October 2008 Notable Toys — All

Marvel's Spider-Man Regener8'r transforms into eight different type of vehicles. Lights and sound add to the fun.

These two-sided placemats teach correct placement of utensils in a place setting and offer a distinctive way for kids to learn what goes where. They can be colored over and over with washable markers. Separate placemats are available for elementary and preschool children. The perimeter text of the elementary version also teaches the “Do’s” and “Don’ts” of table manners.

Toy Vault's first ever specialty plush line is based on H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu stories. Dolls range from 6" to 16" tall. Made of soft plush fabric, they're filled with beans to give them weight. aLook for Secret Agent Cthulhu and Super Hero Cthulhu coming soon.

In addition to featuring Sen. Barack Obama, his wife, Michelle, and their daughters, Malia Anna and Sasha, this 32-page paper doll set includes a biography of Sen. Obama, an "Election Night Scorecard" and an array of outfits, including a tux and business suit for Barack and a gown and wedding dress for Michelle, along with shorts, shirts and coats for the girls. "We're doing well with McCain and Obama paper dolls from Dover Publications," Owner Teresa Ford of Kids' Ketch in Lewes, Del., told TDmonthly in late September 2008. "Obama's outselling McCain three to one, if that's any indication."

This replica of how the Monster Book of Monsters appeared in the movie Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban comes complete with teeth, tongue, and multiple eyes. When you pull his tongue, the Monster Book vibrates.  For added bonus, try gently pulling the tongue out. When you let go, the 10.5" X 8.5" X 3" Monster Book will vibrate.

Play 20+ games from the double-deck combinations of color and rhythm cards. These card games are designed for families, classrooms, and large or small groups. The color cards use the Chroma-Notes™ colors that match the C Major Diatonic Scale Set of Boomwhackers Tubes. Package contains 48 color cards, 48 rhythm cards, 2 wild cards, 2 music word cards, and instruction booklet.

This commemorative set features Sen. John McCain and his wife, Cindy, along with outfits they've worn  during the campaign and during other important life events. McCain can be outfitted with a white tie and tails, a sweater and slack duo, and  other options, while Cindy can wear her wedding dress, an interview suit, a gown and more. The 38-page set includes a biography of John McCain plus an "Election Night Scorecard." Launch date: 2008.

Originally from the 1960s, Mille Bornes involves a car race across France via a card game. Players must avoid traffic hazards and earn points along the way, while keeping a close eye on — and sabotaging — their fellow players. The game contains 106 illustrated cards.
— Amanda Lepley, manager of Finnegan’s Toys and Gifts in Portland, Ore., named Mille Bornes as her best-selling card game in summer 2008.
— “We carry several, but I’d say Mille Bornes [is the top seller],” remarked Richard Stoecklein, owner of The Toy Factory in Jacksonville, Fla.
— Three of 64 retailers named the game as a top-selling card game in August 2008.

A simple card game, Old Maid is played by two to eight players who try to make pairs out of randomly dealt cards.  Pairing up is the only way to eliminate cards from a hand, but each round every player has to take a card that he or she has not seen from another player’s hand and hope it makes a pair!  The game is over when only the ‘Old Maid’ card is left ― the one card in the deck that has no match ― and the person holding it loses.  This set from eeBoo features whimsical illustrations for children. Launch date: 2002.
— “It’s a classic game with adorable illustrations!” Kim Emigh, VP of e-commerce at Growing Tree Toys in State College, Pa., told TDmonthly.
— Five of 64 retailers named Old Maid when asked about best-selling card games in August 2008. This version from eeBoo is one of many on the market.
— Nathan McKelvey, manager of Toy Castle, LLC in Jonesboro, Ar., told TDmonthly in a September 2011 survey that Old Maid is one of his top-three bestselling card games.

A complete foundation to building a customized deck of tradable Pokémon cards, this starter set is a great way to get into the action of the expandable trading card game.  Through the character-based cards, children play as competing Pokémon trainers, using the different creatures and abilities in their decks to try and best their opponent as their Pokémon battle.  Further cards can be purchased or acquired through trading, giving the game a substantially more social aspect than simply playing with a friend or two.  Children must think ahead, deciding what will give them the best chance as their build their decks and use strategy in the game-play itself.
— David Marks, owner of Learning Express of Westport in Westport, Conn., said Pokemon is still his top seller. “There's been a resurgence after a couple of years,” he told TDmonthly.
— “Pokemon's been kind of ridiculous. We can't keep Pokemon in stock,” Michelle Deutschmann, owner of Kaleidoscope Toys in Falmouth, Mass., told TDmonthly in August 2008.
— Four of 64 retailers named Pokémon when asked about best-selling card games in summer 2008. The Toy Chest in Cary, N.C., sells between 30 to 50 card packs per month, Owner Sharon Heath said.

Part of the Steiff Classic line, this dark grey Alpaca Teddy is jointed and made out of fine quality mohair. Featuring the authentic “button in ear” trademark of the Steiff company, this stuffed bear represents both traditional styling in the body and face, as well as traditional artisanship. The bear is surface washable and wears a studded collar.
—  Of 64 retailers surveyed in August 2008, five percent said Steiff represents their top-selling collectible toy.

A member of the current line of collectible Beanie Babies from Ty, Boomer is a caramel-colored plush pup with darker ears and a spot around one eye. He has a soft, bean-filled body, shiny plastic eyes and nose, and wears a ribbon collar around his neck. 
—  “Beanie Babies are still sold,” Chuck Susmilch, owner of JT Puffins in Madison, Wis., told TDmonthly.
—  Six percent of 64 retailers said in August 2008 that Beanie Babies continue to be a mainstay of their sales in collectibles.

The World of Elves line from Schleich brings a fanciful air to the carefully detailed figurines that Schleich has been producing for many years. In the World of Elves, a great battle between good and evil is played out between the Sun elves and the Shadow elves.  The wolf-riding character Jaro adds to an extensive host of characters for children to collect and illustrate their own creative stories with. Launch date: Spring 2008.
—  “The Schleich Fairy line has done very well,” said Jackie Englehart, assistant manager at Great Rocky Mountain Toy Company in Bozeman, Mont.
—  “We sell a lot of Schleich,” said Wallace Harvey, buyer and manager at Three Cheeky Monkeys in Los Angeles, Calif., when TDmonthly asked about his best-selling collectible toys.
—  Margy Peine, owner of Tree House Toys in Cumberland, Md., said in August 2008 that she sells an average of 100 Schleich animals and knights per month.

Breyer’s Bluegrass Bandit model is a replica of a champion Tennessee Walking Horse of the same name. The 1:9 scale sculpture is hand painted with great attention to detail, and no two are exactly alike. Bluegrass Bandit is part of Beyer’s Traditional line.
—  “I sell a lot of Breyer horses … 20 to 30 per month. We're in horse country,” explained Mike DiAndrea, manager of The Hardware Centre in Paoli, Pa.
—  “People are still into collecting them,” added Greg Bonner, owner of Heights Toy Center in Little Rock, Ark.
—  Retailers reported average sales of 20 Breyer horses per month to TDmonthly in August 2008.

This highly detailed figurine is hand-painted and historically accurate. Almost all Papo Figurines can stand on their own or ride any of the horses. "The concept of creative imaginative play continues to be something that retailers and parents are very pleased with," Larry Hotaling, president of Hotaling Imports, Papo’s U.S. distributor, told TDmonthly. "It’s something that’s [otherwise] lacking with today’s children ... Papo’s been very well received." Launch date: April 2008.
—  “They're popular because they're cool. [Kids] can play with them alone, or here in the store.  They'll sit down on the playmat and they'll set up their guys, and they'll have wars,” said Linda Angel, owner of Kidoodles Toys in Norman, Okla., of the popularity of her Papo figurines. “The girls are buying the princess fantasy and fairy tale figures. And when they're not playing with them they make great room art and [the kids] can display them.”
—  Eight percent of 64 retailers named Papo as their best-selling line of collectibles in August 2008.

This family of cute, flocked cat figurines, all with names and characters in the storyline of Cloverleaf Corners — the neighborhood where International Playthings’ Calico Critters live — comes with a mother, a father and two babies, all just the right size for the wide variety of accessories and friends included in the series.
—  “[They’re] nice imagination toys,” said Jackie Englehart, assistant manager of Great Rocky Mountain Toy Company in Bozeman, Mont. “[They] also have a variety of price points and little kits, so you can go all or small.”
—  Of 64 retailers surveyed by TDmonthly in August 2008, 8 percent named Calico Critters as their best-selling collectible toy.
— “Calico Critters continue to develop new characters and play sets, and … provide what I feel is much-needed imaginative play,” said Joe Berardoni, Sr. of Pun’s Toy Store in Bryn Mawr, Penn. in October 2008.

Designed to allow kids to express their feelings through art, this activity book explores a different feeling for every letter of the alphabet and encourages use of the imagination.

More than 50 pages of activities are included in this book by Margaret M. Connery-Boyd and Brendan F. Fitzgerald. It allows kids to color pictures of players Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter as well as Yankee Stadium, and includes crossword puzzles, word searches and games about the team.

This camouflage tank is part of the brand's Extreme Metal Series.

Medium weight cotton apron with "Best Cook ... Hands Down" printed on the apron. Includes paints for handprints, directions, and a gift card.

Quality heavyweight 100-percent cotton t-shirt with "Best Mom .... Hands Down!" printed on the shirt. T-Shirt also includes paints to add handprints on the t-shirt, directions and a gift card.

Quality heavyweight 100% cotton t-shirt with "Best Dad .... Hands Down!" printed on the shirt. T-Shirt also includes paints to add handprints onto the t-shirt, directions, and a gift card.

This African version of the Good Samaritan story is written by Kunle Oguneye and illustrated by Bruce McCorkindale. When a fish, stork and elephant come up with excuses for not helping an old woman whose clothes have fallen into the river, Sikulu the spider and Harambe the hippo come to her rescue and are surprised to be rewarded for their help.

Based on the official Ninja Gaiden II box artwork and in-game 3D model, First 4 Figures has captured Ryu Hayabusa's intensity and deadly demeanor from the Xbox 360 video game Ninja Gaiden II. In Ninja Gaiden II, Ryu must battle the evil Black Spider Ninja clan and Four Greater Fiends to avenge the honor of the Hayabusa Clan and protect Humanity from destruction. The base of the statue is covered in artificial grass and features Ryu walking through a graveyard of swords from fallen warriors. He comes equipped with his signature Dragon Sword, Eclipse Scythe, and a Falcon's Talon. At 1/4 scale, Ryu stands at 18 inches tall and when you include his Eclipse Scythe, he stands at 31 inches tall. Limited to 1,999 pieces worldwide. Comes in deluxe full color packaging, hand numbered base, and includes a Certificate of Authenticity