TDmonthly Top Toy Award Winners July 2012

TDmonthly Honors 3 Top-Notch Specialty Toy Manufacturers

By Justina Huddleston
July 2012

TDmonthly Magazine is excited to announce our TDmonthly Top Toy Award winners for July 2012. We've selected these toys to feature to our 14,600 retailer subscribers for a number of reasons, including their top quality, high play value, and/or status as a proven best seller. By awarding these Top Toys, TDmonthly hopes to help our subscribers, unique monthly online visitors, retailers and consumers make the best possible choices when deciding which toys to buy.

The TDmonthly Top Toy Award winners for July 2012 are:

Calin from COROLLE DOLLS
Why it Won: Specialty retailers interviewed by TDmonthly Magazine have named Corolle's Calin line of dolls as a best seller for six years in a row. These high quality baby dolls have soft bean bag bodies and posable limbs, making them a great toy for both naptime and playtime.

Groovy Girls from MANHATTAN TOY
Why it Won: Manhattan Toys' Groovy Girls line shares the distinction of being named a best seller by retailers for six years in a row. The soft fabric dolls come in a variety of skin tones and hair colors, and wear funky outfits that buck tradition and promote self expression.

PlanWood Dancing Alligator from PLANTOYS
Why it Won: PlanToys has updated their classic Dancing Alligator pull toy, which is now made from PlanWood. PlanWood is made from the sawdust and wood chips left over from regular PlanToys production and is non-toxic. It's great to see a manufacturer stepping up to the plate and rethinking their classic products so that they cause less harm to our fragile environment — all without compromising the quality of the finished product.

(See full descriptions of these winning products / examples of winning product lines at the end of this article)
_{No nominees or winners paid a submission fee to be considered or chosen, and we strictly limited the number of award winners, evaluating products based on the above criteria, as well as favorable review from retailers, consumers, experts or TDmonthly staff.

For more information on submitting your products for awards consideration, see this article.}

Calin Sorbet by COROLLE DOLLS

Thanks to its cuddly soft, beanbag body, Calin Sorbet can be posed just like a real baby. Calin baby dolls can wear any fashion from the Mon Premier collection. Corolle also offers a wide selection of nursery accessories specially sized for Calin babies. 12 inches tall. Blue sleeping eyes.
― In a May 2012 survey about dolls, 5 out of 11 retailers said that Corolle's Calin line of dolls was their top seller. 12/8/2011 (MSRP: $34.95)

Calin Yang by COROLLE DOLLS

Calin Yang has brown sleepy eyes and natural-looking rooted hair that can be combed and styled. She can also be posed like a real little baby. All Corolle dolls are made with vanilla-scented vinyl. Their clothing reflects current styles and fabrics. Calin Yang is part of Corolle’s Mon Premier collection. She has accessories that will encourage little girls aged 18 months and up to take care of her all day long.
— “We do sell several Asian dolls,” noted Gwen Bowden, manager of Doodlehopper 4 Kids in Springfield, Va. “There are a lot of adoptions [here], and we try to carry a diverse selection of dolls that kids can play with. Ten percent of toy-store owners said Corolle dolls were great sellers for the holidays 2006.
― “Corolle [sells] head and shoulders above anything else,” said Sue Hottel, owner of No Kidding in Mattapoisett, Mass., of her doll department in May 2010. Two retailers told TDmonthly in late spring 2010 that Calin Yang is their top-selling doll. Twenty of 43 retailers named Corolle as their best-selling doll brand. 11/30/2006 (MSRP: $28.95)

Calin Naima by COROLLE DOLLS

Suitable for ages 18 months and up, this soft doll with a beanbag body is 12” tall and can be posed like a real baby. She has sleeping eyes and can wear all clothing from the Mon Premier collection.
— Corolle has “constantly improved the line,” said Gail Grabish, owner of a Pocketful of Toys in O'Fallon, Mo., about the company’s lineup, including Naima, at Toy Fair 2008. “They have really pretty sculpts this year, and then really cute clothes.… The ethnic faces are great.” 3/20/2008 (Age: 1 and Up)

Groovy Girls Katrina by MANHATTAN TOY

Katrina is always the most fashionable at the party. Her colorful dress has features one of her favorite colors, purple. Not only is her dress purple, so is her hair; purple highlights are cleverly mixed in with a brownish-red color. Her appearance is striking her trendy outfit and her ultra-sweet personality. Launch date: 2012.
— In a June 2013 survey, three out of 11 retailers told TDmonthly that Groovy Girls from Manhattan toy were their best-selling dolls.
— In a June 2014 survey, three out of 10 retailers told TDmonthly that Groovy Girls are their best-selling doll. 5/24/2012 (MSRP: $20.00)

Groovy Girls Gabrielle by MANHATTAN TOY

Groovy Girls Gabriella is quite the social butterfly. She is always looking for new friends to meet. Her satin eye-catching pink and purple satin gown match the pink highlights in her rich chocolate colored hair. Launch date: 2012.
— In a June 2014 survey, three out of 10 retailers told TDmonthly that Groovy Girls are their best-selling doll. 5/24/2012 (MSRP: $20.00)

Groovy Girls Fleurabella by MANHATTAN TOY

This plush doll is ready for a garden party in her perfectly coordinated hair and outfit. Her jewel-toned hair is styled into a bun and echoes the bright hues of her flower-adorned dress.
— In a Summer 2011 survey, 2 out of 14 retailers told TDmonthly that Groovy Girls were their best-selling doll. Linda Laramy, owner of Crackerjacks Toys and Childrens Books in Easton, Md., told TDmonthly that she sells about 5 Groovy Girls each month.
— Five percent of 40 specialty retailers told TDmonthly in early summer 2010 that Groovy Girls dolls are a top seller for girls ages 4 to 12.
― In a May 2012 survey about dolls, 2 out of 11 retailers said that the Groovy Girls line was their best seller. 7/29/2010 (MSRP: $20.00; Age: 3 and Up)

PlanWood Dancing Alligator by PLANTOYS

Made from the new collection of PlanWood materials, the classic Dancing Alligator has been remade using this new sustainable wood to delight children. When pulled along, the alligator moves his head and tail up and down making a click-clack sound. Created to maximize the usage of the reclaimed rubber trees, PlanWood uniquely provides an even safer, higher quality and more affordable product, while maintaining the eco-minded excellence and unforgettable design consumers have come to expect from the PlanToys brand. PlanWood is made from the sawdust and wood chips left over from regular PlanToys production. By adding some organic pigments for color, mixing it with less than 1% of their non-formaldehyde E-zero glue and pressure molding the mix, a new safe and non-toxic material was born. Launch date: 2012.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Green Toys 5/18/2012 (MSRP: $20.00; Age: 1 to 2)