September 2011

Make a Wish at 11:11

Wishing Watches

Here’s something for tweens, teens, and the young at heart to enjoy.

Wishing Watch, which made its debut at retail stores last month, makes wishing easy, alerting users when the clock hits 11:11 a.m. so you no longer miss out on the magical wishing moment. The jelly band accessory is water-resistant and comes in seven colors, including purple, lime green, white, black, red, aqua, and pink.

The 11:11 wishing phenomena has been around for decades, and is known as 60 seconds to make a wish, think happy thoughts, or just smile and feel special. In addition to receiving the daily wish reminder, this watch will also alert users of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that falls this year: a chance make a wish on 11/11/11 at 11:11 a.m.

The watch has a suggested retail price of—of course—$11.11. For more information, visit www.wishingwatch.com.

Hasbro and Ruckus Media Group Announce Interactive Storybook

Twilight Sparkle: Teacher for a Day

Last week, Hasbro, Inc. and Ruckus Media Group announced the English-language release of Twilight Sparkle: Teacher for a Day, a My Little Pony interactive storybook application for Apple’s iPhone, iPad, and iPhone touch, available for purchase for $3.99 through the iTunes App store. The app, designed for children ages 3-11, is Hasbro’s first mobile application for the popular brand franchise and television show, marrying interaction at home and on the go.

The app takes young Ponyville readers through the Kingdom of Equestria’s exciting past, and offers features ranging from new stories with My Little Pony characters and to games and activities that help develop vocabulary, reading, and motor skills.

Twilight Sparkle: Teacher for a Day joins Chuck and Friends: Friends for the Long Haul as the second Hasbro interactive storybook created by Ruckus Media Group. More apps are slated to release next year.

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic airs Saturday and Sunday mornings at 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. EST, and weekdays at 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. EST on The Hub TV Network.

An Interactive History Lesson from innovativeKids

Letters for Freedom: The Civil War

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, innovativeKids has released a hands-on history book, Letters for Freedom: The Civil War, featuring first-person accounts of the war as it was happening.

Throughout the 44-page book, there are lift-up flaps, gatefolds, pull-tabs, and removable letters with real-life memos from President Lincoln, General Grant, John Brown, and General Lee. The book also features stories and photographs, detailing events and issues leading up to the war and through the surrender at Appomattox and post-war reconstruction.

Additional features include a full-page fold out of the Battle of Gettysburg, a copy of Lincoln’s famous “Gettysburg Address” with a kid-friendly translation, and a photo of Lincoln delivering the speech. A spinning cipher can be used to decode a secret message, and kids can create their own code and language as well.

Written by Douglas Rife and Gina Capaldi, and illustrated by Dennis Lyall, Letters for Freedom is for ages 8 and up and is available for purchase at www.innovativekids.com.

Ziggy Creator Passes Away at Age 80

Tom Wilson Sr., creator of the comic “Ziggy,” died September 16, after a long illness. He was 80 years old. Ziggy, which celebrates 40 years in syndication this year, continues to be produced by Wilson’s son, Tom Wilson Jr., who handles the day-to-day operations.

Wilson Sr. was born August 1, 1931. For more than 35 years, he served as a creative director at American Greetings, where he was responsible for the development of many breakthrough card lines. Wilson Sr. first published “Ziggy” in the 1969 cartoon collection When You’re not Around. The “Ziggy” comic panel, syndicated by Universal Uclick (formerly Universal Press Syndicate), launched in 15 newspapers in June 1971. It now appears in more than 500 daily and Sunday newspapers, and has been featured in best-selling books, calendars, and greeting cards.

A veteran of the licensing business, Wilson Sr. headed up the creative team that developed character licensing blockbusters such as Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears. He is survived by his wife Carol, son Tom Wilson Jr., and daughters Ava and Julie.

Hot Holiday Toys Announced!

Elmo and Harry Potter Toys Headline the List of Top Picks in Sixth Annual Holiday Toy Guide

The Toy Insider (www.thetoyinsider.com), an annual holiday toy guide, announced today its HOT 20 TOYS for the 2011 holiday season, including Scene It? Harry Potter: The Complete Cinematic Journey, Let’s Rock Elmo, Redakai Championship Tin and LeapPad. The HOT 20 is the kick-off section of the Toy Insider, which will run in full in the November 17, 2011 issue of Woman’s Day magazine, on newsstands November 1, 2011.

Now in its sixth year, the Toy Insider features expert toy and gift recommendations at all price points, making it easy for all gift givers to find the perfect holiday gift for every kid on their lists. All of the toys in the guide have been selected by a panel of toy trend experts, led by industry veterans Jonathan Samet, Publisher of The Toy Book, and Laurie Schacht, TOY INSIDER MOM and Contributing Toy Editor to Woman’s Day. Laurie is also the leading spokesperson to consumers on toys and gifts, making regular appearances on the TODAY SHOW, ABC NEWS, GOOD DAY NEW YORK and many others. The panel also includes Jackie Breyer, Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, the leading trade publication in the toy industry, and Reyne Rice, a leading toy trend expert. The Toy Insider team spent the past year reviewing and evaluating all of the latest toys to identify the most compelling and hottest new products to help gift givers get an early start on their holiday shopping.

This year’s edition is the biggest one ever, filled with 110 toy recommendations from more than 80 different manufacturers. The Toy Insider is an excellent resource and user-friendly guide for gift giving. It includes gift ideas for all ages and both genders, broken out by age group (0-2 years old, 3-5 years old, 6-8 years old and 9+ years old). Each section features an in-depth description of the developmental needs and interests for that specific age group to assist any holiday shopper in finding the perfect gift. A unique toy skill key, located on the HOT 20 page, provides a list of icons that are matched to each toy, offering even greater convenience with age-appropriate gift giving.

Uglydoll Tin Toys – One of My New Favorite Things

You know how everyone always wants to know what Oprah’s Favorite Things are? Well, there might be one or two people who want to know what my favorite things are, and Schylling’s Uglydoll Tin Toy line is definitely on my list. The line features the fantastic Uglydoll characters from Pretty Ugly, LLC, and includes tin trucks that double as coin banks or pencil holders, cars, wind up tin robots, a jack in the box, an alarm clock, and keepsake boxes.

Ruling Maintains Manhattan Toy’s Exclusive Rights to Automoblox

A recent arbitration ruling has reaffirmed Manhattan Toy’s licensing rights to Automoblox, LLC. Manhattan Toy has been the exclusive licensee and distributor for the Automoblox line of modular wooden vehicles in Europe since January 2008 and worldwide since January 2009.

In late 2010, Automoblox, LLC disputed Manhattan Toy’s rights under the agreement. An arbitrator has recently settled the dispute in Manhattan Toy’s favor, ruling that the license agreement between the companies is still effective, and that Manhattan Toy continues to have the exclusive rights to manufacture and distribute the line worldwide.

New Website Launches for Alphabeasts

Alpha Toys, LLC has launched an all-new product website for its Alphabeasts line. The website includes information about its 15-inch Alphabeasts plush toys and the new ABC Book Box Set, as well as an informational video, an animated short about the Alphabeasts, a retail locator, a shopping cart, and illustrated pages of the Alphabeasts characters that children can print out and color.

The Alphabeasts are 26 double-sided plush toys that feature an uppercase alphabet letter on one side of the doll and a lowercase letter, in contrasting color, on the opposite side. Each Alphabeast is distinctive and, when placed together, can be used to spell an infinite combination of words.

Hosung’s Eco-Brands Break Away from Company

Greenpoint Brands, LLC, maker of miYim and MyNatural eco-plush toys and infant accessories, is going solo and breaking away from its parent company, Hosung NY. Greenpoint Brands was co-founded by Serah Chae, the daughter of John Chae, CEO of Hosung. John’s other daughter, Jean, founded SimplyFido, LLC, an organic pet toy company that is also leaving Hosung.

Operating as a division of Hosung NY, the miYim brand of organic cotton toys and infant accessories began in specialty retail and has expanded, via its sister brand MyNatural, into the mass market. Greenpoint Brands will bring MyNatural’s licensed Winnie the Pooh, Cat in the Hat, and The Grinch eco-plush toys to Babies “R” Us shelves this fall. More Dr. Seuss eco-plush characters will be available at mass retailers in the spring, in time for the debut of the animated film The Lorax.

Both Greenpoint Brands and SimplyFido will soon seek investors to help fund future growth. Greenpoint Brands plans to expand into home furnishings, infant feeding supplies, and other baby essentials. Hosung NY will continue its multinational operations as a manufacturer of traditional and electronic plush.

Inventor of Puzz-3D Dies

Paul-Emile Gallant, inventor of the Puzz-3D three-dimensional puzzle, has passed away at the age of 67 after a long battle with cancer. Puzz-3D was sold in more than 40 countries from 1991 to 2005. By 2000, more than 30 million Puzz-3D puzzles had been sold worldwide.

For 18 years, Gallant worked in the Canadian music industry before creating the Puzz-3D, a jigsaw puzzle that used flexible foam pieces with printed surfaces to build portable structures such as international landmarks and Victorian houses. The line was launched at the 1992 Canadian Toy & Hobby Fair under Gallant’s company, Wrebbit, Inc. Wrebbit was purchased by Hasbro in 2005.

Gallant was inducted into the Canadian Toy Industry Hall of Fame in 2008. He also invented the Perfalock flat-foam puzzle and the Wrebbit Puzzle Machine (now Puzzle Shots Factory). Gallant is survived by three children (Eric, Sylvie, and Maxime), 10 grandchildren, two sisters, and many other relatives.