June 2011 Notable Toys — Books

This innovative spin on the classic story of "Jack and the Beanstalk" helps build reading confidence and fluency. With Jack, Jack's mother, the giant and the giant's wife, kids can experience the excitement of reading and acting at the same time. The kit includes four masks so kids can put on a real performance.
Awards: Father's Day 2011 Mr. Dad and Great Dad Seals of Approval.

Join Juno and her friends as they take a lyrical journey through the alphabet, learning the letters one by one. Featuring rhymes, colorful images of the Juno characters and an introduction to various musical fundamentals. For every Juno product purchased, the Juno Company donates a music education DVD to a child in need.

Go the F**k to Sleep is a bedtime book for parents who live in the real world, where a few snoozing kitties and cutesy rhymes don't always send a toddler sailing off to dreamland. Profane, affectionate and refreshingly honest, it captures the familiar and unspoken tribulations of putting your child to bed for the night. Colorfully illustrated and hilariously funny, this is a breath of fresh air for parents new, old and expectant*. (*You should probably not read this to your children.)
— As of 06/14/2011 this product had 4.4 out of 5 stars from 22 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Humorous; Relatable for parents.  Cons: Some scorned the "juvenile humor;" one review said its concept was "shameful"/"horrifying;" some did not realize it was a parody.

20 large-format bilingual coloring and activity pages printed on heavy art paper and a colorful kid-friendly glossary invite children to discover their artistic talents and explore the diverse cultures, landscapes, animals and musical instruments of Latin America. "The Latin America Coloring Book is bilingual English and Spanish. This aspect along with its beautiful aesthetic sets it apart from other coloring books on the market," Ava Mostefaoui, co-manager of Putamayo Kids, told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2011.

It is too hot to sleep indoors, and Ricky wants to sleep outside, in a tent. His parents ask if he is brave enough, and Ricky says "I'm not afraid at all!" But is he really brave enough? This hardcover book follows Ricky on his adventure sleeping outside for the first time. He busies himself with fun activities, but when his flashlight batteries die, he begins to second guess himself. This reassuring story has a silly ending that emphasizes the bond between parent and child, and encourages children to face their fears.

Nina has bad manners. She is rude and talks back to her mother. But one day when she is outside, she discovers the Thankyouplease circus inside a knot on a tree trunk, and everything changes. Using this whimsical story, the author clearly emphasizes the importance of good manners. This hardcover book features detailed, painted illustrations that bring to life the contrast between Nina's humble forest home and the fantastic circus she attends.

Lily and Milo, a bunny and mouse, get ready to go to the beach in this hardcover book, which features thick, toddler-safe pages. Kids follow the pair as they choose what to bring- from bathing suits to food, sun lotion to juice. But by the time they collect everything, will they still want to go to the beach? This book is for children 24 mos. and up, with a focus on the child's world.

This hardcover book with toddler-friendly, thick pages, follows Lily and Milo on their day at the zoo. With a rhyming refrain and detailed, colorful illustrations, there is plenty to keep a toddler's interest while they learn about all the different animals at the zoo.

This board book, ideal for children 24 mos. and up who have a new sibling on the way, focuses on babies across the animal world. From naked baby rodents in a warm nest, to a lamb born with all of its curly hair, the charming paintings illustrate the story John's mom tells him about babies in nature. Eventually, John ends up with a new baby to lean about- his little brother.

This story is about the relationship between a child and his father. John plays with his Daddy, dangles from his arm, and listens to Daddy read a story. The charming illustrations feature lots of bright reds and yellows that give the board book a cozy feel. The book is for children 24 mos. and up and focuses on emotions.

This 12 page board book follows a little boy before, during, and after his bath time. Simple yet colorful illustrations and a focus on a daily activity are ideal for children 12 months and up. The book also introduces children to vocabulary words such as bathtub, clothes, and shampoo.

From drumming, to reading, to pushing along toy cars, this book follows one little boy during all of his play activities for the day. Brightly colored, painted illustrations on a stark white background help the cute illustrations stand out for young readers. The book also emphasizes appropriate vocabulary words such as car, blocks, and wagon.

In this novelization of the upcoming Judy Moody film, Judy and her friends decide to make their summer vacation the best summer ever. Then, her parents announce they are going away and leaving Judy and her brother, Stink, with their Aunt. Judy comes up with an elaborate "Thrill Points" system and a list of daring activities that she and her friends in the T.P. (Toad Pee) Club must accomplish in order to earn points. But Judy must pull out all the stops when she realizes that she's earned less points than her friends. The book, written by the author of the original series and co-author of the screenplay, stays true to the character of Judy and her brother Stink, and Judy's unique language and penchant for misadventure keep the story going through all 136 pages. The book includes an interview with "Judy," a glossary for readers who want to speak like Judy, and information on the author.

LEGO Crazy Action Contraptions is a brand-new book of brand-new, high-performance projects. From the supercharged Speedster to the Squeezeclaw Grabber to the Wall Rocket Racer — all these contraptions spin, stretch, speed, or otherwise spring into action. And all of them are totally buildable thanks to super-clear instructions and step-by-step diagrams. Every single one of the 16 projects can be constructed using just the custom selection of LEGO® bricks that come with the book.
— As of 05/12/2011 this product had 4.7 out of 5 stars from 15 reviews on Amazon.com. Cons: Some contraptions run slowly; the included rubber bands wear out with time.
— "Klutz Lego contraptions is by far our biggest seller," Mary Porter Green, owner of The Curiosity Zone in Asburn, Va., told TDmonthly in late Spring 2011.
— Want this? As of 05/11/2011 this product was available at The Curiosity Zone.

This book contains twenty-five endlessly reusable mazes. Featuring the work of the talented illustrators from around the world, each maze stands on its own as a work of art. The brightly colored mazes each offer a whimsical design and a new challenge. Ideal for travel or just to pass the time.
— Mary Porter Green, owner of the Curiosity Zone in Ashburn, Va. mentioned this book as a best-selling travel toy in late Spring 2011, saying she sold several each month.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at The Curiosity Zone.

Evie has been homeschooled by her counter-culture mother her whole life, but it's the beginning of her senior year and she's going to public school for the first time. Evie maks friends, but is puzzled by the new system of authority she encounters in her teachers, who she is shocked to see abusing their power and discriminating against their students. She and her friends start an anonymous blog to speak out against the injustice she sees, but it gets taken over and turned into a forum for online bullying- the last thing Evie wanted. The book examines freedom of speech, friendship, authority, and independence, as Evie navigates her new school and the blogosphere she helped to create. Hardcover, 315 pages. Launch date: May 2011

Part of Candlewick's Toon Books imprint, this book helps get kids interested in reading by matching comic-book illustrations with text matched to a specific reading level. This particular book is a Level 2, intended for children in grades 1-2. Patrick is a teddy bear who loves jumping in puddles. These four stories from Geisel Award-winning author Geoffrey Hayes follow Patrick through his adventures. The book has a reading guide in back for parents.

One day, on the way to the park, a little girl climbs the gate of an old yellow house. Although no one has lived there for a very long time, a little boy suddenly appears before her. "Come and play with me," he beckons. He leads her through an enchanted garden, showing her all its marvelous inhabitants: a tiger playing with its cubs in the long grass, a dolphin leaping in the goldfish pond, a pelican roosting high in the apple tree. Then the mysterious boy is gone, the girl’s mother is calling, and all is as it was before. Written by Blake Morrison and illustrated by Helen Craig (illustrator of the Angelina Ballerina stories), this hard-cover book features soft and simple pictures that compliment the imaginative but matter-of-fact way the author tells of the adventure in the yellow house.

This hardcover picture book by Hallie Durand tells the story of Mitchell, who hates going to bed. Or at least, he does until he gets a license to drive there. Mitchell's car turns, honks, and can go really fast, but it's a little different than other cars- it's his Dad. This adorable story is illustrated by Tony Fucile, an animator who has worked on such films as The Lion King and The Incredibles. Mitchell learns how to drive his "car" and things go smoothly- until car and driver disagree on what sort of fuel they need.

Daisy Dawson is a normal girl, except for one thing- she can talk to animals. In this, the fourth book from Steve Voake about Daisy, she spends the summer at the beach.  Daisy makes friends with two rabbits and a crab, but when they band together to save a dolphin, it's Daisy and the rabbits who end up needing rescue. The 88-page chapter book will keep elementary grade readers interested with black and white illustrations by Jessica Meserve on every page.

This hardcover picture book by B.G. Hennessy is illustrated with detailed watercolor and ink pictures by Hiroe Nakata. It is a story that shows children that the small, kind actions of one person can affect the world. Touting advice such as "Because of you, there is one more person who will grow and learn...and one more person who can teach others," the book's penultimate message is that "Even something as big and important as peace" can be achieved "Because of you."

Safety Pin Bracelets helps anyone craft an entire collection of sparkling beaded jewelry out of garden-variety safety pins. The book includes 12 dazzling bracelet designs. Whichever design kids choose, they pick the colors and patterns so each bracelet is unique. The book comes with everything that is needed: 175 safety pins in three different sizes, over 1,000 beads in vibrant colors, and silvery elastic cord. Finally, the open-and-shut packaging keeps all the craft supplies organized and neat.

With The Klutz Guide to the Galaxy, kids can explore the universe without leaving the comfort of their backyard. This galactic tool kit has everything kids need: a build-it-yourself telescope, a night-sight flashlight, star and moon maps, a no-batteries-required sundial, a mariner’s quadrant to steer by the stars, tons of intergalactic activities, and more.
Awards: TDmonthly Top Toy Award, June 2011
— Why it won: Who knew you could build a telescope with a book? Everything needed to create a spyglass for space is contained within the Guide to the Galaxy's pages. There are lots of facts about the universe, plus other projects that kids can build to help navigate this world and others. It's a great gift that will appeal to both boys and girls.

To bring thumb wrestling to the next level, Klutz invented the Sleeve of Doom, a sleek, shiny, and sensational instrument of combat. Two contenders slide their hands in and clasp them together, poking their thumbs through the holes for an even playing field. The book covers everything from classic challenges, strategies, and training exercises to fake outs, battle cries, and never-before-played games.