October 2008 Notable Toys — Puppets

This white cat hand puppet stands 12" tall and wears a bowtie around its neck.

This soft plush hand puppet takes the appearance of a lion. The puppet stands 12" tall, with a bowtie at the neck.

Adding to the Folkmanis family of award-winning dragon puppets is this timeless symbol of heraldry, the Wyvern Dragon. It’s easy to manipulate the velvety mouth and tongue of this scaly green iconic beast and have fun for ages and ages! Designed for ages 5 and up. MSRP: $49.99.

Measuring 48” long and covered with gold “scales,” this puppet is based on the traditional Chinese dragon. The eyes, tongue and mouth can all be controlled by a hand inside the puppet’s head.  Finishing details include bright gold fabric on the claws and horns, soft plastic teeth, and a long snake-like tongue.  —“Red or Blue Dragon from Folkmanis,” Molly McMullin, manager of Twirl in Ranchos de Taos, N.M., told TDmonthly when asked to name the store’s best-selling plush or puppet in early summer 2008.
—“[We] reorder [Folkmanis] about every eight weeks,” said Diana Nelson, owner of Kazoo & Company in Denver, Colo.
—Twenty-nine percent of the 62 retailers surveyed named Folkmanis as their best-selling line of plush.

The most critical difference between this realistic 8” tall hand puppet and the real thing is the soft, shaggy fleece that makes up his “spines.” Spaces to engage all five fingers allow kids to move his arms, legs and head. Turn him inside out and he appears to curl into a tight ball, the hedgehog's natural defense response in the wild to protect against predators.
— “They continually upgrade and the favorite ones change seasonally; they change [their products] based on what’s new and exciting,” Ray Goodhart, owner of Ages & Stages Toy Box in Golden, Colo., told TDmonthly in June 2008 about puppet-maker Folkmanis.
— “They're probably the highest quality of any of the plush and puppets I've had in the store,” remarked Dave Brisbois, owner of The Toy Dept. in Pasadena, Calif.
— “All their puppets are fantastic,” said Jeanne McCullough, owner of Children's Store Inc. in Boise, Idaho.

The whole family will enjoy this cuddly panda puppet, a total delight for children and adults alike. Realistically rendered in creamy white and brown-black fur with soft plastic claws on weighted paws, this panda puppet is a gentle tribute to its swiftly disappearing wild counterpart. Hand enters from chest area to work the mouth and front legs.