The Toy Book's 2023 Classics & Specialty Issue Is Here!



In this issue, we’re gearing up for the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association’s Marketplace & Academy with a look at some of the hottest Specialty Toys & Gifts that retailers will be stocking in the months ahead. Read more…

From the Editor: Independents' Day



The world of specialty retail is evolving. Over the past decade, independent toy stores, gift shops, hobby shops, and comic shops have expanded their assortments to reach a broader range of consumers by catering to previously underserved age brackets and by offering unique products and experiences that seldom exist elsewhere. Read more…

Mattel Television Strikes Deal for ‘Barney’s World’ with Warner Bros. Discovery



Warner Bros. Discovery has picked up the new CG-animated series Barney’s World for Cartoonito on Cartoon Network and for streaming on Max. The preschool series will revamp the iconic character for modern audiences and be accompanied by a toy line. Read more…

Save the Date for Fun and Fundraising at the 2023 Toy of the Year Awards



The Toy Foundation is hosting the 24th annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards on Sept. 29 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City at 6:30 p.m. The event kicks off Toy Fair, taking place Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 at the Javits Center, and will include six new categories for companies to submit nominations. Read more…

LEGO Ninjago: Dragons Rising Marks a New Era for the Construction Aisle Staple



The LEGO Group revealed a brand extension for LEGO Ninjago that will include an animated TV series created with Epic Games’ Unreal Engine, as well as an assortment of new products. The new world is created from merged realms and will bring back fan-favorite characters in addition to introducing new ones. Read more…

Ageless Innovation Teams Up with Hasbro to Reimagine Iconic Games for Older Adults



As Hasbro’s first licensee dedicated to enhancing the lives of older adults through play experiences, Ageless Innovation aims to encourage intergenerational play among families with easy-to-grasp pieces, easy-to-read content, and intergenerational storylines. Read more…

‘Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge’ Races to NBC With Celebrity Guests and Custom Car Builds



The new car makeover show tying in the most well-known maker of die-cast toy cars is coming this month, with Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge debuting May 30 at 10 p.m. Eastern Time. The competition series from NBC brings Mattel’s iconic brand to the TV screen with a first season hosted by Rutledge Wood (Top Gear U.S., The Floor Is Lava). Read more…

Jazwares Partners with East Side Games Group on Squishmallows Mobile Game

Jazwares and East Side Games Group (ESGG) are working together to develop a mobile game inspired by the plush sensation, which debuted in 2017 and has since sold more than 200 million Squishmallows worldwide. Read more…

Flybar, Wow! Stuff Launch HYPR Rockets in North America



HYPR, the new brand of air-powered rockets that Wow! Stuff showed off on the trade show circuit last year, will blast off in North America this summer thanks to a distribution deal with a company known for flying high: Flybar. The “masters of bounce” inked a deal with UK-based Wow! Stuff to distribute HYPR Rockets on this side of the pond. Read more…

Dive into Pokémon Collectibles with the New Dive Ball Replica



Pokémon Center is expanding its collection of die-cast Poké balls with the Dive Ball replica. The collection of replica Poké Balls from The Wand Co. debuted in February. Read more at The Pop Insider…

Kids Can Get Medieval with New Playmobil Novelmore Sets



Playmobil is taking kids back to medieval times with Novelmore playsets. Novelmore is Playmobil’s fantasy realm designed for kids ages 4 and up. In this realm, warriors battle against dragons, skeletons come back to life, and knights fight for honor and glory. Read more at The Toy Insider…

Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger Get the Squishmallows Treatment



Iconic characters and brands have been turned into Squishmallows since the plush brand skyrocketed into popularity. Now, Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger are joining the collection. The two Squishmallows debuted at the company’s annual meeting last week and were sold exclusively at the Berkshire Hathaway Festival. Read more…

Toy Vehicle Maker Nylint Returns After 20 Years



Nylint Toys was originally founded in 1937 by David Nyberg and Bernard and Ragnar Klint. After originally making kitchen utensils, the company eventually became known for its steel toy cars, with a long history of manufacturing before its bankruptcy. Now, Emmy Klint, granddaughter of one of the original founders, is bringing it back with new models inspired by the original Nylint cars. Read more…

World Video Game Hall of Fame Reveals 2023 Inductees



Barbie Fashion Designer, Computer Space, The Last of Us, and Wii Sports have all been inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame, which showcases games that have significantly influenced popular culture or the video game industry. The games will be on display at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. Read more…

Specialty Gets a Glow Up: New Store Concepts and Toy Tourism Lure Shoppers

While many shoppers now rely on mass retailers for a quick way to grab toys, specialty toy stores are still going strong, sprouting up across North America to give kids places to play and make memories in ways that a visit to the impersonal aisles of Target or Walmart can’t match. Specialty retailers continue thinking outside the big-box by forging a new path forward with a focus on themed destinations, curated toys, and thoughtful play experiences. Read more…

Talkin Toys: GPI's Secrets Behind Game Design and Project Management



Grand Prix International (GPI) is a project management group focused on manufacturing products in the toy and game industry. For the last 20 years, the company has worked on iconic products, becoming a one-stop shop that includes product safety testing, freight logistics, game design, sourcing, and more delivered with a holistic approach. Read more…

Smells Like Tween Spirit: Retailers Bridge the Gap Between Kids and Kidults



Tween-agers often feel like no one is listening to them — and it’s only right that the toy industry is finally heeding their roar. In the past few months, while the rise of the kidult consumer has grabbed mainstream headlines, the toy aisles have been brimming with a resurgence of tween-targeted toys. Read more…

Why Backyard Adventures Are More Important Now Than Ever Before



The great outdoors remains the oldest playground and most traditional educational tool for parents everywhere. In recent years, some parents have felt that their kids are interacting less with nature and more with screens, prompting them to seek toys that cater to their kids’ instinctual need to get outside and explore. Read more…

Toys 'R' Us Set to Open First Airport Store at DFW



A miniature Toys “R” Us store will open at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) later this year. According to DFW, the new store will open near Gate A28 in Terminal A in time for the holiday rush. Read more…

Funko Faces ‘Right-Sizing’ as Direct-to-Consumer Business Spikes 61% Despite Q1 Slowdown



Funko reported its first quarter earnings today, beating Wall St. estimates despite a slowdown at retail. Net sales decreased 18% to $251.9 million vs. $308 million in the Q1 of 2022 as Funko battled the same challenging retail environment that the greater toy industry has faced this year. Read more…

In Memoriam: Frank Kozik, Kidrobot CCO (1962-2023)



A toy industry veteran and “one of the rock world’s top poster artists,” per Rolling Stone, is gone. Frank Kozik, Kidrobot’s Chief Creative Officer and creator of the iconic Labbit, died unexpectedly on May 6 at 61 years old. Read more…