Ether Saga Online, Perfect World Entertainment, 2009; Free; http://eso.perfectworld.com; ages 12 and up.

 

Requires: PC download; large memory footprint needed to download and install, but extracted files can be deleted. Ether Saga Online is a prequel to the ever-popular Chinese classic “Journey to the West.” Players can create a character from one of the three races central to the epic adventure that features the mischievous Monkey King and his traveling companions. As players progress through the game, they meet characters from the novel and eventually can become an emissary on the Journey to the West. This is a great interactive way to introduce young people to a world literature classic. 

EyeClops Mini Projector, JAKKS Pacific, $99.99; www.eyeclops.com; ages 8 and up.

 

Project movies, television shows or video games onto the ceiling, wall or even your own belly with this Mini Projector. Plug it into a television, DVD or VCR player, game console, MP3 player, Blu-ray player or digital camera and make your favorite shows or games larger than life. It has impressive built-in speakers with volume control and works best in a very dark room. It can run on batteries or the included AC adapter.

 

The projection light used is a high--powered LED, so it won’t get too hot to handle and there are no bulbs to replace. The battery pack doubles as a projector stand, or detaches for hand-held play.
 

Appleseed Recordings, 2007; $15; www.sweethoney.com; for ages 5 to 15. This African-American a-cappella ensemble (with just a little percussion) from Washington, D.C., highlights indelible life lessons – a master’s class by a masterful group! Songs carry influences from gospel, traditional hymns and spirituals, African chants and modern hip-hop and jazz, and listeners will find themselves continually surprised by the vocal effects these incredible singers can create.

Every Baby Company, 2008; $14.95; www.eebee.com. This clever cloth book, part of a series, features colorful items from a laundry basket to sort, play with and talk about.

Elmo Tickle Hands, Fisher-Price, $30; www.ticklehands.com; ages 18 months and up.

 

Elmo has danced, tickled and giggled into the lives and hearts of children everywhere, but this innovation allows children to feel like Elmo in an interactive way never before experienced. The contagious laughter of Elmo accompanies the vibrating tickle of Elmo-like hands. Children don furry red paws and tickle others while they feel the vibrating tickle themselves. One glove has the electronic tickle component, while the other is purely kid-charged.

 

The set includes a short instructional DVD in which Elmo teaches children the “Tickle Hand Groove” – which gets kids off the couch, movin’ and groovin’ to Elmo’s funky beat. 

Family Fun Winner! 

by Cricket Azima, illustrated by Titus V. Thomas; The Creative Kitchen/Glitterati, 2008; $16; www.thecreativekitchen.com. This interactive board/puzzle book explores what kids from other countries eat. It includes colorful images of food that can be moved to reveal the recipe beneath. Yum!

The Sippy Cups Productions, 2007; $15; www.thesippycups.com; for ages 2 to 8. Kids and grown-ups alike love the psychedelic circus shows of the San Francisco-based Sippy Cups. This new album is just as much fun: another eclectic, electric embrace of the sounds and observations of the ’60s, referencing the Beatles, Pink Floyd and, of course, Jimi Hendrix. Great pop tunes with luscious harmonies and clanging guitars mingle with spoken-word skits. Added to the mix are thoroughly weird story-songs, such as the accordion-driven “How to Build a Dog” and the quietly creepy “I Am a Robot,” about a robot from outer space looking for a kid to love. 

Early Intervention & Autism: Real-Life Questions, Real-Life Answers, by James Ball, Ed.D., BCBA; Future Horizons, Inc., 2008; $24.95; www.FHautism.com.

This book covers everything a parent should know about autism – and know quickly – as soon as their child is diagnosed. The format follows a family from medical confirmation through the stages of grief, confusing meetings, numerous options of care, and the transition to public school. Our testers liked how it acknowledges the different ways in which moms and dads respond in parenting crises and gave ways to work through them to stay focused on the child. This upbeat, easy-to-read book contains a plethora of great information.

“This book is the bible for families with a young child diagnosed with autism.”
– Special Needs Judge

“The explanation of how autism affects the brain should be a ‘must read’ for everyone.”
– Parent Tester with a child on the spectrum
 

Judge's Top Pick! 

$99-$119; www.ezyroller.com; for ages 3 and up. Children sit low to the ground in the sling seat of this unique ride-on and propel forward by alternating left and right leg extensions on the push bar. The movement is snake-like: quick, smooth and silent. A simple brake lever makes it easy to stop.

For more active fun, try:

Triker Rocker
Slider, the UNscooter

by Wendy Mass; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2008; $15.99; www.lb-kids.com. This story of friendship and finding one’s place in the universe is told in the three unique voices of Ally, Bree and Jack, who arrive at a camp to view an eclipse.