April 2013 Notable Toys — Books

Recognizing and labeling animals has never been so geometrically inspired. Young children will delight in the usual suspects (bunny, pig, frog, chicken, monkey, and lion) depicted in a whole new way. The elements of each zoomed-in face provide only a subtle hint of the animals’ identities, inviting children (and adults) to stretch the boundaries of what defines an animal image. The simple question-and-answer format provides immediate gratification for even the shortest attention spans. Launch date: April 2013.

A celebration of all things feline, How to Be a Cat also tells a universal story of mastering life skills, and of the sometimes tender, sometimes stern relationship between parent and child, teacher and pupil. Cat lovers of all ages will connect to this loving portrayal of a mentor-student relationship. Launch date: March 2013.

This book lets you explore the Enterprise NCC-1701-D in amazing high-resolution 3D. Using original blueprints, diagram and scans, you can take a tour of the famous starship with the book and CD-ROM. The book was written by Star Trek expert team Denise and Michael Okuda. Launch date: February 2013.

Author Warren Elsmore presents a pictorial collection of world-famous buildings and landmarks made of LEGO blocks, along with instructions to build your own versions.  The models that readers can build include: The Golden Gate Bridge, New York’s new World Trade Center, The Louvre in Paris, Rome’s Coliseum, The Great Wall of China…and many more. Launch date: May 2013.