More Articles By Karyn M. Peterson

• Product Showcase: Dragon Toys
  This week’s Product Showcase features dragon-themed toys from Manhattan Toy, Playmobil, Safari, Sigikid and WowWee. More
  
• Up Close: Scholastic's The 39 Clues
  Move over, Nancy Drew! Today’s young super sleuths are about to be drawn into an even more intriguing mystery series, one that combines chapter books, online gaming and card collecting into an expansive two-year treasure hunt with real-life rewards. More
  
• Monstrously Fun
  After the back-to-school rush, the familiar sights and sounds of Halloween are quick to follow, with little ghosts, goblins and other things that go bump in the night soon lurking around every corner. This year, add literary flair to your fall displays with quirky new picture books, most of which offer more than fleeting treats for life beyond the season. More
  
• Giving Babies A Smart Start
  IT’S NEVER TOO SOON to begin reading to your baby. That’s the guiding philosophy behind Begin Smart, a new developmental read-and-play book initiative from New York-based Sterling Publishing that recently debuted. According to publisher Harriet M. Ziefert, the structured program is designed “to encourage the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth of babies and to... More
  
• Earth Angels
  Day by day, the world is getting a little bit greener, thanks at least in part to Barbera Aimes, founder and president of the eco-friendly ImagiPlay toy company, based in Boulder, Colo. A green (and a fair trade) business by design since its debut 10 years ago, ImagiPlay is now set to reap the rewards for that dedication and insight through a partnership with Whole Foods Market, which began dis... More
  
• Killer Bunnies Blast Off
  THE GLEEFUL BUNNY has a lot to be happy about—and so does Dan Rowen. As president of Playroom Entertainment, he has 6 years of funny, furry and furious fandom for the Killer Bunnies brand to be proud of, and which he hopes will expand significantly in the coming months through some key retail partnerships, as well as a brand new game title. More
  
• Piece Of The Action
  Though arguably not the most exciting or headline-grabbing toy category, the jigsaw puzzle is a key brick in the foundation of the toy industry. It’s a time-tested classic that is perennially updated and refreshed with new content, continuously drawing in new fans of all ages, whether they prefer puzzling as a solo or a group playtime activity. More
  
• Product Showcase: Musical Toys
  This week’s Product Showcase features music toys from Fisher-Price, Hohner, International Playthings, Learning Resources and Woodstock Chimes. More
  
• Bestsellers For Baby
  Board books always make an appealing gift, whether they contain original stories or are simply collections of images and words that stimulate the senses; both excite toddlers about the world of reading that's in store for them. Another option, adapting an already popular picture book to the format, is also a great way to introduce books to babies. More
  
• Monster Mash
  For gamers and would-be Dr. Frankensteins alike, 2008 may be a banner holiday season—that is, if Jamie Ottilie gets his wish. The veteran game designer, president and COO of Abandon Interactive Entertainment has been laboring with his creative team for three years to bring to market Freaky Creatures, a massively multiplayer online (MMO) game with a distinctive collectible toy component th... More
  
• Holiday Showcase
  It may not be noticeable to the untrained eye, but behind the scenes at the nation's toy stores, it's already beginning to look a lot like Christmas—and this month we're giving our readers a preview of it. On the following pages you'll find some of the stand-out products we predict that at this moment are rapidly filling the stockrooms of toy stores—and that soon enough the nation's... More
  
• Building Capable Kids
  For independent toy stores, especially those that specialize in educational toys, life skills brands are a tiny yet important product category. Parents, grandparents and other caregivers looking for gifts often gravitate to those toys and other products that aim to teach and inspire as well as amuse the kids in their lives. More
  
• Power Of The Force
  After three decades and more than $15 billion in licensed product sales, Star Wars is poised to garner an entire legion of new fans this month, once Star Wars: The Clone Wars hits the big screen. This first-ever animated feature from Lucasfilm Ltd. relates the adventures of the heroic Jedi Knights—including Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Yoda—and their quest to restore ... More
  
• Showcase: Playtime Safari
  This week’s Product Showcase features new wild animal and jungle-themed toys from Alexander Doll Company, Inflatable Impressions, Mattel, Wild Republic and Zen Design Group’s See Toys brand. More
  
• Show Buzz: Licensing Show - Days 2 and 3
  June 12, 2008—The 28th annual Licensing International Expo—the event's last expo in New York before next year's move to Las Vegas—came to a subdued close today, winding down three days of buzz, branding and brainstorming sessions for the hottest properties of the future. More than 25,000 attendees were on hand this week, hashing out their property plans from all sides of the business. Here are some of their latest deals and upcoming initiatives. More
  
• A 'Storm' Of Creativity
  Some of the best learning experiences—and some of the best play experiences—are when kids are engaged with designing, creating and inventing.” So says Mitchel Resnick, chairman of the Playful Invention Company (PICO), for whom it's a guiding principle. PICO distributes the PicoCricket, a tiny electronics invention kit for ages 8 and up that aims to spark creative thinking; its... More
  
• Puzzle Play: Now in 3-D
  Puzzles have always been a staple for independent and specialty toy retailers, a chameleon of a category that reliably serves up skill-building fun—whether as a solo pastime or as a group social activity—in a package that enjoys an all-ages, wide-ranging appeal. Now a number of newer companies as well as veteran toy makers are seeking to expand that appeal by introducing unique new... More
  
• Con-Fabulous!
  It wasn't a fantasy, but it was certainly fantastic. More than 60,000 toy, collectible and book vendors; retailers; authors; artists; and fans both young and old attended the New York Comic-Con this year, in a celebration of pop culture, publishing and all around addictive entertainment. For those looking to tap into this demographic—and those seeking out the hottest trends and new licens... More
  
• Summer Reads
  Toy retailers as well as kids have been looking forward to the summer season for months and, no doubt, your store is already filled to the brim with the latest travel games, water toys and other outdoor playthings. But the coming weeks also present endless opportunities for kids to have another kind of fun—curling up with a good book. More
  
• Easier Being Green
  Though Kermit the Frog might think otherwise… being green is actually a snap! So say a number of toy companies—Plan Toys, ImagiPlay, Mrs. Grossman’s and Hosung among them—long involved in the eco movement and who are seeing renewed interest in their green products. The category is also attracting lots of new toy makers, like Green Toys, Idbids, Sprig Toys, and E-Innovat... More