May’s Hottest Toy Stories: The Headlines the Industry Couldn’t Stop Clicking

It’s June, and that means it’s time to hit the rewind button and look back at the hottest stories from last month.

May 2025 was a wild ride for the toy industry, and The Toy Book’s readers were along for every twist and turn. From the star-studded reveal of the voice cast for PAW Patrol: A Dino Movie to the unstoppable momentum of Poppy Playtime’s licensing expansion, the buzz was undeniable. Hasbro made hearts melt with Peppa Pig’s baby sister, Evie, while Hot Wheels dropped the hammer at the Legends Tour in Atlanta. A trade truce between the U.S. and China sparked cautious optimism, even as Funko hit pause on its 2025 outlook. Here’s a countdown of the top 10 most-read headlines that had the toy industry talking — and smiling — throughout May.

The Toy Book Top 10:

The Top 10 most-read articles published in May 2025

Outside of the top 10, our 2025 Licensing & Entertainment (+Baby!) Issue debuted at Licensing Expo and ABC Kids Expo, leading into a big digital start. Additionally, the annual release of The BIG Toy Book, which dropped on March 1, timed with The Toy Association’s Toy Fair in New York, continued its record-breaking run as more readers discovered it digitally in May.

The Toy Book Top 10 Stock This! New Product Showcases:

The Top 10 most-searched-for toys and games.

Click here for the full archives of previous Toy Book Top 10 features.

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About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book and Co-President of The International Toy Magazines Association (ITMA). He is also a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC), New York Comic Con, Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.