Ahhh...toy nostalgia, it is one of the best parts about my job. Toys, like so many other things in life, are cyclical. What was hot 20 years ago, is now hot again, and that is true for our next toy. The Ponyville Sweet Sundae Amusement Park is a play set with cute, tiny My Little Pony figures that is sure to capture your little girl's heart. Check out our Tiny Toy Tester below:
Ponyville Sweet Sundae Amusement Park...
And here is what our Amazon.com parent had to say about the toy... Rating System: On a five star scale, one being horrible, five being wonderful.
Assembly: 5 stars, "Assembly took less than one minute"
Fun Factor: 4 stars, "Since the day she began to play with the toy, she’s disappeared into her room asking for private “pony time” and this toy has already gotten ton of use. I can’t figure out why she likes this toy so much. This is her first MLP toy and she’s never been to an amusement park, but this has been endless fun. My daughter has dreamed up many scenarios, brought in other toy figures to play with the ones provided, and seems to really enjoy making up new dialogue and interaction between the play figures and the toy itself."
Educational Factor: 1 stars, "Not an educational toy, but it will inspire imagination."
Novelty Factor: 3 stars, "The toy generates the same kind of play as a doll house or other situational toy with small figures in a separate fixed setting. We have a doll house but it had gotten old. Sounds and lights worked great (once we turn the demo switch off) and are still going strong. The slide can be propped on a table for a good run and crash to the floor which has been great fun. However there is only one pony that comes with this large toy set so once the pony is gone/lost I wonder whether the rest of the toy will become unappealing."
--Laura McMullan
So this year, many people have been telling me that they are downsizing the amount of presents they are buying and going for one large present, and maybe a stocking stuffer or two. So what are this year's hottest big toys?
1. Kota- You have seen the video, you have heard the news, and yes, Kota is all that and a bag of leaves. If you have a dinosaur lover, you can't go wrong by giving them their own pet dino this holiday. (and a bonus, he is now $100 off!)
2. The Melissa and Doug Classic Deluxe Kitchen - Every toddler and preschool kid loves to play kitchen, and what better way to play than with a classic wooden kitchen. A microwave, and oven, and a sink can all lead your little one on daily cooking adventures.
3. Elmo Live - it dosen't get much better than a toy that will tell you stories and jokes. This year Elmo is back and better than ever. Squeeze his nose to hear him "honk" and then say "excuse Elmo!". It's sure to bring on the giggles (even with adults!).
4. Giddyup and Go Pony - Do you have a toddler who is bouncing off the walls? Well, put him to work russlin' up the cattle with the Giddyup and Go Pony. He or she can bounce to make the pony go, and burn off some of that endless energy.
5. Melissa & Doug Multi-Level Solid Wood Dollhouse - This is every little girls' dream home- pink on the outside and lots of rooms to decorate on the inside. No cheap plastic here, this model is built to be a family heirloom.
6. LEGO Mindstorms NXT - Have a 'tween or teen that is into computers? You might start them on a career in engineering with the LEGO Mindstorm. This programmable robot has touch and light sensors that let you build a vast array of machines. Your child's imagination is their only limitation with this amazing toy.
7. LEGO Star Wars Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon - Looking for the ultimate Star Wars gift? Do you know a fan who has everything? Put them to work with this mind-blowing LEGO kit which has over 5,000 pieces! (You can also receive 10% off instantly at checkout for a limited time!)
8. Fisher-Price Power Wheels AT Rex - Ready for adventure, and ready to rule the neighborhood, this ATV is not only a fully functioning Power Wheels vehicle, it's also a fearsome dinosaur. (Check out our video) This is a present that will be talked about as "the best present ever" for years to come.
9. Fur Real Friends Biscuit My Lovin Pup - Who out there didn't ask for a puppy for a present at least once? Give them what they want this holiday without having to worry about the carpet, who will feed him, and shoes being destroyed. Biscuit responds to your commands, and will even "shake" paws with you.
10. LeapFrog Didj Custom Learning Gaming System - Got a little gamer who is asking for the newest handheld game? But you would rather them spend their down time exercising their mind? Then the present you need is the LeapFrog Didj, a fully customizable gaming system that will let your gamer play  with Hannah Montana, Sponge Bob, Star Wars and more, and still grow their little brains at the same time. (For a limited time, you can also make a gift bundle with the Didj, and save $20!)
Looking for even more holiday gift ideas? Check out our December Deals, Most Wanted Holiday Toys, Toys Under $9.99 and Newest Outlet Deals.
-Laura McMullan
In this edition of YA Wednesday, we quote more adults talking about teen readers.
Why girls read and why boys don't (really?)...
A couple of essays are stirring things up in the YA world this week:
"What Girls Want," The Atlantic
 In an essay that weaves childhood-reading memoir with a glowing review of the first Twilight book, Caitlin Flanagan ponders the escapism of girlhood reading:
"The salient fact of an adolescent girl’s existence is her need for a secret emotional life—one that she slips into during her sulks and silences, during her endless hours alone in her room, or even just when she’s gazing out the classroom window while all of Modern European History, or the niceties of the passé composé, sluice past her. This means that she is a creature designed for reading in a way no boy or man, or even grown woman, could ever be so exactly designed, because she is a creature whose most elemental psychological needs—to be undisturbed while she works out the big questions of her life, to be hidden from view while still in plain sight, to enter profoundly into the emotional lives of others—are met precisely by the act of reading."
She also adds: "I hate Y.A. novels; they bore me."
Colleen Mondor responds to this statement (and several others) on GuysLitWire. Also discussed on Finding Wonderland and the Miss Rhumphius Effect.
"Wanted: Male Role Models, There's a good reason why boys don't read," School Library Journal
YA author Gail Giles (Right Behind You) concludes--based on writing for teens, talking to teenage boys, 
and her own experience as a single mother--that boys stop reading because they don't see men reading: "...children copy their elders. They want to be what they see. A boy doesn’t want to be a woman. He wants to do what a man does. And if he doesn’t see a man reading, he won’t read."
She segues into her conclusion with this digression, which I'll leave for you to read and parse out:
"Boys aren’t elephants, but these hefty creatures and teenage boys occasionally have a lot in common."
(Found via Finding Wonderland.)
For kids who do read, and do like YA...
John Green posted his ALAN conference speech (addressing teachers and writers) last Monday and is still getting rave comments, mostly from teenagers. A few highlights:
 "Literature is not just in the business of See Jane Run. Literature is in the business of helping us to imagine ourselves and others more complexly, of connecting us to the ancient conversation about how to live as a person in a world full of other people."
"And this cannot be accomplished in books without what one kid I recently met referred to as “all that English stuff.” All that English stuff—metaphor and symbolism and the creative use of language."
"There has been much talk in the past few months about whether Octavian Nothing is indeed a book for teenagers and whether teenagers can “get” it. I am convinced that they can get it at least as well as we can and maybe better, that generations of teenagers will hardly know who Octavian is or what he means, but that he will be filter and fibre to their blood nonetheless. Octavian, and books like it, are challenging. But in this room, we know that young people can rise to intellectual challenges. I know because the course of my life was altered by teachers who challenged me, who assumed I was smart and refused to acknowledge otherwise despite considerable evidence. We know the importance of never selling kids short and never selling them out, because I’d imagine we’ve all seen our lives changed by teachers who believed in us."
Quick links...
School Library Journal lists their Best Books for 2008, an "amazingly strong year for YA novels."
YA Picks:
What I Saw and How I Lied, Graceling, The Hunger Games, Waiting for Normal, Little Brother, Paper Towns, Tender Morsels, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, The Door of No Return, Sunrise Over Fallujah, The Adoration of Jenna Fox, Here Lies Arthur, Becoming Billie Holiday, and Impossible.
BoingBoing recommends books for young readers in part one of their Holiday Gift Guide.
Author Tina Ferraro tells the story on Boys, Books, Buzz... of how her nephew used her book, Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress, to pick up a "hot girl" (his words) in the YA section of the bookstore:
“Excuse me,” he said, holding up my book. “Have you read this?”
She looked up. “No, but actually, my sister did and loved it.”
He turned on The Smile. “Yeah, well, the author’s my aunt...”
“Really?” she said, smiling back.
He got her number. --Heidi
 When we began collecting votes for this year's editor's picks, we naturally thought that The Dark Knight, clearly the biggest box-office phenom of the last 10 years and a critics' favorite, would assume the mantle of Best DVD of 2008. Imagine our surprise, as the votes were tallied, when a little film called Juno gently nudged Batman off his gargoyle perch instead. It seems forever ago that Juno ruled the Sundance crowd, then charmed the Academy, then came to the brink of overexposure in one fell swoop. But our editors remembered everything they loved the first time around: the starmaking turn from Ellen Page, the turnscrew dialogue by Diablo Cody ("This is one doodle that can't be un-did, homeskillet."), the Moldy Peaches, and even that hamburger phone.
Here's the list of the top 10 DVDs the Amazon editors picked as Best of 2008. For the full 100, check it out here. More Best of the Year lists to come in the coming days.
1.  Juno
2.  The Dark Knight
3.  Iron Man
4.  John Adams
5.  Mad Men: Season One
6.  Dexter: The Complete Second Season
7.  The Office: Season Four
8.  Sex and the City: The Movie
9.  30 Rock: Season Two
10.  3:10 to Yuma
How does this compare with your own favorite DVDs? Here's the list of the top 100 Customer Favorite DVDs of the Year (hint: You guys really like your Stargate). -- Ellen
Technorati Tags: best of 2008, best of the year, DVD
Today we have some new super cute toy testers who are going to show you the EyeClops Night Vision Infrared Stealth Goggles. Take it away girls... (and dad!)...
EyeClops Night Vision Infrared Stealth Goggles...
And here is what the Amazon Parent had to say about the toy...
Rating System: On a five star scale, one being horrible, five being wonderful.
Assembly: 5 stars, "No really assembly required other than installing the batteries."
Fun Factor: 5 stars, "They thought that seeing in the dark was really cool. Once I helped them with fitting it to their heads and showing them where the power switch was, they did just fine. I would give it a 5, because I really want one myself!"
Educational Factor: 2 stars, "Not terribly educational unless the kids ask me how the camera works and amplifies existing light. It would probably grow with them as they needed it. I don’t see them using night vision goggles all the time. They would take them with us camping and to outdoor activities where we would be staying overnight."
Novelty Factor: 5 stars, "I would say 5, because there is nothing out there in a similar price range and is nothing like anything else my children own."
To get in the holiday mood, many of us adults go to religious gatherings, decorate our homes, attend parties, watch holiday movies, and cross everyone off our holiday shopping lists. But for children, much of how they experience the world is through play. I know I have said it quite a bit, but pretend play is learning play; it is how a child can comprehend the complicated world that surrounds them. One of my four year old's favorite things to play is "picnic". She brings out her tea set, play food, and stuffed animals (and occasionally her younger brother is allowed to join in) and they sit on the floor on a blanket and enjoy a pretend meal. I am pretty sure that will now change to playing "Thanksgiving" and "Christmas morning" now that the holidays are in full swing.
There are several toys out there that can help your 
kids and your family get in the holiday spirit. One fun thing about these toys is that they can become a family tradition, and come out each year at this time, making them cherished memories for years to come.
Religious traditions can be thrilling to children, but also can be confusing. Many times, when they are able to "play" and act out these traditions
they become less shrouded in mystery and more understood and enjoyed. There are many Hanukkah toys that let children do just that. The
KidCraft Hanukkah Set includes a menorah, candles, a dreidel, and
pan with potato latkes.
There are also some great play nativity sets, including the Playmobil Nativity Set. While 
grandmother's china or crystal nativity is beautiful, you might not want your child playing with it. A play nativity set is a great way to let your child act out the nativity story they have heard so often, but not break any family heirlooms.
Special holiday games can help families spend some time together. Often we get bogged down in holiday shopping, parties, and special events that we forget to slow down and just play a board game or put together a puzzle as a family. These can be the most special times of the holiday, when we slow down for a few minutes and come together as a family. And what fun to play a
rousing game of A Christmas Story Monopoly and then watch the movie together with a huge bowl of popcorn? (I can't wait until my kids are old enough to understand this movie- it is a holiday favorite around our house!)
One of the best parts of the holiday is simply the anticipation. Something that we have started this year 
for the first time is an |
