In This Issue

In TDmonthly Magazine's four top-10 best-seller articles this month, find out which products are a high priority for the infamous tween set (boys and girls), see what jewelry girls are wearing around their necks or slipping on their wrists (hint: they're "charming" and they "snap!"), and see which brands reside beside the name Toysmith when it comes to novelties.

SPECIALTY'S OWN PRICE WARS

Can specialty stores even come close to competing with Wal-Mart, Target and Kmart's super-low holiday discounts? Granted, they don't carry the same selections — Elmo probably isn't tickling kids or dancing down the aisles of your neighborhood store. But independent toy shops do have handfuls of playful items priced at $10 and under! See which ones came up on retailers' lists around the country.

SCHOENHUT GIVES MORE THAN MUSIC

Back in July, TDmonthly selected its very first TDmonthly Charitable Kid to give away 100 Schoenhut My First Piano IIs to needy children in a community. Thirteen-year-old Kimberly of South Carolina was chosen for her passion for playing piano and using music to enhance other people's lives, and for her participation in an effort to raise funds for hungry children worldwide. Now, it's time to see how the first piano giveaways went with the hospitals and institutions Kimberly selected as recipients of the Schoenhut prize.

Below, see a sampling of product's selected for this month's Staff Picks article, which highlights items we think specialty stores should check out:

And if you happen to be looking for that perfect gift for your child or a friend, take a trip through TDmonthly's Holiday Gift Guide to find lovable stuffed animals, challenging buiding toys, unique art projects and much more!