October 2012 New Specialty Toys — Music

Ready to giggle and groove...Celebrate with Julie K as she delivers with a musical medley of happy times for the family. Her retro vibe shines and gives kids plenty to smile about. Launch date: April 2012.
Awards: 2012 CD of the year award by Creative Child Magazine

In the land of Blue Clouds, anything can happen. The clear and beautiful voice of children’s music favorite Elizabeth Mitchell weaves musical landscapes that “seem like a patchwork of memories we’ve always shared,” writes Caldecott Award – winning author Brian Selznick in the liner notes. The dreamlike illustrations of legendary artist Remy Charlip illuminate the magical narratives of these timeless songs. Mitchell’s extended family band, You Are My Flower, including daughter Storey and husband Daniel Littleton, embrace us with sound in a celebration of family, imagination and love. 16 tracks, 39 minutes, 32 page booklet. Launch date: October 2012.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval

Watch and listen to the beautiful stream of beads as they gently cascade down the clear plastic 8.5-Inch tube. Playtime with this easy to grip toy helps improve gross motor skills and is safe for ages 6 months and up. BPA free. Launch date: August 2012.

Now children can musically discover the mysteries and wonders of the Universe with Beth Nielsen Champan's new CD, The Mighty Sky. As rich and varied as the galaxy she sings about - and just as exciting to explore - The Might Sky blends accurate science, creative astronomy-based lyrics and the striking songwriting that Beth is famous for. Launch date: October 9, 2012.

CHOCOLALALA is a collection of original, bilingual songs from award-winning musician Mister G. Inspired by his concert tours throughout Latin America, the album spans a wide range of musical styles from bossa nova to ska, funk to folk, rap to pop. With captivating Latin rhythms and melodies, the songs appeal to parents as much as their children. Catchy and educational, the songs teach about counting, colors and nature, and celebrate the joys of eating chocolate, dancing and riding on the school bus with friends. CHOCOLALALA was produced, engineered and mixed by Mister G (Ben Gundersheimer). The album features world-class musicians, the voices of bilingual families, and performances by Mister G's former elementary school students. In addition to writing and singing the songs, Mister G played acoustic and electric guitars, banjo, tres and percussion. Launch date: September 10, 2012.

This is the child-sized baby grand piano that teaches aspiring pianists to play with visual digital aides and a built-in metronome. A 3" LCD panel above the keyboard displays animated piano keys, left and right hands, and a metronome. As one of the 12 lesson songs plays through the piano's speaker, the correct animated fingers and keys illuminate on the LCD to indicate which of the actual keys the child should play. Aspiring musicians can customize the lessons to practice playing with one or both hands and the metronome adjusts from 16 to 400 beats per minute, allowing song tempo to be tailored to a pianist's skill level. The piano can record and play back original compositions, it has 30 demonstration songs, and can play eight different background drum beats. The piano requires less than 3' sq. of floor space and its 37-keys provide a more manageable teaching tool. Requires four C batteries. Includes sheet music for the 12 lesson songs. Stool not included. 22 1/3" H x 28 1/2 W x 17 1/2" D. (9 lbs.)

Twelve Hap Palmer favorites are presented in a series of musical picture books that combine song lyrics with high quality audio recordings, imaginative illustrations, and colorful photographs, all designed to motivate children to read and sing. This DVD is made up of individual illustrations and photo- graphs that bring to life the ideas and stories of each song. This format makes it easier for children to read and sing the words. The steady illustrations help new readers focus on text, identify sight words, and start to read new vocabulary. Launch date: April 20, 2012.