April 2012 New Specialty Toys — All

Creatures is a creative, strategic card game that blends friendly competition with a good laugh. Gameplay occurs as players mix and match 'FRONT', 'MIDDLE', and 'BACK' cards in their hand to create entirely new creatures, and stage attacks against the creatures in other players' hands. The illustrated portions of each card align to create an image of the new creature with a zany new fun fact. A creature which conquers all other players in a single turn becomes a 'Champion'. "With over 22,000 possible creature combinations, no two games are alike," Tyler Panian, owner of Creatures Games, told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2011.

The HO scale Liberty Bell Special train set celebrates our cherished Liberty Bell’s historic train travels. This ready-to-run electric train set includes 2-6-0 steam locomotive and tender with operating headlight, 1860-1880 combine “Philadelphia,” 1860-1880 coach “Boston,” flat car with Liberty Bell and flags, body-mounted E-Z Mate® couplers, 47" x 38" oval of snap-fit E-Z Track®, power pack, speed controller, and illustrated instruction manual. We are proud to present the Liberty Bell Special, and through railroading, let you share in the Bell’s rich history. Launch date: 2012.

This wall mounted octopus keeps little ones happy two ways: pour water in the top of his head and it sprinkles down from his arms, or when baby is older he or she can play a challenging game of ring toss. Octopus suctions to wall and turns upside down to drain. Soft, no-bump material. BPA-free and Phthalate-free.

A playmat with plenty of room for sitting, rolling, tummy time or playing. Encourages kicking, wiggling, scooting, rolling, crawling, independence, curiosity. Brilliant modern colors, darling animal characters. Can be assembled, configured in endless sizes & ways to fit your style and needs. Soft, cushiony EVA foam is 100% safety tested for newborns on up. Large size 14 x 14 inch tiles. Extra-large play space 56 x 42 inches. BPA-free, PVC-free, Phthalate-free.

A bucket full of beach time essentials. Baby Stella is ready for the beach with this adorable beach set. Beach set includes plastic bucket, terry cloth towel, sunglasses with Velcro-like adhesive, sunscreen and a little toy crab companion.

Wind up the plush ladybug and the "Over the Rainbow" melody plays. Every petal is delightfully different from the next. Set the Musical Box Buzz Buzz next to baby, turn a tune and ease away to watch. Featuring a sweetly turning ladybug on a brilliant flower blossom. Engages curiosity, visual skills, sensory awareness. No batteries required.

The Taggies Signature Collection are top quality blankets and toys created exclusively for distribution in gift and toy stores. From blankets to rattles, the Taggies characters are sure to soothe. Oodles Owl wears her style everywhere. Soft corduroy, fun stripes, and printed plush abound on this fashionista. Loaded with ribbons around the edges.

A pink and purple jester with cute stripey arms. Flip the blanket, and there's a blue and green mouse with floppy orange arms. It's like two toys in one.

Kaloo Bears are made from the softest cotton & microfiber for lasting comfort. The unique embroidered face will captivate little ones ensuring they are kept close at hand. Comes packaged in a round Kaloo keepsake box.

The Lemon Cat is made from the softest cotton & microfiber for lasting comfort. The unique embroidered face will captivate little ones ensuring they are kept close at hand. All kaloo products are created with the greatest of care and attention under the supervision of quality engineers. All facial features are stitched in computer embroidery to ensure the longevity of the products and avoid any detachment of the threads.

Hand Knit from 100% Cotton. Mysterious Mr.X is covered in shaggy fur and wears a trendy striped sweater.

This handmade stuffed rabbit is made of 100% cotton and is 12 inches tall. Rabbit wears a tuxedo jacket and smart top hat.

Stan the little snowman wants desperately to move—he longs to leave his dull surroundings and explore the world. He has been standing in the same place and position since the beginning of winter, surrounded by other frozen snowmen. When a little bird lands on his carrot nose, Stan asks it what it feels like to move freely, but Mr. Hat the snowman shouts at Stan to be still. ?If you move, you'll melt!” shouts the rigid snow soldier with the silly bucket hat. Too late, because Stan hops on his bicycle, rides over snowy hill and valley, and never looks back. He discovers Freezeland, where it is so cold, the sun can never melt the snow people, and they are free to dance about in every direction. Through lovely illustrations, this engaging winter story opens a world of possibilities to children, encouraging them to reach beyond their boundaries, follow their instincts, and always be true to themselves. Launch date: Spring 2012.

A young girl named Nina recounts her feelings about her parents' divorce and describes what it is like to live in two households in this touching picture book. Everything is different from the way it was, and sometimes the behavior of the adults around her is upsetting to Nina. When she is with her mom, she wants to be with her dad. She misses her hamster, her cat, her playmate, and her favorite climbing tree when she is away from them. Many things about her new life upset her, but there are happy moments, too—she celebrates her birthday twice, and both her parents are there when she jumps into the deep pool for the first time. Her parents don't like each other any more, but they both love her and they make sure she knows it. This honest, uncomplicated account of divorce from a child's point of view will reassure and comfort young readers who are experiencing the changes that divorce brings to a family. Launch date: Spring 2012.

A little fairy is a model student at fairy school—until her classmate Sabrina starts to annoy her by bragging that her dress is so much more beautiful than any others. Another tiny fairy suddenly appears by her side, takes her arm, and pours soup down Sabrina's fancy dress. Things spin out of control, and soon the fairy must whisk the mischievous little creature to her room to control the situation. This lighthearted fantasy about perfect little fairies who sometimes give in to wicked impulses provides a gentle reminder that everyone has a temper—and perhaps a little devil inside them that longs to transform someone into a frog or a bat—but a smart fairy must learn to control her antics. Launch date: Spring 2012.

Come one, come all to the animal masquerade! The lion is going as an elephant, the elephant as a parrot, and the parrot as a turtle! Each costume gives way to another, yielding new surprises on every page, and revealing a menagerie of familiar and unusual animals. Young children will delight in the absurd and amusing images (who wouldn't love a ladybug dressed as a hippopotamus?) and will also appreciate the gags (a fish costumed as a cat is dubbed a "catfish") and other bits of silly sweetness. Recapping this reading adventure: a detailed panorama at book's end, showing all the party guests in their fanciful finery. Launch date: Spring 2012.

Curly-haired Daisy likes picking lemons on sunny days, playing kickball and making long dandelion chains. But more than any of these things, she loves words and even compiles lists of her favorites in a bright green notebook covered with purple polka dots. When Daisy's beloved teacher, Miss Goldner, becomes engaged and must move to another town, Daisy decides to give her the ultimate gift: the perfect word. But with so many good words to choose from, finding just the right one isn't easy. Launch date: Spring 2012. 

Lemony Snicket meets Charlotte's Web in this spellbinding story about a quiet, brown-haired orphan named Margaret trapped in a dreadful orphanage run by the sinister, beautiful Miss Switch. After an unsuccessful attempt to alert authorities to Miss Switch's tyranny, Margaret is forced to endure a life of complete silence. But the new state of affairs proves to be more blessing than curse. You see, Margaret can hear things other people cannot. And on one incredible day, Margaret hears tiny voices coming from a strange, thorny tree and discovers a community of playful moths. Together Margaret and the moths prepare a plan to end Miss Switch's reign of terror and provide a better life for everyone. Launch date: Spring 2012. 

Introducing Corry Lapont: 12-year-old and aspiring "green" engineer. This dynamic title takes the form of Corry's scrapbook. It's a dazzling collection of postcards, brochures and other memorabilia documenting Corry's research into green design. Kid-friendly language explains the engineering behind some of the planet's most cutting edge towers, bridges, tunnels, domes, dams, dikes, locks and levees. These structures include the Vizcaya Bridge in Spain, where gondolas transport cars over the Nervion River, and the Channel tunnel, where trains speed between England and France in just 35 minutes. Readers will explore the environmental impact of structures, such as the pros and cons of dam construction and how rainwater can be used to cool buildings. Complex concepts are clarified with simple activities, as well as colorful drawings, fun facts and the occasional wisecrack from Corry's kid brother, Riley. Launch date: Spring 2012.

Based on the idea that knowledge is power, The Big Green Book of the Big Blue Sea shows how the ocean works and why this immense ecosystem needs our protection. Experiments using everyday materials help explain scientific concepts, such as why the ocean is salty, how temperature affects water density and why fish don't get waterlogged. A focus on pollution and other ecological hazards raises awareness. Young scientists will gain a hands-on understanding of how "booms" clean oil spills and how a garbage patch roughly twice the size of Texas came to exist in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Newsy sidebars bring readers up to date on efforts to combat environmental hazards — such as the use of oysters to help squelch pollution in urban waterways. An ideal tool for classroom use or the perfect way to spend a rainy day, The Big Green Book of the Big Blue Sea is an essential part of any science library. Launch date: Spring 2012.

Hey, you! Yes, you with the dazzling smile! The donkey wants your vote. So does the elephant. And each will do just about anything to win your support. Brag? Sure! Flatter? Absolutely! Exaggerate, name-call, make silly promises and generally act childish? Yes, yes, yes and yes. Soon, the tension mounts, and these two quarrelsome candidates resort to slinging mud (literally) and flinging insults. And what happens when the election results are in? Well, let's just say the donkey and the elephant are in for a little surprise — and a certain bewhiskered, third-party candidate is in for a first term. Vote for Me! is a timely satire of American politics, but it's a story readers of all nationalities and ages will recognize. Comical, retro illustrations (in shades of blue and red, of course) are completely winning, and the dueling duo's insult-laden exchanges promise to have readers laughing out loud. Launch date: Spring 2012.

In this spectacularly original picture book, the story mirrors an origami activity: As a pig-tailed pirate girl travels through mountains, valleys, a cave and finally by sea to reach the treasure her grandfather has hidden for her, imaginative illustrations show different incarnations of a single folded sheet of paper within the scenes. Best of all, clear instructions at the end will let readers recreate the story with just a few folds and tears, transforming a piece of notebook paper into a mountain, hat, cave, boat and really cool pirate shirt. Launch date: Spring 2012. 

It's the early half of the 19th century in coastal Nova Scotia, and almost-ten-year-old Ellie is adjusting to the recent death of her mother. But just when she finally begins to feel happy again, Ellie and her father move to remote Sable Island, a tiny, windblown crescent of grass and sand in the Atlantic. While her father works, Ellie explores the island, feeling alone and furious with her pa for making them leave their beloved home. Even meeting a spirited island girl named Sarah does little to dispel her anger and grief. Then one afternoon, Ellie encounters a wild stallion grazing on the dunes, and slowly forges a secret connection with the beautiful horse she names Orchid. But Ellie soon learns that Orchid and his family are threatened, and it may be up to her to save them. Based on historical fact, this early chapter book is a touching exploration of loss and loneliness and the redemptive power of love and friendship. Launch date: Spring 2012.

Graeme knows every inch of his fishing community. What's left for a future marine biologist to discover? But when Graeme's dad catches a gargantuan lobster with antennae the size of bicycle spokes, Graeme is fascinated. Graeme is even more excited when his dad promises to put the creature up for auction at the town's annual lobster festival and, if it gets the highest bid, use the prize money to take Graeme to a marine research aquarium. But what if the right thing would be to set the lobster free? Lower the Trap is the first book in the Lobster Chronicles, a trilogy about what happens in a small coastal town when a giant lobster is caught. Each installment describes the same events through a different boy's eyes, and the result is three suspenseful, believable stories and an engrossing reading experience. Launch date: Spring 2012.