---

2.4 million toys recalled for risk of internal damage

CPSC announces voluntary action with MagnaMan Magnetic action figures

 WASHINGTON - Toy distributor Mega Brands Inc. recalled about 2.4 million Chinese-made toys Monday, because small magnets could fall out and cause internal damage.

These tiny magnets could fall out of the toys and be swallowed or inhaled by children. If more than one magnet is swallowed, they can attach to each other and cause intestinal perforation, infection or blockage, which can be fatal.

Mega Brands is recalling 1.1 million Magtastik and Magnetix Jr. preschool toys. The company and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have received 19 reports of magnets falling out of these toys. In one incident an 18-month-old boy put a magnet in his mouth, but it was not swallowed. In another, a 3-year-old boy needed medical treatment to remove a magnet from his nasal cavity.

 

The recall also includes about 1.3 million MagnaMan magnetic action figures. The company and commission have received 25 reports of magnets falling out of the figures. No incidents involving magnets from the action figures have been reported.

In March 2006, Mega Brands recalled 3.8 million Magnetix magnetic building sets because one child died and four others were seriously injured after swallowing tiny magnets in the toys. About a year later, in April 2007, this recall was expanded to include an additional 4 million Mega Brands magnetic toys.

Monday’s recalled products were sold at toy stores around the country, including Wal-Mart, Target, Toys “R” Us and Kmart between January 2005 and December 2007.

 

For details on the recall, or on how to return the toys and receive a free replacement, consumers can call 800-779-7122. Information is also available at megabrands.comor cpsc.gov.

 

---

Haunted house holds raffle for charity

EVANSDALE --- Harris Haven Funeral and Mortuary Haunted House scares because it cares.

Evansdale's only haunted attraction is offering a night of fright for charity. Harris Haven has teamed up with the Cedar Bend Humane Society to raise money for the organization.

For only a buck, people have a chance to win a night's stay --- if the lucky winner dares --- with three friends in the haunted house, a pizza party from The Other Place, horror movies from Digital Dog Pound, a Wal-Mart gift card and other assorted prizes. All the proceeds will help care for animals.

Harris Haven owner Gary Hall said he usually donates to local charities, but the raffle is a new twist. He thought giving people the opportunity to have the run of a new 5,000-square-foot haunt, within reason, would be a unique way to bolster interest in giving.

"I figured together (Harris Haven and Cedar Bend), we could really make a difference," Hall said, an animal lover as evident by his four miniature Doberman pinschers.

Officials with Cedar Bend were unavailable for comment.

As of Friday, 90 tickets have been purchased since Jan. 5. Sales will continue through June 10 and a winner will be announced three days later --- Friday the 13th, of course --- on the J.C. and Chase morning show on Q92.3.

The lucky winner will enter Harris Haven at their own risk on the evening of June 20, which happens to be during Evansdale's Good Ol' Days celebration.

Besides a behind-the-scenes tour of the facility, Hall said the haunted house will be in full scare mode. Volunteers will be in spooky costumes, the strobe lights will heighten the senses and animated spooks will be full of eerie surprises. Hall said the evening will be a good warm up for the next night, Harris Haven's first Midsummer Night's Scream. Usually the haunt is only open for the month leading up to Halloween; but for one night only during Good Ol' Days, Harris Haven will be open for business.

"This is all brand new, so we're no sure how well it will be received. I guess we'll find out," Hall said. "This will give Evansdale Good Ol' Days something new to get people out."

The haunt's theme focuses on the fictional Harris family that conducted evil experiments at their funeral home in the late 1700s to unlock the mysteries of death. But something went wrong and the family disappeared.

Raffle tickets can be purchased at the following locations: Digital Dog Pound, The Other Place in Evansdale, the Q92.3 office, Coach House Gifts at Crossroads and the Cedar Bend Humane Society.

Tickets also can be requested by mailing funds to: Haunted House Raffle, 116 Ruby Drive, Waterloo, IA 50707. (sfgate.com)

 

---

Kids' authors coming to town

REDLANDS - The 12th annual Charlotte S. Huck Children's Literature Festival, featuring several well-known authors and illustrators, will be held March 7 and 8 at the University of Redlands.

Registration costs $175, and includes five meals and a March 7 afternoon autograph party. The festival is limited to 300 attendees.

"Our intention is to keep the festival small enough that everyone can interact with the authors," organizer Marjorie Arnett said. "The focus of this conference is celebrating children's books with the objective of providing teachers the opportunity to learn more about quality books and their creators."

The authors and illustrators who are participating this year are Andrew Clements, Kristine O'Connell

Some of the books by authors who will be at the Charlotte S. Huck Children's Literature Festival at UR.

George, Susan Goldman Rubin, Susan Guevara, Daniel San Souci, Lauren Stringer, Christina Das and Diane Adams. Also on hand will be editor Allyn Johnston of Harcourt Children's Books.

Members of the planning committee are Arnett, Sue Hardy, Sherry O'Sullivan, Gretchen Pelle and Alayne Sullivan.

Huck was an internationally known children's author and professor at Ohio State University who helped create the Redlands Children's Literature Festival in 1996 with Katherine Thomerson, a children's literature instructor and former owner of the Frugal Frigate bookstore; O'Sullivan, formerly with the University of Redlands; and Arnett, an educator in the San Bernardino school district.

According to Arnett, the conference was named for Huck during its fifth year. Huck died in April of 2005 at the age of 82, and was active in the planning of the festival until her death.

At the festival

The festival will take place around the University of Redlands, and offer a variety of activities for participants.

"The conference aims to get a balance of fine writers for different age groups and different genres," Arnett said. "The conference is about getting good materials into the hands of teachers, librarians and students, bringing children and books together in order to develop readers who will find a lifetime of pleasure in reading good books."

Despite the fact that times are tough these days, there is still a lot of interest in the festival.

"With the midyear budget cuts, a number of school districts are not sending teachers to conferences and workshops," Arnett said. "But we find that many of these teachers are coming on their own."

During the festival, attendees will be able to meet and interact with the panelists, as well as attend small group sessions that are descriptions of classroom and library activities. There will also be a book signing party during Friday afternoon.

"Literary conferences are a wonderful way to stay connected with readers, librarians, teachers and other authors," author Christina Das said. "I enjoy sharing my current projects as well as learning about others' works. These events inspire me to be a better writer, and remind me why I started writing for children - to share my love of story and to educate and enlighten young readers."

Those looking for books by festival authors and illustrators, in addition to classic literature and new releases can check out an on-site bookstore.

The Book Market will be in the Orton Center. Vendors include Book Events, O.W.L Professional Books, Usbourne Books and Every Picture Tells a Story, which sells artwork from children's books.

Organizer Sherry O'Sullivan wrote a book, "A Festival of Talent: Wisdom from the First Decade of the Charlotte S. Huck Children's Literature Festival," which celebrates the first 10 years of the conference with observations from 30 of the authors and illustrators who have participated in the festival. It will be available for purchase, with all proceeds going to the Charlotte S. Huck Children's Literature Festival Endowment Fund.

A major event will be a lecture given by Andrew Clements, this year's Charlotte Huck Endowed Speaker. He will speak at 7 p.m. March 7 in the Casa Loma Room. For a $25 donation to the Charlotte S. Huck Children's Literature Festival Endowment, a limited number of seats have been made available for the public to attend this lecture.

Some of the authors have been to the festival in the past: Diane Adams first attended eight years ago, before her book "Zoom!" was published.

"It was an amazing event with well-established authors, whom we were able to talk to one on one," she said. "They had great camaraderie with each other, hilarious stories to tell, and it was evident through their stories that they truly loved what they did. I walked away from that event knowing that I wanted to write children's books."

The authors and illustrators at the festival all share a common bond: They've dedicated their lives to sharing their words and pictures with children.

How the authors got their start

Christina Das has been interested in writing since she was young.

"I had a lifelong dream of writing books," she said. "And then, I became a mother. When I started reading to my daughter, I rediscovered all of my favorite childhood books and longed to share them with her."

Inspired by her favorite authors, Das started creating rhymes and stories for her daughter, which eventually became picture books that are now shared with many children.

Susan Rubin first wanted to become an illustrator.

"As a young mother living in the San Fernando Valley and without money to finance a trip to New York to show what I thought was a portfolio, I decided to write a story to give myself something to illustrate," she said. "After many revisions with help along the way from interested editors and colleagues, that story became my first published book - five years later. I illustrated that book and the next two for Albert Whitman & Company."

Lauren Stringer fell into writing.

"I did not choose to write and illustrate children's books - it sort of chose me," she said.

Stringer studied art and art history in college, moving to New York City to become an artist. For eight years, she painted, sculpted and created sets and costumes for dance and performance art, while working part time in museums to pay the bills.

After moving to Minneapolis in 1988 with her husband and setting up studios to continue painting and sculpting, she met author-illustrator Debra Frasier.

"I began working in the schools with Debra as an artist-in-residece" Stringer said. "For fun, she would stop with me at the Red Balloon Book Store in St. Paul, which specializes in children's books. Childhood memories of favorite picture books welled up, but at that time I had no sense that one day children's books would be my life."

After having her daughter in 1992, Stringer made painted sculptures that were very small and had doors that the viewer could open and close. At an exhibit of these small "box" sculptures, Frasier commented on how opening the doors was like opening a picture book.

"She took slides of my sculptures to her editor and her editor at Harcourt thought I should be illustrating picture books," Stringer said. "She sent me the manuscript for my first picture book, `Mud,' written by Mary Lyn Ray. Since `Mud,' the world of children's literature and all of its wonders has opened up to me."

Daniel San Souci came from a creative family.

"Writing and illustrating children's books came from a love of literature when I was growing up," he said. "I was fortunate to have a father who once was an aspiring artist and a mother who wanted to be the next Jane Austen. Because of circumstances like having to support and raise a family, neither of them were able to pursue their dreams, so when my brother, who is a writer, and I came along, we couldn't have had more enthusiastic supporters.

"It seemed my young years centered around reading books, the role-playing it encompassed, and spending all my free time writing and drawing," he said. "From my wonder years right up through my days at art college, creating children's books was a dream that always persisted."

`The best job I've ever had'

The participants enjoy their careers for different reasons.

For Rubin, it's the whole process that gets her excited.

"My favorite parts of the job are getting excited about the idea, doing the research, then struggling to write chapters that finally entertain my writers' group and gain their seal of approval," she said. "I come away from our weekly meetings on a high if they like what I've done."

Das likes the challenge and meeting with the kids she writes for.

"Being a children's author is the best job I have ever had," she said. "Creating the picture book is a challenging and satisfying creative experience. However, the most rewarding part is sharing my work with children."

Das regularly visits book festivals, schools and libraries to share her work.

"Being part of a child's growing years is a humbling experience," she said.

Stringer enjoys the first steps in the writing and illustrating process.

"I love the very beginning, whether it is writing a new idea for a picture book or my editor has sent me a new manuscript to consider for a picture book," she said. "The newness of it it exhilarating. And in the end, when my work on the book is done and the illustrations hang on my studio wall before being sent off to the publisher, I have such a wonderful feeling of accomplishment and relief."

For Adams, it's getting in touch with her audience.

"One of my favorite parts of writing for children is reading the story out loud with students at school visits," she said. "Their laughter and joy, and their comments about their favorite parts, make me want to keep writing."

Kristine O'Connell George likes entering the world of children through her writing.

"Writing for children brings me joy," she said. "A child's world is new and filled with surprise and discovery. I love the challenge and joy of writing for this audience."

San Souci appreciates getting to use his imagination.

"My favorite part of doing my books is creating the characters," he said. "There's something about having nothing and creating a character who can sustain an entire adventure. I love to do this both literally and visually."

An invaluable experience

It's not just the teachers, librarians and book lovers who benefit from attending the festival, but also the authors.

"I find it invaluable to hear what other writers and editors say about children's literature," Rubin said. "I come away with new insights about the process of writing and even promoting a book, and a greater understanding of what makes a good book good."

"Most often I return home with a renewed sense of hope for good children's books and their important place in the lives of children and adults," Stringer said. "The company of `lovers of children's literature' is always stimulating to me. I come home with lots of stories and new friends."

"Going to these festivals is important to me," San Souci said. "My profession is solitary. I spend my time by myself in my studio creating my books. Festivals like this give me the opportunity to meet so many book people - other authors, teachers, book lovers. I always come back from these conferences feeling more connected and uplifted. It's like running a marathon, then you stop to have that drink of water, and start running again, feeling refreshed."

To register for the Charlotte S. Huck Children's Literature Festival, call Colleen Quesada during the day at (909) 748-8791.  (redlandsdailyfacts.com)

---

Create a child-friendly home

It is said that a child who is truly at home in his house is likely to be much more happier and pleasant.

However, if the house is one in which he or she is often made to feel unwelcome, or is constantly meeting in accidents, the effect will be a markedly negative one.

Parents and caregivers should start to create the child-friendly home by making it safe.

"Dangerous situations should not be object lessons or training grounds for obedience," states Natia Meehan, certified Montessori teacher.

Keep your home neat and well ordered. This appeals to children's sense of order (strongest between the age of one and three) and will help them to be neat also.

Provide them with low drawers, baskets and shelves or clothes, books and toys. Children, if grown in an accessible environment, will enjoy placing their own clothes and toys in the right place and keeping their room neat, without quarrels from Mom or Dad.

Cleaning game

If you provide your child with child-sized mops and brooms this will also make the real work of cleaning floors as enjoyable as a game, the experts note.

In the kitchen, dishes stored down low and child-sized cooking utensils will encourage them to do their own mixing and 'cooking' while you cook, instead of watching television or hanging on to your feet asking for attention.

Place their clothes for the day where they can reach them, and even choose what to wear before coming out for breakfast.

At www.lowes.com, it is noted that decorating your house to accommodate children doesn't have to mean giving up beautiful fabrics and decorator hues for a collection of cartoon characters and primary colours.

It is quite possible to let your home make a statement about your tastes and satisfy your child's needs at the same time.

Baskets under a coffee table make convenient toy storage. Make your children's toys accessible to them.

Make sure that the things your children are allowed to use are placed within their reach.

Make sure things they aren't allowed to play with are well out of reach. Keep plants, flowers and decorative items off tables where little hands can reach.

Children are also happier when they see the things they want around them. Let the children help with decisions on how their spaces will be decorated. (jamaica-gleaner.com)

---

Star Wars nerds target Moby

Apparently, You Can Be Too Sexy

Victoria's Secret likes to ask in its marketing, "What is sexy?" Now the lingerie chain is trying to figure out, "What's too sexy?"

The chief executive of the brand known for its provocative televised fashion shows and alluring stores made an admission yesterday. In her mind, the brand has become "too sexy" -- or at least the wrong kind of sexy.

"We have so much gotten off our heritage," CEO Sharen Jester Turney said in a conference call with analysts. Responding to the past year's weak sales and focus-group feedback, she said, "We will return to an ultra-feminine lingerie brand to meet [customer] needs and expectations."

A Victoria's Secret model in the company's recent Super Bowl ad.

Whatever Victoria's Secret does could shake up the $10-billion-plus U.S. lingerie industry, which the chain owned by Limited Brands Inc. dominates, with sales of more than $5 billion for its most recent fiscal year. Following a dismal holiday season, during which sales at stores open at least a year dropped 8%, executives have been doing some soul-searching and preparing to take steps to overhaul the brand's image.

Ms. Turney cited the brand's recent Super Bowl television commercial as a small move in that direction, describing it as "less seductive." The ad showed a model wearing a modest gray camisole and panties, sitting in a white armchair.

Victoria's Secret blamed its weak sales in the fiscal quarter ended Feb. 2 on the economic downturn and offerings that have veered too much toward young shoppers.

Ms. Turney said Victoria's Secret needs to win customers back to its core lingerie business by producing more sophisticated merchandise. It plans to improve the quality of its sleepwear, and has hired executives, including a new head of its beauty division, to bolster its product and store design.

The chain, which has about 1,020 stores, also is slowing its expansion plans. Victoria's Secret has been pouring money into a major program of remodeling stores and enlarging them by an average of 50%. In the fall, it opened 23 stores and refurbished 73 locations.

While the remodeled stores have produced sales gains, Ms. Turney said, they haven't performed as well as the retailer had hoped. This spring, it will open 31 stores and remodel 45.

Victoria's Secret still plans to hold a fashion show before Christmas. However, Ms. Turney said, executives "want to continue to re-invent" the event, which has featured models wearing tiny, sparkling lingerie sets, enormous angel wings and teetering heels.

Limited, based in Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday reported a 12% decline in net income for its fiscal fourth quarter. Its shares fell more than 11% to $15.85 on the New York Stock Exchange yesterday. Standard & Poor's placed Limited's corporate credit ratings on review yesterday for a potential downgrade. Its current long-term credit rating is BBB-.

Changing customer views will be a huge challenge. Sheri Coulter, a 42-year-old secretary in Flower Mound, Texas, worked at a Victoria's Secret store three years ago. "It was like pulling teeth to get the women our age to come in there," she says. "In our 40s and up, we are sexy -- just not the same sexy a college gal is."

For a time, she says, the store where she worked stopped carrying sizes 38 or larger, embarrassing some older customers who were turned away.

Limited bought Victoria's Secret in 1982, when it had just four stores and a catalog. Under Limited Chief Executive Leslie Wexner, Victoria's Secret improved its quality and toned down racy styles to appeal to mainstream customers.

In the 1990s, professional women shopped the pastel-painted stores for colorful, European-inspired lingerie, supplementing underwear wardrobes previously filled with black, white and beige styles. Soft music played in the background while saleswomen discreetly offered help.

But over time, Victoria's Secret adapted to a changing culture. Women began wearing camisoles and bustiers as outer garments, the growth of the Internet made skin-baring photographs ubiquitous, and teen pop stars such as Britney Spears gyrated on stage in revealing costumes.

One reason Victoria's Secret got off track, Ms. Turney said, was the success of its Pink brand, which launched in 2002 and aimed to introduce college students to Victoria's Secret stores. Pink has grown tremendously; in October, an executive said it would probably reach $900 million in sales for 2007.

But as teens and 20-somethings snapped up Pink underwear and pajamas, too many other product lines at Victoria's Secret shifted to target that same customer, Ms. Turney said.

Today, Victoria's Secret stores are lacquered black, with neon-pink accents and oversize images of scantily clad models. Pounding music pumps through the loudspeakers. Malls endure protests from parents who are outraged by window displays that feature suggestively posed mannequins.

Although basic colors and styles still account for much of the Victoria's Secret bra business, new merchandise lines, such as one from French lingerie brand Chantal Thomass, are far less modest than older fashions.

The word "sexy" is everywhere: on the "Very Sexy" makeup and bra lines, on the "Sexy Little Things" room of risque underwear, and on the chain's Valentine's Day list of "What is Sexy." (Victoria Beckham and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo made the cut this year.)

Older shoppers have noticed the brand's orientation toward a younger, flashier look. They don't want the merchandise to become dowdy, but their image of "sexy" is more refined.

"As a customer over the years, I believe their trend toward a youth-oriented pop style is anything but sexy," says Cecil Van Houten, a 53-year-old shopper from Bath, N.Y.

While purchasing perfume at a Victoria's Secret store with his wife recently, Mr. Van Houten noticed that most of the display area "was taken up by product that looked as though it were designed for teenage girls rather than adult women." The rest of the merchandise, he says, "varied between trashy and uninspiring."

As the giant in the marketplace, Victoria's Secret is vulnerable to competition from all directions. Discounters and department stores, such as Target Corp., J.C. Penny Co. and Kohl's Corp., have been revamping their lingerie offerings. Teen chains such as American Eagle Outfitters Inc. have gone after the business, too.

The latest entry is Gilly Hicks, a small intimate-apparel chain started by Abercrombie & Fitch Co. With its more-romantic and casual feel, Gilly Hicks has been described by industry-watchers as a less-provocative alternative to Victoria's Secret for younger shoppers. But Abercrombie Chief Executive Michael Jeffries has said he doesn't envision the two brands competing for customers.

Meanwhile, lingerie purveyor Frederick's of Hollywood Group Inc., which has more than 130 stores and calls itself "the original sex symbol," has focused in recent years on affordable fashion inspired by red-carpet styles. While she wouldn't speak directly to the changes at Victoria's Secret, the chain's Chief Executive Linda LoRe said, "We feel very strongly that there are a lot of different interpretations of sexy. It's about confidence; it's about how you feel."

Ms. Turney said Victoria's Secret sees opportunities to introduce both higher-priced and less-expensive merchandise to fend off rivals. That's a strategy that has tripped up other industry leaders, such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc., that strayed from their roots. Wal-Mart stumbled in its efforts to upgrade its apparel offerings and introduce pricier products. Its sales recovered after it returned to its historical focus on discounting. (online.wsj.com)

---

Let's Rewrite the Rules for Kids' Media

Four decades ago, Joan Ganz Cooney and her colleagues created the gold standard for using mass media to educate children when they founded the long-running kids' program Sesame Street. Today, the Joan Ganz Cooney Center, the nonprofit research organization Ganz Cooney founded, is pushing for an overhaul of children's media legislation that may prove no less far-reaching.

The center's recent report, D is for Digital, analyzes the impact of digital media on kids and reaches some striking conclusions. "Federal regulatory bodies, such as the Federal Communications Commission, and voluntary industry, public interest advocacy and philanthropic organizations, should advance policies that protect children from commercialism," the center writes. "A revitalization of the Children's Television Act needs to be undertaken to modernize the child protections now called for in a digital age."

I heartily second the recommendation. I do not profess to be an expert on regulation, but I am a student of the impact of interactive media on children and young adults. I have been chronicling the explosion of virtual worlds for children over the past year and a half at Ypulse, a Web site that covers marketing to young people. Last autumn I held a conference on younger teens, or "tweens," and technology.

Digital Marketing Is Interactive and Immersive

We clearly need to develop standards when it comes to kids' digital media. One of the major goals of the Children's Television Act was to increase the quantity of educational broadcast TV programming for children. But it was enacted in 1990 and predates much of the digital era. And other than subsequent FCC rules on digital TV and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, which prevents personal data collection from children under 13 without parental consent, there's a dearth of rules and guidelines for kids' digital media. What's more, the standards for what constitutes "educational" content are weak at best.

Digital media—whether delivered via the Internet, cell phones, Apple iPods, or mobile gaming devices—is saturated with ad-supported content. And unlike TV ads, much digital marketing is interactive and immersive. Even broadcast TV is changing how it delivers commercials in an age where multitasking youth have become adept at using ad-skipping technology like digital video recorders. Marketers are increasingly placing products within shows, or even crafting entire shows or vignettes around a brand, using so-called branded entertainment. For instance, various companies promote brands on youth-targeted networks like the CW through "content wraps," serialized vignettes that appear at various intervals throughout a show.

Companies including Disney and Viacom's Nickelodeon plan to spend hundreds of millions of dollars developing virtual worlds and casual games for kids; we're seeing the proliferation of Web sites connected to real-life toys, including Webkinz, Build-a-Bear, LEGO, and Mattel's Barbie.

Dressing Avatars in DKNY

There's little doubt as to the reason behind these efforts. At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, a Mattel executive proudly announced that the company won't run any outside advertising in its Barbie Girls virtual world. Come on. The entire site is a Barbie ad. On Web sites like Stardoll, children under 13 can dress their avatars in virtual DKNY clothes.

There are no requirements or standards for labeling online advertising or for transparency around this type of sponsor integration within virtual worlds. There are also no requirements for any amount of educational content on commercial Web sites or any criteria for vetting kids' sites or electronic toys that claim to be educational.

Why all the fuss over messaging to kids? An American Psychological Assn. task force has recommended limits, citing research that shows that kids under the age of 8 can't critically comprehend TV ad messages and that they're prone to accept advertiser messages as truthful, accurate, and unbiased.

Advocacy organizations like the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) argue that exposure to marketing exploits children's developmental vulnerabilities. A recent British study found that "the pressure to consume and conform can lead to excessive levels of materialism and competition among children leading to bullying." CCFC also argues that marketing is a factor in the childhood obesity epidemic. But unlike some European countries that have banned marketing to children on TV or in schools, the current U.S. regulatory climate makes such proscriptions unlikely.

Updating the Children's Television Act

Marketers do try to self-regulate, through such bodies as the Better Business Bureau's Children's Advertising Review Unit, which aims to ensure that messages for kids are "truthful, accurate, and sensitive." But experts say comparable efforts in Europe are far more effective in promoting healthy development.

So how do we redefine the Children's Television Act for the Digital Age?

• Reach out to industry. Several groups are hard at work investigating the impact of digital media on children. Among them are Common Sense Media's Digital Kids Initiative, the MacArthur Foundation's research into digital learning,  and of course the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop and others. These organizations need to reach out to the entrepreneurs and large corporations creating these new kids' spaces and begin a dialogue.

• Create research-based universal standards for what constitutes educational content. This applies to TV, online, and other electronic content and should be broken out by ages and development stages. If TV networks are required to provide educational content, let's hold their feet to the fire and make sure it's educational. They can still create fluff, but they shouldn't be able to pass it off as educational content. In the digital space, where there is no regulation yet, companies that comply could be given some sort of educational seal of approval. Let's reward sites that encourage kids' creativity and learning. These standards should be updated and informed by the latest research.

• Build new, ad-free business models for sites targeting children. Many people argue that subscription models make high-quality children's content inaccessible to low-income families. I agree. So let's come up with creative alternatives.

• Increase transparency and labeling of sponsored digital content. If the only way marketers can effectively reach youth is through product placement and branded entertainment, we need more transparency about who's paying the bills and what content is sponsored. Young people respect this sort of transparency and understand sites need advertisers to keep the lights on, but they don't always recognize branded entertainment, advergames, or brands in virtual worlds as advertising.

These steps alone won't reinvent how marketers get their messages before kids. But they could go a long way toward protecting children who are living long stretches of their lives immersed in ad-saturated digital media. (businessweek.com)

BARBIE® pairs up with the Lollipop Theater Network to host a "BUTTERFLY BALL" at the CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES in celebration of the all-new "BARBIE™ MARIPOSA

The "Barbie™ Mariposa™" Movie Inspires Self-Confidence, Reminding Viewers that "The Most Beautiful Thing You Can Be is Yourself"

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.- Barbie® celebrates the anticipation of spring with the launch of an all-new, butterfly fairy-themed DVD movie "Barbie™ Mariposa™" Featuring incredible CGI animation, the full-length made-for-DVD movie is released today by Universal Studios Home Entertainment and features a heartwarming storyline, including a wonderful lesson to inspire self-confidence and remind viewers that "the most beautiful thing you can be is yourself" The new supporting "Barbie™ Mariposa™" toy line, complete with glittering butterfly-winged fairy dolls, styling heads, accessories, playsets and lifestyle products, allows girls to bring the Mariposa™ story to life and relive their favorite whimsical moments from the movie.

To celebrate Barbie® doll’s newest release "Barbie™ Mariposa™" and the movie’s exciting new butterfly fairy-theme, Barbie® co-hosted a first-ever "Butterfly Ball" on February 22 at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles with the Lollipop Theater Network (a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing the magic of movies to children staying in hospitals nationwide). The "Butterfly Ball" brought the enchanting world of Mariposa™ to life by transforming the children’s hospital into a beautiful butterfly fairy garden. Barbie® kicked off the festive "Butterfly Ball" by announcing a $20,000 donation to the Lollipop Theater Network. Children in attendance were treated to an exclusive sneak preview of the new Barbie™ Mariposa™ movie and were gifted with special EB Butterfly Necklaces designed by actors Courteney Cox and David Arquette to support the EB (Epidermolysis Bullosa) Medical Research Foundation. Other keepsakes included butterfly fairy-themed Barbie™ Mariposa™ toys and dolls.

"Barbie movies continue to grow in popularity around the globe and are considered the new classics in home family DVD libraries, with more than 48 million units sold worldwide since 2001" said Barry Waldo, Vice President, Entertainment Marketing, Mattel. "Families watch our Barbie movies together because, in addition to having engaging and original magical storylines, each movie features positive messages and values that parents and grandparents appreciate for their kids"

"The brand new world of ’Barbie Mariposa’ gives girls a way to celebrate spring with an entire new line of butterfly fairy-inspired dolls in vibrant, glittering colors with magical transformation features that truly bring the butterfly theme to life" said Jamie Wood, vice president, Barbie Marketing, Mattel. "’Barbie Mariposa’ engages and delights girls in ways that only Barbie doll can"

Barbie™ Mariposa™ DVD

This spring, Barbie® stars in "Barbie™ Mariposa™" an all-new story set in the world of Butterfly Fairies! Mariposa™ (which means "butterfly" in Spanish) is a beautiful butterfly fairy who loves to read and dream about the world outside her home in the land of Flutterfield™. The land of Flutterfield™ is protected by the Queen’s glimmering magical lights, but when the Queen is poisoned by an evil fairy, the special lights begin to go out one by one. It’s up to the brave Mariposa™ and her friends to journey beyond the safe borders of the city in search of a hidden antidote that will save the Queen forever! The heartwarming storyline of "Barbie Mariposa" features a wonderful lesson to instill self confidence among its viewers, showing them that "the most beautiful thing you can be is yourself" Join the butterfly fairy friends on an exciting and enlightening adventure that will transform them. Available on February, 26, 2008, for a suggested retail price of $19.98.

The "Barbie™ Mariposa™" DVD also includes exclusive extras that will fuel young imaginations and provide hours of fun activities, including:

* Flutterpixie™ Dress Up Game

* Flutterfield™ Scavenger Hunt

"Barbie® Mariposa™" Dolls and Accessories

The Barbie™ Mariposa™ DVD is partnered with a magical toy line that captures the vibrant, glittery aesthetic and whimsy inspired by the movie. With beautiful bold colors and incredible features, the Barbie® Mariposa™ toy line is a great way to inspire girls to use their imagination and celebrate the spring season. Girls will enjoy playing out their favorite scenes from the full-length adventure with butterfly-themed dolls, styling heads and much more. The Barbie® Mariposa™ toy line includes:

Barbie® Magic Wings Mariposa™ Doll

Based on Barbie® doll’s newest made-for-DVD animated movie Barbie™ Mariposa™, the Magic Wings Mariposa™ doll features a beautiful transformation. With the press of a button, Mariposa™ doll’s butterfly wings change and grow from pretty purple wings to giant, sparkly, pink wings. The doll also features beautiful accents, including a butterfly tiara and removable skirt. Suggested retail price is $17.99 for ages 3 and up.

Willa™ Doll

In the Barbie™ Mariposa™ made-for-DVD movie, Willa™ is not only the best friend of Mariposa™ but also of the beautiful butterflies! Girls can play out the feature of Willa™ speaking with the butterflies by pressing a lever on Willa™ doll’s back. When the lever is activated, girls can watch her butterfly friend flutter up Willa™ doll’s arm to share a "secret" in the doll’s ear. Suggested retail price is $12.99 for ages 3 and up.

Barbie® Mariposa™ Color Change Rayla™ and Rayna™ Dolls

Catch butterfly fairy twins Rayla™ and Rayna™ - the beautiful sisters and best friends of Mariposa™ from the Barbie™ Mariposa™ DVD - on their exciting journey to save the Queen. Each fashionable butterfly fairy doll features color change sparkly wings and beautiful color change hair when girls apply icy cold water. Their pretty butterfly wings and gorgeous reversible skirts can also be mixed and switched between sisters and friend Willa™ doll for a dramatic transformation Each doll also comes with a brush to style their beautiful long hair. Suggested retail price is $12.99 for ages 3 and up.

Mariposa™ Styling Head

The Mariposa™ styling head offers girls fashion play, hair play and transformation play all-in-one! Girls can use the pretty tulip hair braider for the styling head or themselves by snapping two pieces of hair in and squeezing the handle to create beautiful twists! There are lots of share-and-wear pieces including a tiara with removable butterfly clips that also become barrettes, a necklace, hair extensions, ribbons and more. The Mariposa™ styling head also includes a color change feature. When girls use the special applicator and cold water, eye shadow, lipstick as well as a cute little butterfly design on the cheek are revealed. Suggested retail price is $19.99 for ages 3 and up.

Other items in the toy collection include:

* Barbie® Mariposa™ Prince Doll

* Barbie® Mariposa™ Mini-Character Giftsets

* Barbie® Mariposa™ Flutterpixies™ Dolls Assortment

* Barbie® Mariposa™ Playset

Additional "Barbie™ Mariposa™" Products

"Barbie™ Mariposa™" Learning Laptop (Oregon Scientific)

Now girls can learn the basics with Barbie™ Mariposa™ and her butterfly friends! With eight fun  learning games including counting, colors, shapes and ABCs, the Barbie™ Mariposa™ Learning Laptop features an animated LCD screen, colorful ALPHA numeric keyboard and a butterfly-shaped handle perfect for preschoolers (age 3+). Cute Barbie™ and butterfly graphics decorate the stylish laptop. Available at Wal-Mart and other national retailers for a suggested retail price of $24.99.

"Barbie™ Mariposa™" Dress-Up

Girls can role-play being a butterfly fairy with the new "Barbie™ Mariposa™ dress-up featuring glittery butterfly wings and fashion accessories including a tiara, fun pretend make-up in a pretty Butterfly shaped tote, fashion accessory sets with a handbag and pretend jewelry and more! Available at toy retailers nationwide for suggested retail prices ranging from $4.99 to $19.99.

"Barbie™ Mariposa™" Publishing

Girls will adore the rich new line of "Barbie™ Mariposa™" coloring, activity and story books from Random House, Scholastic and Reader’s Digest available in March at toy retailers nationwide for suggested retail prices ranging from $3.99 to $9.99. (webwire.com)

Hasbro's Star Wars

Battle Packs
There's only one image for the Battle Packs in the press kit, but we saw a few others in the showroom, as well as one that wasn't on display. The Battle Packs assortment will be a mix of TLC and TCW, meaning we'll see both styles released simultaneously.

In the TLC line, there's a Hoth Speeder Bike Patrol set, featuring two Imperial Hoth scouts on their bikes, plus a Rebel Hoth set with Han, Chewie, K-3PO, R5-M2, and a Probot.

Over in TCW, look for a Speeder Bike Recon set, featuring two clones on their BARC Speeders, plus another set called Battle at B'Omarr Monastery with figures unknown.

Evolutions
The popular Evolutions series of 3-packs continue, and have been rumored for months. But no amount of rumors can take away the excitement one gets when first viewing the actual figures. According to the rumor mill, this is only the first Rebel Pilot set we'll be seeing in 2008, and there will also be an Imperial Pilots set as well. Since they're not due until the fall, we'll just have to settle with the ones currently hitting retails, including The Fett Legacy set shown above.

Vehicles
Ah, "the beast". Really, words cannot describe the beauty that is the AT-TE.

By now, you've seen the photos, you've watched the video, you've mopped the drool from your chin. This really is a work of art. Loaded with everything you could want from a vehicle: electronic lights, sounds, and voices! Slow-moving spring-loaded opening hatches! Launching projectiles! An exclusive figure! This baby is HUGE, and can hold an army of troopers (roughly 20).

Whichever style of action figures you prefer, they will both fit inside and alongside this vehicle. Which brings up an interesting point. The vehicles (also look for V-19 Torrent Fighter and Federation Spider Droid, plus some repackaged TAC ships as well) are the same style as we've seen them in the past. As with the animated series, where the digital models are the exact same as those seen in the films, the same thinking holds true here. The vehicles (both land-based and flying starfighters) will be the same sculpts, and will fit both TCW and TLC styled figures inside.

Galactic Heroes
Over in the super-cute and super-popular Galactic Heroes line, there are a few new sets planned, but we'll also see the return of some past favorites. Which makes this no different from any other year really, does it?

But what does set this year apart is the return of the GH vehicles. there will be several returning favorites, as well as some all-new ships coming in 2008. Plus look for several exclusive multipacks later in the year.

Mighty Muggs
Ah, the Mighty Muggs! Love them or hate them, this line is here to stay for awhile at least. The second wave is starting to show up in stores now, and we've already seen a third and fourth wave planned for 2008, for a grand total of nearly 30 by year's end (including an SDCC-exclusive General Gree). And the line is also expanding into other Hasbro properties as well, so there's no stopping this "made from 100% recycled awesome" line!

Role Play
For the fan who likes to dress up and recreate favorite scenes, the always available lightsabers and blasters are returning for another go-round, with some slightly new color schemes. Plus, look for an all-new Clone Trooper voice-changing helmet.


Wrapping It Up
Star Wars is going to be BIG in 2008. I'm not talking about the AT-TE (although, hey, that sucker is HUGE!) With The Clone Wars slated for a theatrical release in August, this fall and holiday season will see an onslaught of new toys released centered around the new animated series, with a new market of fans seeing it for the first time.

What's a little concerning for longtime collectors like me is that nearly everything shown by Hasbro during Toy Fair is slated for a Fall release. The major kick-off for both TCW and TLC takes place on 7/26/2008 (hopefully this means another midnight madness launch party!), and last year's TAC toy line will still have a handful of spring exclusives released March-May, but there's going to be something of a drought for Star Wars fans. The big promotional crossover event, The Force Unleashed, has fizzled out due to the game's frequent delays, turning it into a non-event really.

So where will fans be able to satisfy their need for adventure and excitement during the bulk of the year? I hear there's a certain swashbuckling, whip-cracking archaeologist marking his territory in the toy stores as we speak. I'm betting this return may have something that fans are looking for. While a Jedi may not crave these things, we toy collectors certainly do!  (theforce.net)

Barbie tries on-line comeback

High Tech And Affordable Prices Key To 2008 Toys

High-tech playthings remain the darlings of the toy industry this year, from new robotic dinosaurs to a joking, leg-crossing Elmo and a Spider-Man toy that really climbs walls.

But with many consumers strapped for cash and toy prices expected to rise, companies at the American International Toy Fair in Manhattan last week also aim to give parents more bang for their toy-buying bucks in 2008.

“You're seeing a lot of innovation at lower prices,” said Chris Byrne, an independent toy industry analyst. “Toys are kind of the last area to go when you pull back on spending, but parents are looking at things a lot more critically.”

Byrne said major manufacturers have fewer high-end items costing $100 or more this year. He said they are focusing more on their core business of “goofy, collectible, plush” toys.

At the showroom of industry leader Mattel Inc., the first exhibit is for the 40-year-old Hot Wheels brand. To celebrate that anniversary, Mattel next month is rolling out tiny cars designed by automakers including Ford, Honda and Lotus. The price: $2 each.

Hot Wheels Turbo Driver, costing $21 in the fall, adds a high-tech twist by allowing kids to plug car-like cartridges into a controller that connects to a computer. Players can then go online to customize and race their cars.

Mattel also is throwing a new candidate into the election season with a new Barbie for President, a $15 doll coming in June.

“The bulk of toys are really pretty affordable,” said Neil Friedman, president of the Mattel brands division. He said most Mattel toys cost less than $20.

Upcoming products from No. 2 Hasbro Inc. include an overhaul of the $15 mystery board game Clue, a $40 amusement park play set marking the 25th anniversary of My Little Pony, and the Nerf N-Strike Vulcan EBF-25, a $40 toy with a canister that feeds a continuous supply of soft-dart ammunition.

This year is important for the toy industry after some recent bumps.

After recalls of Chinese-made toys, toy makers and sellers are working to tighten safety standards.

Toy makers face continuing competition from hot consumer electronics items like the Apple iPod and Nintendo Wii.

Prices also are expected to inch up because of the rising cost of energy, plastic and labor in China.

Despite these concerns, toy makers know there are consumers undeterred by price tags when it comes to the most advanced toys.

As part of a 2008 dinosaur theme across the industry, Hasbro's Playskool brand has its upcoming $300 Kota the Triceratops, a robotic creature more than 3 feet long that responds to touch and sound. It doesn't walk, but little kids can sit on its bouncy back while it plays jungle noises.

Hasbro, which helped define the pricey toy trend of recent years with its $300 Butterscotch pony, now has the $180 Biscuit, a barking, tail-wagging, touch-sensitive golden retriever that responds to spoken commands such as “sit,” “give me a paw” and “do you want a treat?”

Targeting parents familiar with smashed portable DVD players, Mattel's Fisher-Price brand this summer is selling the $180 Kid-Tough Portable DVD Player for preschoolers. The oversized player has a built-in screen, a kick stand, two big handles and is designed to survive being dropped repeatedly.

“Technology has just infused itself into every aisle of the toy store,” said Reyne Rice, a toy trend specialist for the Toy Industry Association.

Rice said parents this year are also looking to balance all that technology with toys that teach science and discovery or get kids active.

Many upcoming toys blend the appeal of technology with prices under $100.

Jakks Pacific Inc. is turning the heads of industry experts with its EyeClops Night Vision Infrared Stealth Goggles. For about $80, kids can use the goggles to see about 20 feet in the dark. (Source TheDay.com)