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The Few, The Proud...The Award-Winning Toys!
Who Made the Cut This Year?
By Alison Marek and Julie L. Jones
Thousands
of products are introduced to the toy industry every year, but only a
limited number are good enough, playable enough and innovative enough
to garner an award.
In addition to issuing
TDmonthly
Awards, TDmonthly
Magazine regularly asks manufacturers
to present their award winners to our readers so that retailers can quickly
identify products with great potential and manufacturers can learn and
be inspired by others' successes. Here are the most recent responses:
Yoga Child – A Peaceful Place Inside by BINGO RECORDS
 A mixture of voice and music will calm and center children while teaching them gentle exercise, breathing techniques and beginner yoga stretches. The CD includes 19 interludes expertly designed by renowned children’s yoga instructor and founder of Yoga Child Studios, Gail Silver. The product received a spring 2007 Parents’ Choice Award. Launch date: May 2007.
5/23/2007 (Price: $11.99; Age: 2 to 10) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
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Dream by LYRIC PARTNERS
 “Dream” is the fourth recording by Mae Robertson in her award-winning Lullaby & Lovesong Collection. Robertson’s interpretation gives new life to several pop masterpieces including Paul Simon’s “St. Judy’s Comet,” Tom Waits’ “Midnight Lullaby” and Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young.” The more traditional lullabies simply glow with the warmth and beauty of Robertson's voice. “'Dream' is filled with music that will please both parent and child — and that both will enjoy listening to together,” Mae Robertson, president of Lyric Partners, told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 2007.
5/23/2007 (Price: $15.00; Age: 0 to 6) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Dreaming Tall: Stories for Growing Girls by DRAGON TALES REG'D
 This rich multi-cultural soundscape of stories from around the world features strong heroines and original music and sound effects. The stories teach, in a subtle and non-preachy style, human qualities such as courage, honesty, compassion, resourcefulness and truthfulness, and are entertaining, funny, touching and exciting. Parents who have bought the CD report that their children ask to listen to it again and again. “This CD is unique in its mix of music and sound effects to accompany the stories, and its focus on stories about girls and women as positive role models,” Stéphanie Bénéteau of Dragon Tales Reg’d told TDmonthly. This product received a spring 2007 Parents' Choice Gold Award. Launch date: January 2007.
5/23/2007 (Price: $16.99; Age: 5 to 12) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
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Let's Go! Travel, Camp and Car Songs by ROCK ME BABY RECORDS
 “Let’s Go!” takes listeners on a musical adventure: to explore the woods, star gaze on a cowboy’s range, dig for clams in San Francisco Bay, yodel with an ostrich on a mountain and visit 22 other traditional-now-hip places. It compiles 26 travel, camp and car songs, providing more than an hour of entertainment (perfect for road trips, campfires and family sing-alongs). “This CD offers upbeat styles, real instruments and interesting takes on old favorites — adding cool rhythms that entire families can love,” Amy Steadman of Rock Me Baby Records told TDmonthly. This product received a 2007 Parents’ Choice Approved Award and an iParenting Media Award for Excellence. Launch date: February 2007.
5/23/2007 (Price: $13.99; Age: 2 to 7) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
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Pet Pals: Animal Doctor by LEGACY INTERACTIVE
 Kids and teens can diagnose and treat 35 exciting new cases in Legacy Interactive’s “latest and greatest” vet game. Featuring favorite animals — dogs, cats, birds, horses, rodents, fish and reptiles — this realistic simulation includes 40+ different medical instruments and helpful hints every step of the way. “Our cases use a broad variety of real veterinary tools, and deal with real veterinary issues that have been written by real, working veterinarians from around the world,” Charlie Duldulao of Legacy Interactive told TDmonthly. This product received a spring 2007 Parent’s Choice Silver Honor Award. The company requires a minimum order of 10 units. Launch date: November 20, 2006.
5/23/2007 (Price: $19.95; Age: 10 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Gimme Gimme by REBEL TOY MUSIC
 “Gimme Gimme” features original songs, traditional tunes and a handful of cover tracks with notable renditions of the Sister Rosetta Sharpe spiritual “Up Above My Head” and the old Delaney and Bonnie tune “Never Ending Song of Love,” a rocking, slide-guitar-driven interpretation of the traditional “This Train,” and a ukulele reggae version of “I Gave My Love a Cherry.” Among Richard Younger's original tunes is the lovely “Secret Day.” A South American-influenced rendition of M.E. McGee's classic “My Paddle,” coupled with “Row Your Boat,” also demonstrates his fine ear for arrangements. The album received a spring 2007 Parents’ Choice Award and was “designed with love for kids,” Younger told TDmonthly. Launch date: December 2006.
5/23/2007 (Price: $10.00; Age: 1 to 10) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
What Did You Say? A Guide to Speech Intelligibility in People With Down Syndrome by WOODBINE HOUSE
 This one-of-a-kind DVD features an expert on Down syndrome and speech intelligibility along with children conversing or working on speech issues. It provides an overview of understandable speech and difficulties for children and teens with Down syndrome. It can be used to understand and improve speech intelligibility at home, school and in the community, and provides “practical and parent-friendly info for families of children with Down syndrome,” Beth Binns of Woodbine House told TDmonthly. It includes a bonus section with tips on writing effective Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals. The DVD received a 2007 Parents’ Choice Approved Award in the Small Screen Category. Launch date: July 2006.
5/23/2007 (Price: $29.95; Age: 3 to 19) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Alphabet Songs Vol. III (Rabbit Run) by STEVE WEEKS MUSIC
 “Alphabet Songs Vol. III” is the third and final CD in the Alphabet Songs series. It dedicates a song to each letter of the alphabet, covering the letters R through Z. The acoustic-based music is upbeat and catchy. From the bluegrass title track, “Rabbit Run,” to the African rhythms of “Zed and Zoey,” the songs cover a broad range of musical styles. They offer a positive message, a challenging tongue-twister or just a plain old good story. “This is not your typical children's music. Parents and kids alike love the tunes!” Steve Weeks told TDmonthly. This product received a 2007 Parents' Choice Recommended Award. Launch date: November 2006.
5/23/2007 (Price: $13.00; Age: 2 to 9) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
University Games - Smart Ass by UNIVERSITY GAMES
 In this fast-paced trivia game for two to eight players, each Who, What and Where Am I? card has 10 clues, and the first player to yell out the correct answer moves one step closer to being the ultimate "Smart Ass." The first player to reach the target in the center of the board wins. Contents include a game board, eight donkey playing pieces, 490 questions, one category die, one movement die and instructions. This product won the 2007 Game of the Year Award from the Australian Games Association. "It's funny, fast-paced ... takes less than 30 minutes and there are no turns!" Matthew Crovitz of University Games told TDmonthly. "[It] was invented by Rob Elliot — the longtime host of Wheel of Fortune in Australia, a man who knows a thing or two about trivia and fun." Launch date: February 2007.
5/23/2007 (Price: $22.98; Age: 12 and up) ENTER UNIVERSITY GAMES TOYSHOW [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Charlotte Diamond: Todo el Mundo Come Banana! by HUG BUG MUSIC INC. — CHARLOTTE DIAMOND
 This Spanish CD features 20 songs, including “Soy una Burbuja,” “Patito Perdido Mío,” “Mi Osito Gruff” and more. Lyrics are included. "The clarity of voice, pronunciation and excellent musical production make Charlotte Diamond's recordings for children exceptional. They are excellent language learning tools as well as being fun and entertaining for both children and adults,” a representative of Hug Bug Music told TDmonthly. This product received a spring 2007 Parents’ Choice Approved Award. Launch date: October 30, 2006.
5/23/2007 (Price: $14.99; Age: 2 to 8) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Following are some of the programs represented in TDmonthly.com's section of award winners: Dr.
Toy, iParenting
Media Awards, TIA
T.O.T.Y., Oppenheim
Toy Portfolio, The
National Parenting Center, and Parents'
Choice Awards.
You may also access TDmonthly's review
section to see which products earned 5 TD stars.
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