The Toy Book’s 2021 Toy Preview Issue Is Here! 

While we weren't all gathered at the Dallas Market Center for Toy Fair Dallas this year, there's no shortage of fantastic new toys and stories to tell. Despite changes and uncertainties that we’re still adjusting to, this issue of the Toy Book still celebrates all of the up-and-coming toys and games that will bring smiles to kids’ faces next year alongside some late holiday launches for the season ahead. Read it here...

FAO Schwarz is expanding to more than 1,800 locations across the U.S. this month thanks to a new deal with Target. Under the new deal, Target will stock an assortment of 70 exclusive FAO Schwarz items in all of its stores while 300 items from Target-exclusive brands, including Pillowfort and Cat & Jack, will be sold at the FAO Schwarz flagship in New York City. Read more…

Mattel President and Chief Operating Officer Richard Dickson kicked off a new platform that merges toys and art in a celebration of classic brands including Masters of the Universe, Hot Wheels, Barbie, Magic 8 Ball, and more. Read more…

Additionally, Mattel Television teamed with Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana on production for a reimagined version of Thomas & Friends that will be contemporized for today’s families.

TOMY International is prepping a new line of toys based on Ron’s Gone Wrong, an upcoming animated feature from Locksmith Animation that will be released by Disney’s 20th Century Studios. Ron’s Gone Wrong is the story of an unpopular tween named Barney who is introduced to walking, talking, and digitally connected devices called B*Bots. Designed to be a “Best Friend Out of the Box,” B*Bots are supposed to be exciting, but Barney winds up with Ron, a malfunctioning B*Bot that can’t even remember his name. Read more…

In this week’s episode of the “Power Kid Podcast,” host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design speaks with Anna Yudina, senior director of marketing initiatives at The Toy Association. On the show, Yudina discusses the backstory of the Association and her work leading the consumer-facing Genius of Play program. Listen here...

The Toy Book Podcasts by Adventure Media & Events are available through all of your favorite streaming services, including Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and more.

Big G Creative is bringing some classic foods to the game aisle with a new Kraft Heinz Variety Game Pack, featuring fun packaging based on Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Heinz Ketchup, and JELL-O. The trio of family-friendly games are designed for kids ages 8 and up, and they all require two or more players for approximately 20 minutes of gameplay each. Read more…

LeapFrog Launches Blue’s Clues & You! Line

Kids can nurture their love of learning with their favorite pal from Nickelodeon with LeapFrog‘s new Blue’s Clues & You! line of toys. The continuation of Blue’s Clues has a whole new generation of preschoolers discovering clues and learning in every episode. With the new toys that go with the show, kids will play along with the series with a variety of different products. Read more…

The Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair and the Hong Kong Baby Products Fair, the two shows that traditionally kick off toy fair season, have officially been postponed to April. The Hong Kong Trade Development Council has moved the shows due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, citing that international exhibitors and buyers would not be able to attend the show due to continued quarantine measures and travel alerts. Read more…

The maker of iconic toys such as the Frisbee, Hula Hoop, and Slip ‘N Slide just inked a TV deal. Through a pact with Critical Content, properties from Wham-O will be developed into live-action TV content starting with Slip ‘N Slide Island (working title). The unscripted competition series will posit contestants against one another as they attempt to “body-glide” through a series of obstacles, including tunnels, jumps, and supersized chutes in an effort to win a cash prize and a chance to compete in the finals. Read more…

One hundred Pre-K teachers in need will receive a surprise from VTech: $250 each. The “Pre-K Flash Fund” through AdoptAClassroom.org will help cover the costs of school supplies that teachers generally spend themselves. Read more…

Spin Master Launches a Gabby’s Dollhouse App Based on the Netflix Series

Over the summer, Spin Master inked a deal with Universal Brand Development to become master toy partner for a new Netflix series, Gabby’s Dollhouse. But first, there’s an app for that. Read more…

Get competitive with the latest game from Exploding Kittens: A Game of Cat & Mouth. This is the first nontraditional card game from Exploding Kittens. Instead, it was created as a magnet-powered, pinball-esque game for two players. Read more…

New Licensed Merch for Crash Bandicoot 4 Revealed

Last week, Crash Bandicoot fans finally got their hands on the highly anticipated new game Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. Now, a variety of licensees are rolling out tie-in merchandise including apparel, gaming accessories, collectibles, and more. Read more...

ZAG Inks New Licensing Agent for Miraculous, Power Players in Australasia

Licensing for popular ZAG Heroez characters is expanding into Australia and New Zealand. Merchantwise Licensing will act as the agent for Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir and Power Players in the region. Read more…

Over the past 45 years, Eaglemoss has grown from a leading publisher of subscription-based partwork collections into a multifaceted publisher and maker of officially licensed books, toys, collectibles, and crafts. For some insight into where the company is headed, the Toy Book caught up with Matthew Buss, national director of retail sales at Eaglemoss Hero Collector, about the state of the collectibles industry and the company’s expansion into the U.S. market.

In a year that keeps throwing unexpected curveballs, another complicated challenge for the toy industry is gaining steam ahead of the important holiday season: a mail slowdown. For the toy industry, USPS plays a role for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and consumers. Read more…