Editorial Review

"Rut-roh!" There's nothing more frightening to Scooby-Doo than losing his munchies. Kids can help him and his human companions figure out a culinary mystery using LeapPad's multisensory, experiential learning interface. In Scooby-Doo and the Disappearing Donuts, kids see, hear, say, and touch throughout the book, making it easier to retain and enhance oral, vocabulary, and phonics skills while developing concrete reading-comprehension skills.

It's simple to use (just insert the cartridge and book into a LeapPad, and use the attached stylus to hear information), but this system is an innovative technology that provides entertaining, effective learning, designed by a Stanford-trained reading expert. As well, the system has been credited with the TMA's Educational Toy of the Year and People's Choice awards.

Two notes: Make sure the LeapPad book you get is appropriate for the child's educational level; this one should be a challenge for kids up to age 6. As well, know that some LeapBooks work on both LeapPad and LeapPad Pro, like this one, but some books only work with one system. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Learning with leap
I recently ordered this book for my son who is 4. With the leap pad books your child can learn the basics and phonics and soon be reading on their own. In just a few weeks he has learned to sound out letters and a few words in the book. Of course, Scooby will keep your interest over and over again. This is a great beginning for your pre-schooler. Also check out the other leap pad products available for all age groups.

love that leap pad
Alex got this for his birthday and it was the ONLY thing he wanted to pay with for the rest of the day!

Lots of fun..
My 2 kids love just about every LeapFrog book that we've purchased. This particular Scooby Doo story is a lot of fun and the games that are included in the book keep the kids attention.

I give 3 stars for durability, as I will for all Leap Books, only because the book does not provide storage for the cartridge. It sure would be nice if the books had small plastic sleeves for the related cartridge. We have a number of books and keeping the books and cartridges together are a little tough. The chances of losing the small cartridges will keep my durability rating lower than 5.

Also, the 3 stars for durability is related to a design "flaw". The wire from the pen and the bottom of the book are constant fighting for space. To turn the page, without possibly bending the page, requires you to hold the wire down so it doesn't interfere with the page. Easy enough for an adult to do, however my 5 year old doesn't remember to hold the wire down all the time. 50% of all of our pages have creases in the bottom of the pages...all in the same spot!

another winner
The best part about this was that Uncle J was paying more attention to it than A - he said he just wanted to know how it ended.

SCOOBY-RIFIC!
My 3 1/2 year old son loves this leapfrog story. The story is the perfect length for a toddler showing interest in stories and certainly keeps his attention. The games on each page are enjoyable - my husband and I get a kick out of them too. Well worth the money. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This Turtle truck measures in at just over a foot long and is packed with plenty of "hey neat!" features, including spring-fired missiles and a towing winch. Best of all, there’s plenty of room inside for turtle action figures, or whatever other action figures you think would enjoy riding in style. The side doors don’t open, but the top does, making it even easier to load up the truck before heading off to the sewers to stop the bad guys. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Turtle truck good buy
I bought this for my 5 yr. old. He loves it. Has missles that shoot out and is easy to use. Also, pretty durable. Another plus is the space inside the truck. My son stores his weapons and ninjas in it when not using truck, so he doesnt lose any pieces.

Good sized! Holds 3-4 figures! Kids love it!
The deluxe armored truck was a great gift! My boys (6 & 9yr) have had a good deal of fun with it and it has withstood their roughness. They love the shooting missiles and the fact more than one figure can fit inside. Great toy!

Kids love it
This toy is a hit with the 3 and 5 year old, but the roof comes off all the time. The disc shooter broke on the second day, the ramp in the back is hard to get back in and falls off. I'm just glad I got it on Clearance for $10.00.

An Ok Toy But There Is One Big Problem
The new TMNT line is pretty neat so far but it can't beat the old line. This vehicle has some AWEWSOME detail. The huge problem is that aside from April and Splinter, no one can sit in it. The Turtle's legs can't be put in a sitting position. They have to stand in the Battle Shell. If you turn their legs backwards they can be put into a sitting postition but their leg joints loosen up pretty bad. I would really only reccomend theis to a die-hard TMNT fan. The Party WaGON FROM THE ORIGINAL LINE IS 100 TIMES BETTER.

Turtles Are Great ! ! !
12 - 15 Years ago Turtles were very popular toys... It is Great to see them come back on the shelf and available. After ordering I recieved the product quickly in GOOD condition This toy appears that it should only be played by those who can safely use action figures that have small parts. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Almost useless
The pedals are on a rod with very little bend so pedaling barely turns the tire. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Cute for smaller hands
My daughter wanted this toy because she loves HK. The price seemed right for a toy that can be taken places and store all pieces inside. My only problem is that one half of the house opens and the children are forced to reach inside to grab the characters and/or furniture. If moms or dads played along you might have a difficult time retrieving the items and your own hand for that matter! Seems like durable plastic for house and furniture and the characters are rubber. A good pick for the money. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Great Book
We purchased this book for our son who is almost 2. He was just starting to play with his Leap Pad and loves Thomas so we thought it would be a great item for him. He loves it! This book is so educational and has many different activites for children. He's usually entertained by it for over 45 minutes at a time(which is a miracle for a 2 year old!!). The whole family loves this and we would definitely recommend it to anyone.

Great Book!
My 4 year old daughter absolutely loves this book. She has 4 other leapstart books, but always chooses this one. She has used it so much that it is now starting to fall apart. She takes it everywhere she goes, even has to sleep with it. She also enjoys listening to her daddy read it to her before bed! Can't say enough about this book-recommend!

GREAT Book!!
My 3 years old is a Thomas fan. He enjoyed this book very much. The great thing about it is that he can interact with the characters he loves. It is a typical Thomas story that is full of games to help the kids recognize words and play memory games. If your child is a Thomas fan he will certainly enjoy it.

pre-reading, listening skills
My son's become obsessed with the Thomas stories and his wooden Thomas trains so this was the perfect Leap Pad book for him. He's excited to try out his skills identifying the names of the engines on the pages (he does this while watching the show too, because they flash the engine names on cards between episodes), and has started to identify other words as well. He has yet to "read" the words with the pen sequentially though--he just pokes around looking for words he thinks he recognizes. The instant feedback--he hears the word when he touches the pen to it--is a great reinforcer. He has auditory processing challenges, yet actually enjoys playing the games that require him to listen carefully. I've noticed that none of his computer games challenge his listening skills--he can easily use his visual skills to figure things out. Not the case here, so that's a real benefit for us. It took him a while to get used to pressing the proper green "go" signal every time he turns a page (if you don't do this, you will get the wrong sound when you touch the word) so I supervised him at first lest he get mixed up when he touched "Thomas" and heard "rain" or some such.

Peep Peep!
Santa brought this Thomas Leappad book for my 5 year old this past Christmas. He's a Thomas fan and has been so since age 3. He enjoys the games, even though he has mastered them already and finds them fun. He can now read the story even without the Leap Frog reading along. I believe it has encouraged him to read the past few months.

I agree wholeheartedly with the reviewer who said that if your child is a Thomas fan, this leappad book is a MUST HAVE. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Windcharger is awesome!
I'm just a sucker for red figures. And when you compare the G1 original Windcharger (a very weak bad-looking robot) to this, it is light-years behind this wonderful figure. First off he comes with two hoods. A covertible mode (which looks better) and a full hood which can be used as a shield in robot mode.

While not being too impressed with the car mode (just isn't my type) his robot mode if very impressive and great to look at. His transformation is relatively easy with a catch. I had a bit if a struggle to transform the front end on my Windcharger. Sometimes it's just a matter of being patient. If you force things they can break.

Windcharger did not have any pieces come off in transformation (unlike Grimlock, Silverstreak, Smokescreen & Hound). That's a big plus even though the pieces that come off can be put back together easily (unless really broken).

I highly recommend Windcharger. A great figure.

Now, this guy was a surprise
I'm a big fan of the Alternators line, I have all of them up to Battle Ravage, with the exception of Tracks (Lucky people, the ones who found him), I have to admit, I was kind of unsure about WindCharger, he didn't look good on the pictures, specially on vehicle mode, man I was wrong, he is so full of detail, and easy to transform compared to the others, his pieces stay in place on both modes, my only complain would be about his gun, is not complete, the "cannon-exhaust pipe" was cut off, if you want this wait for the binal-tech version (Named Overdrive).
Bottom line is that Windcharger is a great addition to any collection, and fun to play with too.

Better then Gee-Wun!
Now I"m a long time fan of Transformers and Alternators are a welcome release next to the Reissues that are out. Windcharger is a nice mold and a fun figure to play with. His converteble top doubles as a sheild not shown in pics. But overall I recomend buying this figure for the kid inside. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A bit confused
I tried playing with this game, but I couldn't figure out how to get the spiral game to work. That is the only one I have tried sp far and I've only been trying for about a half hour, but it gave me a head ache, so i gave up. But other than that, the game was a ton of fun and is sure to keep me busy for a long time.

An Uncle who bought a cool gift
I bought the Harry Potter Magic Puzzles for my nieces and I scored some major brownie points. They loved this at first because it was about their hero, Harry Potter, however, they play with it for hours on end. Putting the puzzles together is fun in itself, but then there are the cool magic tricks and the VERY COOL optical illusion using the spiral disk too. This is great for any kid interested in magic, as well jigsaw puzzles and Harry! A big thumbs up!

?
This game is cool.
anybody can play this game.

The Best
It works perfectly and it is so cool!!! I LOVE IT!!!

Harry Potter game
This was ok i guess.

I'm a British fan though and it said Sorcerers in stead of Philosophers stone but it doesn't matter that much.

I would say this game is pretty good, but you've gotta be a Potter lover to play. If your not or have never read the books you could find it very confusing.

I'm 12 and I understood it though, but the instructions were very confusing and it took ages to work them all out, i spent about 4 hours trying to work out how you caught the snitches!

It was quite durable but hadly educational

Thankyou for allowing me to show my personal opinions of this truly athentic game with you Americans! ... . ... Read more

Reviews (5)

great add-on for thomas train sets
this is a wonderful addition to a child's thomas train set - the sounds are not annoying like other toys - it is very durable (it has been thrown many times by my younger toddler) - and it isn't big and bulky so it doesn't take up much room on the train table.

2 boys and it's a hit!
Zackaree just got this for his 4th birthday and I have to say, it's a toss up between him and his 20 month old brother as to which likes it more. Noah, within 5 minutes had totally mastered all the sounds and was in train heaven! This is a toy that will be a hit in any house, no matter how big the kid is!

A great two-for-one deal!
I can't say enough about this overpass. My son is crazy about it and financially speaking, I love that it is a bridge and tunnel in one. It is a very versatile component and will be a great addition to any train lovers set. My son has even memorized the pattern of the noises it makes, which amazed me since he is only a little over two years old. If he can have this much fun and keep his mind working, I am happy!

Top Reviews!
I just got this for my son Preston (just turned 4). I think that he likes this part of his Thomas set the best! As I write this he is playing with this piece. I think he is loves that it makes 6 different sounds. (three roadway sounds and three train sounds) This product comes highly recommended. Sure to thrill!

My Son Loved It!
Very cute and the sounds are great too. Three different sounds per tunnel or bridge. My son Ian 21 months played and played with this overpass. It will be a great addition to his Thomas Christmas set to come this year. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Frighteningly high above a deep ravine, Thomas the Tank Engine peers over the edge, wondering how he will get to the station on time. He's saved only by the immediate construction of a bridge that gets him clickity-clacking across in no time. The Reverend W. Awdry created the Island of Sodor as a place for childhood imagination to run free with his Thomas the Tank Engine series of books. The Sodor Bay Bridge expands opportunities for dreaming and connects to any of the tracks from the Thomas Wooden Railway System. Two train trestle bridges connect to span 25 inches. Manufactured by high-quality toy maker Learning Curve, the bridge is sturdily made of wood with blue plastic supports to endure years of adventurous play. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Bay bridge is a must
Starting around age 2 the "World of Thomas" and his train friends became the biggest part of my son's days of play. If you are as deep into Thomas as my family is then the Sodor Bay Bridge is a must have. Hours and hours are spend pushing the toy trains over and under the bridge. Your first three starter purchases should be the trains, the tracks and then this bridge. Good Luck it is an expensive "world" your getting into!!!

I LOVED it ... and so did my nephew
I ordered the bridge and then read the review that said the bridge didn't come with the ascending tracks. My trip to a local independent toy store confirmed the review. After purchasing additional tracks ... and driving 4 hours so that the tracks would make it in time for his 3rd birthday, he opened the box and I shocked to see the tracks he needed to connect the bridge to the rest of his set. I guess the manufacturer has addressed this issue....

I played with it (the bridge, figure 8 set with battery powered engine, and additional tracks) for a good hour before realizing I was enjoying it more than him! The tracks are extremely durable. My nephew and his brother and sister all loved it.

Love this, but . . .
I bought this accessory for my 2-year-old son Sam, and he loves everything about it except the fact that there is not quite enough top clearance for trains to pass underneath -- You have to set the spans on blocks for that. I also agree that the set should include the ascending track, or at least a notice that it's sold separately.

This bridge is great fun!
This is definitely my 2-year-old son's favourite part of his entire Thomas setup. He will happily spend 20 minutes just pushing his trains back and forth across the Sodor Bridge span. The only letdown with this item was that it did not include the ascending track and risers that are needed to connect it to the rest of the playset - I needed to order those pieces separately, but didn't know that until I opened the Sodor Bridge package. But my son didn't seem to mind - he doesn't really care if the bridge goes anywhere or not! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Fantastic Future!
This is one great set in the World of Springfield line! It comes with three great figures that include Future Burns, Future Smithers, and Bobo Smithers. Future Burns is setup like a robot, with his head preserved in a glass container, and the rest of his figure a machine. Future Smithers is the head of Smithers on the body of a robot dog, complete with movable head and four legs. Bobo Smithers comes dressed as Bobo, Mr Burns beloved teddy bear, in a playful stance that actually allows the figure to keep from tipping over, despite being balanced on one leg. Something different about this set, is that the Smithers figures have the glasses glued into their heads, to prevent the tiny accessories from getting lost or damaged. The only real accesory that comes with this set is a beaten up little Bobo figure, somewhat larger than the Bobo that came with Burns Manor. The environment that comes with the set is big enough to hold the two larger figures, while Future Smither prances about. The actual set itself is purple with a yellow background of Homer being used as a slave to lead a cart of rocks. If you love the show or the toy line, this is a must have set!

Simpsons Burns and Bobo set is a winner!!
GREAT SET!! Super detail and cool to look at. Displays great. Nice price point of $24.99. A collector must have. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Adorable!
I bought this phone for myself because I love Hello Kitty. I figure, I'll hand it down to my daughters (maybe..lol) when they are old enough. This phone has caller Id and the wings light up when it rings. It is very well made.

I LIKE THIS HELLO KITTY TELEPHONE!
I HAVE THIS HELLO KITTY TELEPHONE ,I BOUGHT IT AT TARGET FOR MY 10 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ,SHE LOVES IT!IT,S SO CUTE.THE WINGS LIGHT UP!She has dropped it several times also and it is durable!

Just how cute is this?!?
I (the mom) needed a new phone in my room. We just happened to find this phone in a Sanrio store. I had to beg and plead with my 4 yr. old daughter to let me keep it in my room, but to no avail. I guess she thinks only "little" girls can like Hello Kitty!! So, its in her pretty pink Hello Kitty room and how cute is it when the phone rings? The little angel wings light up along with the little heart wand!! I had to call her a million times...with the lights off in the room! Its got caller ID and the sound is pretty good. All in all..its adorable. A definite must if you're a fan of all things cute!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Edward is a cheerful blue worker train. Hauling coal, helping the big guys, hanging out in the train yard--this friendly fellow's goal in life is to be a really useful engine. This 3-inch sturdy wood engine and the accompanying 2-inch cargo car will surely get the job done every time. Based on the popular Thomas the Tank Engine series by Reverend W. Awdry and the PBS television show Shining Time Station, the wooden railway system is compatible with other magnetic train sets. You can reenact all the exciting stories in the series or make up new ones. Thomas fans won't want to miss out on any of these fun, well-built railway characters. --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Kind old Edward still works perfectly
I know Edward is old and my train sure is but he can still pull trains likje the big engines. His magnet is in perfect working order and he can pull a couple coaches without trouble at all. A cool thing about Edward and all the other tender engines is that little kids love to take the tender on and off. I thinks it's so funny when they do that. Edward really works well and he's capable of hours of enjoyment at a time.

This one's for the kids- all the kids!
This is a great toy that all the kids I know just love to play with! It's always enjoyable to play with trains, especially ones with familiar faces. Also, this toy is very durable.

A Fun, Durable Toy
Edward the Blue Engine is a well-built toy that can stand up to demanding play. My son recently received Edward as a bonus item included with a Thomas video and he loves it. The attention to detail is excellent, and the strong wooden construction will assure many hours of enjoyable play. Edward's bright smile will also make playtime a happy time.

Good toy
My two year loves this as he does all of the Thomas characters.

Lots of fun...
My two sons age 4 and 2 love all of the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends trains. Edward has such a lovely personality in the stories that he was a must for our collection. He is a kind engine and the boys use him in their pretend play to help the engines get along. The trains have helped my boys learn their colors and numbers as well as alot about trains. Another wonderful thing about the learning curve trains is that if you break one, or it just gets really chipped up they will repair or replace it, and they are so nice to deal with.

stephanie, homeschooling mom to 3. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I love this engine
This is my faveroite engine in the world. He is magnetic so he can connect to my other trains. Salty and i share so many adventures and he is my favorite. I love salty.

Very Cute
Salty is an adorable addition to our Thomas set. He really looks great going around the train table! We added Salty to our collection along with Cranky, as seen is "Salty's Secret" VHS. Salty is a good pick for the younger Thomas fans as he is a larger engine and easy to push along the track. Also very brightly colored!

Salty looks different in the picture
The Salty that I own and all other ones i've seen in person have had three wheels. Also the real Salty has three wheels too. The magnet on Salty is very strong and it can pull a lot of cars. Salty runs smoothly on the track and his wheels work perfectly. This one is a great buy.

Salty rules!
It may seem lame to write a review on just one of the many "Thomas" engines, but I love Salty! His bright red coat with black and yellow accents make him a handsome fella. Durable, too- he's a bit weighter then Percy or Thomas, and takes a beating.

He Longs for the Sea!!
Salty is a dockyard diesel engine that loves to tell stories of the sea, but he sometimes bores his audience without meaning to. Salty has bright red paint and a smiling face.He's strong and rugged for hours of fun play. Salty would be a great addition to any child's Thomas collection. Yo Ho Ho!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

From the popular Thomas the Tank Engine book series and television's Shining Time Station, based on the Railway Seriesby Rev. W. Awdry, comes Henry, the proud green engine. Made of hardwood, withshiny green paint, a three-dimensional face, and a magnetically coupled coal car,Henry is ready for hard work. Being one of the largest steam engines at ShiningTime Station, eight-wheeled Henry, also known as No. 3, can easily pull severalfreight cars along with his 2-inch coalcar. Wheel axles measure 1 inch across and fit standard Brio wooden traintracks, and similar 1- to 1.5-inch grooved train tracks. Train buffs young andold will enjoy recreating authentic railway scenes as they collect thesewonderfully crafted, classic train cars, bridges, ramps, tunnels, stations, andmore from the Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends Wooden Railway System. --Kathryn Gustafson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

1,2,3
I noticed the numbers on all the engines so I bought this one so I could make it so my son could count the engines from 1-10. This is number 3. Only the coal cars are marked. This is a large engine. It's size makes it difficult to push around and it derails easily. My son is 16 moths old and has trouble with this engine I recommend it if for the 2+ crowd. ... Read more