Animals Reviews

With real train sound effects and a menagerie of chattering circus animals, this three-car train is ideal for young engineers and circus lovers alike. The set includes a red plastic locomotive with a friendly engineer who rides on top. Push him down and listen to the whistle blow and the chug-chug-chug of the engine. The next car is purple and carries a monkey, a tiger, and an elephant. Each figure sits atop a button, so that when they're pushed, they chatter, roar, or trumpet. The engineer and the animals are removable and they can take turns sitting alone on the last car, a short yellow caboose. The cars link easily, making this train the surest way to bring the circus to town. --Lee Strucker

Ever since Scooby-Doo made his first television appearance in 1969, the world's hungriest Great Dane and his gang of teenage sleuths has entertained audiences with their ghost-chasing high jinks. Although the original series lasted only a few years, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? remains a popular cartoon in syndication. If your kids are part of the new generation of Scooby fans, you can send them on their own goblin quest in this 29-by-40-by-44-inch playhouse. With an elastic-corded plastic rod structure and vinyl cover, the tent is printed to look like the Mystery Machine van, with Fred, Velma, Daphne, Shaggy, and Scooby all together in the front seat. Assembly (by an adult) is quick and easy, and with the help of some groovy chase music, your kids will be on the road to spooky, scary fun. The playhouse is not suitable for camping or extended outdoor use. --Lisa Whipple

An innovative toy for those who are way too young to look after real fish, this soft baby toy is a seven by seven-inch "fish bowl" with two transparent side panels containing real water. Small aquatic critters float around in these narrow walls of water. Even more interesting are the four three-inch stuffy toys (a fish, starfish, clam, and crab) that fit into the "bowl" between the watery side panels; the magnifying effect of the sides really makes these toys (and anything else in the bowl) look as if they are under water. The soft base is weighted and makes the bowl quite stable. --Richard Farr

This is an activity toy that will get used, thanks to its multitude of entertaining, developmentally challenging functions; and it has a clean, happy design that'll please parents, too. The plastic tray has four shapes that can be removed from their respective holes and replaced. Each shape has an adorable, simple picture of a farm animal. When the shape is placed correctly, the animal can be pushed to sound a realistic "moo" or "oink." There's a musical function, too, where a song is played instead of an animal noise. The shapes themselves make cute rattles when they're removed. And if that weren't enough, when you flip the thing over, there's a selection of the old reliable baby-amusers: a rotary dial, a mirror, and a line of beads. The whole affair is topped off with a nice carrying handle. Highly recommended. --Claire Dederer

Explore the world of animals with characters from Nickelodeon's The Wild Thornberrys TV show. Investigate habitats, avoid traps, and solve puzzles with Eliza and the rest of the gang in seven adventure games. Use her "gift of gab" to obtain animal power-ups. The original voices from the TV show are featured throughout. Fourteen levels of difficulty make it challenging for even the most experienced players.