Along with the jelly beans, marshmallow chicks, and chocolate Easter bunnies, pack in a few items that will still be enjoyed when the sweet treats are just a memory.

Of the dozens of books that recently arrived at our office, here are some gems that are truly memorable. Books that you won' t mind reading and re-reading again and again!  Click here to read our reviews.

I'm often asked about my own journey into toyland.  After all, reviewing toys is quite different than practicing law.  So I started to wonder how other people ended up here too.  What inspired them to design and create the toys we review all year long?  If you've ever seen some of the amazingly large LEGO builds, chances are you already have seen the work of  LEGO Master Builder Erik Varszegi.  Read our interview.

Stephanie shared some of the early front runners for top toys of 2010 on NBC's TODAY Show on Friday, March 5th.  Click here to watch the segment. After attending the American International Toy Fair in New York last month, the toyportfolio.com kicks into gear for a new season of toy testing with their testers throughout the country. As the toys start rolling in, we'll be posting reviews as we go- rather than making consumers wait until the end of the year.  Toys that receive an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award during the Spring and Summer, will be nominated for the year-end Platinum Awards.  Read Stephanie's blog for a preview of some promising toys.

Following the success of Rocky the Talking Truck, Mattel is rolling out Stinky the Garbage Truck. He sings, dances, eats garbarge and yes, he farts.  Take a look at his video.

We had a busy day today!  In our travels we saw an amazing Fire Fighters Set from Playmobil (see the video below), Handcuffs and other Spy Wear from Wild Planet, adorable Huggables from Steiff,  a Cow  that blows bubbles from Little Kids, an assortment of glow-in-the dark toys from Crayola and just as I was leaving a toy that goes splat and then regains its shape, no joke.  Read Stephanie's blog for more details.

February is Black History Month, a tradition that began in the early part of the 20th Century. Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the son of former slaves, became a scholar and was disturbed that black Americans and their contributions were ignored in history books.  Dr. Woodson, earned his Ph.D. from Harvard, and later became known as the Father of Black Month.

Celebrate President's Day with a few good books and a great new video. Here are some good choices you will find in the bookstore or the local library.

What is it that fascinates children about dinosaurs? Is it their enormous size? Their monstrous looking teeth and claws? Is it their deliciously long complicated names that six and seven year olds take pride in mastering? Could it be that they represent a kind of safe scare kids can conquer by knowing what the prehistoric giants ate or when and where they lived?

In our eagerness to help beginning readers parents often think that books that are harder will give their kids an advantage. With the best intentions, beginners get bogged down with flashcards, workbooks and are urged to "sound-it-out!" Instead of books being a shared pleasure, too often they become a source of tension. If you want to build a love of reading begin with books that build your child's fluency and ease with reading. Children need a sense of success and can-do power that comes with feeling confident. This is more important than trying to rush them to the next level. Bring home easy to read books with few words, even books with no words that your child tells from the picture clues.