Toys and Games Books

We got this for our four year old at the time. He is almost 7 now, and we all still enjoy choosing instructions from this book to work on together. I do think the pouch is a little small for all the pieces.

The zip line "robot" as my kids call it doesn't work so great, but otherwise, we've enjoyed all the projects - takes between 8 and 15 minutes to build one, if we don't stop to play together. I agree that if the child is 8 or older, this would be something they would need very little help with. Of course, you need to have a few legos already, as this one only has the specialized pieces inside. Oh - and a few rubberbands, as well. Ours broke rather quickly.

Sra. Gose
Mother of Five, Spanish Teacher, Author
Flip Flop Spanish

My son has a HUGE bin of Legos and enjoys building and rebuilding. This box/kit really challenges him. The best part is most of the contraptions have a function. He loves the candy dispenser made with Legos and rubber bands.
I highly recommend this for any Lego lover!

My ten year old loves legos ... and I love peace and quiet in the car! This product worked out great as a "trip treat", the bag was great so he could keep track of them. We use an aluminum cake pan with a plastic cover for a lego desk/holder in the car, but the book with a bag made it so he could take it into the hotel and restaurant with no fuss ... and isn't that what every mom really wants ??? no fuss??? GO LEGOS!!!!!!!!

This has many fun and challenging activities a child can do with Legos. The projects use the pieces that come with the book plus basic pieces most Lego fans will already own. Easy to follow directions with fun results. The child can use the basic ideas and expand upon them, so this kit isn't limited as some are. We got it for my son's 10th birthday and I think it would be appropriate for an 8 to 14 year old.

I asked for this before Christmas and got in January. I didn't check the contents of the bag until Saturday (February 2nd) when I had time to start building the models. Six pices were missing, two of them very important (24-tooth gear wheels). I got some extra-pieces, but some models I won't be able to build because of the missing gear wheels. I tried returning the item to Amazon but I had until January 31st so if anyone buys this please check it very soon, the models are fine, easy to do, BUT I WANT MY MISSING PIECES!!!

My daughter is 2 years old and had a problem with biting other children while at daycare. We tried "reasoning" with her - but it didn't seem to help. So, we decided to try buying a book hoping that perhaps it might help the situation. She loves this book. Surprisingly, after reading the book to her, she has not had any reported problems of biting anymore. Coincidence? Perhaps. Perhaps not. This book sure is worth trying it for yourself.

Teeth Are Not for Biting (Best Behavior Series)

This is a great book to read to toddlers to teach acceptable and unacceptable behavior. It has colorful pictures and using simple words easy to understand. This book also offers tips and advice at the end for parents and caregivers.

I wish I would have seen this book four months ago when my now 17 month old toddler was in his biting prime. Nevertheless, I still purchased it (his biting had already significantly decreased) and I'm very happy I did. Once in a while his biting will "resurface" and home we go after day care to take a look at his "Teeth Are Not For Biting" book. The words are very simple and catchy, the illustrations are perfectly colorful for a toddler (white and bright teeth being the focus) and he actually gets the hint that "teeth are not for biting"! I highly recommend this book to any parent of a baby/toddler. Good to have, especially before the problem begins.

The best behavior series is tackling children's less than desirable behaviors one by one;preventing kicking, hitting, the sharing of germs, tail pulling, and now, biting. The text highlights the benefits of teeth for activities such as chewing and smiling as well as acknowledging situations where children might want to bite and alternatives to biting. A variety of well-drawn illustrations present a variety of children in multiple environments. The text does not follow a predictable pattern-while some phrases are used repeatedly, the pattern changes a few times over the course of the text, from "Teeth are not for biting" to "Biting hurts" and back again, which may be confusing for the 0-3 year old audience. Parents may appreciate the resources for discouraging biting and assistance with teething available at the end of the book.

My son had a real problem w/ biting, but after reading this book over and over, I really saw a reduction. It's a cute book, great pictures. Def would buy it!

The book is OK. Photos are not all that great (some blurry and out of focus, obviously amature). Most of the dolls are modern and mass produced. I was hoping that there would be more artist creations, one of a kinds, limited editions, and antiques. Instead there are a bunch of plastic/vinyl manufactured dolls with just a few quality pieces sprinkled in. I only recommend this if you collect that style of doll (manufactured/mass-produced).

Loved this book. I am a collector of black dolls for many years. I saw several of my dolls in the book.

I enjoyed looking thru this book to get ideas of the different kinds of dolls to add to my collection. There were a lot of dolls that I didn't know existed untill I read this book.

Debbie Garrett's "The Definitive Guide to Collecting Black Dolls" is a magnificent combination of beauty, knowledge, and cultural celebration! It was wonderful learning about the history of antique and vintage black dolls, as well as the current artists and their creations. This guide provides a fabulous array of delightful pictures denoting the significance of black doll collecting, that is both informative and inspiring!

It is the answer to all Black doll collector's dreams! I have a number of "doll" books and magazines but none of them have ALL color Black doll photos in additon to valuable collecting information such as that found in this book. I must confess that initially, I looked through it four times on the day it arrived. It's fun seeing how many of the pictured dolls I have in my own collection!

Fantastic bit of fun that is bright, colourful, clever, simple and appeals to all age groups! A true classic in the making!

My kids fight to be the one holding this book. They love the search as the pages turn to the next challenge.

This is such a beautiful book. I recommend everyone to add a copy of this book to their library. I picked up this book in the classroom I work in to engage a 3 year old child with autism. She didn't take her eyes off this book and wanted to play with it again and again. I am now getting one for my three year old son. Every child and adult will love this book. It is truly amazing. Never have I seen such wonderful pop up art done.

For 3 years now, I've been a David A. Carter fan. Why 3 years? You put two and two together. He's the author of these three *very* cool pop-up books that are unlike any pop-up books I've ever seen. They are like individual works of art only they're purchasable at any generic bookstore. It's "Pop" art. Get the double entendre? Well, if not, take a look at the pics above.

My first introduction to his work was with the book: "One Red Dot." Since then he's created "600 Black Spots" and "Blue 2." I purchased these in "new" condition for half of their purchase price on Amazon. However, if you're the type of parent who lets their child run amok with their baby books (not a bad thing) this may have to take a backseat for a year or two. I had to be very careful with my daughter when reading this book. Like any one-year-old her first instinct was to grab then ensuingly tear off the colorful fluttering paper. But I did manage to keep the book "relatively" unscathed and usable for my second daughter.

He's written a couple more "traditional" pop up books about bugs but these were the ones that hooked me. Oh and one more thing, one of the pages makes a great sawing noise when the blades scrape against the paper as you open the page. Clever.
'Kathleen Dougherty
http://the-tum-tum-tree.blogspot.com/

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R34SQ3IXMD8XCL

I have been teaching for awhile but this book is great for new and experienced teachers and excellent for college students studying courses in child development curriculum. It is broken down alphabetically by themes. Some examples include-seasons, holidays, ants, just to name a few. At the beginning of each theme there is a parent letter that explains what will be happening in your class. Then for all aspects of your students learning, the subject is broken down into different areas that support ways to implement the material- songs,fingerplays,math,science,language(supporting stories), art activities etc...
Overall, a great resource for early educators-especially if you run out of ideas!!!!!

This book is a great resource for teachers. It has wonderful ideas in it.

This book was purchased as a classroom requirement for my daughter's community college course. As a teacher, I don't generally buy resource or idea books, but this is a good one for the beginner or someone who does not have the time to search for ideas. Although it is costly, its a better investment than numerous small books. I feel that the way that the author chose to organize it could have been better; so be sure to read through the entire book as ideas for what you're looking for may be hidden under other topic headings!

I am a stay at home mom and have used this book to help keep my toddler busy. It is great. Every theme has activities for all areas of learning and has great book/DVD/website resources. If it's this great for a parent - it would be wonderful for a teacher!!

This is a great book. Used it as a college student, and kept it handy in the classroom like a bible. Great stuff!!!

This is a wonderful way to introduce kids into the value of math. They will learn about aero dynamics to boot. It's not a 'math' book, it's just that you have to learn a few formulas to be able to do the more entertaining projects. Harry does a great job of explaining the how's and why's of Rocket science in an entertaining way. He also throws a little history in there. This print is older but it hasn't changed much. If you find a cheap copy, snatch it up.

The 7th edition of this great handbook is getting a little "long in the tooth" now, but it is still essential reading for anyone who wants to get into model rocketry, regardless of whether you're main interest is low, mid or high power rockets. Of all the books about model rocketry that I own, G. Harry Stine's handbook is the best value for money.

It goes into so much detail from glues to auerodynamics to calculations of height and stability. I would reccomend it to a beginner and an experienced model rocketeer.

As an adult Model Rocketeer for the past 16 years, I can say that every Rocketeer should have this in their library. It is indeed "the Bible" of Model Rocketry. It is a goldmine of information and technical know-how, and will lead a beginning Rocketeer on the right path. Even someone who's just curious about Model Rocketry will learn a lot from it.

This is without a doubt the best book on model rocketry I've ever seen, and I read it from cover to cover. It deals with every aspect of rocketry in a very accessible manner (for example, presenting formulas for various calculations, but not requiring their use). It is organized so that the reader can focus on single aspects of a rocketry program (for example, separate chapters on aerodynamics, rocket propulsion, recovery systems, altitude measurement). I am a science teacher and coach to two Team America Rocketry Challenge teams, and I keep copies of this book available for my teams as reference. I wish it had more information on electronic payloads, but that is a more advanced topic, so it is very forgivable. If you own only one book on rocketry, this is the one to buy.

My daughters (aged 5 and 7) have loved this book - it has led to long discussions about geography, culture and the ways in which people live. We have written stories about the children in the pictures,and pored over the globe. This book has depth and is an invaluable way of deepening children's engagement and interest in other cultures. We did smile over some minor inaccuracies in the NZ page (not many children in NZ live with their gradnparents!) - but do not hesitate to buy this book for your children and grandchildren. And be prepared for hours of discussion and engagement!

This is a great book. I enjoy it thoroughly, and so does my 4.5 year old daughter. During the Olympics, she has asked for it every night. She loves finding out about the other children and looking at the pictures. It is one of the best multicultural books I have seen. It does not focus on other cultures as historical curiosities or emphasize their differences. Instead, it provides a snapshot of what each child's life is like (parents, home, school, friends, etc.). It shows what is different while emphasizing common everyday life vs. festivals and traditions. It sparks her curiosity (why does that girl paint her face and body, etc.). The book can't begin to answer those questions, but that's what the internet is for.

My 6 year old loves reading this book. It shows how children around the world dress, live, and play. It is interesting to see what other children like to do for fun, or what they like to eat. It is also teaching her about the different countries around the world.

This awesome book shows children around the world and what their everyday life is like (homes, schools, families, pets, friends, churches, food). Having a daughter adopted internationally,this book helps us learn more about her birth country and about all the children of the world. We've started giving this as birthday gifts to her friends.

I hope that all children can someday enjoy this book with their friends and caring adults. It makes real the lives of children all around the world - their hopes, their dreams, their families and their daily routines. It's a delight to see our similarities and a great lesson to learn about our differences. Thank you to the authors and publishers.

Before I encountered this wonderful book on the discount table of a bookstore one Friday evening, I had almost forgotten about Major Matt Mason, Callisto, Scorpio, and Captain Lazer, but as I turned the pages, all those memories came rushing back. Memories of a happy childhood, long before the worries and realities of adulthood ever began to set in. After looking at it for a long while that night, I not only remembered Major Matt Mason with great detail, I wanted to own some of those pieces again as a link with my past--and eventually did.

The book is thorough, well researched, and lavishly illustrated, but it could have been much better. It appears the pages were designed by someone who understands all the features of their desktop publishing system, but not restraint in employing them. Many images are of low-resolution, often with inaccurate and muddy color, which leaves fine details difficult to make out. The choice of a low quality uncoated paper stock doesn't help matters. While these shortcomings give the book a somewhat amateurish appearance, they don't detract from the value of the information--or the memories--contained inside it. The book is obviously a labor of love and should be accepted as such. I'm thankful that somebody has taken the time and effort to draw this information together in book form, because no one else has done so to the extent James Gillam has.

As a child of the 60's growing up in England, I was exposed to a lot of American popular culture and toys.
"Major Matt Mason" and "Zeroids" were some of my favourites. This book gives me an excellent reminder not only of what I had, but also stuff I never saw or even knew existed!
This book is well produced with magnificent colourful photos, but they are let down a little by the matte paper used for the pages that dulls their brilliance. Also, some images suffer from "the jaggies" caused by low resolution of the originals.
Likewise, the layout and text is often jumbled and there are some annoying factual errors.
Also, if the author had a rudimentary knowledge of 50's Hollywood monsters he would have recognised the inspiration for many of the Colorforms Outer Space Men.
Apart from these minor annoyances, this is the book I have been waiting for, for almost fourty years!
"Space Toys of the 60's" is worth every cent, even if only for the photos of the magnificent package and box art!
Those colourful boxes are always the first thing to be discarded by young hands too eager for adventure in space!

This oversized, full color paperback is not a glossy coffee table book. Neither is it a collector's price guide. Instead it's an impassioned and informative discussion of three collectible toy lines: Major Matt Mason (Mattell's Man in Space), Colorforms aliens and my favorite, Ideal's Mighty Zeroids.

I read and learned a lot about the other two toy lines, but I used this book when buying a Zintar Zeroid on E-Bay (for only thirty times the original price of $5, which shows how rare they are). Before that I read the book over and over, looking at the photos and dioramas from catalogs. Gillam even includes pre-release pictures from wholesale toy guides of what these toys might have looked like, as well as extensive photos of alternate versions.

Interest in Matt Mason has never flagged, and Zeroids are once again coming into their own in the world of retro toys (see the Zeroid movie link under Robot Links at alivingdog.com). They represented a high point in Ideal's Motorific line of cars and later boats and cleverly ran on the same replaceable motor. Anyone interested in these three lines, or the history of toys, or just taking a trip down memory lane will enjoy this inexpensive and captivating book.

I bought this book on ebay from the author and I am very happy with it. It is loaded with pictures of each space toy and has nice text. Some toys are shown in their original package. Best book I have bought in a long while.

A Collector's Guide to Major Matt Mason, Mighty Zeroid Robots and Colorforms Outer Space Men. Veteran collector and author James Gillam details the story of toys inspired by NASA ventures into space.

SPACE TOYS OF THE 60's could have been the Major Matt Mason collector's dream come true. However, be warned that the quality of the paper and the image quality of the photos is not very good. I wish the publisher had done a much better job and creating some high quality images that I would want to look at over and over again. Looking at these pictures, as a substitute for expanding my collection, is not fullfilling.

All in all though, being the ONLY book out there right now with any information on Major Matt Mason, this is a pretty good book. At leaset it has photos of all of Mattel's Major Matt Mason - Man in Space figures, vehicles and buildings with detailed descriptions, construction and instruction sheets, product catalogs, collector's reminiscences, prototype information, and company histories.

If you can find a used copy for around $5 it's worth adding to the library as a reference.

I saw this book at a friend's house when my daughter was 6 months old and fell in love with it. I bought a copy for us and regularly buy copies for friends. My daughter, now 2 years old, loves to be read to and won't go to bed without six or seven or eight books. To Market To Market is still a favorite.

The pictures in this book are HILARIOUS !!!! This is a very funny, upbeat book with a bit of a vegetarian theme in a light-handed way. After reading it, our 5-yo looked back through the pictures and said "I think she bought some pets !!!" We borrowed it from the library but I am going to buy a copy to own just because the pictures are so funny...and the way the lady looks at the end of her shopping trips is *exactly* how I feel after shopping with our kids !!!

We first saw this book at our local Children's Museum. After reading it, I had to have this as part of our home library. The illustrations are so original, as is the funny story. It makes us laugh each time we read it together. Plus, the final soup is made of lots of different kinds of vegetables--a great healthy meal reinforcement for your preschooler.

My grandmother used to tell me this story and now I can pass that on to my grandchildren who unfortunately do not live in the same state. It's a wonderful story (with lines I still quote as an adult!) and terrific illustrations that will make you laugh right out loud.

The juxtaposition of the photograph-like mishmashed black and white backgrounds with the colorful illustrations of characters and key items make this book fun and interesting to look at. The twist on the nursery rhyme is hilarious and easy for children to identify with. My child loves to point out the different animals and vegetables and always laughs throughout the story (a lamb hanging out in the diswasher, etc gets lots of giggles). Makes vegetables fun.

Most of the planes in the book were very easy to fly, and the children had fun making them. I also liked the extra activities and information included to help them learn more about flying.

My son just turned 8 and has really been having fun with this book recently. He got it as a gift when he was 5 (despite the recommended age range of 9+) and would always get frustrated when he tried to do one himself because he couldn't fold it as precisely as required and then it didn't turn out right. So he lost interest in it, but discovered it again recently - now he can do all of the airplanes himself and is having great fun. He does like to make paper airplanes out of just about anything, but this book has neat patterns and different shapes to try. Fun for littler ones too if they don't mind a grown up helping (and if you don't mind if they squish it after all your hard work!).

this was a Christmas gift for my 11 yr. old grandson. We have had so much fun doing this together and his father joined in to add even more fun. Winter has flown by much faster with this FAMILY TIME craft project. We are looking forward to logging our flight distances as soon as the weather warms a bit. Quiet time together becames lots of laughs and individual creative juices began to flow. who knew paper airplanes could be so much fun.

They have some planes with preprinted pictures that I would have prefered they left out like a vampire and ghoul. I don't know why they have to make stuff which doesn't need to be scary.

The paper in my printer has been stolen, all the loose paper in the house has gone the same route. Flying through the air and landing in various places like behind the couch, under the tables, into the closets, and onto the bookshelves.