December 2012 New Specialty Toys — Preschool

Explore and build EVEN MORE endless possibilities by combining the expanded assortment of gears. Place the puzzle pieces together and watch the amazing movement you can create by spinning and twirling the gears. (24 pieces included)

Get the road trip started as you steer your little car around the B. town on the screen, which lights up for night driving. Shift through forward, neutral and reverse. Both the engine and the horn make actual sounds. The LED blinkers let everyone know where your little driver is headed. Your child can push the music button to hear 3 driving songs in 3 unique styles. The YouTurns also make the perfect car seat toy – flip it over and it doubles as a pillow.
Awards: 2012 Dr.Toy Best Picks

This special assortment of 8 fuzzy colorful durable, safe and fun toy vehicles includes plane, car, fire engine and bus. They are the perfect size for little ones to grab onto. With all the different colors and shapes they provide endless hours of pretend play and story telling. Rubbabu toys are made of soft, squishy rubber foam, which is organic, hypo-allergenic, and completely biodegradable. They are covered with the brightest, best-quality Swiss flock for a surface your child will enjoy playing with. This is a safe, durable and fun toy for preschoolers to enjoy at home and on travel. They are also available as a Little Vehicle Assortment B and the new Shape Sorter Bus.
Awards: 2012 Dr.Toy Best 20 for $20

A peaceful slumber full of sweet dreams are on their way with the Baby Stella™ Dreamy Bedtime Set™. With a cuddly soft blanket, a plump pillow and snuggly little lamb friend, Baby Stella is sure to get a good night's sleep. The soft lamb is attached to an elastic strap that fits snuggly around baby Stella's wrist for easy attachment. Tuck Baby Stella in tonight with the Dreamy Bedtime Set and watch her slip into a simply serene slumber.

Make a wish on Prancine's golden horn and it's almost sure to come true. But this unicorn isn't the only one with magic inside. In Prancine's storybook, a little ballerina discovers how to believe in herself. Ideal for reading aloud, this 33-page interactive book offers fun-filled rhymes and beautiful illustrations. Stuffies are clever, cozy toys on a mission to keep kids' treasures safe. They have top-secret pockets that are fun to discover and store all kinds of keepsakes.
Awards: 2012 National Parenting Center Seal of Approval; Parents' Choice Classic, Fun Stuff Award Winner.

Where to buy:
SOUTH

eeBoo's long awaited Animal Tower Growth Chart, illustrated by children's book illustrator Melissa Sweet, is finally here. The Growth Chart features an enchanting tower with a smiling animal at each window, so that with each growth spurt, children will come eye-to-eye with a new animal friend. Comes with 32 fun stickers to mark birthdays and other important events. Other great eeBoo Growth Charts include Space, Hot Pink Flower, Growing Like A Sunflower, Up in the Castle, Musical Fairy Tree, Baseball, Birds in a Birch Tree and Firemen.

Stephanie Graegin, the artist behind eeBoo's popular "Animal Village" graphics, has lent her talents to eeBoo's new Animal Tot Tower. Each side of the light, stackable blocks features a different illustration: the face of an animal, a rhyme, and the number that corresponds to the block's place in the stacking sequence. For instance, the largest block features the number 10, an elephant decked out in a spiffy orange hat and pink dress, and the following rhyme: "The elephant is loyal, wise / And also packed with power. / And when she wants to take a bath, / Her trunk works like a shower."
Awards: Openheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award Gold Seal

All the world's a stage with eeBoo's first Play Masks. Each package of eeBoo Play Masks comes with 7 heavy cardboard masks that represesent 7 uniquely illustrated characters. The sturdy masks have cut outs for eyes and handles for little hands, making them perfect for make-believe, drama, storytelling and other forms of imaginative play. Our Mystery in the Forest Play Masks are illustrated by Melissa Sweet and include an array of enchanted characters and forest friends. Our Animal Village Play Masks are illustrated by Stephanie Graegin and feature an adorable assortment of animal characters.

Learning about dinosaurs has never been so much fun. Expand your knowledge of dinosaurs with this 100-piece Puzzle Double! After you put the puzzle together, turn off the lights and the puzzle glows in the dark! Additionally turn the puzzle over and you have a coloring activity. The bright illustrations encourage parent-child conversation. Each 100-piece puzzle measures a giant 3’ X 2’. Launch date: November 2012.

This fun and colorful tray puzzle features numbers and equations and will encourage children to develop counting and early math skills. Lined text teaches uppercase and lowercase handwriting skills. Pictures are also printed under the pieces to guide younger children. Launch date: November 2012.

This fun and colorful tray puzzle features the alphabet and will encourage children to develop letter recognition skills.  Lined text teaches uppercase and lowercase handwriting skills.  Pictures are also printed under the pieces to guide younger children. Launch date: November 2012.

From the creator of the #1 New York Times best-selling and award-winning I Want My Hat Back comes a second wry tale. When a tiny fish shoots into view wearing a round blue topper (which happens to fit him perfectly), trouble could be following close behind. So it’s a good thing that enormous fish won’t wake up. And even if he does, it’s not like he’ll ever know what happened...Visual humor swims to the fore as the best-selling Jon Klassen follows his breakout debut with another deadpan-funny tale. Launch date: October 2012.
— In a Winter 2012 survey, Jessica Wood from Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, Vt., told TDmonthly that This is Not My Hat is a recent bestseller.

Have fun with Olivia...dressing up, singing songs, building sand castles, napping (maybe), dancing, painting on walls and — whew! — going to sleep at last.
— Jessica Wood from Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, Vt., told TDmonthly in a Winter 2012 survey that Olivia books are perennial bestsellers.

Once upon a time, there were three hungry Dinosaurs: Papa Dinosaur, Mama Dinosaur...and a Dinosaur who happened to be visiting from Norway. One day—for no particular reason—they decided to tidy up their house, make the beds, and prepare pudding of varying temperatures. And then—for no particular reason—they decided to go...someplace else. They were definitely not setting a trap for some succulent, unsupervised little girl. Definitely not! This new take on a fairy-tale classic is so funny and so original—it could only come from the brilliant mind of Mo Willems.
— As of 12/4/2012 this product had 4.4 out of 5 stars from 22 reviews on Amazon.com.
— Pat Siegfried, co-owner of Black Forest Books & Toys in Charlotte, N.C., told TDmonthly in a Winter 2012 survey that this is one of their best selling books.

This delightfully illustrated nursery rhymes book offers parents and children the joy of reading all the best-loved rhymes, as well as discovering some of the less familiar ones. My Nursery Rhymes Collection is divided into 12 themes, such as farm animals, numbers, and action rhymes — creating shorter sections to suit the attention span of young readers. Settle back together and enjoy all the merry old souls. 184 pages with beautiful, full-color illustrations. Elegant gilded spine and cover highlights. Themed sections for easy reference. Padded hardcover edition.
— In a Winter 2012 survey, Teresa Derry, owner of Annie's Toy Chest in Cocoa, Fla., told TDmonthly that they sell 20 of this item each month.

Awesome Man can shoot positronic rays out of his eyeballs, fly as straight as an arrow, and hug mutant Jell-O! Even villains like Professor Von Evil and the Flaming Eyeball are no match for this caped crusader. But Awesome Man also has a secret...Can you guess what it is? The first picture book from Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Michael Chabon perfectly captures the fantasy life of young superhero fans. Launch date: September 6, 2011.
— Pat Siegfried, co-owner of Black Forest Books & Toys in Charlotte, N.C., told TDmonthly in a Winter 2012 survey that this books sells well and is on "constant reorder."

When Betty Bunny eats chocolate cake for the first time, she declares, "I am going to marry chocolate cake." She loves it so much that she takes a piece to school with her in her pocket and refuses to eat anything else. Mommy tells Betty that she has to eat healthy food first, and have patience because cake is for dessert, not pockets. But Betty doesn't want to have patience; she wants to have chocolate cake. In this hilarious and spot-on tribute to the chocolate lover (and picky eater) in all of us, a new kindred spirit to Olivia, Eloise, and Ladybug Girl makes her stand.
— As of 12/4/2012 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 20 reviews on Amazon.com.
— In a Winter 2012 survey, Pat Siegfried, co-owner of Black Forest Books & Toys in Charlotte, N.C., told TDmonthly that they sell 25-30 copies of this book each month.

Progressive puzzles grow with kids. As preschoolers master the 3-piece puzzle, they then progress to the 4-piece, 5-piece, and 6-piece puzzles. Four puzzles included in each set. Easy slide box allows for quick clean-up. Large chunky puzzle pieces measure about 2x3" each. Made with 80% recycled content and printed with vegetable based inks. Conforms with CPSIA and ASTM standards.

Preschool perfect matching game. Sized large, pieces are just right for small hands. Bright, graphic illustrations encourage interaction. 24 cards makes 12 pairs. Easy slide box allows for easy clean-up. Made with 80% recycled content and printed with vegetable inks. Conforms to CPSIA and ASTM standards. Cards measure 3x3".

A great introduction to modern art. Ten durable nesting and stacking blocks combine bright graphics with a classic developmental toy. Learn your ABCs and numbers. Each nesting block contains 10 cubes printed on 5 sides with vegetable based inks and measures close to 3 feet tall when fully assembled. Made with 80% recycled content. Conforms to CPSIA and ASTM standards.

Ultra soft plush Grover comes with a satin cape 15". A silver helmet and lightning bolt logo complete the super hero look. Launch date: January 1, 2013.
— Isaac Judd from Magic Beans in Brookline, Mass., told TDmonthly in a June 2013 survey that Sesame Street plush from Gund is their best-selling plush item. They sell about 50 each month of all the characters combined.

This ultra-soft multi textured plush dragon is proud of his fire-breathing abilities... and his ninja-style moves (which he’s still mastering). He’s got a fun side to him too though, as he likes to joke around and even talk a little smack. 12” and includes 3 replaceable AA batteries. Recites 10 phrases while arms move & nostrils light up. On / off switch on left foot. Launch date: January 1, 2013

This gigantic marble run features 103 pieces with 12 marbles. Kids can build their structure any way they like, then drop the marbles and watch them race through the run.
— In a May 2013 survey, two out of 10 retailers told TDmonthly that marble runs were one of their best-selling construction toys.

The jungle is warm and steamy. What kind of animal might live there, a snow goose or a sloth? What about a still, cool pond -- could that be home for a howler monkey? Find out why meerkats like dry sunny grasslands (hint: they like to dig holes to hide in) or why clown fish feel right at home in a coral reef. Small flaps and a matching spread at the end make learning about habitats fun. Lift the flaps and learn about animal life with two new books in a fresh, fun-filled series for curious preschoolers. Launch date: November 2012.