September 2012 Notable Toys — All

This castle features a grand staircase and a lot of rooms. The tower has a secret hiding place, and inside the castle there is a revolving dance floor. Includes a jewelry box, tiara, bracelet and ring for the child. Dimensions: 29.5"x 28"x 26" (L x W x H).
— Grafton Stine, owner of Toys on the Square in Hummelstown, Pa., told TDmonthly in a June 2013 survey that Playmobil dollhouses and furnishings are their best-selling furniture item.

With this kit, kids can grow amazing crystals that change color. Learn about the chemical reaction that causes the beautiful shift in colors, and examine the factors that influence the reaction. Conduct a chemical analysis to better understand why the color change occurs. Show off the crystal creations in two special locking display cases.
— In a Fall 2013 survey, three out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that Thames & Kosmos was a best-selling brand of science toy.

The Greatest Dot-to-Dot Adventure, (the 17th book in the Greatest Dot-to-Dot series) by David Kalvitis, carries on his tradition of skillfully utilizing dots to create the most amazingly complex and artistic dot-to-dot puzzles to ever hit the market. The Greatest Dot-to-Dot Adventure - Book 1 begins following a guide, an imaginative young boy searching for the missing pieces of a mysterious gift. Together, visitors will navigate challenging puzzles and unearth secret clues to discover new species of dots and spectacular views. The new Adventure Book also contains two triple page foldouts, and one jaw dropping four page foldout with over 2,600 dots, the largest Dot-to-Dot in print to date. Kalvitis' new book also boasts a couple new puzzle styles as well as puzzles that give clues to other puzzles in order to solve them. Because of these interacting puzzles in addition to the new story line (both of which have never been done in an activity book of this type before), The Greatest Dot-to-Dot Adventure Book is even more interactive and exciting than ever before. Contains 39 puzzles. Launch date: 2012.

These red hearts are decorated with intricate silver designs. Two sheets of stickers come in each pack.

These fancy red and pink heart stickers are all wrapped up in silver streamers. Each pack contains two sheets of stickers.

These Valentine Expressions are highlighted with silver reflections, and make a festive addition to gift cards and other craft projects.

Here is everything crafters will need to say "I Love You" to their favorite valentine. These colorful phrases in red, pink, purple and silver are a festive way to decorate greeting cards and other projects.

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.

In 1939 Robert L. May, a copywriter working at Chicago's Montgomery Ward & Co., wrote a holiday story at the request of his employer. Almost two and a half million copies of the little tale about a reindeer with a shiny red nose were given away to children who visited Montgomery Ward stores that year. The rest is history. Over seventy years later, the beloved classic is once again available in a faithful, hardcover facsimile of the original 1939 Rudolph, with original text and illustrations by Denver Gillen.

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.

petzombIeRock is a unique, collectible artwork hand painted and crafted in the USA by the artist, KC. PetzombIeRock makes a great Halloween gift. petzombIeRock arrives in its own coffin.

The Tinkertoy® Transit Building Set is designed to encourage young builders to play and learn. Builders ages 3+ can create a train, garage, bridge and more or accelerate their imagination with other ideas. The colorful guide provides a variety of ideas for all building skill levels. The Tinkertoy® Transit set includes 150 durable, plastic pieces including spools, straight rods, bendable rods, wheels, eyes, two buildable figures and more. Comes in a durable box with lid for easy storage and portability.

The Tinkertoy® Animals Building Set is designed to encourage young builders to play and learn. Builders ages 3+ can create a fish, turtle, mouse and other familiar creatures or let their imagination go wild to make their own creations. The colorful guide provides a variety of ideas for all building skill levels. The newly redesigned Tinkertoy® pieces snap together and stay together for long-lasting play. The Tinkertoy® Animals set includes 78 durable, plastic pieces including spools, straight rods, bendable rods, eyes, ears, a buildable figure and more. Comes in a durable box with lid for easy storage and portability.

Urbania is a game of city renewal where players try their hand as a famous urban planner who is working on the re-development of a run-down city. To accomplish the job players must: hire the best specialists and designers. They must submit plans and create blueprints. Players must construct new and dynamic buildings to bring the city back to its former glory. If players can manage your projects well, they will become the most renowned planner and take credit for the city’s amazing turnaround. Launch date: 2012.

Each color printed tin contains 10 colored pencils, 10 stamps and 3 inkpads, plus a color 'idea sheet'. Kids press their fingers into the non-toxic ink pads, then stamp their fingertips onto a piece of paper. Kids then can use the included stamps (featuring eyes, dinosaur teeth, and more) and colored pencils to add detail to their prehistoric creations.

Festive Wintery Pull-along Penguin & Polar Bear toy. Improve hand-eye coordination, problem solving skills, and movement abilities. 5 Stackable penguin and polar bear blocks.

Holiday robot captivates kids with rapid skittering motion. Decked out for holiday fun in red, green, snowflake & antlers. At home in a crystal-clear ornament bulb tied with festive ribbon (for a bit).

Keeping family and friends gathered around the holiday table doesn't take a miracle - just great questions. "What three values does your family cherish most?" and "What is the best Chanukah gift you have ever received?" are two of the 82 questions on these conversation-starting cards. Make way through the deck to share holiday memories, and create a new tradition with this box of 82 conversation-starters.

Kids of all ages can experience traditional holiday fun with the Fisher-Price GeoTrax Christmas Train. The train features working lights in each of the cars and automatically activates lights in the mini-sites as it passes. There are 2 moveable street lights, a bridge that plays holiday music, and a skating rink with spot lights. The Easy-Rail Station lighted features include: a 3-faced clock tower, 2 lamps, 2 street lights, and station windows. Pull into the station to unload passengers and listen as they are welcomed by a fun holiday tune. The station's lights and music can also be activated by pressing the button on the clock tower or either of 2 buttons on the track. This cool set includes 16 pieces of durable, Snap-Lock track, holiday decor that snaps onto the guard rails, street lamps, a bridge, a station, and signs that can be placed throughout the set. Compatible with other GeoTrax train sets.

Deck the halls with buildable cheer. Hang some holiday cheer anywhere with the LEGO Holiday Wreath (30028). Interlock the textured green bricks for a perfect circle adorned with red "holly" studs and 2 bells. Measures over 3" (7cm) wide and 3" (7cm) tall. Contains 50 pieces.

Murphy is Amanda Clase's dreamy, solid, almost pure-white pit bull mix. Adopted at 9 weeks old, Murphy quickly demonstrated the sweet temperament of a therapy dog, and now pursues a career of comforting the patients of Martha Jefferson Hospital in Virginia. Murphy is 18" long and weighty at 3/4 pound. He's made with super-soft velour and satin, with child-safe embroidered eyes and nose. Unique to Murphy are his little striped socks, just like the socks the real-life Murphy wears on those slippery hospital floors. Like all CharlieDog toys, he wears a colorful collar embroidered with the word "Adopt". He has a serial number (from 1 to 2000) on his care tag, and his name embroidered on a patch on his leg. Five dollars of every Murphy is donated to Pit Bull Rescue Central.

Includes Mattel EXCLUSIVE die-cast model and a poster-sized collector's list. Mattel has sold more than 250 million die-cast cars from Cars, Cars 2, and Cars Toons. Now kids can find them all in one place: DK's Disney•Pixar Cars Character Encyclopedia. Featuring more than 250 different die-cast Cars models, this all-inclusive encyclopedia includes a character profile for each model with model descriptions, year created, unique characteristics, and more. Launch date: July 16, 2012.
— As of 09/13/2012 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 1 review on Amazon.com. Pros: Lots of information about different CARS models.

Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In "Brave," a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida confronts tradition, destiny, and the fiercest of beasts. Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor. Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin, surly Lord Macintosh, and cantankerous Lord Dingwall. Merida's actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old witch for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it's too late. Full of beautiful movie stills, vivid character photography, and tons of interesting and fun movie facts, the captivating movie companion, Brave: The Essential Guide, will take readers along with Merida on her journey to battle against the forces of nature, magic, and a dark ancient curse. Launch date: May 15, 2012.
— As of 09/13/2012 this product had 4.5 out of 5 stars from 2 reviews on amazon.com. Pros: Lots of images from the movie. Cons: One adult reader said it would be better suited for younger fans.

A House Divided simulates the epic struggle of the American Civil War that was fought over the twin issues of slavery and state's rights. The period from 1840 to 1861 saw these issues brought to a boil, and in 1861 the nation became tangled in a terrible war that lasted four long years. The game depicts the war between North and South from the First Battle of Bull Run (or Manassas Junction) to Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Courthouse (or Grant’s surrender at Harrisburg…). Each player leads one of these two nations and makes the strategic decisions which determine the outcome of the war. The game board represents the United States, north and south and from the Atlantic coast to just west of the Mississippi. Including Missouri, Iowa, Illinois Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia. The play map contains a number of boxes, each representing a city, town or locations important to the war. These boxes are connected by transportation lines – blue for rivers, tan for roads and black for railroads – which provide the paths to victory or defeat. Playing Time: 60 minutes. Launch date: 2012.