Toys Come Home: Being the Early Experiences of an Intelligent Stingray, Brave Buffalo, and a Brand-New Someone Called Plastic

Gr 1–3—Third in the "Toys Go Out" series, this title (Schwartz + Wade, 2011) serves as a prequel to explain how the Girl's beloved toys, Stingray, Lumphy, and Plastic meet. In the timeless literary construct of talking toys, humans are unaware of the secret life of their playthings. Apparently, they watch TV to improve their vocabulary, can bounce up to turn on the light switch, and just make up stuff to try to impress others. Narrated from Stingray's point of view, he explains how he came to the Girl as a birthday gift and why he is opposed by a crotchety plush walrus who knows everything. Bothered by the lack of hospitality, Stingray attempts to run away but falls down many stairs into the scary cellar. Sarah Barnett reads the tale in a childlike voice and makes a feeble attempt at sound effects. There are inconsistencies, such as that Stingray knows what a slingshot is, but not a ball. Some toys speak, while others do not. The tone of the narrative is somewhat insipid. The highlight of the recording is Lumphy's brave defense of the Girl's bedroom against an overactive, kamikaze kitten, using a tuna casserole and a spray bottle. Imaginative, yet contrived, this is acceptable as an additional purchase.—Lonna Pierce, MacArthur and Thomas Jefferson Elementary Schools, Binghamton, NY