A Dragon You Do Not Have To Slay

Put away your sword and lance, oh mighty knight! This legendary beast need not be slain. That is right; without an arrow being fired, you can bring home this wonderful, mythical beast. Folkmanis has created an amazing and colorful creature that your little one can control as his or her very own dragon! It is the magnificent Earth Dragon! This beast is over 19 inches tall and has a workable mouth. I am not sure which Folkmanis puppet is my favorite, but this one definitely makes the top 10. (Probably because I am a sucker for a cool dragon.)

I feel obliged to mention that although the Earth Dragon in pictured with all manner of gemstones surrounding it, we don't really keep jewels around the toy store. Sorry.

If you feel that this benevolent beast is a bit too big and brash, you might want to check out our smaller Blue Dragon. Or, if you are just going for all around cuteness, try the mini Red Dragon. It is a finger puppet!

-Brian

I Saw a Giant Pacific Octopus

I was in the warehouse the other day, helping Steph ship when I went by the aisle that has the Safari animals. Specifically, I noticed the octopi. They were all staring at me. Have you ever noticed how weird their eyes look? Anyway. I picked up an octopus and gave it a look over. Specifically, I picked up a Giant Pacific Octopus. It was a pretty good sized animal. The coloring was very natural and realistic. I haven't seen many octopi in real life, but I do tend to watch them on TV. I was intrigued by the level of detail on the suction cups. There are so many of those suckers (no pun intended) on each octopus, and each one is painted. The whole line of Safari animals have that same level of quality. Of course, with Amy and Steph picking the toys, quality is one thing you can always count on when you shop at Town Square Toys.

Our boys have really enjoyed the Schleich line of figures; they have collected a veritable zoo of different animals and they have amassed a huge army of knights on horseback and infantry soldiers. Our little girl plays with the Schleich sea creatures at bath time, she has whales, dolphins and even a manta ray.

I think, however, that Safari line of animals may make a more notable appearance at our house soon. They would be a welcome addition to any toy collection. You should stop by and check out the Safari line that we carry and see if there is something there for you.