toys & family entertainment, march 2010

Table of contents

March 2010volume 5, no. 4

features24 Keeping it real with board games

by Chris Adams

28 board games: Product Presentationby Chris Adams

30 Putting it All Togetherby Paul Narula

31 Puzzles: Product Presentationby Paul Narula

32 A new Kind of storytellingby Laurie Leahey

34 children’s books:Product Presentation by Laurie Leahey

36 Specialty Emporium:Product Presentation by Paul Narula

departments4 observations & opinions

6 sizzlers

8 specialty sizzlers

10 The Ticker

12 All Access

14 entertainment Marketplace:

Dinosaur Train

16 Merchandise Makers:

Alex

18 industry Forum:

TIA

20 industry Forum:

ASTRA

22 industry Forum:

Design Edge

38 calendar of events

on this page(left to right): Hasbro Games’

Scrabble Flash, Fundex’s

Barbie Puzzle Pizzazz,

Buddy from The Jim Henson

Company’s Dinosaur Train,

and Random House’s

Little Golden Books

Triceratops for Lunch

on the cover(clockwise from upper left):

Fundex’s Inch Worms, I Can

Do That! Games’ Dr. Seuss

The Cat in the Hat—What’s in

the Hat? Game, Wild Planet’s

Crayola Guess My Picture

Game, LEGO’s Minotaurus,

Bananagrams’ Oh-Spell!, and

Mattel Games’ Bezzerwizzer

cover by Design eDge

Toy Fair’s Happy Recap

4 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MARCH 2010

OBSE

RVAT

IONS

&OP

INIO

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Last month’s American International Toy Fair was a success. I can-not tell you how happy I am to be able to write that sentence. TheToy Industry Association’s (TIA) annual trade show held in NewYork City began with the 10th Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards.The TOTY Awards present the perfect opportunity to connect

with industry colleagues. The highlight of this year’s celebration was theinduction of two industry icons into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame: Walmartfounder Sam Walton and chief creative officer for Disney/Pixar JohnLasseter. The acceptance speech given by Lasseter was truly remarkable. Hevery eloquently explained how magical toys can be and what a lastingimpact they can have on children. His love and passion for toys led him tocreate one of the all-time great movie franchises: Toy Story. A great TOTYevening was surpassed by the next four days of toy business.

The momentum of Toy Fair began on the first morning of the show and con-tinued well into its final hours days later. All exhibitors I spoke with over the fourdays of the show were very satisfied with the amount of consistent traffic and thedesire of attendees to write orders. One of the complaints about recent Toy Fairshas been that the show became a specialty-only show. Several exhibitors told methat this year’s show was different. The specialty store owners were certainly plac-ing orders. Yet exhibitors told me they were visited by several of the leading massmarket brick-and-mortar buyers as well as the same outlets’ dot-com buyers.

Manufacturers once again presented buyers with many great new toys aswell as solid line extensions. This should be a good year for licensed toys.Several blockbuster movies are slated for release this year that will featuregreat toy play. The leader this year is certainly Toy Story 3 and it is one thatI am looking forward to seeing.

I spoke with TIA president Carter Keithley during the TOTY awards. Heremarked to me how there seemed to be a buzz of optimism that evening inthe room. I certainly agreed with him. That optimism carried over into thenext four days of Toy Fair. Can it be that the darkest days are behind us?Judging by this year’s Toy Fair, that just might be the case.

BY BOB GLASER

CORRECTION: In the February issue of Toys & Family Entertainment,the company FAN STAMP was mistakenly labeled as if it were a productfrom JAZWARES. These are two separate companies and not related in anyway. FAN STAMP (product shown on the left) comes with easy-to-applydesigns and logos that transfer onto the skin. The designs can be wipedaway, but are sweat- and water-resistant.

JAZWARES has an extensive line including products for the upcoming A-Team movie from Fox. Jazwares is the master toy licensee and will offeraction figures, vehicles, electronics, and much more. The company is devel-

oping a consumer electronics line for Skelanimals. Jazwares was also recently named master toy licens-ee for Cartoon’s Network’s Robot Chicken. We are sorry for any confusion this may have caused.

DoraTradeAd_Royalties.indd 1 1/21/10 6:43 PM


SS IIZZZZLL

EERRSS

Here is an alphabetical listing of the hottest-selling items in the toy industry, based on

a combined survey of both offline and online retailers, reflecting the previous month’s sales.

Sizzlers: What’s Moving Off Store Shelves? What Are the Hottest Web Orders?

BAKUGAN BOOSTER PACKS

Spin Master

BLOKUS

Mattel

BOP IT

Hasbro

CHUCK MY TALKING TRUCK

Hasbro

LEGO STAR WARS

ASSORTMENT

LEGO

MIGHTY BEANZ

Spin Master

MINDFLEX

Mattel

SCRABBLE SLAM

Hasbro

SCRIBBLE & WRITE

LeapFrog

STAR WARS FIGURE ASSORTMENT

Hasbro

WWE FLEXFORCE FIGURE ASSORTMENT

Mattel

ZHU ZHU PETS & ACCESSORIES

Cepia

Mindflex

LEGO Star Wars

WWE FlexForceRey Mysterio

Figure

WWE FlexForceUndertaker Figure


SPECIALTYSIZZ

LERS

Specialty Sizzlers: What’s Moving OffStore Shelves in the Specialty Market?

BANANAGRAMSBananagrams

BAND IN A BOXMelissa & Doug

FUN STYLE HAIR ACCESSORIESCreativity for Kids

GROCERY CARTMelissa & Doug

HEXBUGInnovation First

MAGNA-TILESValtech

MY FIRST PURSE IN PURPLEInternational Playthings

QWIRKLEMindWare

SET GAME ASSORTMENTSET Enterprises

TWILIGHT LADYBUGCloud B

Bananagrams

This is an alphabetical listing of the hottest-selling items in the specialty segment of the toy industry,

based on a survey of independent toy and gift retailers, reflecting the previous month’s sales.

Twilight Ladybug

Fun StyleHair Accessories

SET The Family Gameof Visual Perception

Toy IndusTry AssocIATIon Announces ToTy AwArd wInners

More than 400 executives from across the toy industry gathered to honor their peers at the tenth annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards pro-

gram and Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The annual gala paid tribute to the best in toys and children’s entertainment; outstanding achieve-

ments by individuals, teams, and companies; and the creativity and playful spirit upon which the toy industry is based. Zhu Zhu Pets by Cepia

LLC was named as the overall Toy of the Year winner and captured the Girl

Toy of the Year and Innovative Toy of the Year category awards. Additional

winners include: Crayon Town by Wild Planet (Activity Toy of the Year),

Bakugan 7-in-1 Maxus Dragonoid by Spin Master (Boy Toy of the Year),

Mindstorms NXT 2.0 by LEGO Systems (Educational Toy of the Year),

Rubik’s TouchCube by Techno Source (Electronic Entertainment Toy of

the Year), Sort It Out! by University Games (Game of the Year), Zhu Zhu

Pets by Cepia (Girl Toy of the Year), Crayola Beginnings Color Me A Song

by Crayola LLC (Infant Toy of the Year), My 1st Scooter by Radio Flyer (Outdoor Toy of the Year), Bakugan by Cartoon Network (Property

of the Year), and Captain Owen’s Dolphin Explorer Boat by Sprig Toys (Specialty Toy of the Year). There was a tie for Preschool Toy of the

Year, with Tonka Chuck & Friends Chuck My Talking Truck by Playskool and Bilibo by Active People sharing the honors.

PArenTs MAgAzIne TeAMs wITh MAnhATTAn Toy

Parents magazine (circulation 2.2 million) announced during Toy Fair that it is teaming with Manhattan Toy to develop a new line of

contemporary products for children. The new Parents line of toys is expected to debut at the ABC Kids Expo this October.

The line will launch with a collection of developmental toys for preschoolers. The toys will be designed to encourage musical inter-

ests, stimulate imaginations, and inspire roleplay. Additional preschool toys will be added to the Parents line in January 2011, with infant

products added in July 2011. The toys will be available for sale at specialty toy and gift retailers.

sPIn MAsTer And TITMouse To co-develoP The sPecIAl offers

Spin Master Entertainment and Titmouse, Inc., announced a new partnership to co-develop and produce a new tween-targeted animat-

ed musical television series called The Special Offers. The show was created by Titmouse’s Keith Fay and features the music of Fay and

Gina Schock, best known as the drummer for the Go-Go’s. Spin Master Entertainment’s Matt Wexler and Jennifer Picherack and

Titmouse’s Keith Fay and Shannon Prynoski will serve as executive producers of the television series.

Spin Master and Titmouse will partner to take the show to market with Spin Master serving as the global merchandising, licensing

agent, and toy maker for the brand, with Titmouse Entertainment creating the animated musical series and holding the global music rights.

unITed MedIA To develoP goodnIghT Moon lIcensIng ProgrAM

United Media announced it has extended its relationship with HarperCollins Children’s Books by signing on to develop and manage a

licensing program for the classic bedtime story, Goodnight Moon, written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd.

United Media also works with HarperCollins Children’s Books on the Fancy Nancy property.

United Media will craft a lifestyle program of Goodnight Moon merchandise intended to comfort infants and toddlers during the day

and seamlessly transition them from book to bed. Targeting newborn, infants, and toddlers, the core product categories will include appar-

el/accessories, domestics, room décor, gifts, and infant and preschool toys.

A Recap of Industry HeadlinesVisit www.aNbMedia.com for More


TheTICKeR

GoGo’s Crazy Bones Television series in The Works

Producer/distributor Breakthrough Films & Television, Martomagic, and PPI Worldwide Group have partnered to develop a tele-

vision series for Gogo’s Crazy Bones. Gogo’s Crazy Bones are both collectibles and

used in various children’s games. They are available in three packs, five packs,

and collector tins and feature hundreds of characters in multiple colors and

designs. Each Gogo’s Crazy Bones character has its own personality, strength,

power, and score to enhance collectability. Joy Tashjian Marketing Group is the

North American licensing agent on behalf of the brand.

a squared and arChie ComiCs Team up WiTh sTan lee

A Squared Entertainment and Archie Comics announced a collaboration with Stan Lee, founder, chairman, and chief cre-

ative officer of POW! Entertainment (Lee is also known as the co-creator of Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men, and Iron

Man, among many others.), to create a new print and digital comic book line. Scheduled for release first is a new, original mul-

timedia series called Super Seven to be distributed in print, online, on air and at retail. It’s the story about seven aliens who

find themselves stranded on planet Earth after their spaceship crashes, only to be befriended by none other than Lee himself.

Taking them under his care, Lee becomes their

leader and enables them to resume their lives as

superheroes on Earth.

CBs Consumer produCTs unveils

BeasTly liCensinG lineup

CBS Consumer Products announced recently

more than a dozen licensees to launch a new mer-

chandising line in support of CBS Films’ motion pic-

ture Beastly, opening in movie theaters in the U.S.

and Canada on July 30, 2010. Starring Vanessa

Hudgens (High School Musical) and Alex Pettyfer

(Wild Child, Stormbreaker), Beastly is an edgy teen

romance about learning how to see past false sur-

faces to discover true inner beauty. Products will

include merchandise from the apparel/accessory, gift,

toy/game, social expression, publishing, stationery,

and costume categories.

CBS Consumer Products has lined up a comprehen-

sive list of licensees to support Beastly in myriad cate-

gories. Jerry Leigh and Accessory Innovations will lead

the apparel and accessory program. Bif Bang Pow and

Fundex headline the toy/game category, and Storm City

will launch the Beastly video game.

MARCH 2010 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 11

TOY FAIR 2010: A STAR-STUDDED EVENT

ALLAC

CESS

Mattel/Fisher-Price’s Dance Star Mickey was unveiled inthe Javits Center with the help of reigning Dancing with the

Stars champion Donny Osmond (pictured in the center).Also on hand for the unveiling was Neil Friedman, president

of Mattel Brands (on the left), and Vince Klaseus, seniorvice-president of global Disney toys (on the right).

Toy Fair 2010 took place last month in New York’s Jacob Javits Convention Center. It was a star-studdedevent with actors Robert Downey Jr. and Donnie Osmond and wrestler Triple H introducing productsduring the course of the show. In addition to scheduled appearances, we spotted Supernanny Jo Frostand celebrity chef and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich reviewing products. Here is just a sampling ofwhat took place over the four-day show.


The public has voted! Barbie has two newcareers. Mattel announced career No. 125,which is news anchor, shown on the left.Career No. 126 is a computer engineer,

which is shown on the right.

John Lasseter was inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame.Lasseter is shown here holding the plaque. Neil Friedman,

president of Mattel brands, is on the left. Shown on the right isAndy Mooney, chairman of Disney Consumer Products.

Toy Fair kicked off Sunday morning with Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3presentation that included new toys as well as appearances from JohnLasseter. The filmmaker revealed a look at Toy Story 3 with an all-new

film trailer introducing a plush bear character namedLots-O’-Huggin’ Bear, (seen exclusively on the February cover ofTOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT), which is one of the 14 new toysfeatured in the film. Lasseter is shown here examining a replica

of himself created entirely of LEGO bricks for the event.

Gund was showcasing the30th birthday One-of-a-KindSnuffles. The bear is drippingin diamonds, wearing a dazzlingbirthday necklace that is nearly 10carats on a white gold chain. This10-inch Snuffles, valued at nearly$10,000, is made from the softestwhite alpaca fur and features genuineleather accents on the nose. Snuffles’gray eyes are created with 100 percent black Tahitian pearls.


The Cake Boss from the TLC series createdthis cake for the 25th anniversary of the

introduction of MEGA Bloks.

Actor Robert Downey Jr. is holding a Tony Stark figurefrom Iron Man 2 in Hasbro’s showroom.

Actor Taylor Lautner, star of the upcomingsuperhero adventure film Stretch Armstrong,from Universal Pictures and Hasbro, tries out

the Nerf Raider blaster during a visit toHasbro’s showroom.

WWE Superstar Triple H joinedMattel to launch Mattel’s first

line of WWE action figures andaccessories during Toy Fair.

Three things that preschoolers love are dinosaurs,trains, and exploring. And what better way to givepreschoolers what they love than by merging allthree of those things into a television show? OnSeptember 7, 2009, The Jim Henson Company’s

animated series Dinosaur Train pulled into the station and kidsclimbed aboard to follow a dinosaur family on adventuresthrough prehistoric lands.

This CGI-animated series, for ages 3–6, features Buddy, apreschool-age Tyrannosaurus Rex. Buddy is adopted by Mr. andMrs. Pteranodon and brought to their nest to hatch at the same timeas his new siblings, Tiny, Shiny, and Don. Buddy andhis new family have a desire to learn all about the differ-ent types of dinosaurs. They board the Dinosaur Train to traveland explore the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous worlds.Kids join Buddy and his adoptive Pteranodon family on voy-ages through prehistoric jungles, swamps, volcanoes, and oceans as they unearth basic con-cepts in natural science, natural history, and paleontology. The Conductor provides passen-gers with “cool Dino facts” along the way.

Each episode includes two 11-minute animated segments as well as live-action seg-ments featuring paleontologist Scott Sampson. Dr. Scott, as he is called on the show, givespreschoolers specific facts about dinosaurs and compares their features to animals of today.

The show’s educational component extends to the PBS Kids website atpbskids.org/dinosaurtrain. On this interactive website, Buddy, Tiny, Mrs. Pteranodon,and the Conductor guide children as they discover natural history and paleontologythrough fun games and activities.

But the website isn’t Dinosaur Train’s final stop. The Jim Henson Company hassigned numerous licensees for Dinosaur Train preschool products, including Learning

Curve (the global master toylicensee), Random House, Grosset& Dunlap, Patch Products,Pressman Toy, Wiesner Products,and Imagine Apparel, among oth-ers. The licensed products, most ofwhich will debut this fall, will offerpreschoolers a way to extend thefun of the show at home and keepDinosaur Train chugging along.

THE JIM HENSON COMPANYBY LAURIE LEAHEY

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NEED TO KNOW

• Dinosaur Train was created by Craig Bartlett,who also createdNickelodeon’s Hey Arnold!

• The characters of Buddyand Tiny are voiced by realchildren. Eleven-year-oldPhilip Corlett voices Buddyand his 9-year-old sisterClaire Corlett voices Tiny.Their dad Ian Corlett is thevoice of the Conductor.

• Dinosaur Train airsMonday through Fridayon PBS Kids. (Checklocal listings.)

• Dr. Scott Sampson, whois featured on the show, is adinosaur paleontologistfrom Canada. He has written one book, DinosaurOdyssey: Fossil Threads inthe Web of Life, and is atwork on a second book.

DinosaurTrain’sBuddy

a scene from Dinosaur Train

CRAYOLACrayola signed on

to produce a varietyof coloring books andColor Wonder setsbased on DinosaurTrain. Shown is theDinosaur Train ColorWonder Markers andColoring Pad.


RANDOM HOUSERandom House signed on to

publish a range of kids’ booksbased on Dinosaur Train. The dealsees Dinosaur Train-themed color-ing and activity books, as well asillustrated Little Golden Books(shown). The program is set tolaunch this fall.

PRESSMAN TOYPressman Toy recently signed on to pro-

duce games based on Dinosaur Train. In theworks are a Pop ’N Race Game, Make aMatch Game, and All AboardGame (shown), which will featurecharacters and educational con-tent from the show. The gameswill be available this fall.

LEARNING CURVELearning Curve Brands signed on as the

global master toy licensee for DinosaurTrain. Under the multi-year agree-ment, Learning Curve will pro-duce a line of preschool products thatbrings to life the world of the series.Shown is theDinosaur TrainDino Fun Buddy.

CALIFORNIACOSTUMECOLLECTIONS

California CostumeCollections recently signedon to produce Halloweencostumes based on characters

from Dinosaur Train. Shown isthe Buddy costume. A costumefor Tiny will also be available.

HALLMARKHallmark will pro-

duce Dinosaur Train-branded party goods,ornaments, and greetingcards. An example ofwhat the greetings cardswill look like is picturedon the right.

As a young mother, NuritAmdur (co-founder andCEO of Alex) was struck bywhat she felt was a majorproblem in the arts and crafts

market for children. “Products were eitherof poor quality or they were full-fledgedartist’s quality tools being sold to children,”says Amdur. Instead of simply frettingabout this issue, Amdur set out to create aline of products that could be a compromiseof the two: a high-quality art kit that wasstill geared toward children. Joined by herhusband Rick, Amdur founded Alex in1986 with the creation of a plastic lunchbox filled with arts and craft suppliescalled My Art Bin. The product wassuccessful and Alex has continuedto build on that success, grow-ing into a company withhundreds of productsacross a wide vari-ety of categories,including art,craft, bath, style,baby, and pre-school. The com-pany’s products are sold in more than 80countries, ranging from Mexico andGuatemala to Qatar and Indonesia, andAlex continues to expand its retail initiativewith its latest endeavor, which is placingAlex retail stores around the world.Despite its growth, Alex has continued

to stay true to the philosophy that ledAmdur to the creation of the company’sfirst art kit. “Our products incorporate thekey elements of fun, learning, and interac-

tion,” says Amdur. All of Alex’s art kits aredesigned to allow children to completethem on their own or with help from a par-ent, creating opportunities for family playand bonding or the confidence-boostingresults of having completed a project all ontheir own. “Parents want their kids to learnand kids want to have fun,” says Amdur.“Our products bridge this gap by embed-ding the didactic element in the toy. . . butshh, don’t tell the kids!”

One of the major focuses of Alex when itcomes to toy designs is the way childrenapproach different stages of social, emotion-al, and physical development. The companyprides itself on attention to detail, which issupported by its internal design and childdevelopment teams. Alex makes productsthat span a wide variety of ages and gendersand the company’s research allows it to deter-mine exactly what each demographic is look-ing for and helps Alex create a positive expe-

rience for its consumers. “The positive expe-rience that an Alex product creates results inrepeat sales, which helps us foster a relation-ship with the consumer,” says Amdur. Oneexample of a line that was helped with thisdedication to research is the Alex LittleHands range of products, which fills the nichefor supplies and craft kits for children ages2–5. The products are large and chunky to beeasily handled by children and each kit isdivided into separate individually wrappedprojects, allowing one child to play with oneproject at a time or letting multiple childrenplay with the same kit simultaneously with-out getting in each other’s way. “These age-appropriate, attainable projects are perfectlysuited to the attention spans and abilities ofthe youngest creative minds,” says Amdur.Staying true to form,Alex has more than

100 new items hitting the shelves in 2010 inevery one of its product categories. Thoughthe recession did slow the company’s busi-ness down, its international market helpedsustain it through the slower months andthe company will continue to expand. Alexis celebrating the fifth anniversary of itsLittle Hands product line with the new Talkof the Farm interactive toy, which was ondisplay at Toy Fair this year. Amdur and hercompany have gone far beyond the art-sup-ply lunchbox they started with 24 yearsago. “It was the humble beginning of a bigdream to create the world of Alex—alifestyle brand of well-designed, high qual-ity products for kids,” says Amdur.

KEEPING KIDS CREATIVEBY PAUL NARULA

MER

CHAN

DISE

MAK

ERS


Alex’s newest productsinclude the Foil Bead Maker(above) and the Talk of the

Farm play mat (left).

Thousands of toys destined forstore shelves were recentlyunveiled at the AmericanInternational Toy Fair heldFebruary 14–17 at the Jacob

Javits Convention Center in NewYork City.The Toy Industry Association (TIA)scoured the toy floor and its more than100,000 products on display to identify thisyear’s top trends. What’s the grade for thisyear’s toys? Each gets an “A” as in: Active,Accessible, Affordable, and Aspirational.

ACTIVE

Active play exercises the body whileactive intelligence and active imaginationengage young minds.Active play gets kids up and moving and

promotes healthy lifestyle choices. Evenproducts that have a high-tech componentare fostering “kid-generated action” byincorporating movement into game play

(such as with the Wii gaming system).Focusing on “play with a purpose,”

active imagination and active intelligencetoys (such as arts and crafts) and gamesstimulate the mind and creativity throughhands-on play. Many of this year’s imagi-nation-centric products empower child-sized roleplay with dolls and action figures;others encourage kids to create things theirown way through engaging arts and craftsand science/discovery offerings. Brainteasers and problem-solving toys andgames incorporate strategic play scenarios,cooperative teamwork, or competition.

ACCESSIBLE

Accessible play means small and portableitems for kids and families on the move.Compact editions of toys and games—including classic board games revitalizedwith open-ended and customizable formatsand shorter play times—create fun on the run.By capitalizing on the tech world, this

trend also gives kids of all ages anytimeaccess to their favorite ways to play. Inaddition to an incredible array of eye-pop-ping formats (some in 3-D), a number ofiPhone apps and eReaders are incorporatingthe latest gaming and spatial learning tech-nologies to make content readable,playable, and fun. Photos, tweets, and texts,YouTube and Facebook posts, blogs, andmore are giving families new ways to com-municate, socialize, and share their worldswith others who have similar interests.

AFFORDABLE

Affordable accurately describes a broadrange of products—many priced at $25 or

less—that includes attention to detail, addi-tional features, and extended play value.Consumers will continue to be cost-

conscious well into 2010. But families ona budget will find that toymakers havepumped up the products this year withdetails to delight both kids and adult col-lectors. Parents will find incrediblesculpting and detailed designs at surpris-ingly low price points.Another key affordability factor is the

extended pennies-per-play value thatcomes from construction sets, arts andcrafts projects, and child-sized roleplayactivities that let kids play again andagain with different results.

ASPIRATIONAL

Aspirational toys and games empoweryoung people to think and play in ways thatpositively influence their emotional andintellectual development.From earth-friendly products to eco-

awareness toys to products that teach aboutcharity, mentoring, and giving back to com-munities, an influx of new youth-orientedproducts are helping small kids learn bigconcepts and empowering them to enactchange along the way.The aspiration trend also includes an

array of interesting educational offer-ings—not just toys and games that indi-rectly teach, but formal curriculum thatcan help to guide parents, caregivers, andeducators as children take a hands-on,active role in their learning.

For more information on the Toy IndustryAssociation, visit www.toyassociation.org.

TIA UNVEILS TOP TRENDS FROM TOY FAIR


BY ADRIENNE APPELL, TOY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

INDU

STRY

FORU

M

This is justa sampling

of companiesthat showednew product

lines atthis year’sToy Fair.

It’s an appealing idea. Take theplunge, start your own business,and enjoy the rewards of being yourown boss. That means more free-dom and more time off, right?

Wrong, according to many hard-workingindependent toy retailers who are membersof the American Specialty Toy Retailing

Association (ASTRA). In fact,getting away from the store—whether for a well-deservedvacation or for attending keyindustry events such asASTRA’s annual Marketplace& Academy—presents bigchallenges for small retailerswho are an integral part of

their store’s day-to-day happenings.Retailers are not alone, of course, in

their struggle to get a break from work.Americans lag well behind their Europeanand Asian counterparts in the number ofvacation days they take each year. Italiansget an average of 42 days; the French, 37;and the Japanese and Koreans, 25—com-pared to the U.S. average of 13.

Time off is precious indeed—and formost ASTRA members, likely to be lessthan the national average. If you need totake some time off, establish a plan, whichwill benefit you, your employees, andyour customers.

•• EMPOWER EMPLOYEES. “Failing toempower your employees is a classic mis-take of small business owners,” says KateTanner, owner of Kidstop Toys & Books inScottsdale, Ariz. “We need to provide a

working environment that creates trust,loyalty, and confidence in each other’sdecision making. I always make sure I havea second in command on my staff so I canget to shows such as ASTRA’s Marketplaceor take time for something special like a10th anniversary trip with my husband.”

Some experts suggest that if you’rethinking of taking time off, have staffwrite up daily routines and procedures sothey demonstrate their understanding ofthe responsibilities.

•• TEST OUT THE SYSTEM. Take shorttrips. If you’re not 100 percent sure thatyour staff is up to the job of running things,take a couple of days off without leavingtown. Any gaps in their ability to managewill emerge and you can either beef upyour training or rethink how you staff yourstore when you are gone.

•• KEEP IN TOUCH. Linda Hays, ownerof Hopscotch Toys & Games inMcMinnville, Ohio, often finds herself tex-ting staff when she is on the show floor atASTRA’s Marketplace or Toy Fair.“Sometimes I’m helping them manage aproblem and sometimes I’m sharing infor-mation about a new toy I’ve found,” saysHays. “In any case, I tend to keep a closewatch on the numbers while I’m away andcheck in with the staff at least daily.”

•• DON’T KEEP IN TOUCH. Work on con-taining the amount of contact with staff. Ifyou’re time away is about vacation (asopposed to a business trip), make a decisionabout staff contact before you go. Are yougoing to be part of the 29 percent of entrepre-

neurs who are in touch with their businessesevery day while on so-called vacation, or areyou going to set up an emergency-only con-tact plan with your staff? Experts suggest weall need occasional rest and renewal, but ifyou’re just not wired to let go entirely, con-tain your contact to a 10-minute, pre-sched-uled debriefing call with employees each day.

As you plan your time-away strategy,remember that everyone has differentdown-time needs. Hays prefers short breaksof a day or two—and her ideal scenario isnine days away (two successive weekendsand the week in between.) Tanner found away to squeeze in a luxurious three- to four-week vacation last year (some of which wastending to aging parent needs and some forthe anniversary trip), but she does notexpect that amount of time off every year.“My main concern is setting up my businessso I can do a longer vacation if and when Ireally need one,” says Tanner.

Whatever your time-off needs and strate-gies, however, Tanner points out that onething is crystal clear. “The only way youcan do it,” she says, “is to generate enoughsales to pay staff to cover for you. One ofthe big reasons that I work so hard on mymarketing program is that it pays off in theform of truly relaxing time off. The connec-tion between the two is very motivating.”

Kathleen McHugh is president of theAmerican Specialty Toy Retailing Association(ASTRA). For more information, visitwww.astratoy.org. ASTRA’s Marketplace &Academy takes place June 13–16.

TAKE A VACATION:CAN INDEPENDENT RETAILERS TAKE TIME OFF?


BY KATHLEEN MCHUGH, ASTRA

INDU

STRY

FORU

M

Ijust attended my 18th consecutiveNew York Toy Fair. But to get tech-nical, I have been to many more. Igrew up around the design side ofthe toy business and helped out at a

few Toy Fairs here and there while attend-ing high school and college. At that time,I was cutting comps, painting decos, andbuilding out showrooms in the ToyBuilding. It was a bustling time. It was anexciting time. Things moved fast andshowrooms were packed.

Things are very different today. Thepast few years I have seen fewer and fewerpeople attend the New York show, but NewYork is not alone. I have also seen fewer

people at the Hong Kong and Nurembergshows, too. It seems trade shows are farless necessary than they used to be. Thesedays companies are meeting with retailersoutside of the trade shows.

Just a few years ago there was a buyingseason; today we are preparing presenta-tions, prototypes, and packaging compsfor sales meetings all year long. Todayyou can email a buyer an entire presenta-tion rather than travel thousands of milesto make the presentation.

Do the shows serve a purpose? For methe shows are a good way to see clientsface-to-face and chat with the buyers. Theshows, especially New York, are far more

important to the small to mid-size compa-nies than to the huge companies. I see thistrend as a good thing. It gives the start-upsand small to mid-size companies face timewith buyers, reps, media, and designers.So, yes, for now these trade shows stillserve a purpose and I am happy to reportthat this year’s Toy Fair seemed busier andmore positive than the Toy Fairs of thepast few years. But let’s see if that holdstrue five years from now. Stay tuned.

Design Edge is a graphic design andresearch development studio. Matt Nucciocan be reached at [email protected] at (516) 377–0500.

The Designer’s Perspective: The Times They Are a Changin’


BY MATT NUCCIO, DESIGN EDGE

INDU

STRY

FORU

M

We live in a time where people have access to, and uti-

lize, numerous means of social networking. People

have abundant options to “interact” with their social

network, including Facebook, MySpace, Twitter,

blogs, vlogs, and

LinkedIn, just to name a few. While

these types of sites certainly do have a

role in today’s world, sometimes they

forget about the “social” part of the

social networking equation. They lack

the true face-to-face interaction that is

offered in real-world scenarios.

Of course, that is not to say that

there isn’t a need and a demand for

actual socializing. There certainly

is. This greatly benefits a toy cate-

gory that fosters face-to-face

socializing; the success of the

game category over the past

year or two is a testament to

the demand for real world,

real time socializing.

“In the board game

industry, we all understand the com-

petitive pressure of newer,

technology-driven play

experiences like video,

internet, and iPhone

games,” says Jacobe

Chrisman, CEO and

founder of I Can Do That!

Games. “However, these

experiences have yet to

truly capture the same social, face-to-face interactive

experience a great board game can.”

While the game category has benefited from serving as a counterbal-

ance to digital means of interacting and entertainment, that’s not to say that

the digital realm—which can foster short attention spans with its 24-7

access to virtually anything—hasn’t had an effect on board games. The

myriad factors that have lead to shorter attention spans in consumers have

certainly left an imprint on the games category.

“Everything today is quicker and faster paced,” says Tim Weiner, vice-

president of marketing at Cadaco. “People have shorter attention spans and are

looking for stimulation. If they like a game, they can play additional rounds.”

Cadaco’s lineup is indicative of this. It consists of games that are

fairly simple and quick to understand and play. This concept is certain-

ly evident throughout the game category and has even influenced clas-

sic board game titles.

Hasbro Games has a stable of some of the most iconic games in the

industry’s history, including Monopoly (which celebrates its 75th

anniversary this year), The Game of Life (which celebrates its 50th

anniversary this year), Scrabble, and Operation. Part of the reason

behind the longevity of these games is their high-profile status and part can

be attributed to Hasbro’s adjusting game play for each new generation.

“At the core, the fact that they are such great games has kept them at

the forefront,” says Phil Jackson, group executive for Hasbro Games.

“We keep them relevant, topical, and

ready for each generation. Over

time we refine games and make

them better playing games.”

Entertainment

Value

Of course, acting as a coun-

terbalance to social networking

is one factor in the success of

the game category over the past

few years, but it’s not the

biggest. The ongoing economic

uncertainty has consumers turn-

ing to the game category for

multiple reasons: the entertainment

value per dollar that the category offers, the comfort of the

familiar classics the category offers, etc.

“During tough economic times, families look for more affordable

entertainment options and a board game can provide hours of entertain-

ment time and again,” says Jim Pressman, president of Pressman Toy

Keeping It Real with Board Games


BY CHRIS ADAMS

Literary properties are amainstay of the game category.

New licensed game introductions for 2010 includethe Dr. Seuss The Cat in theHat What’s in the Hat? Gameby I Can Do That! Games andthe Diary of a Wimpy Kid The

Cheese Touch Game byPressman Toy Corp.

Corp. “Interestingly, we’ve seen consumers drawn to

more traditional board games that bring the fam-

ily together around a living room or kitchen

table. More expensive DVD games—once popu-

lar—are being phased out.”

Not only are consumers showing a preference

for traditional board games, they too are attracted to

classic titles and modern updates to these industry

stalwarts. This year will see the introduction of a host

of updates to classic titles that focus on the

tried-and-true word game play pattern.

Cadaco will introduce Tripoley Word while

Hasbro will introduce an electronic update

to the classic with Scrabble Flash.

A classic brand from another category

that has seen growth amid a weak economy will be entering the game

category this year. LEGO plans to enter the category in a big way with

the introduction of 10 games in 2010.

“We conducted significant research in nearly

100 new concepts for the LEGO brand, and board

games was the clear winner among children

and their moms,” says Michael McNally,

brand relations director at LEGO. “When look-

ing beyond the construction category, we

looked for a solid, evergreen category where

we could drive fresh, welcomed innovation through a

new way to play with the LEGO brand, while at the same time

adding a social dimension to LEGO play that makes it a ‘friends and fam-

ily’ opportunity for building.”

Property Play

Beyond classic board game titles, licensing is another way that game

manufacturers add the comfort that comes with familiarity into their lines.

Updates of popular gamesTripoley and Scrabble will beintroduced this year in the

form of Cadaco’s Tripoley Word(this page) and Hasbro Games’Scrabble Flash (opposite page).


“Licensing brings immediate recognition to the con-

sumer,” says Bonnie Canner, vice-president of market-

ing at Cardinal Industries. “When a parent chooses a

licensed product for their children, there is a comfort

level with the characters.”

Of course, just putting a label on a game’s box doesn’t

make for a successful licensed game. The license has to

marry itself with the game’s play.

I Can Do That! Games has seen success with marrying

literary properties with board game play. In fact, 2009 was

the company’s best year on record—the company experi-

enced 30 percent growth. “I believe our approach

to licensing is quite different than the tradition-

al industry approach,” says Chrisman. “We

work with trusted multigenerational literary prop-

erties and then we bring characters and story themes to life through origi-

nal game play experiences. We work very hard to innovate and develop

new game play mechanics that only further enhance and

expand upon the world of a character.”

The success of I Can Do That!’s literary property-

licensed games highlights a connection between the

board game category and the publishing industry. A lot

of publishing focuses around a strong story and playing

a game is very much like telling a story. This connection

has lead to strong board game offerings in major book-

sellers like Barnes & Noble.

Whether shopping in book stores or toy stores, online

or brick-and-mortar, or any of the other nontraditional

outlets where games are available, it is clear

that even amid economic hardship con-

sumers are buying board games to play

with their family and friends. The small

amount of money necessary to buy a board game is no comparison to the

quality time a good game can foster. That is priceless.



Board Games

BY CHRIS ADAMS

In a world with so many entertainment options, the classic board game play pattern stands the test of time.

In fact, the category is one of the strongest in the toy industry right now. Below is a sampling of some new

board games that will hit shelves in 2010.

Cadaco

Players can become the captain

of their favorite ship from Deadliest

Catch with this board game from

Cadaco. They must survive the haz-

ards of the Bering Sea as they race

to drop their crab pots and return to

port with the largest crab count. The

game is for two players or teams,

ages 10 and up.

Mattel

Mattel’s Bezzerwizzer is a game

of trivia, tactics, and trickery. This

new spin on trivia game play offers

20 categories of questions.

Fundex

In Inch Worms, players roll

the colored die and pull the

worms from the dirt until their

color is revealed.

Jax

In Sequence Letters, players

sound out the letter on their

cards, match it to the beginning

sound of a picture on the board,

and place a chip there.

Haywire

Haywire’s Rock Stars fea-

tures musical trivia and chal-

lenges. It includes an audio CD

and a microphone.

Cardinal

Cardinal Industries’ 2010

game lineup will feature

licenses such as Penguins of

Madagascar, Toy Story 3,

Marvel’s Spider-Man and

Iron Man, and Alice in

Wonderland. Also on the

way is a game based on the

latest installment in the

Twilight saga, Eclipse.

Briarpatch

Briarpatch’s Blockers! is a game

that lets players choose their own

strategy to create connected groups

of their own color while blocking

and capturing opponents.

Techno Source

Bubble Talk is a hilarious game

that challenges players to match

funny pictures with an array of

humorous captions. The game

includes 150 pictures and 300 cap-

tion cards.


Pressman

Among Pressman’s many 2010

game introductions is Heads in the

Sand. This 3-D board game sharp-

ens memory skills as kids play with

glittery ostriches. With each turn, a

player removes an ostrich from the

sand. If the ostrich’s head matches

the color the player needs, he or she

becomes one step closer to winning.

Also on the way from Pressman is

the NCIS Board Game, based on the

popular CBS drama.

Hasbro

During the 75th anniversary

year of Monopoly, Hasbro will

be introducing a new take on

that classic game with

Monopoly: Revolution. Players

travel around the circular game

board while trying to become

the wealthiest player by buying,

trading, and renting classic

Atlantic City properties.

I Can Do That!

Makers of the I Can Do That!

line of preschool games will be

launching a new family games

brand called ZimZala Games. The

line is designed for players 8 and

up. The ZimZala Games lineup

includes Konexi (shown), which is

a gravity-defying word game, and

Spotcha!, a game of quick reactions

where fast eyes and fast hands are

the keys to victory.

Gamewright

Gamewright’s Bingo Link is

a game based on Walter Wick’s

Can You See What I See? book

series. Players try to mark a path

between two pictures captured

on the board. The first player to

link two sides together wins.

Additional introductions include

Take the Cake, Order’s Up, and

Rory’s Story Cubes.

Wild Planet

Wild Planet has extended its

licensing agreement with

Crayola to include Crayola-

licensed board games. The line of

games includes Doodle Match,

which is a matching game in

which players practice matching

colors and objects. Additional

titles include Guess My Picture

and Color Mix-A-Roo.

LEGO

LEGO will be introducing 10

new board games that leverage

classic board game play of guess-

ing, strategy, memory, logic, and

chance. Minotaurus (shown)

challenges players to lead their

three heroes to the temple while

avoiding the Minotaur and plac-

ing walls to block their oppo-

nents. Additional titles include

Pirate Code, Race 3000,

Hogwarts, Magikus, Robo

Champ, and Ramses Pyramid.

Bananagrams

Bananagrams’ Oh-Spell is a card

game for ages 6 and up that com-

bines the concept of four patterned

suits with the 26 letters of the alpha-

bet. Also on the way is Zip-It, which

is a fast-paced anagram game that

can be played in as little as 20 sec-

onds. Its packaging makes it a per-

fect travel game.

Buffalo Games

Buffalo Games’ newest party

game is called Truth Be Told. Each

player acts as the host and reads a

question card and answers it honest-

ly while the other players try to

answer while pretending to be the

host. Then the host collects all of the

answers and reads them aloud while

the other players try to guess which

answer is the real host’s answer.

Taking a beautiful image, breaking it into a hundred pieces, andpainstakingly putting it back together again may not seem likethe type of thing anyone would find enjoyable. Yet this seem-ingly arduous task is exactly what anyone who cracks open apuzzle box will undertake. Puzzles continue to play a major part

in the lives of both children and adults and remain a strong category in toystoday. “People love puzzles because of the sense of accomplishment they getfor completing them,” says Jim Pressman, president of Pressman Toy.“There’s no deadline for completing a jigsaw puzzle.”In a time when a great deal of entertainment and play is centered on new

technologies, puzzles may seem to lack the attention-grabbing power of otherplay patterns. However, the category has more going for it now than somemight suspect. Many manufacturers point to theincreased desire of most families to focus more on activ-ities that can be done together, and puzzles certainly fallinto that category. “It’s a great pastime that generationscan do with each other,” says Jason Schneider, productdevelopment and marketing manager at Ceaco. In addi-tion, puzzles are often thought of as a great educationalaid for children. “The educational aspect of puzzles is anattractive draw for parents,” says Elise Gresch, generalmanager of the BePuzzled brand for University Games. Italso helps that puzzles appeal to both children and adult“puzzlers” as a hobby and a challenging activity. “Theserious puzzler will purchase, on average, 15 puzzles ayear and casual puzzlers will purchase 3–5 a year,” saysVeronica Sanchez, national director of sales at Discovery Bay Games. Inaddition, most basic puzzles don’t come with a high price tag, which hasmade them an even more appealing option as families tighten their budgets.“In a recessionary or down economy, puzzles become a low-cost entertain-ment activity that you can pass on to other puzzlers,” says Barrie Simpson,partner at The Canadian Group.Keeping a classic category like puzzles fresh can be a challenge, but many

companies have risen to the challenge. Sometimes, all it takes is an appealinglicense or a popular artist’s work. “For us, it’s usually about the licenses wepick and the images we choose,” says Marc Shinderman, general manager atBriarpatch. “The stories they read when they’re going to bed or the wonder-ful memories they have are a part of why consumers buy our products now.”Licensing is especially important in the children’s puzzle category, as there

are a number of popular children’s proper-ties out there that can lend agreat deal of weight to a pur-chase. “Importantly, puzzlesare a perfect low-price toy forparents to satiate a child’sneed to interact with his orher favorite characters,”says Jill Bazos, vice-presi-dent of marketing at Fundex.Adults can be drawn to licenses as well, but on-trend artwork can be more

important for older puzzle enthusiasts. “We make sure we maintain a goodrelationship with a number of artists and art houses,”says Guy Thomas, vice-president of puzzles and gamesat MEGA Brands. “When they see something new andfresh, we want to be at the front of their minds.”Beyond licensing, many companies have begun

changing the very nature of puzzles themselves to addnew dimensions to the game play. University Games, forexample, has created a line of mystery puzzles in whichpuzzlers read a short story and assemble a puzzle to solvethe mystery. Patch Products is adding 3-D puzzles to itsLauri brand, utilizing technology that has been used formovies. “We’ve taken a new technology and added itto a classic product,” says LisaWuenneman, director ofmarketing at Patch Products.

One company, 4D Cityscape, is going even further, adding the dimensionof time to a puzzle—players assemble a model of NewYork City that evolvesin the same way the city did over 200 years as the 3-D puzzle is put together.Puzzles have experienced a strong growth spurt thanks to the renewed

emphasis on family togetherness, but manufacturers don’t see this as a tem-porary boost. The category has continued to innovate, maintaining the inter-est of hobbyists and casual consumers. With a wide audience, an affordableprice tag, and constant innovation, most manufacturers are confident aboutbeing able to deliver strong product for a strong demand. “We are constantlyimproving the consumers’ experience with high quality materials, new for-mats, and the brightest, clearest, most colorful images possible,” says J.P.Clauson, president of The Lafayette Puzzle Factory. “At the end of the day,that’s what a puzzler wants and that is what we give them.”

Putting It All Together


BY PAUL NARULA

The Canadian Group will feature collectible tins ascontainers for a new line of art puzzles.

Fundex’s new Barbie Puzzle Pizzazz letschildren assemble and decorate their puzzle.


CeacoNew from Ceaco is the Gallery

Puzzle series. These puzzles comewith a frame that puzzlers can useto display their completed projectson the wall, on a desk, or anywhereelse a picture might be displayed.

Patch ProductsUnder its Lauri brand,

Patch Products will be intro-ducing new crepe rubberpuzzles for young children.

With st yle s and le ve ls of dif f icul t y that can appeal to any demographic, the puzzle category has grown

over the past few years as popular l icense s abound and manufacturers added new ways for puzzlers to

enjoy the ir favor i te past ime . Here is a look at jus t some of the newest puzzle s to hi t the marke t in 2010.

BriarpatchBriarpatch will be making a

full line of puzzles based on theillustrations of the Madelinechildren’s book series byLudwig Bemelmans.

Buffalo GamesBuffalo Games has teamed up

with artist William Wegman, whois famous for his depictions of hisWeimaraner dogs.

CardinalCardinal has introduced

a line of new licensed puz-zles for children, featuringpopular brands such asDisney Princess and Dorathe Explorer.

Lafayette PuzzleFactory

Teaming up with Crayola,the Lafayette Puzzle Factorywill produce the CrayolaChalkboard Floor Puzzle. Kidscan assemble the puzzle andthen draw on it with the includedCrayola chalk.

Pressman ToyPressman Toy is creating a

line of licensed products basedon The Diary of a Wimpy Kidbook series by Jeff Kinney.

RavensburgerRavensburger has created afull line of puzzles centeredaround the characters from

Thomas & Friends.

Are great stories still enough to getkids reading? Most children’sbook publishers will say thatgreat stories and great characterswill always keep a child interest-

ed. “Content drives readers,” says ValerieGarfield, vice-president and publisher for novel-ty and licensed publishing, Simon & Schuster.“Whether it be the child who’s interested in fan-tasy or a mystery, getting the right books intokids’ hands is what’s going to make the differ-ence.” But it’s more than just giving kids theright books. It’s also getting those books out onthe right platform.Multiplatform is the buzzword right now.

From the internet to cell phones, kids are alwaysconnected and always looking to be entertained.“Children are omnimedia consumers so they’regetting all of their media wherever they want it,when they want it, and how they want it,” saysNicholas Callaway, founder and chairman ofCallaway Arts & Entertainment. “Print-basedbooks are just one piece of the puzzle.”Kids are looking for more than just

words printed on a page. They want newways to not only read but also interact witha book. With their attention spans so divid-ed among various media, it’s important tooffer something that not only grabs kids’attentions but also keeps their interest.One way to get kids interested in reading is

by changing up the format of the printed book.Graphic novels and comic book-style books (theDiary of a Wimpy Kid series is just one example)have become very popular among both youngerchildren and the tween/teen set. This month, YenPress, the graphic novel imprint of HachetteBook Group, will publish the first volume in thegraphic novel adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s

Twilight. Twilight: The Graphic Novel Volume 1contains selected text from the original novelwith black-and-white illustrations. (Hachettewas unavailable for comment.)Graphic novels and comics lend themselves

well to kids for a variety of reasons. “For kidsthat are so used to the visual cues that they getfrom video games and everything digital, it’s aformat that just works to so many kids’strengths,” says Robin Adelson, executive direc-tor of the Children’s Book Council.Many publishers also say that this format

helps promote literacy in early readers and olderkids who are at a lower reading level. ThePhonics Comics line from innovativeKids usesphonics to help kids sound out words and buildvocabularies. “It’s really gotten kids, especiallythe reluctant readers, to pick up a book,” saysShari Kaufman, president and publisher ofinnovativeKids. “For kids at a lower readinglevel, these comics have engaged them to feelthat they’re not reading baby books but thatthey’re reading comic books.”But what happens after kids read the book?

Many children’s books get turned into movies,but kids have to wait for the movie releaseand, as stated previously, kids want theirentertainment when they want it. Providinginteractive content on the web helps extendthe experience of the books and kids canaccess it whenever they want.Scholastic introduced its first multimedia

book series The 39 Clues in 2008. The series,which ends this fall with the 10th book in theseries, includes the books, collectible cards, andan online game that allows readers to take part inthe story and compete for prizes. Scholastic’snew multiplatform book series Trackers, whichdebuts in May, combines books with online

videos and games. “Multiplatform publishing isabout making the connections to get readerswherever they are,” says Suzanne Murphy, vice-president and publisher of trade publishing andmarketing at Scholastic. “If you’re into tradingcards or you’re into gaming, we’re trying to getto that 8–12-year-old kid and get them reading.”There is also a new element in the world of

book publishing and it is slowly making its wayinto the realm of children’s books—digital read-ers. The Amazon Kindle, a handheld wirelessreading device that lets consumers purchase,download, and read books, came out in 2007,and since then many other variations have fol-lowed. Barnes & Noble introduced its nook lastOctober. Sony has its Reader. And this month

A NEW KIND OF STORYTELLING


HarperCollins’ Big Nate follows the trend ofgraphic novel/comic book-style books.

BY LAURIE LEAHEY

sees the release of the Apple iPad, which allowsconsumers to access the web, watch videos, lis-ten to music, store photos, and, oh yeah, pur-chase and read books through the iBook app.Publishers such as Random House and

HarperCollins already publish some of theiryoung adult and teen books as e-books.However, reading in this format is still relative-ly new to the children’s/young adult market.“We’re finding that teens are coming to thisnow, but not as quickly as adults,” says SusanKatz, president and publisher of HarperCollins’Children’s Books. “The percentage of e-booksthat we’re selling is less than half of what ouradult group is selling.”Because e-readers haven’t completely

infiltrated the children’s book market, it stillremains to be seen what effect this new tech-nology will have, if any, on sales of tradition-

al paper books. According to data collected bythe Association of American Publishers(AAP), year-to-date e-book sales, as ofDecember 2009, reached $19.1 million,reflecting a 119.7 percent jump for Decemberand a 176.6 percent increase for the year. Inthe adult market, paperback and mass marketsales were down, while the hardcover catego-ry year-to-date sales were up by 6.9 percent.Many children’s book publishers are embrac-

ing a “both/and” attitude instead of thinking interms of “either/or.” No one foresees the demiseof the paper book because there will always be alarge number of consumers who love to read andwho love to own the books that they love. Abook that parents can hold in their hands andread with their young children offers a more inti-mate quality than reading a story on a computerscreen. “Younger kids are going to want to favorbooks,” says Kate Klimo, vice-president andpublisher, Random House/Golden Books forYoung Readers Group. “Adults to some degreewill still want to buy books because there is thatcomfort of [seeing] spines on a shelf.”No matter what platform kids choose for

reading, the bottom line is that they want toread great stories. “At the end of the day, ifyou don’t have a compelling story, you canhire a skywriter and people are going to bebored and not pay attention,” says ChipFlaherty Jr., publisher of Walden Pond Press.“Our first mission is to get stories straight andthen to embrace technology.”Right now, kids are still finding plenty of

good stories at bookstores. The AAP reportedthat 2009 sales were up 2.2 percent in the chil-dren’s/young adult paperback category thanksto kids (and some adults) searching for andbuying books that mimic their favorite stories.Successful recent book series such as Twilightand Percy Jackson and the Olympians havecreated a hunger for more vampires and more

adventure and the children’s book industryhas happily delivered a plethora of books withsimilar themes.No one can deny the presence of e-readers

and other media platforms, however. This is atime of experimentation in the book publishingindustry as publishers continue to merge newtechnology with traditional books. For chil-dren’s books at least, modern technology is seenby some as a means of creating more ways to getkids reading. “We just look at it as another for-mat and another way to deliver stories,” says JenHaller, vice-president, associate publisher,Penguin Books for Young Readers. “We’ll sup-ply [stories] any way [kids] want them if they’regoing to be reading them and talking about themand becoming writers themselves.” Whether viapaper book or e-book, when kids read becausethey love to read, it’s always a good thing.


Scholastic’s new multimedia book seriesTrackers incorporates books with

online videos and games.

Penguin’s Vampire Academy novels appeal tofans of the Twilight series.


CHILDREN’S BOOKSBY LAURIE LEAHEY

Media-savvy kids are looking for different ways to read and interact with their favorite books. Butwhether a traditional print book or an e-book, great stories will always entice kids to read. Onthese pages are a few new children’s and young adult books coming out this year.

HARPERCOLLINSThis month, HarperCollins will

release Hourglass, the third book inthe Evernight series about the star-crossed love of Bianca, a vampire, andLucas, the boy trained to kill her kind.

SCHOLASTICTrackers is the newest multime-

dia book series from Scholastic.The series offers a combination ofbook, video, and web experiencefor middle-grade readers. TrackersBook #1 will be published May 11.

SILVER DOLPHIN BOOKSSilver Dolphin Books will introduce its Teddy Bear Sing Along

series this year. These books combine the sounds of classic children’ssongs with pictures of posed teddy bears on the farm, riding on thebus, and more. The first titles, Old McDonald Had a Farm and TheWheels on the Bus, are scheduled for a June release.

WALDENPOND PRESS

In January, Walden Pond Pressreleased Cosmic, a book about a 12-year-old boy named Liam who lookslike he’s 30. Liam uses this to his advan-tage when he cons his way onto the firstspaceship taking civilians into space.

CALLAWAY ARTS &ENTERTAINMENT

Callaway Arts & Entertainment isdeveloping e-books for the iPhone andthe iPad. The e-book version of MissSpider’s Tea Party will debut soon andthe company has created episodic sto-ries for viewing on the iPad. TheEnglish Roses, chapter books byMadonna, will also be on the iPad.Shown is an artistic rendering of what aCallaway e-book might look like on an iPad.

CHRONICLEChronicle and Paul Frank

Industries teamed up for a newboard book called High Fivewith Julius. Geared towardinfants and toddlers, the bookfeatures the whimsical world ofPaul Frank and offers an innova-tive touch-and-feel texture.

SIMON & SCHUSTERPop artist Romero Britto brings the alphabet to life in

the My Alphabet Playbook from Simon & Schuster. Aschildren read the board book, they can guess which objectis hiding under each press-out letter. Kids can stack theletters to make their own sculptures.

RANDOMHOUSE

Spun off from the A to ZMysteries series by Ron Roy,Random House is introducing abrand new mystery series calledCalendar Mysteries. There willbe one book for each month.February Friend (shown) isabout the mystery of the anony-mous Valentine.


INNOVATIVEKIDSinnovativeKids’ Now I’m Reading!

Plays include a 24-page storybook, fiveplay scripts, and four character masks.Both The Three Little Pigs andCinderella (shown) are formatted toimprove fluency and comprehension.

HACHETTE BOOK GROUPHachette Book Group’s graphic novel imprint Yen Press will

publish the first volume in the graphic novel adaptation ofTwilight. Twilight: The Graphic Novel Volume 1 contains select-ed text from the original book with black-and-white illustrations.

PENGUINThe latest book in The

Chronicles of Vladimir Todseries is Eleventh GradeBurns. The book series fol-lows vampire Vladimir Todas he battles enemies and triesto have a normal school life.

P’kolinoP’kolino partnered with Jovi, a manufacturer of children’s art sup-

plies, to exclusively merchandise a co-branded line of products forJovi. The P’kolino line of art supplies will include triangle coloredpencils, hexagon colored pencils, poster paints, finger paints, trianglecrayons, colorfulmarkers, andhexagon crayons.The art supplieswill be distrib-uted exclusivelyto retail bou-tiques in the U.S.


LimiKidsComplete with a

metal ladder, gymnasticsrings, a trapeze, rope,and a horizontal bar,LimiKids’ home gymsets fit in an apartment,house, or basementthanks to a compactdesign that allows theset to easily be installedand disassembled. Eachgym center is construct-ed of sturdy metal tubes,which are securely held

against floor and ceiling without leaving marks on either surface.The sets also come with “kiddie exercise” routines. The basiccompact model is $329 and the more complex jungle gym sellsfor $769. More information can be found at www.LimiKids.com.

Vision AudioEASe Funhouse Treasure Hunt from Vision Audio, Inc., is a PC game that uses 3-D game

technology to help children with autism spectrum disorders learn to cope with noise andimprove sensory processing. As the child controls a toy tractor through a topsy-turvy toy land,he listens and follows verbal and on-screen directions to scan the environment and collect let-ters, words, faces, and object treasures, while listening to EASe therapeutic music. Treasuresinclude words, dot cards, images of human faces, colors, and geometric shapes. The game isfor ages 6 and up and can be purchased at www.easecd.com.

C.R. Gibson and Carter’sC.R. Gibson andCarter’s teamed up to produce three new collections

of photo, memory, and gift products for the specialty baby market. Thenew Carter’s collections include Laguna, Meadowlark, and JustHatched (shown), and feature a variety ofmemory books, photo albums,first year calendars, keepsake chests, gift bags, and scrapbooks.


Everley Consultants LLCThe Aquafier Magnifying Lens Kit allows kids to construct a

magnifying glass using two large, clear, plastic fiber optic-qualitylenses; an oversized custom-made rubber band; and water. Toassemble the Aquafier, submerge the three-inch lenses in a sink ofwater to capture the water inside. Then place the large rubber bandaround the outside of the lenses to hold them in place. The waterin the lenses works as a high quality magnifier that creates 5Xmagnification. It can be used as a teaching and learning tool forscience, physics, and optics.

Liberty Street GamesBailout! The Game is a new board game from Liberty Street

Games where the goal is to lose the most money to receive thebailout. Developed by mom Shari Sopourn, who was trying toexplain the government bailout and T.A.R.P. to her kids, Bailout!combines comedic parody of the current financial crisis withstrategic game play. Players will get to be CFO of a bank and mustundermine the competition, endure the uncertainty of the stockmarket, avoid hostile takeovers, and deal with the instability ofthe housing market all with the goal of losing the most money toget the bailout. The game is for two to six players ages 12 and up.

TurnStyle BrandsAlready available in Europe, Early Rider Balance Bikes are now

available in the U.S. through TurnStyle Brands. A balance bike is atwo-wheel bicycle that does not have pedals for children ages 2–5.Instead of training wheels, Balance Bikes operate under the notionthat balance is the most critical element in learning to ride a bike.Without pedals, a child’s feet rest firmly on the ground, allowing thechild to start, stop, and control speed at will. Initially the child willwalk the bike around, but as he becomes morecomfortable, he will run or scoot with it.Eventually, the child begins to glide, relyingon his newfound abilityto balance, accordingto the company.

Educational InsightsStix & Stones is a new familygame from Educational Insights.This prehistoric picture-makingrace challenges players to cre-ate an image of a word on acard using only sticks andstones. The game isdesigned for players ages

7 and up.

Industry-Related Trade Shows


CALEND

AROF

EVEN

TS

MAY25–27 BookExpo America bookexpoamerica.com Jacob Javits Convention Center New York City25–27 Sweets & Snacks Expo allcandyexpo.com McCormick Place Chicago

JUNE6–8 Minneapolis Mart Gift & Acc. Show mplsgiftmart.com Minneapolis Mart Showroom Minnetonka, MN8–10 Licensing International Expo licensingshow.com Mandalay Bay Convention Center Las Vegas13–16 ASTRAMarketplace astratoy.org Rhode Island Convention Center Providence, RI15–17 E3 e3expo.com Los Angeles Convention Center Los Angeles23–27 Origins Game Fair originsgames.com Greater Columbus Convention Center Columbus, OH

JULY15–18 Tokyo Toy Show toys.or.jp Tokyo Big Sight Tokyo, Japan22–25 Comic-Con International comic-con.org San Diego Convention Center San Diego22–24 OASIS Gift Show oasis.org University of Phoenix Stadium Phoenix, AZ

AUGUST7–11 Reed Gift Fairs reedgiftfairs.com.au Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Center Melbourne, Australia13–17 Minneapolis Mart Gift & Acc. Show mplsgiftmart.com Minneapolis Mart Showroom Minnetonka, MN

SEPTEMBER17–19 Hawaii Market Merchandise Expo douglastradeshows.com Blaisdell Exhibition Center Honolulu, HI25–26 Indy Baby and Toddler Expo bebepaluzza.com Merchandise Mart Denver, CO

LICENSING INTERNATIONAL EXPO 2010JUNE 8–10; MANDALAY BAY CONVENTION CENTER, LAS VEGAS; WWW.LICENSINGSHOW.COM

FALL TOY PREVIEW 2010OCTOBER 5–8; DALLAS MARKET CENTER, DALLAS; WWW.TOYASSOCIATION.ORG

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL TOY FAIR 2011FEB. 13–16; JACOB JAVITS CONVENTION CENTER, NEW YORK CITY; WWW.TOYASSOCIATION.ORG

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!With our directories of up-to-date information on the global toy industry

you will enhance your sales internationally and get access to great new product. For more information and to order, go to

www.gameplaneurope.com and click on ‘publishing’.

International Directory of RETAIL TOY BUYERS

Contact 1000 buyers by name in 600 retail chains in 41 countries.Send samples, invite buyers to toy fair etc.

International Directory of TOY IMPORTER-DISTRIBUTORS

Find a suitable distributor in 41 countries

US Directory of MASS MARKET TOY BUYERS

In co-operation with Richard Gottlieb & Associates

The names and contact details of toy buyers in themost important 160 chains selling toys in the USA.

Directory of US TOY SALES REPRESENTATIVESIn co-operation with Richard Gottlieb & Associates

Out of 150 rep groups identify the one best suited to enhance your sales in the USA

International Directory ofTOY & GAME INVENTORS

Over 100 successful toy inventors listed have created many of the world’s greatest toy hits. Develop fantastic product without having to invest up-front by using these inventors.

Gameplan Europe Ltd.6 Kitsbury Court, Kitsbury Terrace, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire HP4 3EL, EnglandTel: +44 1442 870100 Fax +44 1442 878400 [email protected]

gameplan ad:Layout 1 15/12/09 10:38 Page 1

The Timbertown Railway is the perfect first

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The f irst stop for little engineers.

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Fisher-Price, Inc., a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc., East Aurora, NY 14052 USA. ©2010 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ® and ™ designate U.S. trademarks of Mattel, Inc. LZR47052

they align too!Or pull lots of cars through …Just drop & go …

wheels instantly align!

LZR47052_R6358_TFE_Mar_Ad.indd 1 2/16/10 4:03:04 PM

toys & family entertainment, march 2010

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