or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
Sorry!
More Buying Choices
40 used & new from $1.59

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Toys!: Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions
 
 
Tell the Publisher!
I’d like to read this book on Kindle

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.
 
  

Toys!: Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions (Hardcover)

~ Don Wulffson (Author), Laurie Keller (Illustrator) "Play-Doh began as a product for cleaning wallpaper..." (more)
Key Phrases: United States, Raggedy Ann, Magic Rocks (more...)
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

List Price: $17.99
Price: $12.23 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $5.76 (32%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Only 2 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want it delivered Friday, November 13? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
22 new from $9.95 18 used from $1.59

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
  Hardcover $12.23 $9.95 $1.59
  Paperback -- $3.97 $0.01

Frequently Bought Together

Toys!: Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions + The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle: And Other Surprising Stories about Inventions + Mistakes that Worked
Price For All Three: $26.82

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: Toys!: Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions by Don L. Wulffson

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle: And Other Surprising Stories about Inventions by Don L. Wulffson

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Mistakes that Worked by Charlotte Foltz Jones

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Timeless Toys: Classic Toys and the Playmakers Who Created Them

Timeless Toys: Classic Toys and the Playmakers Who Created Them

by Tim Walsh
4.9 out of 5 stars (11)  $21.86
Mistakes that Worked

Mistakes that Worked

by Charlotte Foltz Jones
4.4 out of 5 stars (14)  $8.60
The History of Toys: From Spinning Tops to Robots

The History of Toys: From Spinning Tops to Robots

by Deborah Jaffé
Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women

Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women

by Catherine Thimmesh
4.9 out of 5 stars (10)  $7.99
The Toy and Game Inventor's Handbook

The Toy and Game Inventor's Handbook

by Richard C. Levy
4.0 out of 5 stars (10)  $13.57
Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8-Wulffson shares the stories behind classic and commercial toy inventions such as Legos, Mr. Potato Head, Raggedy Ann, toy soldiers, Twister, checkers, and remote control cars. Readers will discover that some of the most popular creations were the products of experiments gone awry, thus providing a lesson in persistence, surprise outcomes, and creative thinking. Several pages of history are provided for each plaything, followed by bulleted trivia, such as "The ingredient that gives Play-Doh its distinctive aroma is vanilla." Keller's clever black-and-white cartoons add humor to the already-engaging text. A light read or a lively report source on inventions.
Victoria Kidd, Gwinnett County Public Library, Lawrenceville, GA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Kirkus Reviews

Wulffson follows up The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle (1997) with the sometimes quirky tales behind more than two dozen novelties, gadgets and games, from playing cards and wind-up toys to Play-Doh. Some (tops, seesaws) have long histories, some (whoopee cushions) only seem to have been around forever, and some (Trivial Pursuit) are of recent vintage. The author brushes in their origins and variations with broad strokes, livening the picture further with factoids at each chapter's end, and Keller's gnomic, black-and-white cartoon figures lighten the tone further by cracking wise on the side. The generalizations may sometimes shade over into oversimplifications (There is even an Asian religion based on kite flying), and there is nothing about Pokémon or other current crazes, but these accounts of the origins of super balls, Raggedy Ann, Legos, Twister, Pong and the like will give middle graders new insight into their parents' misspent youths--and a bibliography and a list of Web sites will give readers who want all the details a head start. (Nonfiction. 9-11) -- Copyright © 2000 Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

  • Reading level: Ages 9-12
  • Hardcover: 144 pages
  • Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); 1st edition (July 1, 2000)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0805061967
  • ISBN-13: 978-0805061963
  • Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #234,690 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category: (What's this?)

    #13 in  Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( K ) > Keller, Laurie

More About the Author

Don L. Wulffson
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Visit Amazon's Don L. Wulffson Page

Inside This Book (learn more)

Citations (learn more)

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?


Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

 

Customer Reviews

7 Reviews
5 star:
 (5)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.3 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun facts about toys!, July 20, 2000
By A Customer
Have you ever wondered who invented the bicycle, Legos, and other toys? You can find the answers to many of your questions in this book. I learned so many things I never knew before about a variety of toys,ranging from mechanical toys and toy trains to Twister and Trivial Pursuit to Mr. Potatoe Head and Raggedy Ann. It was a great book, easy to read, and made learning fun. I'm sure both children and adults will be facinated by what they read and learn. Now I want to go out and share the information with everyone I know!
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars toys & toys, November 30, 2001
A Kid's Review
Toys Amazing stories Behind Great Invemtions is a fantastic book.It's filled with stoies. One of the stories are about toy soldiers Little boys in Europe during the Middle ages played with wooden knights. Little boys in Greece played with clay soldiers.This book is the greates book I ever read. Don Wulffson made this book great. Laurie Keller made the picters great If you want to know how some of your favorite kinds of toys were made you should get this book.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fourth Grade Science Fanatics and Future Inventors read this, August 3, 2003
By "ririri" (Suffern, NY USA) - See all my reviews
Great for boys and girls, makes you want to brainstorm and invent something while reading it. We borrowed it from the library and now we have it on our holiday wish list. This is something even the parents would want to read! PlayDoh, Toy Soldiers, and Slinky (my fav) are just a few good ones. This is a fun read even for those that aren't into science adventure camp and inventing!
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars For kids
It's not really apparent the target age group of this book, until you read it. It's really bedtime story type format.
Published 9 months ago by Michael K. Saucedo

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for all Ages - I read it Aloud to my Students
I am a teacher and one of our Science modules is called Ideas and Inventions. I have used this book in my classroom for read-aloud time during this unit. Read more
Published 15 months ago by G. Sims

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating accounts of several toys' origins

Here is a book that can be read and enjoyed by "children of all ages." Although I purchased it when it first appeared (in 2000) and have since read it with grandchildren... Read more
Published 24 months ago by Robert Morris

3.0 out of 5 stars Could use a correction or two.
Current research among game historians is that playing cards appeared in Europe around the 1370's, not the 13th century. Read more
Published on July 13, 2004 by Charles Knutson

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   




Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.