From Toys “R” Us kicking off the holidays to Mattel shaking up its leadership team, September was packed with news that moved the needle across the toy industry. With the LA Fall Toy Previews and the release of our latest issue behind us, the latest Top 10 takes you from Hot Wheels on the racetrack to Lionel’s 125th anniversary and a peek at what’s ahead for 2026.

Here’s a look at the stories you clicked, shared, and kept buzzing about last month.

The Toy Book Top 10

  1. Toys “R” Us Ushers in the Holiday Season with New Stores and Worldwide Activations
  2. Mattel Hits the Road with Hot Wheels x Formula 1 Activations
  3. Backstory: Return of the Plastic Jedi
  4. The New ‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4’ Updates Are Totally Epic
  5. Lionel Trains: 125 Years of Legendary Locomotives
  6. Mattel Puts Brands Front and Center with Executive Reorganization
  7. Meet Toniebox 2: The Next Generation of Screen-Free Storytelling
  8. Everest Toys Faces Uncertain Future
  9. Retro Replay: Basic Fun! Goes Big with Home Arcade (Returning from June)
  10. Looking Ahead: 2026 New Toy Preview

Outside of the top 10, the hub for the 2026 Pulse of Play Awards and our LA Fall Toy Preview Issue dominated screens alongside the biggest buzzword of the year: Tariffs.

Top 10 Stock This! New Product Showcases:

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

  1. LABABIES (Yoonique)
  2. LITTLEST PET SHOP SWEET & STYLISH ASSORTMENT (Basic Fun!)
  3. MATTEL BRICK SHOP HOT WHEELS CUSTOM ’62 CHEVY PICKUP (Mattel)
  4. NARUTO INFINITE TSUKUYOMI CAPSULE (PMI Kids’ World)
  5. NINJOMBIE HAZ MAT ACTION FIGURE (MGA Entertainment)
  6. MONSTER HIGH SKULLECTOR CORPSE BRIDE DOLL (Mattel)
  7. CARE BEARS SUPER FUZZIES BLIND BAG PLUSH (Basic Fun!)
  8. MY LIFE AS HARRY POTTER COLLECTION (Walmart)
  9. MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS COMBINABLE DINOZORDS (Playmates Toys)
  10. THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MOVIE: THE SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS THE FLYING DUTCHMAN’S SHIP (Funrise)

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

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About the author

James Zahn

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.

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