Book Reviews: Tonka Fire & Construction Books

 Reviews  6 Responses »
Apr 282010
 

LittleBrother received two very different books by the same company for birthday and Christmas. I have two very different opinions on them and, as they are fire related, I thought I would share them here on the blog.

The first book is the Tonka, My First Puzzle Book. The concept is great, in theory. The book itself is a padded board book with an open front window to display the first puzzle which is a wonderful ladder truck. Other puzzles inside include a dump truck, a big rig, a fork lift and an ambulance. For our boys, this book seems like a win-win-win-win: things that go, specifically fire trucks and puzzles in a book! We’re puzzle lovers, book lovers and fire truck lovers. It should be great.

It isn’t.

Missing Pieces

You might notice in this picture that there are puzzle pieces missing. I have no idea where they are though I assume that they are somewhere under LittleBrother’s bed. It would be one thing if I really was blaming him for losing him. However, the puzzle pieces themselves are to be blamed. They are very, very thin, very, very flimsy cardboard. They don’t fit very well in the puzzle-book page to begin with so any slight pushing to get a piece to fit sends them all askew. Even BigBrother who is great at jigsaw puzzles has abandoned this book. It’s frustrating for even me when I’m trying to clean up the mess it inevitably makes every time I pick it up, puzzle pieces floating to the floor. They slip and slide for me as well.

I learned today that these books are actually part of a series with other variations available. Appealing to all kinds of kids, they have Sesame Street, Princesses and even My Little Pony. Despite wide appeal, I would not suggest purchasing these books unless they make changes to the quality of the puzzle pieces themselves.

THAT said, I am absolutely in love with the Tonka, Magical Magnets, Trucks at Work! book. (Which, by the way, I can only find the Spanish version to link you to online. Strange.) This book is also a things-that-go type that happens to include some fire trucks and ambulances. Also featured are various construction vehicles. This book is also a board book but does not feature a padded cover.

What makes this book awesome? Magnetic pages. And, obviously, magnets.

LittleBrother Playing

It came with “over 20″ magnets as it says on the front cover. I count 21 right now but take that with a grain of salt. We might have lost some at one point or another as this has been a well used play-book. The magnetic pages feature scenes in which the trucks and other associated prop magnets can act out rescue, construction or other scenes. A building is on fire on one page, road is being built in another. (As a note, each book has a small bit of wording to read for each activity page, puzzle or magnet scene.) I find that the magnets stick well and still manage to slide around the page. We have found that this book, due to the fact that the magnets actually stick, is great for car rides. I think we might take it with us to t-ball games to keep LittleBrother from darting onto the field. I think the only way this book could be improved is if one or two of the magnets were a firefighter or a construction worker.

These books also seem to be part of a series (though I can’t find an English version of the Tonka one online). Also available are Elmo, Spiderman (!) and Transformers (!).

It’s funny how two books by the same company can illicit two totally different reactions from me. It goes to show you that quality means everything though. If the puzzle book would have been made just a little better, it would be a family favorite as well. As a bit of further review, LittleBrother has been sitting and playing with the magnetic book the entire time I have been writing this review. It obviously has his approval.

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[Disclosure: These were gifts by a family member, not given to solicit a review. Links will not make me any money but might make you spend your own. Apologies.]

To Keep or To Toss or To Donate

 Parenting  6 Responses »
Nov 132009
 

Toy Box These two boys of ours have a lot of toys. While I am more likely to buy them a book (or multiple books) for any gift giving occasion that isn’t a birthday or Christmas, they just keep accumulating toys. Hand me downs, relatives and the occasional “We-Have-to-Own-That” moment on my part or FireDad’s part have our toy box and playroom stocked rather full.

And their birthdays are this coming Tuesday and the following Tuesday. Followed shortly behind by Christmas, one month and one day after LittleBrother’s birthday.

That means it’s time to clean out some of the toys that they’ve outgrown. Or the ones that they never really played with in the first place. Or the broken ones. Or the ones missing pieces. Or the ones that I would like to chuck against a wall because, really, does it have to be that loud, for the love all things toy?! That’s right. We’ve reached decision time: to keep, to toss or to donate.

BigBrother hates this time period.

Before his first birthday, he had no clue. I simply picked out the toys that he didn’t play with anymore while he was napping, sorted them into bags for tossing or donating and that was the end of the story. He didn’t have the words to verbalize his woe if he noticed that a stuffed animal was missing. (I hate stuffed animals. What a waste of space.) Before his second birthday, I also chose a nap time to sort through things. The problem with this scenario was that he found the bags when he woke up, early, from his nap. He was displeased when I explained that we were giving some of his toys to kids who didn’t have any of their own. He looked at me like I had four heads and then threw an epic two-year-old fit a few days before he was officially allowed to do so. Before his third birthday, he was seemingly okay with what we decided to donate because, to be honest, we didn’t get rid of a lot last year. LittleBrother was turning one and was inheriting most of the things that BigBrother was outgrowing.

This year will be slightly more difficult. A true Toy Purge is required.

It’s also going to be difficult because, well, FireDad and I have had it with the overabundance of toys and the mess that accompanies said toys. They’re great at cleaning their toys upstairs. They put them away in the toybox when asked and sometimes even unprompted. But their playroom? Tornadic activity on a daily basis. It’s awful. On two separate occasions, we have informed BigBrother that if he didn’t clean up the mess, immediately, we were going to put all of his toys in a bag and toss them in the trash. It would be one thing if he was playing with most of them but over half of the toys had simply been removed to get to other toys which were discarded for other toys and so on and so forth. What is it about a playroom that says, “Trash me?!” We’re working on reminding them to keep their playroom clean, like the upstairs living room, and we will continue to work with them.

But some of these toys have to go.

I’m going to have BigBrother and LittleBrother each pick three toys that they want to donate this year. I’m prepared for it to be a grumpy time but there are things that I want my children to understand. First and foremost, the above mentioned necessity of keeping a room clean and taking good care of our toys is paramount. Secondly, learning that we do outgrow toys is just a part of growing up. Next, I want them to understand how fortunate they are to have as many toys as they do. Whether they’re educational or just plain fun, they’re lucky. Plain and simple. Picking toys to give to kids who simply don’t have the blessings we do needs to be a part of their life. And, finally, I really want to involve them in the process and make it a learning experience.

That said, I am giving away more than six toys. Don’t tell them but here’s a list of things we have no use for anymore: roll-a-rounds, the baby guitar, in fact, the whole basket of baby toys in LittleBrother’s bedroom, another six stuffed animals that made their way into our home over the past year, that foresaken chicken that sings the Chicken Dance song, anything my brother has ever purchased for my children as they are ridiculously noisy toys and a few other odds and ends. Gone. Done. Not needed. My educated guess based on previous years’ experience is that, as of Tuesday when BigBrother opens his gifts from us, they won’t notice. If they do, their party on Sunday followed by LittleBrother’s presents from us the following Tuesday will erase any emotional attachment they had to the toys that have been given away.

But I’m keeping BigBrother’s rattle and the little bear he brought to LittleBrother at the hospital. What? I’m not allowed to be attached to toys they don’t play with either? Too bad. I’m the Mom and I said so. Oh? And if anyone, and this means you, Brother-of-mine, gets these children any ridiculously noisy toys, I’m going to beat them over the head with said ridiculously noisy toys, remove the batteries from said ridiculously noisy toys and shove them up the offender’s nostrils. Even if they’re size D batteries.

Think I’m joking? Try me.

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