Another winner from CORDUROY creator, Don Freeman

EARL THE SQUIRREL, published by Viking, is the story of a squirrel whose mother wants him to become more independent. What scrapes he gets into when he's out on his own!

The Li'l Petey plush is based on the beloved character from Dav Pilkey's DOG MAN series. Measuring 6.5 inches long, this soft toy features embroidered stripes and a friendly smiling expression. Made with quality materials, it's designed for children ages 6 and up and meets safety standards for all ages. This plush makes a fitting addition to DOG MAN merchandise collections.

This garbage truck plush is inspired by the TRASH TRUCK books and animated series created by Max Keane. It features embroidered facial details and movable arm lifts for interactive play. Measuring 11 inches long, this soft toy is designed for children ages 1 to 5. The design stays true to the beloved character from the stories, making it an engaging companion for young fans of trucks and vehicles. All materials meet safety standards for this age group.

It’s bedtime and Llama Llama is snuggled under his covers ready for sleep. Suddenly he feels so alone! He needs his mama. Where is Mama!!! She soon comes back with a hug and a kiss — “Mama Llama’s always near, even if she’s not right here.” Now, at last, Baby Llama can fall asleep. Llama Llama Doll is a soft and warm bedtime companion. "Llama Llama Red Pajama," "Llama Llama Mad at Mama" and "Llama Llama Misses Mama" are written by Anna Dewdney and published by Viking.

Everyone needs to have a friend at school. But when it’s the first day of school and the friend you bring along is a mouse and your school is for cats, things might not go as planned ... Join Splat as he makes new friends and takes care of his old ones in the best-selling books by Rob Scotton. Coming this fall: Merry Christmas, Splat.
—"It's a known series, and it's good and not too scary," said Mary Walsh-Martel, owner of Magical Child in Greenfield, Mass. It was one of her 2010 Halloween sellers.

When aliens fly down to Earth,
They don’t come to meet YOU . . .
They simply want your underpants –
I’ll bet you never knew!
Are you perhaps missing some underpants? Kids can see this one-eyed monster, clad in briefs, in action in the zany, hilarious book by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort. "Aliens Love Underpants" is published by Barron’s Educational Series.

This famous pig has a sassy personality and a big imagination, and has delighted readers for years in the books by Ian Falconer. This doll, dressed in her classic red dress, is full of charm and wit, designed to delight Olivia lovers of all ages.

Jane Yolen and Mark Teague's remarkable series is a delight for children and adults. The books are a warm and no-nonsense way of helping kids manage the important things in their lives—going to bed, eating their food, coping with being sick, and going to school. By using humor and showing what a dinosaur would and wouldn’t do, the books make things easy to understand for even the smallest child. Dolls come in 14" ($16.00) and  8" ($9.00) sizes.

From Grace Lin's latest, LISSY'S FRIENDS

Lissy is an Asian-American character whose origami animals help her make friends in a new school. From Grace Lin's newest book, to be published by Viking in May '07.

“The Kissing Hand” by Audrey Penn tells the story of a raccoon who would rather stay home with his mother than go to school. Then his mother shows him a secret — she can kiss his hand and all during the day while he’s at school, all he has to do is press the hand to his cheek to feel the warmth of her kiss. The doll is the perfect companion for any child separated from home or loved ones. Chester is part of “a line of toys that kids love, parents praise, and teachers acclaim!” according to Betsy Foster of MerryMakers. Launch date: March 2007.

This 9-inch doll was inspired by Melinda Long and David Shannon’s bestselling book, which tells the story of Jeremy Jacob and his stay with a band of pirates, and was published in 2003 by Harcourt. It’s the perfect gift for all pirate fans. “Our dolls are careful renderings of favorite characters, made of the highest quality with meticulous attention to detail. We take our inspiration from what inspires children — fun, laughter, mischievousness, adventure, and time spent with family, friends and teachers,” Betsy Foster of MerryMakers told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2007