September 2012 Notable Toys — Books

For early and emerging readers, this edition of An Elf’s Story™ is a re-telling of the Christmas story featuring the McTuttle family and Chippey, a pixie scout elf sent by Santa from the North Pole. Join Chippey, Snowflake, Wordsworth, and Zart in this heartwarming Christmas tale about believing in the magic of all things Christmas.

Packaged with a whisk and silicone baking cups, the Handstand Kids Baking Around the World Cookbook kit introduces children to the world of baking in a colorful, hardbound and illustrated book with new recipes from Arleen Scavone, two-time winner of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars, and founder of the famous bakery, Sweet Arleen’s. This cookbook features PB&J Cupcakes, South African Pumpkin Bread Pudding, and Carrot Walnut Cupcakes, among others. Launch date: January 2008.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval

Every volume in the Lovecraft Middle School series is fully illustrated and features an original lenticular portrait on the cover. Display them on bookshelves and then watch the cover characters morph into monsters as they are passed by. In Professor Gargoyle, we're introduced to 11-year-old Robert Arthur and the strange world of Lovecraft Middle School. It's a brand-new state-of-the-art facility, so why do so many creepy things keep happening? Why is the science teacher acting so strangely? And where are all the rats coming from? As Robert explores with his new friends Glenn and Carina, he discovers that the school may be a portal to another world. Launch date: September 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.

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.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ Match and Munch Game uses the recognizable art from Eric Carle’s illustrated tale of The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ to help kids learn to identify healthy foods by practicing association and matching skills to help the caterpillar transform into a beautiful butterfly. The 55 food cards and 10 butterfly tokens are stored in the adorable caterpillar carrying case for easy transport and safe keeping. When kids are ready to play, each player receives 5 food cards to start and the remaining cards are placed in a pile. The goal is to complete a hand of either, five oranges, a hand of four strawberries and one apple, or a hand of three blueberries and two pears.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

My1story books are a fun, entertaining collection of the world’s most renowned children’s characters and fairy tales under one cohesive and comprehensive brand. Each storybook introduces classic fairy tale characters in a new story twist. The collection has five titles with the first two, Lil’ Riding Hood and Jack’s Beanstalks The goal is to build under the My1story umbrella books that parents, grandparents, and children will find their favorite classic characters and hopefully kindle many happy memories through storytelling.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

Curious kids will be inspired by the endless possibilities of the fifty fun-filled building activities in The Budding Builder. With great ways for children to take ideas from their limitless imaginations and to fashion them into reality, this book shows parents and kids how to create a fairytale cottage, make a marker organizer, carefully construct a toothpick sculpture, and build a bird feeder.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

Few things are as satisfying as the THONK! of hitting a target. With Coin Blaster Arcade, even novice sharpshooters can flick coins with surprising speed and accuracy using the included “coin blasters” — the world’s first coin-operated, finger-powered mini-cannons, only from Klutz. The book is full of awesome tabletop target games including Hot Shot Hoops, Break the Bank, Skee Coin, and Penny Putt Golf. Ten different games test your coin blasting mastery and let you dominate the kitchen table.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

This easy-to-use spiral-bound book includes reproducible pages of questions for students, a complete answer guide, and interpretive activities for each of the 32 styles presented from prehistoric art to the present. The book is designed to correlate with Crystal's DVD series Learn Art Styles with Lisa, as well as the Art Styles Posters and Display Cards, but can also be used as a standalone resource as well as with books and the internet as other sources of information.

Just imagine all of nature—mountains, prairies, oceans, and all—lying on your bed as a patchwork quilt. Take flora and fauna in their unique habitats, fold them up and you have a book, this book. Earth’s major habitats are spread before you, ready to be examined. Here in this beautiful package are revealed the key concepts of natural science. This patchwork quilt of nature covers the whole Earth to learn about, to enjoy, to care for, and to love.

Just imagine—you are a young orca whale. Your special friends are two cousins and your 100 year-old great grandmother, the clan leader. You learn to play with them, face danger with them, hunt with them—and even go people-watching with them. Based on actual orca, or killer whale, research, this book combines science with the real story of how family, friendship, and a grandmother’s love are helping this magnificent but endangered orca clan to survive.

Create fully formed outfits that are amazing from any angle. Use mix & match patterns to trace and cut shapes that are easily folded, wrapped, and rolled into tops, skirts, coats, and more. Photos, illustrations, and step-by-step instructions make assembly simple. Embellish your fashions, accessorize, and display on the custom hangers and dress stands. Comes With: 3 dress stands, 5 hangers, 20 sheets of double-sided patterned paper, 6 sheets of tissue paper, 18 pattern pieces, 1 sheet of stencils, ribbon, clear cording, sequins, glue. Launch date: July 6, 2012.

This Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Action Figure stands approximately 6 inches tall. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is the Story of Greg Heffley's trying days as a middle school boy. Greg writes in his journal describing his pre-teen trials and triumphs.

From Basher, the illustrator who made science too-cool-for-school, comes a fun and funky poster and sticker book to introduce the youngest readers to the wonderful world of Basher Science. Featuring some of the friendly and iconic superstars of the best-selling titles in the series—Rocks and Minerals, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Planet Earth, Oceans, and Physics—as well as four pages of reusable stickers and gentle, child-friendly text, this book is an appealing, interactive treat for the youngest science hounds. Launch date: July 2012.

From the bestselling illustrator whose friendly take on science has revolutionized our understanding of everything from the periodic table to the universe, comes a fresh take on technology as only Basher can do it. Discover the secrets behind the devices we take for granted, and learn about the amazing inventions that have transformed our lives. From the Movers and Shakers who power our physical world, to the Gizmos, Home Bodies, and High Rollers who power our vehicles, entertainment, and smartphones—and pretty much everything else around us—Technology is a compelling guide to the big-bytes whiz-kids, powerhouse motors, and other characters who drive our inventive, highly engineered world. Launch date: July 2012
— As of 07/24/2012 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 2 reviews on Amazon.com.

Inference Jones provides short, fun, and easy-to-use activities that improve critical reading and higher order thinking by developing the student’s ability to draw inferences from written text. Research shows inferential reasoning is a prerequisite component to superior reading comprehension. Launch date: February 2012.
Awards: Creative Child Magazine

Children love to make up stories, and these 40 creative projects and activities encourage them to free their storytelling instincts. Younger children will love making story stones and a storytelling jar, and then will love using them to create stories of their own, while older kids will enjoy word grab bags, story walks, and journaling exercises. For everyone ages 5 to 12, whatever their reading level, this book has everything needed to spark an infinite number of child-created stories. 144 pages. Launch date: September 2012.

When Cora and her younger sister, Mimi, are sent to stay with their elderly aunt in the isolated village of Byers Guerdon, they receive a less-than-warm welcome. Auntie Ida is eccentric and rigid, and the girls are desperate to go back to London. But what they don't know is that their aunt's life was devastated the last time two young sisters were at Guerdon Hall, and she is determined to protect her nieces from an evil that has lain hidden for years. Along with Roger and Peter, two village boys, Cora must uncover the horrifying truth that has held Bryers Guerdon in its dark grip for centuries - before it's too late for little Mimi. Riveting and intensely atmospheric, this stunning debut will hold readers in its spell long after the last page is turned. In an exquisitely chilling debut novel, four children unravel the mystery of a family curse - and a ghostly creature known in folklore as Long Lankin. Launch date: July 2012.

It's a rainy day, so Posy decides to stay at home and do some baking. With the cupcakes safely in the oven, she settles down to lick the bowl when a large, blue, furry paw appears at her window. A moment later, a monster walks in- oh, no! But something about the monster looks familiar...Pip and Posy are friends (most of the time!) in the newest title in this series about the dramas of toddler life. Launch date: July 2012.

Maisy and her friends love everything to do with Halloween - painting faces on pumpkins, dressing up in costumes, bobbing for apples, and especially going out to trick-or-treat. But they can't do any of these things unless their little fans join the festivities by completing each scene with colorful stickers. Launch date: July 10, 2012.

Play with your favorite SpongeBob Squarepants™ characters in this 3in1 activity book. The activities include Magic Pen® Painting, Invisible Ink and Sticker Puzzles. The Special Pen reveals the invisibly printed pictures. The Special Pen also produces a rainbow of colors instantly. Unscramble the stickers to create a surprise picture. Each book includes 24 pages of fun, a special pen and 2 jumbled sticker puzzles.

Play and learn with your favorite Dora the Explorer™ characters. The activities include Magic Pen® Painting, Invisible Ink and Sticker Puzzles. The Special Pen reveals the invisibly printed pictures. The Special Pen also produces a rainbow of colors instantly. Unscramble the stickers to create a surprise picture.
Book 1: Each book includes 24 pages of fun and a special pen.
Book 2: Each book includes 24 pages of fun, a special pen and 2 jumbled sticker puzzles.