December 2009 Notable Toys — All

This three-pack of socks features colorful designs that make it appear as if baby is wearing flip flops. They are available for ages 0 to 24 months (o to 12 and 12 to 24 months) in Little Sunshine and Little Athlete varieties.

This stainless steel puzzle features 15 number tiles that the player must slide into numerical order after scrambling.

Written by James Mayhew and illustrated by Jackie Morris, this hardcover book takes readers on a rhyming dreamland adventure complete with flying dragons, whales and singing mermaids.

Shaped to look just like a Pug (with a bit of extra design detail), this purse is outfitted with a silk blend outer fabric with a floral pattern, a zippered pouch for keys, makeup and cell phone, and the signature silver leatherette paw bearing the company's bone cross logo. It comes in a gift box with a paw-shaped "breathing hole."
— "What's been a surprise to me is the Fuzzy Nation stuff. I honestly chided my wife for ordering them, and I can't keep them in stock," Jude Larene, co-owner of Izilla Toys in Seattle, told TDmonthly in late fall 2009. "Even the expensive $50 purses are just flying out."

The first member of the Perplexus family, this see-through sphere houses a 3-D labyrinth game with 100 barriers, turns, twists and cliffhangers that serve as obstacles to getting a small steel ball to the end. Invented in 1970 by Michael McGinnis, a design teacher, Perplexus helps develop motor and dexterity skills, along with hand-eye coordination.
― As of 12/17/2012 this product had 4.4 out of 5 stars from 393 reviews on Amazon.com and was No. 12 on the top 100 bestselling toys and games.
— At Izilla Toys in Seattle, "Perplexus is selling really, really well for us," Co-owner Jude Larene told TDmonthly in late fall 2009.
— In summer 2010 this game was a top-10 best seller at Dancing Bear Toys in Asheville and Hendersonville, N.C..
Awards: 2012 Parents’ Choice Awards - Silver, 2011 Time Magazine – 15 Smartest Toys for Young Geniuses, 2011 Parent Tested Parent Approved – Seal of Approval, 2011 Grand Prix Kidexpo – Elu par les Parents (Parents’Choice), 2011 Children of Museum of Indianapolis – Top 10 Toys of 2011, 2011 Canadian Toy Testing Council – Children’s Choice, 2011 Babble List – Best Kids Toys, 2010 Toy Insider – Hot 20, 2010 The National Parenting Center – Seal of Approval, 2010 Prémio Brazil – Award of Excellence, 2010 Parents’ Magazine – Top Toys, 2010 NAPPA – Gold, 2010 ASTRA – Best Toy for Kids

This 16" doll with bright eyes and pigtails has poly filling and a plush exterior.

This school bus is about 9" long and holds several kids, a bus driver and a dog that stay in place with magnets.

This package includes 20 elephant-shaped paper clips in assorted colors.

This necklace features a colorful bunch of cat's eye beads and Swarovski crystals, plus two charms: a birthday cake and a number to indicate how many years old. It's on a sterling silver chain and comes in the following sizes: 12" (2T-4T); 14" (5T-10 years); and 16" (tween-small adult).

This colorful DVD featuring real-life nature scenes explains about summer solstice, pollination and various insects, summer safety and seasonal foods. Bonus features include sign language, a game, a quiz, a slideshow of images, and a Spanish vocabulary slideshow. A corresponding Activity Book is also available.

Available in Fairy, Sports and Dino varieties, this battery-operated sippy cup features multicolor LEDs that light up when a child sips and then go off after approximately 20 seconds. They can also be manually turned on and off with the press of a button. The cups are free of BPA and come with batteries. The lid and cup can be washed in the dishwasher (remove base first). This product received 5 out of 5 stars from What the Stuff Toy Review.

Maternal Whispers is a baby sleep CD that mimics what a baby hears in the womb. The pulse and blood flow of the mother (the sounds the baby is most used to hearing) remain perfectly steady throughout, for 72 minutes, giving your baby a rhythmic and familiar sound to sleep to.

Aspiring fashion designers can test their skills with this no-sew kit that includes two dress forms, stamped art, fabrics, fashion accessories and a stylus tool to lock the designs in place.

This short-sleeved tee, available in sizes 2 to 6, is made fair trade in India and is 100-percent organic. The monkey image was designed by Norwegian founder of Tyler Trends, Anette Tyler.

This 70-lb., tip-resistant glider features a 20" seat design for ample room, machine-washable seat cushion covers, storage pockets over the armrests, and sturdy construction. It's designed with enclosed front and sides to keep little ones' toes and fingers from getting pinched. Launch date: December 2009.

This kit includes chemicals needed to grow a Rose Quartz crystal cluster of up to 4" in diameter. It comes with the Space Age Crystal Growing chemical, a stirring rod, a display pedestal and instructions. Within just a few hours of transferring the chemical to hot water, pouring the mixture into the vessel and letting it cool, crystals will begin to form and then continue growing for many days.

This spy kit in a book-shaped box includes spy glasses, a decoder, ID cards, a listening device and more items a kid will need to be a double agent whose job it is to track down some top-secret files.

This brainteaser puzzle includes 50 "mind-splashing" challenges set to the scene of a pool party. The goal is to move the puzzle pieces around in such a way that the boy on the red inner tube ends up next to the steps in the lower right corner of the pool. It comes with the swimming pool, 14 puzzle pieces, a storage bag and a challenge booklet with instructions and solutions.

Flip-n-Stack Monkeys includes everything you need to create a perfect monkey tower: four super-magnetic monkeys, one launcher, and a target landing pad. Multiple stacking options allows for the monkeys to be stacked in different arrangements.

Chip Shotz Golfer includes everything you need to play a round of golf: swingin' Chip, balls, tee box, green, water feature, sand trap, and even trees. A nice desktop distraction for the golf enthusiast.

This 22" doll features fabric skin made from hemp fiber, clothing constructed of organic or recycled eco fibers, stuffing made from recycled plastic containers, and hair made of organic cotton. Her backpack carries a Hope Tree Planting Kit with Douglas Fir seeds.

The Bannister family’s new addition, Zeus (voiced by Mario Lopez)  a former K-9 police hero, appears to be less than the dependable guard dog the family needs.  However, when two burglars (led by Dean Cain) set out to break into the Bannister’s home while they’re away for Christmas, Zeus seizes the chance to be a hero, proving every dog – even this one – has his day.

Annie, a sassy, self-deprecating, authentically raw 28-year-old, hazardously, yet humorously, freefalls from an all-time low to rock bottom. She's lost her job, feels legitimately trapped inside a bad relationship with arguably the most charming prick on the planet, is stifled by her past... and, oh, a perpetual buzz. Then she meets Billy, a soulful petty thief. Add barbed witticisms from Annie's cousin, an angry acupuncturist, and quips from two sadomasochistic elementary school teachers, and watch as reckless desperation leads to blind fearlessness in this modern-day tale where love is lost, found, "whined and dined," but mostly — redefined. This book was written by actress Lisa Cerasoli, a regular on TV's "General Hospital." Launch date: June 15, 2009.

High-end, custom-designed Five Star Copper Bookmarks are made with quality copper and Swarovski crystals and pearls, making them ideal for avid readers and gift giving. They come in three 3-1/2" high designs: a serene angel made with a divine crystal and opulent pearl; a paw print, which sports a teal or amethyst crystal; and a crystal-packing star. Launch date: October 15, 2009.