How we decide what to carry

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It’s got to be exceptional

 

drop_cap_icon_smOur unique collection of exceptional toys and books have been selected for their quality and use of natural materials as well as educational and play value. As parents, we have set high standards for our son’s personal toy and book collection – we have hand picked our lines accordingly and are particularly impressed by the winners of the following awards:


 

 

awards_caldicott2Caldecott
The Caldecott Medal is awarded to the most distinguished American picture book for children. We carry many of these wonderful Caldecott Medal winners such as Joseph Had a Little Overcoat, Hugo Cabret, Where The Wild Things Are , Blueberries For Sal, This Is Not My Hat, Tuesday and Owl Moon.

 

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Newbery Medal
The Newbery Medal was named after the eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.
Medal winners Frog and Toad Together, Charlotte’s Web, My Father’s Dragon and this year’s winner Flora and Ulysses are all part of our collection.

 

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Parent’s Choice
Designed to help parents and caregivers of all achievements and backgrounds make informed decisions about which new products are right for their children, the Parents’ Choice Awards is the nation’s oldest nonprofit program created to recognize quality children’s media. The Parents’ Choice Awards program honors the best material for children: books, toys, music and storytelling, magazines, software, videogames, television and websites.
Magna-Tiles and K’Nex construction kits are our most popular winners by far!

 

awards_oppenheimOppenheim Toy Award
Educator, parent & kid testing goes into each product considered for an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award – we have a large selection of winners In our game department.

 

awards_mensaMensa Select Award
The Mensa Select® seal is awarded by Mensa, The High IQ Society and indicates that a game is original, challenging and well designed. Indirectly, it indicates that a game is original and creative in concept, challenging, a good value for the price, easy to comprehend and play, and, above all, fun! Some of our favorite Mensa Award winners include Forbiddden Desert, Qwirkle, Structures, Dizzios and IOTA!

 

awards_spiel_gutSpiel Gut
The German “spiel gut” award was created to encourage toy manufacturers to bring better toys to the market. The award is given to toys that meet specific criteria, which have been continuously developed by an independent committee composed of psychologists, educators, parents, and other individuals since 1954. More than 2,500 toys have already been given the spiel gut award, and as many as 600 new toys are tested by the committee each year