First Look: Arthur Joins Night Buddies Lineup from Cortex Toys

A classic character from PBS KIDS is joining the Night Buddies lineup.

At the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) Marketplace & Academy in Pittsburgh, Night Buddies creator Sally Connolly unveiled the first samples of Arthur Night Buddies, which will arrive at retail later this summer. Distributed by Cortex Toys (booth No. 443), the award-winning Night Buddies are a soft toy and night light all in one. Kids ages 3 to 10 can cuddle up with Night Buddies, which have a soft illumination that shines through the character’s eyes.

Retailers in attendance at the ASTRA show received a first look at the two styles — classic Arthur in his iconic yellow sweater and blue jeans, and the pajama-wearing version, complete with bunny slippers.

Based on the Arthur Adventures book series written and illustrated by Marc Brown, the long-running series just kicked off its 22nd season this spring, and is approaching its 25th anniversary on PBS KIDS with a full rollout of new licensed products.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, 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) 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.