May 2010 Notable Toys — Animal Figures

The Sharpei Nuff Said Darn Cute Plush is approximately 9" long and 10" tall, with a super-pudgy modacrylic fur body and cool hunter green hoodie top with zipper. Julie Flann, Manager of Marketing & Sales at Manhattan Toy, told TDmonthly, "This Sharpei features a bone cross 'puff piece' pendant on a chunky ball chain that can be removed to use as a key or backpack hanger." Launch date: 2010.

It may be hard to resist this plush's cute horns and furry beard. Raffaelo is super soft and has bold, fluffy brown fur and beigh highlights on his ears snout, hands and toes. Julie Flann, Manager of Marketing & Sales at Manhattan Toy, told TDmonthly, "The Rufflers is an adorably unique collection because each have soft, curly fur and little potbellies." Launch date: 2010.

Dodley Donkey has ultra soft gray fur with a fluffy black head and tail. Rustletoes have a classic and fun design with simple facial features. Rustletoes are available in three types and two sizes each. Their weighted "bums" allow them to sit up nicely, making them great for room decor. Also, this feature gives the feeling of carrying a baby when you hold one. Manhattan Toy Marketing & Sales Manager Julie Flann told TDmonthly, "Rustletoes Dodley Donkey has the softest fur and cutest little face — you'll want to just cuddle up next to him and the rest of the Rustletoes collection. The Rustletoes are made with such super soft fabric, you'll want a sweater made from their fur." Launch date: 2010.

Muddles has a soft, brown plush body with light tan ears, face and hands. Each item in the Leggylings collection has nice, long arms and legs that create natural hand holds for little hands, and is under-stuffed to provide a great hug factor. Manager of Marketing & Sales at Manhattan Toy Julie Flann told TDmonthly, "Muddles is the cutest monkey around!" Launch date: 2010.

Baby Wilford has soft brown fur and a cute little face. Julie Flann, Manager of Marketing & Sales at Manhattan Toy, told TDmonthly, "Baby Wilford is an adorable little walrus plush, part of the new Manhattan Wildlife Collection." The Manhattan Wildlife Collection has been developed to strongly resemble the real animals they represent. They come with a hangtag that describes their animal's unique characteristics. Launch date: 2010.

Tango Tiger is full of energy and ready for adventure. Tango is soft and has striped fur, a fluffy mane and adorable paw prints. Manhattan Toy Manager of Marketing & Sales Julie Flann told TDmonthly, "Tango Tiger is super, super soft and comes in three sizes." Launch date: 2010.

Girls can give their Star Willow Stables horse a way to travel in style with this Horse Carrier. It's made of soft pastel-colored fabric with satin ribbon embellishments and sturdy handle. Julie Flann, Manager of Marketing & Sales at Manhattan Toy, told TDmonthly, "This beautiful, soft horse carrier fits all Star Willows horses perfectly making it easy to take them anywhere." Launch date: 2010.

Designed as a realistic replica of the Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake, this serpent's moves can be dictated by the remote. It flicks its tongue and rattles its tail while on the move. The product requires 4 AA and a 9V battery (not included).
Awards: Creative Child Magazine Toy of the Year 2010

This tiger is part of Cardona's 2010 line of lifelike animals. The tiger is only one of the authentic-looking felines in the high-quality plush series, which includes lions, panthers, leopards, and other members of the animal kingdom. Launch date: 2010.

This Beanie plush line from Ty features 8” characters and includes such favorites as a penguin, a panda, a koala, a monkey, a frog, and a Husky dog.
— As of 05/13/2011 this product had 4.5 out of 5 stars from 8 reviews on Amazon.com. Cons: According to the user, the smile was crooked and the toy was taller and thinner than depicted, rendering it less adorable.
— Beanie Boos were popular sellers at My Club Tabby in Lake Charles, La., in March 2010, Owner Natalie Comeaux told TDmonthly.
— In a May 2012 survey, two out of 11 retailers said that TY Beanie Boos were their best sellers in the Plush and Puppets category. John Taylor, owner of O.P. Taylor's in Brevard, N.C., told TDmonthly that they sell 48 TY Beanie Boos each month.

The Webkinz Peace Puppy comes with a code allowing him to join his friends in the online  Webkinz World. This velvety soft pet is about 10” and is covered with peace signs. Launch date: March 2010.
— Webkinz continued to be popular items with tween girls into 2010, and My Club Tabby in Lake Charles, La., was no exception. The Peace Puppy was a best seller at My Club Tabby in spring 2010, Owner Natalie Comeaux told TDmonthly.

This cozy cottage comes fully assembled and ready to play with everything you need for hours of pretend play fun with Calico Critters. This play set comes equipped with over 10 furniture pieces & accessories including: Bell Hopscotch Rabbit, bed with matching sheets, round table with chairs, kitchen counter with sink & oven, movable ladder for easy access to each floor, cookware and food. Launch date: 2010.
— "We also see a lot of interest in the Calico Critter playhouses - there is quite a variety of them," Suzi McMullen, manager of e-commerce at Doodlehopper 4 Kids in Springfield, Va., told TDmonthly in a June 2013 survey.
— Syd Clarke, owner of Ali-Cat in Carrboro, N.C., told TDmonthly in a December 2014 interview that the Calico Critters Cozy Cottage is one of their best-selling play sets.

Clyde is a high-quality plush Orangutan by Hansa - known for their lifelike, large-scale reproductions of animals.

This classic rubber ducky is given a designer's twist in green with white polka dots. It measures 8".

Part of the Wild Animal Series by Papo, this hand-painted figure is very detailed and shows an authentic representation of how tigresses carry around their little bundles. It is approximately 1:20 scale. "Papo wildlife series is easily the best quality figure for the price. The proportion and stance are exact as well as the coloration," Brian Shackelton, Operation Manager, Hotaling Imports Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 15, 2010.

Individuals can stock their cupboards with these Cat-in-a-cans so they'll have ample inflatable felines to get you through the winter. Each 12-1/2" (31.8 cm) vinyl cat offers a convenient companion that won't leave hairballs on the carpet or use the armchair as a scratching post. It comes deflated in a 3-3/4" (9.5 cm) round, 2-1/2" (6.4 cm) tall illustrated tin. Launch date: January 28, 2010.

This stack-and-play dog house comes complete with fencing, dog cages, feeding dishes, a main dog house, a variety of pups, a cat, a bunny and a bird. There are 44 accessories in eight stackable layers of storage that create this imaginative play environment. A bonus DVD is included with the story of B-I-N-G-O and interactive games. Launch date: April 2010.

The Kung Zhu Armor sets add on to the Kung Zhu Special Forces and Ninja Warriors. Each set includes special armor and oversize weapons to prepare the hamsters for battle. Armor varieties include Night Raid and Shadow Jonin. Launch date: 2010.

Zhu Zhu Pets get attitude with the Rockstar line. With longer hair and mohawks, these hamsters are ready to rock. Kids can collect Ryder, Pax, Kingston and Roxie, all named after children of celebrities, including Angelina Jolie and Gwen Stefani. Launch date: 2010.

Instead of hamsters, these pets are skunks, raccoons, bunnies and hedgehogs with the same spunk and charm of the original Zhu Zhu Pets. Launch date: 2010.
— As of 7.14.10, two Zhu Zhu Pets Wild Bunch Hamsters were ranked among the top-10 best sellers on ToysRUs.com for 3- to 4-year-olds, with 5 out of 5 stars from four reviews. PROS: A fun and fuzzy collectible and ideal gift item.
Awards: Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products - 2010

Replicas of some of the most amazing creatures in the world. Acts as a learning tool to introduce young children to the often-endangered inhabitants of our planet. Educational information in five languages is included with each replica. All products are hand-painted, phthalate-free and thoroughly safety tested. Replica size: 5.25" L x 1.5" H [13.3 x 3.8 cm]. Suggested age 3+.

4"-4.5" assorted dinosaurs includes all the most popular species including T-Rex, Brontosaurus, Triceratops, etc.

This realistically casted dinosaur figurine has a well-disguised, hinged jaw that allows the bottom of his mouth to move up and down. The figure is 13" tall.

Teeny Little Families are a collectible figure collection with a subtle environmental message. The figures represent seven different animal families who recycle human trash to make their homes. Bottle caps, soda cans, and old alarm clocks become bright and colorful houses and playgrounds for the Teeny Little Families. The Teeny Little Family Figures sets include four family members and two accessories the adults can hold. Launch date: Fall 2010.