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Product Showcase for the week of December 5, 2005

By Staff -- Gifts and Dec, 12/7/2005 5:30:00 AM

Life-size Rodian Rodian Greedo lives in the lowly underworld of Tatooine in Star Wars. His memorable mug is captured by Sideshow Collectibles,Westlake Village,Calif.,sculptor Miles Teves. The bust is cast in fiberglass with a polystone exterior, and the bulbous eyes are cast in a semi-transparent purple, giving the bust its life-like quality. The bust is complete with Greedo's jumpsuit and vest in real fabric and stands on a Star Wars display base with nameplate (SRP $599.00). The bust weighs 30 lbs., will be a limited edition (number to be determined at press time) and ship third quarter 2006.

	Something brewing Whether they like crisp lagers, hearty stouts, smooth bocks or tangy ciders, even the biggest beer epicurean doesn’t know everything there is to know about beer. The new BeerSmarts card game, Smarts Co.,San Francisco, features 60 question and answer cards and a beer tips sheet. Each card offers history, culture, brewing and ways to drink beer and can be used solo or played with friends. The cards are written by Joseph Cummins and edited by Garret Oliver, brew master at the Brooklyn Brewery. The game retails for $17.00.

Jammin’ The 13 tracks on Reggae Playground,Putumayo,New York, presents artists from reggae’s birthplace,Jamaica. Judy Mowatt, a former backing vocalist for Bob Marley and respected solo artist sings “Let’s Dance.” We hear about the importance of respecting our differences and the need to work together in Rita Marley’s classic anthem “Harambe.” In addition to the two tracks, there are reggae arrangements of “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by Toots & the Maytals and the Burning Souls’ rendition of “Here Comes the Sun” (SRP $15.98). To support the children ofJamaicaand theCaribbean, Putumayo World Music will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Reggae Playground to the Jamaica Basic Schools Foundation, which helps fund early education for Jamaican children ages 3 to 6. The CD will be released along with Putumayo World Music’s newest CD, The Caribbean, and the international launch ofPutumayo’s travel journal series featuring the Caribbean Travel Journal and Putumayo World Culture Travel Journal onJanuary 24, 2006.

	Oh Deere Bold Games,Plymouth,Minn.,is extending the John Deere: American Farmer brand with two new titles based on the popular books by Parachute Publishing: Busy Days in Deerfield Valley and Welcome to Merriweather Farm. The new PC games feature easy controls so young children can play; animations and stories for each of the characters as seen in the series of John Deere books; simple games for each of the John Deere Kids characters; and all of the John Deere Kid’s toys are represented, including Johnny Tractor (J.T.), Luke the Loader, Danny Dozer, Grady Grader, Barney Backhoe and Eddie Excavator. In Welcome to Merriweather Farm, players can fix flat tires, help fuel machines, explore the barn and interact with the animals, learn how to farm the land, plant gardens, feed the animals, harvest and bring their goods to market. BusyDays in Deerfield Valley lets players fix bridges, build a new library, play in the playground, go to the carnival and help characters find their way to town (SRP $19.99).

Pennies saved It’s not hard to put savings away. In fact, saving is softer with the Plush Piggy Banks from Paper Posie,Santa Babara,Calif.The plush banks come in pastel pink and blue (girl or boy) and measure 7-inches long and 5-inches high and retail for $12.95. The coin slot on the backs is concealed by a Velcro strip in the belly. www.paperposie.com

If you see something you like and contact the manufacturer, please say you saw it at Playthings.com!

To be included in the Product Showcase, Playthings must receive apressrelease with product image of the new and/or upcoming toy. The image must be suitable for the Web and it must be a product shot out-of-box. Be sure to include the product's SRP. What products go into the showcase is at the sole discretion of the editorial staff. Send materials to associate editorTinaBenitez at tina.benitez@reedbusiness.com. We will not accept hard copy; electronic files only.

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