Watch Before You Buy

Bakugan is a strategic card game played with magnetic, spring-loaded marbles that transform into robots. The game spawned an animated series on Cartoon Network, Bakugan Battle Brawlers, which debuted on February 24, 2008, according to Wikipedia. Launch date: February 2008.
— Barbara Vininsky, owner of Blossom & Harry in Montreal, Canada, said in early 2008 that this is her hottest item by far: "It's out of control; I've never seen anything like it." Boys 6 to 9 are snatching it up as fast as she can order, even though her store specializes in clothing and she rarely has hot toys for boys.
— Two of 63 retailers named Bakugan when asked about their overall best-selling toy in September 2008. Tim Hayes, owner of Learning Express in Sudbury, Mass., told TDmonthly in November 2008 that his store sells 500 to 600 units of Bakugan monthly. “We’ve been very fortunate in having shipments,” he said.
— David Marks, owner of Learning Express of Westport in Westport, Conn., lauded Bakugan for its wide range of appeal. "I've been in this business for 13 years and I've never seen a product appeal to kids as young as 5 and as old as 13," he told TDmonthly.

Great instrument with great sound for young and older kids! It comes in happy colors.

This funny fiend in soft velour has whimsical charm and embroidered accents. Designed by kids for kids, Buster is a keepsake gift with a delightful monster story on the hang tag and a charitable heart. A portion of sales is donated to Global Action for Children, a nonpartisan children's advocacy organization. The soft, security buddy addresses common childhood anxieties of fear and bullies, while helping to promote charitable deeds and raise awareness for less-fortunate children. Launch date: January 15, 2008. Display ideas: Offer a wide range of My Own Monster characters to create an eye-catching, colorful display. Promote sales with a free My Own Monster display sign available upon request with any My Own Monster order.

Quality heavyweight 100-percent cotton t-shirt with "Best Mom .... Hands Down!" printed on the shirt. T-Shirt also includes paints to add handprints on the t-shirt, directions and a gift card.

This kit shows kids how to assemble the included colored pipe cleaners, bright wooden beads and glittery paper wings into five bug buddies. Kids can even stick on pre-printed sticker faces to give each bug its own personality. Additionally, the book opens up to become a charmingly detailed, three-room tree house, complete with a front yard, punch-out furniture, stickers and decorative accessories.
— “We do well with the Klutz books ... [especially] the Magnetic Magic and the bug book,” Mary Ellen Cerney, owner of Dear Friends and Children in Duncan, Okla., told TDmonthly in April 2008.
— “Anything by Klutz,” Emily Bieritz, manager of My Favorite Toy Store in Downers Grove, Ill., said in April 2008, when asked to name the best-selling arts and crafts item in her store.
— In spring 2008, more than 3 percent of retailers who spoke with TDmonthly named Klutz activity books as best-selling kits.

This beautifully illustrated and designed music box features four drawers for storing treasures as well as a main compartment for jewelry, etc. "The unique design and illustration of our products make them ideal for the specialty market," said Liz Bjornstad, sales administrator for Enchantmints. This product won a Creative Child Magazine top toy award for 2008. Launch date: 2008.

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2 Fun 2 Sleep! The Slumber Party Box of Questions is guaranteed to make each guest the talk of the party. Get the 411 on all of your BFF's. Ages: 8+. Also available in Mini size for when you're on the go. 52 Round Question Cards in an Attractive 5" x 3.5" Satin Ribbon Wrapped Container.

A great gab game to get everyone talking and keeping your party from being a snore with questions such as:

This 14" doll features a soft body and vinyl head with curly brown hair. She has poseable arms and legs and hand-painted features. Her satin costume is topped with ladybug antennae.