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October 2006 | Vol. V - No. 10

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This Issue's Highlights

October's Gotta-See Stories

By: Alison Marek
10/1/2006

In this small lull between back-to-school and Holiday frenzies, TDmonthly Magazine tells you how kids pass each other the good word, what collectibles are filling their shelves and emptying their pockets, and why they’re so plugged into electronics toys. But if you haven’t time for the whole issue, here are summaries of this month’s must-read articles:

Infiltrating the Online Generation
If you want to get kids away from their computers and into the toy store, the best way may be … to get into their computers. Sending samples to bloggers for review, joining kid-saturated sites such as MySpace, and creating videos that are cool enough to create a buzz may get kids to make a beeline to your door. (Click here to read the full story.)

Electricity Turns Kids On
Science used to be ho-hum boring, the province of geeks and Dr. Frankensteins. But science kits just keep getting better, and both girls and boys are juiced up on the latest electronic labs-in-a-box. As Nancy Stenak, owner of Toys et Cetera in Chicago told TDmonthly, “It used to be a quiet area, but now it’s a year-round interest.” To find out which kits are giving sales a jolt, click here to read the full story.

Urban Vinyl Loses Its Cool
It’s just one store, so far, but a hot urban-vinyl collectible is being snatched up by children. Does this mean that Dunnys are for kids after all? Or are kids just grown-ups in small clothes? Uglydolls and cute Webkinz are running neck-and-neck, while a new rag doll may be ready to loosen Groovy’s grasp on little girls. Find out what kids are collecting by clicking here to read the full story.

Enlightening Toys
Dr. Beth Carroll steps out of her role as child psychologist to try out a new game that lets players explore their spiritual sides, and then goes bananas for anagrams. Find out what she thinks about some of the latest toys by clicking here to read the full story.

Making Specialty Special-er
Debbie Wurzburger opened The Toy Chest in Pikesville, Md., 23 years ago, and she’s been there nearly 6 days a week ever since. Hiring an artist and an embroiderer to personalize her toys and other products has made her specialty store extra special, but that doesn’t mean she can take it easy: “People just think they’re going to open a store, and people are going to flock to them,” she told TDmonthly. “I think that’s the biggest mistake.” Find out how she’s kept her flock flocking for more than two decades by clicking here for the full story.

Writer's Bio: ALISON MAREK is an award-winning writer, director and cartoonist whose work has been published by Fairchild Publications and DC Comics (Piranha Press), broadcast on Showtime and other cable networks, and viewed worldwide in film festivals. See her short films and print work on www.alisonmarek.com. Watch her nefarious villains in the web series www.MuggsMovers.com. Get inspired by her cartoons "Daily ARFFirmations to Unleash Your Inner Fido" at www.ARFFirmations.com. Phew! And then ... Read more articles by this author