May 2010 New Specialty Toys — Puppets

Young puppeteers can hang their puppets on the 16 branches of this puppet tree. Each branch is 8" long, allowing for maximum puppet storage. The unit is 11" W x 11" D x 48" H, and is made of rich maple and sturdy birch wood. The puppet tree's ultra-violet KYDZTuff finish "is as tough as a gym floor and allows marks from common items to be simply wiped away," Jonti-Craft Marketing Associate Melissa Gustafson told TDmonthly.

These three reptilian Topsy Turvy Pets feature 6" velour hatching eggs that turn inside out to reveal a full-bodied turtle, dinosaur or salamander. The imaginative design is baby safe with embroidered facial features and can make a playful gift idea for inquisitive minds. Topsy Turvy Pets wholesale as an assortment of 4 pieces of each animal.

Gobo tends to be the leader of the group. Unusually level-headed and practical for a Fraggle, Gobo prefers to control most situations. He plays a guitar (made from a gourd) and often goes on trips to explore the lesser-known tunnels of Fraggle Rock. Gobo is an independent Fraggle and resists the influence of his friends. Gobo has an orange complexion and purple hair, and wears a yellow and pink stripe sweater with a brown vest. Julie Flann, Manager of Marketing & Sales at Manhattan Toy, told TDmonthly, "Fraggle Rock is back and Manhattan Toy has exclusive rights to making Fraggle Rock puppets and plush!" Launch date: 2010.

One can tell their favorite family road trip vacation with this great hand/finger puppet. The soft puppet design fits right over your hand, perfectly. "It's a hand puppet with spots for four fingers, each one fits a different character," Julie Flann, Marketing & Sales Manager at Manhattan Toy, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2010.

Preston is made with green reptilian-like fabric and his accentuating horns, mouth and teeth make him almost come alive. Launch date: 2010.