Christmas toys: in living color

Ebony, Nov, 1998

Fairfax, Va.-based Colorful World, an African-American mail order catalogue business, has compiled a bountiful new selection this year of books, games and videos for parents, educators and others. Among popular book choices this year are An Angel Just Like Me, Sweet Magnolia and I Love My Hair! Billy's Boots is a baby's board book. The Tell Me Who I Am video is accompanied by an activity book with the same name. The company also features the Black Heritage Brain Quest, containing 850 questions on Black history.

Lansdale, Pennsylvania-based WB Adams Puzzles & Games is the country's largest African-American-owned puzzle manufacturer. This year the company is featuring the artwork of Brenda Joysmith in 300-piece puzzles. The company has also added to its puzzle line with the nationally recognized Kwanzaa stamp in a 300-piece puzzle. For those seeking more of a challenge, the company is introducing a 550-piece puzzle featuring African-American artist Wayne Still's Animals of Africa.

Other opportunities for imaginative play throughout the holidays and after continue with Patch Products puzzle and game line. Two new games offered are Malarky, a bluffing game, and Kuba, a strategy game. The Kuba game is also offered on CD-ROM.

Santa's tiniest elves don't have to sit out Christmas. One World Toys, a Black-owned company that's headquartered in Oakland Gardens, N.Y., is offering an innovative new toy for preschoolers called Hello World, a soft, stuffed globe featuring children of the world on its graphics. A child can press on each of the children to hear them say "hello" in their native language.

Other popular preschool favorites include a number of plush dolls designed for late-night hugs. Many of these dolls also talk, sing and generally keep the child company. Tyco Preschool offers the Bounce Around Tigger and the Blues Clues Sing Along Blue, a product that ties-in to a popular television show for the 3 to 7 set. Other contributions to the plush set includes Sesame Street beanie babies and Walk & Talk Elmo. Hasbro introduces the Talking Teletubbies, part of a line of toys and products based on the new television series, Teletubbies.

Playskool brings big fun to the toddler crowd math its Barney Song Magic Banjo that "magically" plays songs with a wave of the child's band.

The preschool game market is expanding with the entry of several new products. Briarpatch is debuting a preschool game based on a popular children's book, Goodnight Moon, and an I Spy preschool game. Milton Bradley features Cookie Cop, a-sneak-a-cookie-from-the-rookie game for ages 4 and up, and Godzilla, for ages 5 and up, which features daring, dodging and squishing. The Brio company features two games for preschoolers, Pick-A-Pair, a memory and matching game, and Animal Match Up, a board game for memory and matching skills.

Toddlers love trucks, and Tonka, the perennial favorite, has two new trucks this year. The Chuck My Talkin' Truck, a motorized talking truck that comes when you call, and Cool Tools-Engine Roar 4 X 4, which has an electronic engine that the toddler can "work" on. Both toys are for ages 3 and up. Brio is introducing a Racing Truck Set with "real towing action" for age 2 and up.