November 2010 New Specialty Toys — All

This DVD collection includes 17 discs.  Some of the stories included are Goodnight Moon, Corduroy, Good Night Gorilla, The Wheels on the Bus, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly,  Is Your Mama a Llama?, Giggle Giggle Quack, The Hans Christian Andersen Collection, The James Marshall Fairytale Collection, He's Got the Whole World in His Hands and others.  Run time:  1152 mins.

18 not-so-scary stories in a 3 DVD collection. From the kid-friendly Halloween stories A Very Brave Witch and By the Light of the Halloween Moon, to family favorites The Teacher From the Black Lagoon and Where the Wild Things Are, kids and parents delight watching their favorite books spring to life on DVD.  DVD Features: Getting to Know Maurice Sendak Spanish Version of Where the Wild Things Are; French Version of Where the Wild Things Are Interview with Author Mike Thaler; Interview with Illustrator Jared Lee; Read-Along; Talk About the Stories.  Run time: 175 mins.

Corner to Corner is a set of beautifully colored tiles with varied building possibilities. The set includes several designs, such as a sailboat and a house, for children to recreate. Though the set includes a small number of blocks for its price, it is high quality and can be used to create complicated three-dimension cubes and pyramids. The tiles can be arranged in a flat pattern or upright, thus generating new results each time.
Awards: Parents’ Choice Approved Award, Fall 2010 Games.

The Giant Puzzle Pony Stud is a puzzle made of sturdy cardboard. Once the puzzle is built, children can use it as a scene for the two horse figures and one girl figure included with the set. It also comes with a "Look Closely" story that has the child look for certain items in the scene.
Awards: Parents’ Choice Silver Honor, Fall 2010 Puzzles.

So what’s the appeal of football? And how does the sport work? All the answers can be found in How Football Works. It's an examination of the players, the plays, the legends, and the science behind this powerful sport.  From the way the body initiates a tackle to a behind-the-scenes look at how an NFL team prepares for its weekly game, How Football Works presents the facts, drama, and one-of-a-kind anecdotes that make football such a popular sport.  Paperback: 64 pages.

This toy gives kids the opportunity to stimulate their imagination and learning skills while encouraging discovery, fine motor skills and open-ended play.  The practical storage bag keeps all of the pieces securely in one place and comes with a hand-strap to make carrying the blocks a snap.  6.8 x 12 x 13.8 inches ; 3.6 pounds.
— As of 06/06/2011 this product had 4.7 out of 5 stars from 73 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Easy for kids to take apart; durable; easier for toddlers to use than LEGOs and other small building blocks; encourages creativity. Cons: Don't stick together as well as LEGOs; children can put the storage bag over their head and suffocate.

With the help of her animated and real friends, Meredith LeVande sings 15 catchy children’s songs about everyday concepts to which young children can relate. Each is brought to life on video. No two segments are exactly alike; there is a lot of variety of video technique and each segment is uniquely choreographed.

In this second book of the Stone of Tymora trilogy, R.A. Salvatore and his son Geno continue their gripping tale of coming-of-age in a world filled with magic, featuring a cameo of R.A. Salvatore's signature character Drizzt Do'Urden.

Here is the fast-paced conclusion to the Stone of Tymora fantasy trilogy for young adults, by R.A. Salvatore and his son, Geno Salvatore.  The Sentinels includes a cameo appearance by Drizzt Do'Urden, the Dark Elf who has been featured in seventeen of Salvatore's books and is the most popular Dungeons and Dragons character.

This book is written in the style of a travel journal and offers a different slant on Monet’s life and art. It is filled with unusual stories and facts students might not know. A visually stimulating book with 35 engaging activities for students. 32 pages,
hardcover.

Here is a 5-dish set engraved with a classic elephants New Yorker cartoon.  Each set comes in the New Yorker baby collection window gift box that can sit on a shelf or hang on the wall.  Packaging includes care instructions in English and French.

Here is a 5-dish set engraved with a classic "She's Got Food Issues" New Yorker cartoon.  Each set comes in the New Yorker baby collection window gift box that can sit on a shelf or hang on the wall.  Packaging includes care instructions in English and French.

Six white and black bean filled hamsters (4.5") make up the assortment. Each hamster holds an oversized red heart embroidered with either "XO," "Love," "Hugs," "Kiss Me," "I (heart) U" or "Love Me."

The OrganWise Guys provide a comprehensive program to teach kids about nutrition and promote a healthy lifestyle. By making friends with the OrganWise Guys, kids learn all about healthy habits for life. The Back to School Kit includes: School Days Here We Come Book, Keeping the Beat Music CD, Monthly Healthy Behavior Tracking Calendar, Breakfast Skippin' Blues DVD and Sir Rebrum Plush Toy.
— Katleen from Life With 4 Boys reports that the kit “has gone a long way towards helping all four of my boys the different things they need to do each day to stay healthy and grow up strong.” Katleen added: “My youngest is in love with the music CD and his favorite is the ‘That's How You Exercise’ song. I still catch my oldest reading the book to the younger ones every so often.”
— “My girls really rocked along with the CD included in this kit and as a parent I liked the healthy behavior tracking calendar,” explained Chris, Dad of Divas. Overall, he liked that “The kit was a great combination of many forms of reinforcement to consider living healthy as well as making good choices.”

Bobbie Hinman continues her fairy series with this tale explaining what happens to missing socks. With illustrations by Kristi Bridgeman, The Sock Fairy book and accompanying CD tell how the Sock Fairy spirits away lost or mismatched socks.
— A Whole New Me’s Marta called the book “a delight from beginning to end. The rhyming sing-song story and the magical illustrations make this fun for parent and child alike.”
— Bianca Schulze from The Children’s Book Review applauded the rhythm of the book and CD for being “easy and flowing for young listeners and beginner readers alike.” She concluded that “This is a suitable book for both boys and girls and for anyone who appreciates rhyme or just likes to have a giggle.”

Standing tall at 16.3”, this cool piece of retro decor emits colored mood lighting that shifts with the mesmerizing motion of the 'lava' inside. The heat of the bulb in the base of the lamp warms the secret goo formula, causing it to convect in unpredictable globs and bubbles.
— “Lava Lamps are the most popular, I have some from Schylling,” said Fred Rosenberg, owner of On The Park in Kingwood, Texas, of his best-selling tween items. “I sell as many as I can get.”

A winning design from High Intencity's Design-A-Charm contest, the Peace Love and Happiness charm was designed by Emily R. from Pleasantville, NY and rendered in vibrant detail in an enamel charm measuring approximately one inch.10 % of the proceeds from the sale of this charm will go to the World Wildlife Fund on behalf of its designer.
— “Charm It! works really well in this area,” said Blanche Snipes, owner of Tree Top Toys in Redmond, Wash., when asked about her top-selling items for tweens.
— Two of 44 retailers listed Charm It! as a best-selling item for tweens during a September 2010 survey.
— Katie Rook, manager of Be Beep A Toy Shop in Columbia, S.C., told TDmonthly in an October 2011 survey that High Intencity charm bracelets are their best selling tween item.
— Dean Smith, owner of JaZams in Princeton, N.J., told TDmonthly in a Summer 2012 survey that they sell between 40 and 50 Charm It! charms each month.

Containing the shapes of a dolphin, sea turtle, crawfish, and other creatures native to the habitat affected by the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, this special pack of Silly Bandz is designed to raise awareness for creatures threatened in this environment. A portion of the sales from every pack will go to helping rescue affected wildlife. In addition, this pack features “thermo activated” technology, causing a change in temperature to change the Silly Bandz's color.
— Two of 44 retailers listed Silly Bandz as a best-seller for tweens, reporting sales of approximately 100 per month during a September 2010 survey.
— "We've sold 2,300 this year at all three stores,” Marc Holcomb, owner of of Toys & Co. in Greensboro, S.C., said in autumn 2010. ''Silly Bandz is trending down, and they are selling their excess to stores in California, Washington and Texas,'' he added.
--Christine Osborne, co-owner of Wonder Works in Charleston, S.C., sells about 3,000 to 4,000 per month.

Soaring in front of a beautiful fantasy castle, the majestic Pegasus takes flight as if it might launch right off the surface of this 1500 piece puzzle from Ravensburger. The finished puzzle measures 33” x 23.5”, and a full picture of its detailed image is on the front of the box. The many details in the high-quality graphic will keep puzzlers interested from start to finish.
— In an August 2011 survey, 5 out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that Ravensburger jigsaw puzzles were their top-selling puzzles.
— As of 7/12/2011 this product had 4 out of 5 stars from 2 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Challenging but not frustrating; "gorgeous." Cons: One reviewer said the puzzle was too large when completed.
— Three of 44 retailers told TDmonthly that puzzles are a top-selling item in their stores in September 2010.

In this innovative kit from Toysmith, kids harness the natural, clean, free energy of the sun to accomplish practical tasks. Complete supplies and instructions are provided to cook an egg and purify water. Through these products, children can learn about the powerful energy all around them and become more conscious of the environmental concerns in their world.
— “They're low price points, and they're doing really well,” said Martha Burrows, owner of Timeless Toys  in Chicago, Ill., of Toysmith's Solar Science kits during a September 2010 survey of 44 retailers. Burrows listed Solar Science as a top seller for tweens.
— In a November 2013 survey, Yamil Castillo from The Red Balloon Toy Store in Salt Lake City, Utah, told TDmonthly that Toysmith science and experimenting kits are best-selling educational toys in the store.

Friend 2 Friend contains all the material needed to make two different styles of friendship bracelets in an infinite combination of colors and patterns. Bright embroidery floss in ten colors, glass seed beads and a beading needle are supplied, as well as instructions for how to make two different styles of bracelet: a flat band, and a round band. Kids can pick their colors, add beads, and create one of a kind accessories for all their friends.
— Four out of 44 retailers surveyed in September 2010 said friendship bracelets were a top-selling item for tweens.

Written by Karen Phillips as a fun, inspiring journal to celebrate the lives of tween-aged girls, My [Not So] Perfect Life invites a young lady to overcome the blank page. It is filled with fun, often humorous writing prompts in a 'fill in the blank' style. The journal contains prompts about parents, friends, school, love, destiny, and many other subjects, and is written in a smart, funny voice sure to make any girl feel great about herself. The book comes with a sparkly pencil that fits in the elastic holster right beside the pages to keep it always handy.
— “A lot of Klutz sells really well for the with the tweens,” said Kristie Lash, manager of Leapin' Lizards Toy Company in Bend, Ore., in September 2010.
— “Anything in the Klutz line … is a good standard  seller,” said Terri Soelter, owner of Teri's Toy Box in Edmonds, Wash., of her best sellers for tweens during a September 2010 survey of 44 retailers.
— “I find them a boost for self image and promote them that way,” remarked Joe Berardoni, owner of Pun's Toy Shop in Bryn Mawr, Pa., of what makes Klutz books a best seller for tweens in his store.

Styled like a miniature treasure chest hauled up from a sunken ship or unearthed on a dangerous deserted island, this Pirate Lunch Box is made of durable plastic and snaps shut for easy transport of a healthy meal, or gold doubloons. The gloss finished box is available in white, red, blue, hot pink, purple, silver and clear. It is ready to be personalized for – or by! - a child.
— Lori Hershman, owner of Evan's Toy Shop in Hamden, Conn., said she personalizes and sells approximately 18 Romanoff lunch boxes per week during a September 2010 interview.

Painted on all sides with colorful butterflies, the Monarch Treasure Box from Enchantmints contains a multitude of places for tiny keepsakes. Jewelry, craft supplies, or any ephemera that has captured a girl's imagination can be tucked into its various drawers and compartments. Closed, the box measures 6” x 4” x 6”. The underside of the lid is mirrored, and when open a delicate Monarch butterfly slowly rotates while music plays.
— Two out of 44 retailers interviewed in September 2010 said jewelry and treasure boxes from Enchantmints are a best-selling keepsake in their stores.
— In an October 2011 survey, Powell Phillips, owner of Phillip's Toy Mart in Nashville, Tenn., told TDmonthly that jewelry boxes from Enchantmints were his best selling keepsake item.