
Company: BAREFOOT BOOKS
Age: 3 and up
Price: $9.95
Category: General Games
What is It?
Oops challenges players to build a pyramid shape with the wooden balls provided. Sounds easy, right? The tricky part is building the shape while keeping the identically colored pieces separated. Balls are joined in pairs and can only be stacked on the cherry-wood base in one specific order for successful completion. Good luck!
What We Thought
This is a brain-teaser that will promote problem-solving and logical reasoning skills in any player.
Why They´ll Want It
Players can solve the puzzle repeatedly, and once they are comfortable, they can advance to Oops Again, Channel Craft´s more challenging version of this puzzle.
--Nancy Tan Back to top
 Name: Sandman: King of Dreams
Company: CHRONICLE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
Age: All Ages
Price: $35.00
Category: Books
What Is It?
These days, graphic novels are a hot category for retailers, and no name is better loved among fans than the Sandman by Chronicle Books for Children (ToyDirectory), the mystical deity who escorted readers through 75 issues of supernatural wonder and mayhem in the early- to mid-1990s. In Sandman: King of Dreams, author Alisa Kwitney chronicles the comic´s popularity via behind-the-scenes stories, new illustrations and interviews with Sandman creator Neil Gaiman.
What We Thought
The classy hardcover book is a boon for Sandman readers, offering a treasure trove of new illustrations and marginalia likely to delight the dedicated fan.
Why They’ll Want It
The book will make a great companion to the Sandman issues but will also intrigue those new to the series and its characters.
--Jeremy Loudenback Back to top
 Name: The Amazing Dinosaur Plant
Company: DUNECRAFT INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $8.99
Category: Educational
What Is It?
Dunecraft (ToyDirectory, ToyShow) brings together the wonders of horticulture and the ancient age of dinosaurs to curious young minds. The Amazing Dinosaur Plant is a 250-million-year-old species that can hibernate for up to fifty years, reviving every time it is given water. The plant resembles a dead ball of foliage until immersion in water, when it transforms into an evergreen plant within hours. If it dries out, the plant will return to its dried state.
What We Thought
The kit, which contains a plant, display bowl and real volcanic stones, is an educational winner, astounding kids as well as adults.
Why They’ll Want It
The kit brings scientific wonder from the Jurassic age out of the books and into your living room. And best of all, it’s a renewable resource that will enchant children again and again.
--Jeremy Loudenback
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 Name: Cookie Coloring Kit
Company: COLOR-A-COOKIE
Age: 3 and up
Price: $4.99
Category: Play Sets
What Is It?
As mind-boggling as it may appear, Color-A-Cookie’s Cookie Coloring Kit lets kids decorate cookies with non-toxic markers to create vivid and edible designs. The cookies feature seasonal designs and licensed characters like SpongeBob SquarePants.
What We Thought
An easy-to-make treat, these cookies are a great stocking stuffer and are a tasty way to combine arts and crafts activities with snack time.
Why They’ll Want It
What better way to have fun with favorites like SpongeBob and Dora the Explorer than to gobble up colorful creations?
--Jeremy Loudenback Back to top
 Name: R/C Merlin Easy Flyer w/Battery & Charger
Company: MEGATECH INTL. INC.
Age: 12 and up
Price: $249.99
Category: Remote Controlled
What Is It?
The ready-to-fly Merlin is a “slow-flyer” designed to offer aerial fun for RC novices. The plane arrives mostly pre-built and requires some basic construction by an adult. Once pilots get the plane airborne, it travels at a top speed of 11 mph, enabling newbies to master the basics of steering and maneuvering.
What We Thought
The lightweight construction is a great deal sturdier than the plane first appears, making it ideal for first-time flyers that are still learning to make their approaches.
Why They’ll Want It
The Merlin is a great starter plane to introduce kids to the world of RC flight, without saddling them with a lot of frustrating construction time.
--Jeremy Loudenback Back to top
 Name: Don't Quote Me
Company: WIGGLES 3D
Age: 14 and up
Price: $34.99
Category: General Games
What is It?
Players compete to identify the speakers of pop-culture quotes in five categories:
“The Arts,” “Leaders,” “Sports,” “Pop Culture” and “Life and Literature.” Individual
players or teams get three points for any quote they can identify without a
clue; two points go to players who can tell the speaker with a one or two word
hint; and players receive one point if they can choose the speaker from among
three choices.
What We Thought
Powered by great quotes, speakers’ biographies and a competitive play format,
Don’t Quote Me is a romp through pop culture history.
Why They’ll Want It
In a sound-bite era, Don’t Quote Me provides the perfect party-game fix for
lovers of legendary repartee and wit.
--Jeremy Loudenback
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 Name: Owl Babies Book and Gift Set
Company: CANDLEWICK PRESS
Age: 3-8
Price: $12.99
Category: Books
What is It?
Owl babies Sarah, Percy and Bill wake up one night to find their mother has
flown the coop. The book is accompanied by a small, plush baby owl to help young
audiences feel like they’re part of the story.
What We Thought
This picture book tells a story any child will respond to: the anxiety that
comes when Mom is away. The added plush owl will help young children feel they’re
part of the story, and the pages are sturdy enough for small hands to grasp.
Why They’ll Want It
With most of today’s moms working full-time, kids need reassurance that mom
will, as Owl mom does, return to the nest.
--Tim Connolly Back to top
 Name: SportsRing
Company: NEXT STEP FAMILY OF PRODUCTS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $16.95
Category: Sporting Goods & Accessories
What is It?
SportsRing by Next Step Family of Products (ToyDirectory) is an indoor/outdoor hoop kit that can be used as a miniature basketball hoop, or as a target for play baseball pitches or football passes.
What We Thought
This is more than just another novelty basketball hoop to hang above the trash can; it’s an easy-to-assemble and durable sports toy. The mounting bracket provides an adjustable, versatile method to attach the Ring to horizontal or vertical surfaces. The Ring can also be adjusted for different angles. Backboards are available in lightweight foam, tough sintra plastic, or plexiglass for an authentic NBA look. The foam ball is heavy enough to make throwing, passing or dunking feel like the real thing.
Why They’ll Want It
SportsRing is a fun, inexpensive toy for a kid’s bedroom, college dorm-room or Dad’s office. And it’s made to last.
--Tim Connolly
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 Name: Rubber Stamp It!
Company: RUNNING PRESS BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Play Sets
What is It?
Rubber Stamp It! is a fun activity kit that allows children to stamp
and emboss, make multi-colored stamp illustrations and even design their own
stamp. The instructional book by Alicia Newman gives art project ideas, including
cards, stationary, wrapping paper and picture frames. The kit also provides
two ink pads, 14 rubbers tamps, embossing materials, five felt-tip markers,
carving tool and blank rubber block.
What We Thought
Rubber Stamp It! is more than a stamp kit. By teaching kids how to carve
their own stamp, they’re learning the basics of wood-block print-making, a centuries-old
art form which endures to this day.
Why They´ll Want It
The chance to make their own stamp will enthrall kids as they see the carved
shape they created transform into an image on paper.
--Nancy Tan Back to top
 Name: QT Charms
Company: QT CHARMS
Age: 11 and up
Price: $3.00
Category: Fashion & Accessories
What is It?
Victor Flores Designs Corp. has created a craze in the Tween market for
their new stylish and expressive line of QT Charms. The charms let girls
do everything from spell out their name to display a garden of flowers. Charms
aren´t just for a bracelet either; they can be attached to a necklace, shoestring
or even a hairdo.
What We Thought
This is a fun way for girls to express themselves and personalize their jewelry
to fit their own style and attitude. The charms are well-crafted and come in
a plethora of designs.
Why They´ll Want It
Accessorizing an outfit is a form of personal expression, and girls always have
a lot to say. Back to top
 Name: Scramble Squares
Company: b. dazzle, inc.
Age: 4 and up
Price: $7.95
Category: General Games
What is It?
Scramble Squares by b. dazzle (ToyDirectory, ToyShow) is a challenging puzzle that requires players to unscramble the nine square pieces into a perfectly matching picture. Sound easy? Try it and you may think otherwise. The puzzle comes educational facts about the puzzle´s subject matter.
What We Thought
This brainteaser takes puzzles to a new level. Scramble Squares is a great way to practice attention to detail and logical reasoning for people of all ages.
Why They´ll Want It
You can redo the puzzle again and again because you can´t memorize where each piece goes, making the game a new challenge every time.
--Nancy Tan
Learn more about Scramble SquaresBack to top
 Name: The Thread of Life
Company: RUNNING PRESS BOOK PUBLISHERS
Age: All Ages
Price: $15.95
Category: Books
What is It?
Domenico Vittorini retells 12 Italian tales of shepherds, sultans, cats and snakes in The Thread of Life. This illustrated book is much like Aesop´s Fables, imparting traditional values of wisdom, justice and honesty.
What We Thought
Vittorini does a wonderful job of presenting these classic tales for future generations to enjoy and learn from. Mary GrandPré, famous for her work on the Harry Potter series, has created stunning illustrations that bring each story’s characters to life.
Why They´ll Want It
The stories contain a wealth of timeless insights that children won’t get from watching SpongeBob SquarePants.
--Nancy Tan Back to top
 Name: Learning with Animals
Company: KIDS CAN PRESS
Age: All Ages
Price: $16.95
Category: Books
What is It?
Learning with Animals is a set of five books that use animals to teach children the alphabet, numbers, shapes, colors and opposites. Kids can travel from the farm to the tropics to deep under the sea as they explore the fun ways that Melanie Watt incorporates learning into her illustrations.
What We Thought
The pictures are highly detailed and expressive, and the set is conveniently packaged so that young ones can carry all five books in one "big book," just like a grown-up.
Why They´ll Want It
Colorful animals frolicking in their natural habitat makes Learning with Animals a visually stimulating and educational experience.
--Nancy Tan Back to top
 Name: The Twelve Days of Kindergarten
Company: ABRAMS BOOKS
Age: All Ages
Price: $14.95
Category: Books
What is It?
After the Christmas season has passed, carolers can still belt out The Twelve
Days of Kindergarten. Deborah Lee Rose has re-made the classic song "The
Twelve Days of Christmas" to apply to the hectic days in the classroom where
young minds learn counting, building, stringing, sorting and the alphabet.
What We Thought
Carey Armstrong-Ellis does a fabulous job of illustrating this book. There is
a wealth of detail in each picture, showing what occurs when you put a teacher
alone in a class full of rowdy five-year-old children.
Why They´ll Want It
Children will love to sing along to this book and will be enthralled by the
pictures. Parents and kids can spend some quality time together pointing out
the idiosyncrasies of each child, helping kids learn that all of us are unique.
--Nancy Tan Back to top
 Name: Hands-On Grossology
Company: PENGUIN GROUP USA
Age: All Ages
Price: $5.99
Category: Books
What is It?
Ever wanted to know the amount of urine you produce each day? Or did you ever want to create realistic flesh wounds to scare your friends? Or even mix up a batch of fake poop? If you´ve ever desired to do any of these, ummm, scientific experiments, then Hands-On Grossology is for you. This handy book gives readers different ways to fake grossness, perform personal gross experiments or have a communal grossness study.
What We Thought
This is a fun book that is sure to please any gross-out-loving child. Sylvia Branzei uses scientific jargon in a non-intimidating format, allowing children to learn complex terms such as "sebaceous glands" and "salivary amylase" while exploring some unsavory subjects.
Why They´ll Want It
Children are always thrilled to learn and share the information they acquire for themselves.
--Nancy Tan
Back to top
 Name: Teeth are Not for Biting
Company: FREE SPIRIT PUBLISHING
Age: 2-5
Price: $7.95
Category: Books
What is It?
Teeth are Not for Biting by Free Spirit Publishing (ToyDirectory) is a great guide for youngsters who use biting to relieve frustration, crankiness, or mouth pain from teething. The book also provides a list of tips for parents who are dealing with a child who is teething or biting.
What We Thought
The book gets the point across directly and simply that teeth are for chewing food, not biting people or gnawing on objects. Using onomatopoeia, the authors make this message very easy to remember: strong teeth go "Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!" but "Ouch!" biting hurts so don´t do it because a hug from a grown-up will make everything "Mmmmm…" better.
Why They´ll Want It
This colorful book lets children learn some facts about their teeth and that it’s normal to feel the need to bite sometimes—but the important thing is that they don´t!
--Nancy Tan
Learn more about Teeth are Not for BitingBack to top
 Name: Farm Animal Jigsaw Book
Company: USBORNE PUBLISHING
Age: 4 and up
Price: $8.95
Category: Books
What is It?
The Farm Animal Jigsaw Book does a wonderful job of combining the art of storytelling and the activity of a jigsaw puzzle. The book comes with four detailed puzzles that illustrate the text on the opposing page.
What We Thought
This cute book recounts the activities of Poppy and Sam, as they help Mrs. Boot feed the animals on Apple Tree Farm. From a visit to the chicken coop to the apple-shed fiasco, children can learn about barnyard animals as well as practice their hand-eye coordination by putting the puzzle pieces together.
Why They´ll Want It
Farm Animal Jigsaw Book gives a reader more than just a story; it gives them an activity that can be done over and over again. The illustrations will delight even the youngest eyes.
--Nancy Tan Back to top
 Name: Face Painting Kit
Company: SNAZAROO
Age: 3 and up
Price: $14.99
Category: Creative Activities
What Is It?
Children are such clowns sometimes. With Snazaroo´s (ToyDirectory) Face Painting Kit, kids can become everything from a Dalmatian pup to a ferocious striped tiger. The kit comes with an 8-color palette, face painting brush and sponge, and a face-painting guide. For those who like the whole package, there is also Snazaroo Zoo ($12.95) by Janis Bullis that gives face-painting ideas along with costume designs.
What We Thought
This is a necessary kit to have for Halloween and all other costume parties. The paint is easy to apply and stays on until washed off with mild soap and water. The kit also comes with enough paint for 50 different faces so that young ones can explore all the animals, bugs and monsters that their imaginations create.
Why They´ll Want It
All children love to dress up, and Snazaroo´s Face Painting Kit makes any costume complete.
-- Nancy Tan
Learn more about Face Painting KitBack to top
 Name: Mandala Designer
Company: RAVENSBURGER
Age: 5 and up
Price: $12.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
What Is It?
Ravensburger's Mandala Designer is an art activity kit that makes complicated Mandala designs easy to create and enjoy. The set comes with a frame, Mandala template, 10 sheets of paper, pencil, felt pen, and 6 color pencils. Children can draw a number of classic Mandalas that are featured on the box or experiment with the template to produce their own masterpieces.
What We Thought
This great activity will keep children occupied for hours. The result is a plethora of colorful Mandalas that will look great on a wall or on the fridge. Children will be inspired by the works they create.
Why They’ll Want I
Patterns, designs and color pencils are a great way to pass a lazy afternoon.
-- Nancy Tan Back to top
 Name: Buzzword
Company: PATCH PRODUCTS INC.
Age: 10 and up
Price: $19.98
Category: General Games
What Is It?
Buzzword is a challenging brain twister that requires players to discern familiar catch phrases that utilize a given keyword. For example, for the buzzword "over," what kind of answers do you come up with? “Oversee.” “Overtime.” “Over-the-hill.” “Hand over fist.” It's not as easy as it looks -- especially with only 45 seconds to answer 10 clues and an opposing team waiting its turn to steal your points. The game comes with 400 sets of clues on 200 cards, 10 scoring cards, sand timer, scoreboard and marker.
What We Thought
This is a great activity for family game nights or get-togethers with friends. Team competition and time constraints make the game exciting, as well as a mental workout.
Why They’ll Want I
Buzzword is a combination of quick wit and synaptic firing that’s fun for the whole family.
-- Nancy Tan Back to top
 Name: Penguin Pile-Up
Company: RAVENSBURGER
Age: 5 and up
Price: $19.98
Category: General Games
What Is It?
Ravensburger´s Penguin Pile-Up is a fun new twist to games such as Topple because, instead of colorful disks, the game uses the most loveable Antarctica animal: penguins! Players attempt to balance their penguins on the shifty iceberg without making any of them fall into the “icy water” below. The game comes with a game base, iceberg with flag, 24 penguins and game rules.
What We Thought
Penguin Pile-Up is a great game to play alone or as a group. It involves concentration and balance that would challenge even the most coordinated of adults. Penguin figurines do require assembly, but this is also an amusing activity to do with the entire family before play.
Why They´ll Want It
The stacking game is tons of fun, and it’s even better with penguins!
-- Nancy Tan
Learn more about Penguin Pile-UpBack to top
 Name: Loopy Links Jewelry
Company: MANHATTAN TOY
Age: 1-3
Price: $19.95
Category: Creative Activities
What Is It?
Every girl cannot wait to grow up to be just like Mom, but if you don't want your tot going through your jewelry box, Manhattan Toy's Loopy Links Jewelry is a great alternative. The activity kit comes with magnetic linking necklaces, bracelets and earrings that can be stored in a convenient see-through purse. All pieces are covered in colorful cloth and can be combined with other Loopy Links sets.
What We Thought
Loopy Links Jewelry is a safe activity for little girls to indulge in fantasies of being a princess or diva. With the lots of different combinations of accessories, playing with the jewelry will also increase imaginations and help build motor skills.
Why They’ll Want I
This kit is a fun way for young girls to dress up without growing up too quickly.
-- Nancy Tan Back to top
 Name: Little Yogis
Company: WAI LANA
Age: 3-8
Price: $34.99
Category: Play Sets
What Is It?
Wai Lana´s (ToyDirectory) Little Yogis is a yoga kit that helps children practice physical coordination, increase flexibility, and build muscular strength. Yoga not only benefits the body, but also the mind, as the activity develops concentration, focus and patience. Yoga also leaves children relaxed and with heightened self-control. The kit comes with a yoga mat, asana poster, Little Yogis video (60 minutes) and tote bag.
What We Thought
Little Yogis is a great way for children to get some exercise in a fun and valuable fashion. The video is enjoyable to watch with entertaining cartoons and musical introductions preceding Wai Lana and her entourage of children practicing the different poses. Her soothing voice can calm the rowdiest crowd, and the positions are fun, yet challenging.
Why They’ll Want I
Kids can use the kit by themselves or with others. Have fun yoga parties to entertain all the kids in the neighborhood!
-- Nancy Tan
Learn more about Little YogisBack to top
 Name: Learn Through Music
Company: FISHER-PRICE INC.
Age: 1 and up
Price: $34.99
Category: Educational
What Is It?
Learn Through Music is an interactive educational toy that teaches—both in English and Spanish—words for barnyard animals (with moos and oinks), find-it games, sing-alongs (with a karaoke-style mic included!) and lots more. The toy has touch-screen features, as well as large buttons a toddler can push to advance to the next game.
What We Thought
We all remember learning our ABCs by singing them, and this toy works on the same principle: rhythm and melody help kids retain what they’ve learned. Learn Through Music is simple to operate; the touch-screen and toddler-friendly buttons make it a toy even the youngest child will be able to play with on his or her own. Familiar characters such as Blues Clues, Sesame Street, Barney and Dora the Explorer boost the appeal. And imagine how powerful a toddler will feel when he hears his voice projected through the built-in microphone!
Why They’ll Want I
What parent wouldn’t want a toy that’s fun, educational and—perhaps most importantly—durable? Learn Through Music is all three. And the price isn’t bad either.
-- Tim Connolly Back to top
 Name: Powertouch Learning System
Company: FISHER-PRICE INC.
Age: 4-8
Price: $59.95
Category: Educational
What Is It?
Powertouch is an interactive system that teaches reading, numbers, shapes, colors and more. Kids touch words, pictures and numbers to hear pronunciations, spellings, phonetics, play counting games or follow along as the story is read aloud. Each Powertouch comes with two books.
What We Thought
The “finger-touch” system is truly cool. Even holding a finger slightly over the picture or word will activate a response, and the auto-page detection makes sure you always get the right responses for the page you’re looking at. Powertouch is simple to set up and operate; kids can put the books in themselves and start reading along (There’s also a headphone jack to allow others to concentrate.). A row of menu tabs at the top of each page allows parents or kids to choose “story,” “words,” “phonics,” “find,” “spelling,” “music” or “surprise” for each page. My only criticism is that the pages of the books might be somewhat slim for little fingers to turn. (Note to budding DJs: the finger-touch response is sensitive enough to allow for scratching effects. Try the letter “P”: P-P-P-Party!)
Why They’ll Want It
This toy can be shared by parent and child together, as well as letting kids practice reading and counting on their own with familiar characters such as the Sesame Street gang, Blues Clues, Dora the Explorer and lots more. It’s an interactive toy that rewards intelligence rather than competitiveness and aggression—and it’s fun.
-- Tim Connolly
Learn more about Powertouch Learning SystemBack to top
 Name: Team GK Dolls
Company: TEDDI TOYS INC
Age: 6 and up
Price: $39.99
Category: Dolls
What is It?
Teddi Toys’ (ToyDirectory) new line of dolls, Team GK, is based on the comic book series Team GK: The Power of Nine. Each doll comes with its own accessories as well as trading cards, stickers, comic book and membership documents. Children can also go online to GK Headquarters and play math games and practice art skills.
What We Thought
Team GK allows children to play with the comic book characters they admire. The website is very educational and may inspire children to get excited about learning.
Why They’ll Want It
The Team GK comic has quite a following, which brings a built-in consumer base for spin-off products.
--Nancy Tan
Learn more about Team GK DollsBack to top
 Name: Precious Impressions Memory Hands Kit
Company: PRECIOUS IMPRESSIONS INC
Age: 10 and up
Price: $24.99
Category: Educational
What is It?
The Precious Impressions (ToyDirectory) Memory Hands Kit allows families to create a life-sized replica of one or two hands cast in dental-quality plaster.
What We Thought
Precious Impressions has made this kit practically foolproof. The end result is a lasting reminder of a moment captured in time.
Why They’ll Want It
The sentimental nature of Memory Hands will appeal to both parents and grandparents alike. Its keepsake value far outweighs the reasonable price.
--Andrew Windchanz
Learn more about Precious Impressions Memory Hands KitBack to top
 Name: Rainbow Color Cones
Company: LEARNING RESOURCES INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $12.95
Category: Educational
What is It?
Rainbow Color Cones gives children the chance to build their own ice cream cone without the mess. This educational toy comes with two cones and eight scoops of ice cream with the name of its color underneath.
What We Thought
This toy is a fun and creative way for children to learn color identification and practice their motor skills by building a delicious-looking treat. They will also build some arm strength since some of the pieces are difficult to separate once locked into each other.
Why They’ll Want It
Kids love ice cream. Parents love toys that teach as well as entertain. Rainbow Color Cones make everyone happy.
--Nancy Tan Back to top
 Name: Pizza Fraction Fun
Company: LEARNING RESOURCES INC.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $17.95
Category: Educational
What is It?
Pizza Fun Fraction lets children learn fractions by playing seven fun-filled pizza games requiring players to estimate, match, multiply and manipulate numbers to beat their opponents.
What We Thought
What kid doesn’t love pizza? The game makes learning fractions enjoyable by disguising the math lessons with this favorite food.
Why They’ll Want It
This game is a non-intimidating way for kids to learn fractions—that rare part of mathematics that ordinary people actually use.
--Nancy Tan
Learn more about Pizza Fraction FunBack to top
 Name: Learn a Craft: Needlepoint
Company: DIMENSIONS/PERLER
Age: 8 and up
Price: $2.99
Category: Educational
What is It?
Learn a Craft: Needlepoint comes with a needle, wool yarn, cotton thread, a seven-count plastic canvas and easy instructions that allow beginners to make cute and fuzzy designs.
What We Thought
This kit gives kids who aren’t ready to start on a quilt the chance to create a small piece of needlepoint art while learning concentration, patience and creativity.
Why They’ll Want It
Needlepoint is an enduring American craft, and this kit is an affordable introduction to the art.
--Nancy Tan Back to top
 Name: Pencil Works
Company: DIMENSIONS/PERLER
Age: 5 and up
Price: $5.99
Category: Educational
What Is It?
Pencil Works is a color-by-number product that allows children to experiment with mixing colors by following the numbers on the guide chart provided. The kit comes with a set of 12 coloring pencils, pencil sharpener and pre-marked picture.
What We Thought
Through the easy-to-follow chart, little artists can achieve a professional-looking result while learning about color interaction.
Why They’ll Want It
Dimensions (ToyDirectory, ToyShow)takes the guesswork out of discerning what to draw and allows children to focus on coloring itself.
--Nancy Tan
Learn more about Pencil WorksBack to top
 Name: Paint Works
Company: DIMENSIONS/PERLER
Age: All Ages
Price: $7.99
Category: Educational
What is It?
Paint Works gives children eight different colors to brush into precise numbered zones to create the picture provided.
What We Thought
The convenient packaging allows children to experiment with mixing different colors for certain areas of painting, and the aquatic life composition is dynamic and kid-friendly.
Why They’ll Want It
Creatively minded kids will be drawn to Paint Works’ compositions for the chance to create a professional-looking painting.
--Nancy Tan
Learn more about Paint WorksBack to top
 Name: Glass Art
Company: DIMENSIONS/PERLER
Age: 8 and up
Price: $9.99
Category: Educational
What is It?
Glass Art comes with four different colors, a glass template, eye droplet and materials to create a beautiful wind chime. Parents must provide aluminum foil, paper towels, cotton swabs, a cup of water, straight pins and toothpicks.
What We Thought
Glass Art makes a craft project accessible to even the youngest artist. Children can create a piece of real artwork, while learning patience, concentration and precision.
Why They’ll Want It
Glass Art will not only entertain kids, it will give their parents a piece of childhood to be cherished for years to come.
--Nancy Tan
Learn more about Glass Art Back to top
 Name: To Learn Time Playing with My First Real Watch
Company: PRIM'TIME TECHNOLOGY
Age: 3 and up
Price: $24.95
Category: Educational
What is It?
The My First Real Watch set, created in collaboration with the French Ministry of Education, features an animated watch with pictograms, another more traditional watch adorned with the cartoony character, “Tim,” and a glossy picture book and playing cards. Both watches are water-resistant and boast a one-year warranty and hypoallergenic bracelets.
What We Thought
Maybe if I’d had this set in kindergarten it wouldn’t have taken me ten minutes to answer when the teacher asked, “What time is it?” This toy is a fun and engaging way to introduce preschoolers to telling time.
Why They’ll Want It
Parents of kids who need to be weaned off digital time-tellers will enjoy the simple card game and pictogram watch: both keep kids´ attention while teaching basic daily routines. (The included book offers a narrative review of school, play and lunch times.) Kids can wear the pictogram watch or the standard face version and learn which hour goes with what activity.
--Kris Dukes
Learn more about To Learn Time Playing with My First Real WatchBack to top
 Name: Phonics Activity Set - Word Building
Company: LEARNING RESOURCES INC.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $24.95
Category: Educational
What is It?
The Phonics Activity Set By Learning Resources (ToyDirectory) was developed by educators to help kids group rhyming words, play with vowels and recognize spelling patterns.
What We Thought
Parents looking for a tactile and fun way to engage post-alphabet-block kids in learning the foundations for reading will enjoy this set. Sophisticated, but straightforward and easy to understand, the Phonics Activity Set supplements any formal reading program.
Why They’ll Want It
This kit creates and encourages budding wordsmiths. The carrying case looks just like a high school binder. Unzip it to reveal a well-organized safe place for Reading Rods, activity cards, stand and a dry-erase board. The included "Dear Parent" pamphlet reads like a letter from the perfect teacher.
--Kris Dukes Back to top
 Name: Teaching Young Children, Never-Bored Kid Books
Company: EVAN-MOOR EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHERS
Age: 1-9
Price: $19.99
Category: Educational
What is It?
Evan-Moor´s (ToyDirectory, ToyShow) four activity books: Teaching Young Children (ages 1-6) and Never-Bored Kid Book (books for ages 4-5, 6-7, 8-9).
What We Thought
Teaching Young Children is the play manual I wish I’d had in my babysitting days, especially with its rundown on profiles of 1-6 year-olds. Never-Bored Kid Books are deliciously colorful and cool with cut-out quasi-origami projects.
Why They’ll Want It
Day-care providers, teachers and parents will be happy with Teaching Young Children´s pages of educational and fun activities: everything from “how to throw a parachute party” to “learning fractions with food.” Never-Bored Kid Books are more straightforward activity books filled with crafts projects, mazes, dot-to-dots and riddles.
--Kris Dukes
Learn more about Teaching Young Children, Never-Bored Kid BooksBack to top
 Name: Word for Word Game
Company: LEARNING RESOURCES INC.
Age: 7 and up
Price: $29.95
Category: Educational
What is It?
The package says it´s fast-paced, word-building fun for the family. Don´t cringe; it really is. Snap together different words with Reading Rods (those color-coded, interlocking manipulatives designed to teach phonics and literacy) until a timer goes off. Instructions give tips on how to tailor the game to various age and skill levels.
What We Thought
Another Reading Rods educational set, this game is more toy than tool. Unlike the Phonics Activity sets, which have a definite academic—though fun—feel, Word for Word is brain-flexing sport.
Why They’ll Want It
Teachers, parents and students will appreciate the challenging, competitive, but light fun of Word for Word. Owners of other Reading Rods sets will think this set is the icing on the cake.
--Kris Dukes Back to top
 Name: Sorting Shapes Cupcakes
Company: LEARNING RESOURCES INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $11.99
Category: Educational
What is It?
Sorting Shapes Cupcakes comes with a plastic cupcake tray and six durable plastic cupcakes. The set is designed to teach children shape recognition, fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination by getting them to figure out which cupcake top fits into which bottom.
What We Thought
Kids love cupcakes, and this game is a straightforward and fun way for preschoolers to use this familiar treat to learn shapes. And it made me hungry.
Who Would Like It
Any preschool-age child.
--Tim Connolly
Learn more about Sorting Shapes CupcakesBack to top
 Name: Counting Cookies
Company: LEARNING RESOURCES INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $11.99
Category: Educational
What is It?
Counting Cookies comes with a plastic cookie jar and ten plastic cookies, each with 1-10 M&M-colored chips on one side, and the numerical value on the other.
What We Thought
This game is a simple and fun way to introduce preschoolers to numbers, using a treat every kid will recognize.
Who Would Like It
Any preschool-age child.
--Tim Connolly Back to top
 Name: Measuring Monkeys
Company: LEARNING RESOURCES INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $17.95
Category: Educational
What is It?
Measuring Monkeys teaches kids how to use a ruler by moving plastic monkeys up and down a tree-shaped game-post. Kids spin the wheel to determine how far up or down the tree to move and then place their monkey at the appropriate measurement with a banana-shaped peg.
What We Thought
The game teaches kids the American (non-metric) measuring system while meeting the litmus test of all educational toys: creating enough fun that kids hardly notice they’re learning something.
Who Would Like It
Any kindergarten or grade school kid who needs a fun introduction to fractions.
--Tim Connolly
Learn more about Measuring MonkeysBack to top
 Name: Follow Jade! Let's Visit Chinese Kindergarten
Company: MASTER COMMUNICATIONS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $14.95
Category: Videos & DVDs
What is It?
In Follow Jade! Let´s Visit Chinese Kindergarten, Jade uses her bilingual, activity-based instruction to introduce viewers to colors, numbers and typical Chinese songs.
What We Thought
Parents who want to expose their children to world cultures will do well to take a look at the Follow Jade! Series.
Why They’ll Want It
With a resurgent Chinese economy, you can expect an increasing awareness of Chinese language and culture in North America.
--Jeremy Loudenback Back to top
 Name: Block-N-Roll
Company: TAURUS TOY
Age: 6 and up
Price: $19.95
Category: Construction
What is It?
60 pieces of Block-N-Roll—part Lego by TAURUS TOY (ToyDirectory) (the pieces fit with Duplo brand blocks), all marble maze construction—are not enough. My colorful route, consisting of turns, ramps and crossovers, had hardly begun to take over my desk when I considered ordering add-on pieces. Sigh.
What We Thought
Already the winner of many awards—Family Fun Magazine´s “Toy of the Year” Finalist 2000, one of Dr. Toy´s best 100 for 2000 and voted the Best of Construction Blocks by Great American Toy Test—who could say no to Block-N-Roll?
Why They’ll Want It
Future architecture majors of America, or any kid from first grade and up, will enjoy sliding pieces together, building tunnels and ramps and drops for marbles to slide and smash into each other.
--Kris Dukes
Learn more about Block-N-RollBack to top
 Name: Putter & Driver Sets
Company: FRANKLIN SPORTS INC.
Age: 6 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Sporting Goods & Accessories
What is It?
Franklin’s Putter Set and Driver Set both include a kid-sized club with a contoured grip to teach proper hand position, as well as a small plastic putting green or driving tee and lightweight plastic golf balls. (They won’t break windows.) Both sets feature interactive technology (batteries included) that allows for simulated audience cheering sounds when kids putt or swing.
What We Thought
These simple toy golf sets let kids emulate Dad’s sport of choice without the green fees. The audience applause and calls of “Nice putt!” and “You’re the Man!” are a must for today’s kids, who are weaned on video and interactive toys.
Who Would Like It
Any kid whose dad or mom is a golfer.
--Tim Connolly Back to top
 Name: Soft & Fun 4 Ball Micro Set
Company: FRANKLIN SPORTS INC.
Age: All Ages
Price: $19.95
Category: Sporting Goods & Accessories
These “Soft & Fun” replicas of your favorite sport balls are a must-have addition to any toy box. The easy-grip texture material that covers the balls is a wonderful addition to the ball market.
The boxed set comes complete with practice techniques for the aspiring young athlete as well as diagrams and measurements to create the full-sized fields of play for volleyball, basketball, football and soccer.
For outdoor fun the Franklin Learn to Play Mini Sports Ball Set is a great starter set. Appealing to kids of all sizes, even adults may find a fun use for the balls in the office or at home.
--Andrew Windchanz Back to top
 Name: Youth Glove & Ball Set
Company: FRANKLIN SPORTS INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $9.99
Category: Sporting Goods & Accessories
The Glove and Ball Set from Franklin Sports is great fun for the would-be baseball star of tomorrow.
The leather-like rubber glove is supple and moveable for even small hands and does not require hours of work to make it useable. The ball features an easy grip texture that aids the small hands in catching and throwing.
For less then $10.00, the price is right, considering this age group grows at an amazing rate. Parents will find this set to be both affordable and fun to have around. Learning to play catch has just gotten a whole lot easier.
--Andrew Windchanz Back to top
 Name: Twilight Zone Invader Life-Size Figure
Company: SIDESHOW COLLECTIBLES
Age: 14 and up
Price: $40.00
Category: Collectibles
The packaging alone makes this collectible figure from TV’s golden age worth buying. Adorned with wonderful black and white still-shots from “The Invaders” episode of The Twilight Zone, as well as a full treatment of the episode and brief history of the series, this is a collectible no die-hard sci-fi fan could resist pulling out the Visa for.
Accessories include the electric prod the little robot uses to attack Agnes Moorehead’s character and a radar antenna for his head. The Invader figure was sculpted by Mat Falls.
--Tim Connolly Back to top
 Name: Kermit the Frog Collectible Polystone Bust
Company: SIDESHOW COLLECTIBLES
Age: 14 and up
Price: $50.00
Category: Collectibles
Cast in heavyweight polystone, the Kermit the Frog Bust is hand painted and sits on a Roman style pedestal inscribed with The Muppet Show logo and the character´s name.
On the underside of the pedestal, the sculptor´s name (Ben Hawker) and signature are inscribed to ensure authenticity. Other characters in Series I include: Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, his perpetually freaked-out lab assistant Beaker and Rowlf the Dog.
--Tim Connolly Back to top
 Name: Robert Davi "Sanchez" and Timothy Dalton "James Bond" 12-inch figures from Licen
Company: SIDESHOW COLLECTIBLES
Age: 14 and up
Price: $40.00
Category: Collectibles
I never saw License to Kill, but can honestly say that any action figure (“Sanchez”) that has a diamond necklace-wearing iguana for an accessory is cool by me.
Sanchez’s other accessories include a machete and Uzi (with extra clip), and a display stand bearing the movie logo and character name. With 20 points of articulation, these figures can be posed as well as left in the box as a collectible. Sanchez is a limited edition figure with roughly 5,000 to be produced.
The often overlooked Timothy Dalton James Bond character gets some respect with a 12-inch figure outfitted in Bond’s signature black tuxedo. Fully articulated and bearing a remarkable likeness to the actor, Bond’s accessories include a Walther PPK pistol, display base and Q´s camera gun and case, all in a collector’s display box with original movie poster art. The figure is a limited edition at roughly 15,000 figures.
--Tim Connolly Back to top
 Name: Pyramid Zoo
Company: MANHATTAN TOY
Age: 1-3
Price: $12.95
Category: Infant & Toddler
What is It?
Pyramid Zoo is a soft cloth pyramid-shaped toy that teaches toddlers the names of animals through pictures and words. Each side of the pyramid folds out to reveal more animals with the name of each.
What We Thought
This is a simple and friendly toy whose unfolding sides and colorful pictures will engage any curious toddler… or even a 30-something toy reviewer deep in an after-lunch food coma.
Who Would Like It?
Toddlers.
--Tim Connolly Back to top
 Name: Lots of Bugs
Company: MANHATTAN TOY
Age: 1-3
Price: $11.95
Category: Infant & Toddler
What is It?
Lots of Bugs is a unique cloth and plush item that acts as a picture book and toy combined. The bug’s body unfolds to reveal four different pictures and captions, such as “A funny Bug” or “A Fuzzy Bug" (with plush body for kids to feel).
What We Thought
This toy brings parents and toddlers together while teaching simple reading and shape and size recognition.
Who Would Like It?
Any toddler or preschooler.
--Tim Connolly Back to top
 Name: Mix & Matchimals
Company: MANHATTAN TOY
Age: 1-3
Price: $14.95
Category: Infant & Toddler
What is It?
Mix & Matchimals are a unique plush toy that combines two animals in one cube-shaped body. The body has pockets on all sides that hold both animals’ limbs and heads. Kids can have fun mixing and matching the parts to create their own unique animal.
What We Thought
This fuzzy toy will engage a toddler’s innate curiosity as he/she turns an inanimate cube into a friendly animal.
Who Would Like It?
Toddlers.
--Tim Connolly Back to top
 Name: Ross Powers and Jonny Moseley Signature Huck Dolls
Company: ORIGINAL HUCK DOLL NSM
Age: 4 and up
Price: $12.98
Category: Action Figures
Huck Dolls (ToyShow) were originally designed “for the purpose of visualizing aerial maneuvers,” says Jay Peters, the dolls’ inventor and co-founder of NSM Resources Corp. Peters used his degree in product design to create the doll to share with other local skiers at Lake Tahoe, but soon found the public was willing to pay for a doll of their own.
Though collectors will no doubt prize these 5-inch figures, this reviewer committed the unpardonable sin of actually removing the Ross Powers Doll from his packaging. Though the doll is not as limber as I would have thought, given that the figures are meant to be emulate real-life boarders, it still makes cool dashboard or computer decoration.
Other figures include Shane McConkey, Tara Dakides, JP Walker, Mike Michelchuck, Jamie Burge, CR Johnson, male and female surfer figures, and a skateboarder and wakeboarder.
--Andrew Windchanz Back to top
 Name: ShanJari
Company: FUNADDICTS
Age: 5-Adult
Price: $24.95
Category: General Games
What is It?
ShanJari is an African word meaning "line." It’s also the name of FUNaddicts strategy game that stretches the Tic-Tac-Toe concept into four-or five-in-a-row sequences requiring players to think critically about their next move. The game comes with 1 game board, 60 game pieces with bag, 2 sequence markers, 2 sequence cards and rule sheet.
What We Thought
The multi-player format makes ShanJari a great family game. With different levels, the game can become increasingly difficult as players learn to maneuver their pieces around the board to outwit their opponents.
Why They’ll Want It
World cultures are a hot topic these days and this game is a breath of fresh air from a far-away continent.
--Nancy Tan
Learn more about ShanJariBack to top
 Name: Basari
Company: OUT OF THE BOX PUBLISHING
Age: 10 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: General Games
What is It?
The bustling bazaar is reimagined as a board game in Out of the Box’s Basari. As players haggle and barter with one another to earn gemstones, they accumulate points. After three rounds, the player with the most points gains victory.
What We Thought
Basari will turn your youngster into a seasoned wheeler-and-dealer faster than you can say, “Sold!” The game requires shrewd strategy skills and, most of all, a quick wit to weigh the best deal. Aimed at 3-4 players, the game is best played with a full cast so every player has ample opportunity to negotiate with a wide range of offers.
Why They’ll Want It
Constant banter and negotiating makes sure every player is in on the fun. And, at only 30 to 45 minutes, Basari is a game you won’t have to wait hours to finish.
--Jeremy Loudenback Back to top
 Name: Polygon
Company: JAX LTD INC.
Age: 7 and up
Price: $15.99
Category: General Games
What is It?
Polygon by Jax Ltd., Inc (ToyDirectory) is a strategy board game that requires players to create scoring number combinations through laying down numbered tiles. The game comes with a play board, 49 polygon tiles, die, game instructions and score sheets.
What We Thought
This is a complicated game that expands players’ ability to think ahead and critically look at the board for optimal moves. It is also a fun activity for families to play together.
Why They’ll Want It
Polygon offers mathematically inclined players a chance to outwit their opponents.
--Nancy Tan
Learn more about PolygonBack to top
 Name: Infinity Feng Shui Fortune Telling Game
Company: EMPRESS3 PUBLISHING
Age: 8 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: General Games
What is It?
Infinity Feng Shui Fortune Telling
Game by Empress3 Publishing (ToyDirectory) deals with the
ancient Chinese study of the relationships between humanity and the earth´s
environment. In this kit, players learn to sharpen their intuition and psychic
ability to predict the answers to questions and wishes. It also gives them a
chance to explore spirituality and maximize their life force (called "chi"). The
game comes with a gameboard, five dice, a compass and instructional
cards.
What We Thought
This game simplifies the practice of Feng
Shui as a fun game that is sure to amaze partygoers with its accuracy. People of
all ages can appreciate the Feng Shui philosophy and learn from its long
tradition.
Why They’ll Want It
Interest in Feng Shui continues to
grow in North America. This game offers laypeople a fun way to learn more about
this rich Chinese tradition.
--Nancy Tan
Learn more about Infinity Feng Shui Fortune Telling GameBack to top
 Name: Monty Python and the Holy Grail 12-inch Figures
Company: SIDESHOW COLLECTIBLES
Age: 14 and up
Price: $28.99
Category: Collectibles
All five figures from the film, King Arthur and Sirs Lancelot, Bedevere, Gallahad and Robin come with sword and shield, unique armor and clothing and a tiny “parchment” book showing a still-shot of the character from the movie with a brief passage, such as “Sir Robin, the not quite so brave as Sir Lancelot.”
Picking up on the humor of the original movie, it’s easy to get the joke with box-copy like this: “Made from lesser quality materials, this edition was slapped together for that bandwagon-jumping late-comer collector.”
If that’s the case, the first set of Python figures are sure to be lingering in the airtight vaults of happy collectors.Back to top
 Name: Army of Darkness's Mart Ash 12-inch Figure
Company: SIDESHOW COLLECTIBLES
Age: 14 and up
Price: $40.00
Category: Collectibles
With package copy recalling the cult-movie favorite Army of Darkness and a display-ready box, the S-Mart Ash is another worthy addition to Sideshow’s line of collectible figures.
Coming with a Winchester rifle and—best of all—a pocket protector complete with pen and S-Mart logo, the figure wears a name tag reading: “Hello, my name is Ash. Housewares.” It’s that attention to detail that has won Sideshow its own army of devoted collectors.Back to top
 Name: Series 1 Action Figures
Company: DUSTY TRAIL TOYS
Age: 5 and up
Price: $9.99
Category: Collectibles
Dusty Trails’ Series 1 Action Figures are a welcome addition to the 6-inch figure category. Each figure is detailed right down his bootlaces and comes with a display base unique to each character. All the characters are original; no licensed movie icons here—unless you count the SWAT Pointman, which, though not licensed from the movie released in August, will surely benefit from the serendipitous timing.
Other figures in the series: The Captain (a 17th century pirate), Schwartz (a WWII German machine-gunner), Spider (a thug blasting twin pistols as he hits the floor), The Outlaw (an old west gunslinger), and Corporal Smith (a WWII Airborne Pathfinder).
The SWAT figure was the most coveted collectible to reach our offices in some time. He comes, not just in full body armor with tear gas canisters and a leg-strapped 9mm Beretta, but also posed kicking in an apartment door (#13) with flying wood splinters.
The figures are packaged in a sturdy blister pack with accessories prominently displayed. I took the Schwartz figure out of his packaging (so you won’t have to) to test the articulation. His arms and wrists move and, with a little finessing, the big MG 42 machine gun fits snugly in his grasp, as do the “potato masher” grenades in his belt.Back to top
 Name: 6 piece Rhythm Kit
Company: LATIN PERCUSSION
Age: 2 and up
Price: $39.99
Category: Musical Toys
This kit by LP RhythMix comes with a handled drum, two pink “chick-itas” (maracas), two drumsticks, a tone block, triangle and “jingle stix,” all in a re-usable clear vinyl backpack. The kit’s colors—pink, turquoise and purple—cause this reviewer to assume the Rhythm Kit was intended for girls, but I’m probably showing my age here.
The Kit is now distributed with red, yellow and blue instruments and includes a “Rhythmic Activity Booklet” which explains in-depth the benefits of music to a child’s learning capabilities. Also provided is a thorough list of rhythm exercises for a parent and child to enjoy together.
Learn more about 6 piece Rhythm KitBack to top
 Name: Old Century Baseball
Company: FRONT PORCH CLASSICS
Age: 6 and up
Price: $129.95
Category: Wooden Toys
Front Porch Classics’ (ToyDirectory, ToyShow) Old Century Baseball game is a stunning vision of craftsmanship and low-tech fun. Created as a testament to baseball stadiums of yesteryear, the 27” x 27” pinball game lets players flip a wooden bat-paddle and strike a metal ball into holes marked “single,” “double,” “triple,” home run” and “out.”
OC Baseball’s superior construction and attention to detail -- players can keep score with a real wooden scoreboard –- create a whimsical masterpiece that is sure to keep kids and parents delighted long after those battery-operated toys have run out of juice.
The exquisite all-wooden construction is an absorbing magnet, and it’s no surprise that the game topped Family Fun Magazine’s list of best toys of 2002. Retailers that display this game should bet on a constant stream of interested onlookers.
Learn more about Old Century BaseballBack to top
 Name: Loc Blocs
Company: GUIDECRAFT INC.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $29.95
Category: Wooden Toys
Designed by educator Eileen Glick, these large-sized unfinished Rubberwood (a replenishable hardwood from Asia) blocks will surely be a hit with preschoolers.
The 32-piece set fits togethher with ease while offering plenty of construction possibilities for both boys and girls. These simple blocks even managed to put a smile on my face. On a Monday. At 4pm. Not an easy task.Back to top
 Name: Matchitecture
Company: BOJEUX INC.
Age: 10 and up
Price: $7.50
Category: Wooden Toys
Matchitecture by Jouets BJ Toys (ToyDirectory, ToyShow) comes with 500 wooden match sticks (minus the head), a “Microbeam Cutter” for cutting the sticks to size, and wood glue and tweezers for handling the construction.
Also included are detailed instructions for building the construction excavator on the box cover. This kit would be great for a Tween with patience (if there is such a thing) who’s still too young to get into shop class.
Learn more about MatchitectureBack to top
 Name: Kapla Blocks – 40 piece set
Company: KAPLA USA
Age: 3-Adult
Price: $29.95
Category: Wooden Toys
A deceptively plain block set, Kapla blocks are made of identical finished pine pieces small enough to be grasped by the preschool crowd, available in two-color sets or as plain wood. Each kit includes a sturdy picture book with sample constructions of buildings, animals and abstract designs.
Because there are no pre-made connectors to attach the blocks, a child’s imagination is given free reign to create anything – from organic shapes, to cars, houses, family pets or whatever else he or she can dream up.
With no pre-written narratives, licensed characters or “interactive” technology to be followed, a kid can simply open the box and start creating, with no right or wrong outcome. A word of advice: Kapla blocks are too light to stand well on carpet, wood or linoleum would be best. Also available are also larger sets of 200 or 1,000 blocks.
Learn more about Kapla Blocks – 40 piece setBack to top
 Name: Splash Tangle
Company: WHAM-O
Age: 5 and up
Price: $12.99
Category: Water Activities
Splash Tangle, another superb opportunity for wild, wet summer fun from Wham-O, is a fun variation of the game Twister. Players stretch out across a mat to cover colored shapes before water comes squirting out. An inflatable dice is rolled to indicate each player’s positioning.
With a few kids playing at the same time, the mat quickly becomes a tangle of limbs and a bucketful of fun. Since each shape sprays water, players can increase water pressure by covering some shapes to force more water out of the open shapes, giving other players a good dousing.
This is a great anti-slip product for parties or other occasions when you need to get the kids out of the house and amused for hours.Back to top
 Name: Original Slip‘N Slide Splash Dunk
Company: WHAM-O
Age: 5-12
Price: $19.99
Category: Water Activities
The creative minds at Wham-O have their fingers on the pulse of summer fun. No list of summer toys is complete without the Slip‘N Slide. Now, Wham-O introduces a new addition to the Slip ‘N Slide roster, the Splash Dunk.
The 18-foot-long (under 110 lbs) Slip ‘N Slide Splash Dunk offers kids the same thrills and spills as the original model that we all remember, but with a couple of new features. While sliding down the runway, kids can now dunk a ball through an arched hoop just before reaching a splash zone.
With longer days and freedom from school, the Splash Dunk will be a perennial addition to summer fun.Back to top
 Name: Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Maker
Company: WHAM-O
Age: 5 and up
Price: $21.95
Category: General Toys
When the weather gets hot and sticky, there are few better pleasures than enjoying an ice cream cone. With Wham-O’s Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Maker, kids anywhere can serve up a frosty treat using only a few basic household items.
This set includes the Ice Cream Maker, an ice cream scoop, two ice cream mixes, a package of mix-in treats, four cups and sprinkles. Kids can create ice cream in about 10 minutes, adding half-and-half, ice and salt to the supplied contents.
Best of all, the Ice Cream Maker is a snap for younger kids. The directions are easy to understand, and without any small or sharp pieces, parents need only provide minor assembly for the set.Back to top
 Name: Golf Smarts Pyramid
Company: USE YOUR HEAD UNLIMITED INC.
Age: 9 and up
Price: $14.99
Category: Novelties
Like the package says, Golf Smarts Pyramid is harder than it looks. The object is to stack the different-colored balls into a pyramid without two of the same colors touching.
However, the balls are attached in pairs, making success almost as challenging as a hole-in-one. Golf Smarts Pyramid would make a great goof-off game for the desk of your favorite sports and puzzle enthusiast.
Similar pyramid games are available for soccer, baseball, football and basketball.
Learn more about Golf Smarts PyramidBack to top
 Name: Rooster Marbles
Company: FABRICAS SELECTAS USA (FS-USA)
Age: 5 and up
Price: $3.00
Category: Novelties
Feeling the smooth texture of the colorfully swirled glass between your thumbs, one remembers the forgotten joys of marbles. Both enjoyable to look at and as timeless game pieces, marbles have had amazing staying power in this day of high-tech toys.
Mega Marbles’ (ToyDirectory) new Rooster pack contains 24 player marbles, one larger shooter marble and 2 display rings to show-off the glass treasures. With seven colorful new marble designs for 2003, Mega now has over 60 different styles with individual head cards for its marble collection.
Mega Marbles will make a wonderful addition to any retail counter. Easy to tote and easy to afford, the glass marbles are seductive: Once you pick them up, you may not be able to put them down.Back to top
 Name: Polarity
Company: MINDWALK INC.
Age: 7 and up
Price: $14.95
Category: Novelties
Mindwalk (ToyDirectory) has taken the universal fascination with magnets and turned it into a lively desktop game that’s both fun and educational.
In Polarity each L-shaped piece has a positive and negatively charged end, as well another L-shaped crook in the center with the same properties. The challenge lies in feeling, or guessing, where to place your piece without the polarity causing the whole structure to collapse.
This is a great game for a kid’s toy-box or for killing time in a cubicle when the boss isn’t around.
Learn more about PolarityBack to top
 Name: Mr. T in Your Pocket, Cajun in Your Pocket
Company: EMANATION INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $10.00
Category: Novelties
Have you ever wondered what Mr. T’s real name is? This, and other T-rivia are compiled on the packaging for Emanation, Inc.’s (ToyDirectory, ToyShow) Mr. T in Your Pocket, a one-of-a-kind item using Mr. T’s real voice. This pocket gadget (with a ring for your car-keys) recites famous phrases like, “I pity the Fool,” and “Don’t Gimme No Back-Talk Sucka!”
Since it comes with three batteries and cut-away packaging, collectors and eBay addicts won’t even need to unwrap this toy to enjoy it. All the better, since Mr. T will probably be worth considerably more than its $10.00 retail price in years to come.
Substitute the voice of a Creole gent and you’ve got Cajun in Your Pocket. Fans of Cajun music and culture will recognize phrases like, “We gon’ pass a good time, yeah, chere!” and, “I love you like a pig loves corn!” The packaging has similarly interesting trivia about Cajuns, French Canadians who migrated to Louisiana in 1755.
By the way, Mr. T’s real name is Lawrence Tureaud.
Learn more about Mr. T in Your Pocket, Cajun in Your PocketBack to top
 Name: Dread Pirate
Company: FRONT PORCH CLASSICS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $99.95
Category: General Games
In Dread Pirate, Front Porch Classics’ newest release for the 2003 Holiday season, players move cast-metal playing pieces, roll knuckle bones (dice), vie for doubloons and jewels and move around on an aged map as they savor the pirate’s life.
After opening up a wooden chest and unfurling a detailed treasure map, players are launched into the wonderfully imaginative world of marauding outlaws and hidden booty.
Dread Pirate comes housed in an authentic wooden treasure chest, and with its characteristic dedication to pre-electronic gaming experience, Front Porch leaves no stone uncovered in creating an authentic and wondrous playing experience for younger players as well as their parents.
Learn more about Dread PirateBack to top
 Name: Cityscape
Company: OUT OF THE BOX PUBLISHING
Age: 8 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: General Games
Four players match wits as they build their dream-city skyline. Each player tries to create their vision in the 16-block city area by trying to determine how many buildings are visible from a certain vantage point and how to make landmarks like the tallest building and multiple buildings of the same height.
Cityscape is a game that represents the best in multi-player competition. This is truly a game for players 8 and up because it challenges the mind of young and old. There is no wonder this game is raking in the accolades across the industry.
This wooden game with fantastic European craftsmanship will be played often and is handsome enough to stay out on display even when not in use. Retailers will find Citscape easy to move out the door anytime of year, especially the during the holiday season.Back to top
 Name: Fire & Ice
Company: OUT OF THE BOX PUBLISHING
Age: 8 and up
Price: $29.99
Category: General Games
Controlling one island will win you a battle, but in Fire & Ice, players must control the board to win the war. Two players are forced to use 3-D reasoning in a 2-D world by positioning their pins in certain patterns to control as many islands as possible. The catch is that every move you make creates a new move for the competition.
This game is addictive from the very start. It is as if Tic-Tac-Toe went 3-D. The logic is like chess but the execution is in a world of its own. This is a must have game for any age! Fire & Ice is never tiresome, and the game is mathematically proven to have a winner every game.
Once you play this game you’re hooked. Retailers should make this game available as a sample to play on the sales floor. There are those that will be addicted to playing it and will give the game as a gift if only to have more competition while traveling to see friends and family.Back to top
 Name: Rigamarole
Company: RIGAMAROLE
Age: 16 and up
Price: $29.95
Category: General Games
Fans of Cranium, prick up your ears: Rigamarole (ToyDirectory) is the latest board game aimed at the bulging party-game demographic. Players circle round the board tackling categories that demand a multitude of different skills.
Cards in five categories—Word of Mouth, Stage Fright, Sensory Perception, Uncommon Knowledge and the final challenge, Hidden Talents—test players with challenges like creating a 60-second story without using the letter E or guessing fictional characters like Rapunzel and Holden Caulfield. Word games, Charades, clever challenges and more await the daring.
At the end of the game, the first player or team to garner enough points may take a stab at the Hidden Talents category to seal the victory and claim bragging rights.
Clearly aimed at an older audience, Rigamarole is likely to delight those bored with the simple scope of Cranium. Rigamarole is a challenge no self-respecting party game aficionado should pass up.
Learn more about RigamaroleBack to top
 Name: Hit the Deck
Company: FUNDEX GAMES
Age: 6 and up
Price: $3.99
Category: General Games
Hit the Deck is a fun and challenging card game for the whole family. By discarding matching colored or numbered cards, players compete to be the first player with no cards in their hand. But be careful, things turn exciting when word cards like “hit the deck” show up and the last player to slap the discard pile has to draw four additional cards.
A fast-paced variation on the time-tested classic Uno, this card game is great with 4-6 players who love a challenge. Be sure to take off any jewelry you may have on your hands because this game can get fast and aggressive. Hit the Deck is a great addition to the family game night.
Hit the Deck’s low price point is appealing to the budget conscious and the game itself is fun for all members of the family. This game can be a great “hand-sell” item as an add-on purchase.
Learn more about Hit the DeckBack to top
 Name: Time Control
Company: THOMPSON INDUSTRIES
Age: 14 and up
Price: $24.95
Category: General Games
The world will end in five minutes. A top scientist must gather his agents and send them back into the past in order to destroy his enemies and save the future. Is this a new summer Hollywood blockbuster? A state-of-the-art video game, perhaps? Thompson Industries’ (ToyDirectory) intensive new board game Time Control is for fans of time travel and serious gaming.
Using individual boards that depict various time periods—Today, Yesteryear and Distant Past—each player moves to attack his or her opponents on the various planes using time-traveling agents such as Scientists and Brawlers.
Once a player has developed three or more “problems” in a particular time-period, due either to attacks on the agents or simple acts of “fate,” he or she has lost the ability to control time there. The last player to remain with at least one agent intact is the winner, and can claim to have saved the future.
Learn more about Time ControlBack to top
 Name: Gobblet
Company: BLUE ORANGE GAMES
Age: 7 and up
Price: $29.95
Category: General Games
Gobblet, the first offering from Blue Orange, presents a new wrinkle on the age-old classic tic-tac-toe. This deceptively complex board game pits two players against each other as they vie to line up four pieces in a row.
As the players take turns placing birch pieces of varying sizes on the board, tic-toe-toe takes a left turn: Smaller pieces may be gobbled up by larger pieces. The rules of the game are easy enough to be understood by kids ages 7 and up, but once the game is afoot, Gobblet yields enough complexity to keep parents interested and challenged.
Gobblet comes housed in an attractive wooden box, a welcome relief from the garish plastic construction that dooms many a board game to garage sale status after only a few plays. Gobblet has earned more then 10 prestigious awards, including the Dr.Toy Best new Game award.
Learn more about GobbletBack to top
 Name: Phase 10
Company: FUNDEX GAMES
Age: 8 and up
Price: $3.99
Category: General Games
Phase-10 by Fundex Games (ToyDirectory) is a fun-filled card game of strategy. Following a simple set of rules players race against each other to compile one of 10 “phases” (combination of cards such as 7 cards of the same color) before the others and thus move to the next round. The first player to complete all the phases wins the game.
Not since Uno has there been such a great family game. Whether playing a fast game with 2 players or a longer and livelier round with 6 players, this is a card game that everyone will love. Finally, a card game that doesn’t get old.
As consumers move to the lower price-point impulse buys, retailers would do well to stock this great title for family fun. Coming in under $5.00, moms, dads, teens and grads will find this card game hard to resist.
Learn more about Phase 10Back to top
 Name: Fresh Trax
Company: ORIGINAL HUCK DOLL NSM
Age: 8 and up
Price: $20.00
Category: General Games
Players race each other across Fresh Trax’s 3-D board game by moving their skier or snowboarder figurine through a series of ski lifts and downhill trails. Using the special die, “Trail Cards” and “Lift Cards,” the game can get unpredictable as the players try to cross the finish without someone stealing their “Fresh Trax” card.
For snowboarders and skiers, young and old, this new board game from Huck Doll (ToyDirectory) is the way to get that fresh powder rush anytime of the year. The game is true to the sport, using phrases such as "Sick board slide" and "Gaper day" normally known only to only die-hard snowboarders and skiers.
Fresh Trax is a little piece of winter fun any day of the year.Back to top
 Name: Snatch
Company: SPIN MASTER TOYS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $15.00
Category: General Games
Addiction, fits of screaming and outbursts of frustration—Snatch has all the hallmarks of a great word game. Spinmaster’s sleek production of this new game has devotees of classics like Scrabble and Boggle in a word, er, world of fun.
Players place an assortment of letter tiles face down on a table and take turns flipping them over. As soon as a player can make a word from the exposed letters in the middle, he snatches the tiles and assembles a word.
The real mayhem ensues when other players wrest control by blurting out new words using the original word plus additional letters. For example, “urn” can quickly morph into “runt” with a fortuitous “t.” Points are scored as the game progresses: 1 point for a 2 to 3 letter word and an additional point for every extra letter.Back to top
 Name: Circa Games to Go
Company: FRONT PORCH CLASSICS
Age: 8 and up
Price: $9.95
Category: General Games
Front Porch Classics have summer gaming needs covered with their Circa Games to Go: Poker, Chess, Checkers and Backgammon. Each game comes in a sturdy tin travel box, with a rulebook, dice, game board and playing pieces or deck of cards for poker.
The pieces are plain and sturdy, and the game boards (measuring only about 6”x 6”) have a comfortably worn look, imbuing them with the feeling of a family game that’s stood the test of time—just what the company’s products are intended to be.
These travel-sized classic games would be ideal for backpacking, road trips, or just toting down to the local coffee house to while away an afternoon in caffeinated—and air-conditioned—summer bliss.Back to top
 Name: Watercolor Painting Step by Step and Oil Painting Step by Step, 64 pp.
Company: WALTER FOSTER PUBLISHING INC.
Age: 12 and up
Price: $8.95
Category: Arts & Crafts
Prospective Picassos and might-be Monets, take note: weighty examinations of color theory and costly instruction are no longer required to start painting. Fledgling artists can get a grasp on learning the basics of painting with two volumes of Walter Foster’s Artist’s Library Series.
In both Watercolor Painting Step by Step and Oil Painting Step by Step, painting novices absorb the creative and technical practices that will allow them to start putting colorful ideas unto paper.
In each volume, a handful of veteran painters guide the initiate through the different processes of painting from choosing the right brush to layering colors to create darker tones. The easy-to-understand books are well suited for creatively inclined older children as well as adults.Back to top
 Name: Colored Pencil Kit
Company: WALTER FOSTER PUBLISHING INC.
Age: 10 and up
Price: $14.95
Category: Arts & Crafts
The Walter Foster’s Colored Pencil Set includes a full set of professional tools— eight drawing pencils, white drawing paper, colored drawing paper, kneaded eraser, pencil extender, sandpaper block, sharpener, triangle and blending stump—and an easy-to-understand booklet outlining how to use the set with several different projects.
For youngsters bored with the limitations of crayons and glue sticks, the Colored Pencil Set would make the perfect one-stop gift.Back to top
 Name: Painting Landscapes in Watercolor and Painting Landscapes in Oil, 32pp.
Company: WALTER FOSTER PUBLISHING INC.
Age: 12 and up
Price: $7.95
Category: Arts & Crafts
Walter Foster brings a fine addition to its popular line of art instruction books. In Painting Landscapes in Watercolor and Painting Landscapes in Oil, a bevy of distinguished artists ably guide the reader through the basics of working with oils and watercolors in a variety of settings.
The acclaimed artists dispense personal tips and step-by-step lessons so a novice can easily grasp the fundamentals of painting. Each painter presents a different landscape—ranging from a bustling city scene to the sublime blue sheen of an ocean.
The Painting Landscapes volumes make a great gift for beginners, and their colorful artwork and simple language will make these books a mainstay on the shelves of art teachers.Back to top
 Name: How to Draw Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo, 35 pp.
Company: WALTER FOSTER PUBLISHING INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $4.95
Category: Arts & Crafts
The latest in Walter Foster Publications’ How to Draw series of Disney titles, Finding Nemo is much more than the coloring books you and I remember. Not only are there glossy animation stills from the movie, they’re also accompanied by step-by-step instructions showing would-be animators how to draw the characters themselves, rather than just color inside the lines.
The book begins with a recap of the Nemo story, followed by a suggested materials list (felt tip markers, colored pencils, acrylic paint and brush).
The Disney artists themselves load the book with surprisingly detailed “how-to” drawing notes, written in a way kids can easily understand without condescending to their abilities.Back to top
 Name: B*Stylin’ Button Designer
Company: BANDAI AMERICA INC.
Age: 5 and up
Price: $19.99
Category: Arts & Crafts
B*Stylin’ Button Designer marks Bandai’s hugely successful entry into the activity market, and it’s easy to understand why the product has gained the favor of a plethora of style-savvy Tweens.
The unit includes 20 button components, a circle template, 10 snap-in clip backs, 10 magnet backs as well as a sheet of button graphics and assorted decorative stickers. All that’s needed to create buttons and magnets is choosing an appropriate design (included in the kit), cutting it out and pressing it with the Button Designer. From there on out, it’s up to you to decorate, customize, personalize and stylize your world with dozens of inventive designs.Back to top
 Name: Mega Gator
Company: MEGATECH INTL. INC.
Age: 8 and up
Price: $149.99
Category: Remote Controlled
In keeping with the trend of moving RC toys from the hobby market into the straight-out-of-the-box toy category, Megatech’s Mega Gator is an inexpensive, easy-to-operate RC fan boat capable of traveling at 10 mph on water or 20 mph on ice.
The Mega Gator moves like a real Everglades-style fan boat, skimming across the water and making hairpin turns. With its simple forward/left/right 2-channel control device, even this unskilled RC captain was able to steer the boat without causing damage. The sturdy Nylanine™ (i.e., tough plastic) construction gives added insurance that this boat will survive an encounter with a rock or submerged log.
With no assembly required, all that’s needed for operation is to install six AA batteries in the remote transmitter then charge the boat’s battery for 4-6 hours (a long charge-up period considering that the run time is only 12 minutes). Though recommended for ages 8 and up, the speed and power of the boat’s dual fans would make it a good idea to have adult supervision for those under 12.
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