Book Description
As featured on NBC's TODAY Show! The experts from the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, the independent consumer organization rate the best (and worst) in children's toys, books, videos, music and software. Don't waste any more money on products that are a waste of your money and your child's time. Here's the guide that every parent (and grandparent) should have before they go shopping.
Guide includes important child development information, basic gear checklists, product comparisons, best shower and birthday presents for every budget, multicultural products, science toys, educational toys and a full chapter on adapting ordinary products for kids with special needs.
Customer Reviews:
Perfect Baby Shower/New Baby Gift.......2004-10-06
Ususally skeptical about some so-called "experts" rating kids' products, I happen to catch one of the co-authors one morning on NBC's Today Show. Her approach to evaluating kids' toys, books, software, etc. was so straightforward, smart and dead-on that I immediately went out and bought the book. Best investment I ever made.
I have two kids, age 11 and 7, and I know what they like. The problem is I tend to buy the same type of toys over and over for them. The beauty of this guide is that it introduces you to types of products and brands that you may not have considered before. I find it's lack of gender-stereotyping also refreshing. It is invaulable for holidays and birthdays, and I find myself referencing it constantly.
I understand that this is the one and ONLY guide that does not accept any form of payment for review of products. Therefore, I can unequivocally trust the reviews to be impartial. Each product is not just reviewed by adults imposing their values on it, but by kids of the targeted age group. This makes me confident that the products aren't just "good for my kid," but actually will be enjoyed by them.
The next best thing to being Santa Claus.......2003-11-07
Thanks to the Oppenheims, I am the best gift giver in my family. I'm not letting anyone in my family know about my secret weapon...but you should all know that my nieces and nephews think I am the best uncle ever. The book tells you what to get for every age and every budget. I love being the hit of every family party.
Wish I could give more than 5 stars...........2003-09-27
This book is INVALUABLE. I have seven neices and nephews, but no kids of my own, and I rely on this series as a reference for gift-giving ALL the time (I've used these books since 2000). Before that, gifts I gave to them were often not age-appropriate, didn't appeal to the kids, or drove the parents NUTS with the noice levels.
And then, I started using the Portfolio!!! I know, this sounds like a bad infomercial, but I'm being honest, I promise. So far, it's been ABSOLUTELY FLAWLESS - no kidding. I've given my nephews (ranging from newborn to 10 years old) several gifts, books, and videos, all of which have been perfectly age-appropriate, well-recieved, and played with for long periods of time. It's easy to follow, has great hands-on tips, and is cross-referenced for easily finding ideas and tips.
The best part, however, is that not only does it cover toys, books, and games... but it also explains developmental stages, provides tips for making up your own games, and creative inspiration for thinking outside the toy-box! I cannot recommend this highly enough for parents, aunts/uncles, grandparents, or anyone who needs to buy gifts (or anything else) for kids! This is one review book that is WORTH THE PRICE, every time.
Toy Portfolio takes you where you need to go.......2003-09-05
I was so impressed with this new book. I have purchased several other editions and always keep one with me when I go kiddie shopping. I have never found age appropriate shopping such a joy. The reviews are always on and being able to know approximate prices has been a real help.
My children are partial to Groovy Girls and all their accessories. I have seen the Oppenheims on NBC many times and know this is one of their favorites.
I usually find myself baffled when it comes to particularly young children under the age of 2. I refer to this book for great ideas.
Congratulations to the Oppenheims for another wonderful book.
Book Description
Featured on NBC's TODAY Show and OPRAH, the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio's recommendations have become the benchmark of excellence with consumers. The guide's new rating system lets readers know at a glance the winners from the duds. The child development and consumer experts at the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio help guide parents through the overwhelming glut of choices for kids. Their expert and kid-tested picks of the best toys, books, videos, audios and software can be counted on to be educational, age-appropriate, and fun.
Customer Reviews:
the miracle of the first poinsettia.......2004-01-05
my brother and me got this book for christmas, my granny read it to us, and she made me read it to her, she told me the spanish words,then she said i had to write what i like about this book i like it very much i think all kids should read it it is a nice book i am glad we got it for christmas
kayla daniels
Gathering Dust.......2002-07-05
This book is gathering dust on the shelf. There's never a need to use it.
I love this book!.......2000-10-20
I have been buying this guide since my five year old was born. I can't buy a toy without consulting it. There is so much junk out there and my kids' imaginations and my dollars are too precious to waste on junk. I even keep a typewritten list of all their recommended toys/books/videos appropriate for my children in my purse. That way I'm always ready when I spy a sale. This book has helped my never pay full price for anything and my Christmas/birthday shopping is done well in advance.
Amedeo & Elisa finally some great ideas for presents.......2000-10-06
We are finally able to have a clear idea about what we can expect from most toys, books and video games we have seen around. we are able to look beyond the "toymakers' personal description" of their product. Everything is always so nice and great on tv ... Thank you to the OPPENHEIMS for this great help. At least now, that we have read the test results, we can better understand some objections our parents make to certain toys.
The Parent's Handbook.......2000-10-03
What a book! The commitment of the Oppenheim's impresses me as they publish yet another wonderful review of today's best toys, books, videos, audio and software. Every parent should have a copy so they know their children are using the best toys out there.
Average customer rating:
- Great Idea; Disappointing Reality
- Great guide for new parents
- Wonderful resource for parents!
- always right on
- An excellent resource
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Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, 2003: The Best Toys, Books, Videos, Music & Software for Kids (Oppenheim Toy Portfolio)
Joanne Oppenheim , and
Stephanie Oppenheim
Manufacturer: Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Reference
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
Consumer Guides
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Directories
| Catalogs & Directories
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Music
| Bibliographies & Indexes
| Publishing & Books
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Literature
| Bibliographies & Indexes
| Publishing & Books
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
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Read It! Play It! with Babies and Toddlers
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Read It! Play It!
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Oppenheim Toy Portfolio: The Best Toys, Books and DVDs for Kids, 2007 Edition
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Peekaboo Playtime
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Toddler Bargains: Secrets to Saving 20% to 50% on Toddler Furniture, Clothing, Shoes, Travel Gear, Toys and More (Toddler Bargains)
Accessories:
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Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers
-
Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer
ASIN: 0966482395 |
Book Description
As featured on NBC's TODAY Show! The experts from the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, the independent consumer organization rate the best (and worst) in children's toys, books, videos, music and software. Don't waste any more money on products that are a waste of your money and your child's time. Here's the guide that every parent (and grandparent) should have before they go shopping.
Guide includes important child development information, basic gear checklists, product comparisons, best shower and birthday presents for every budget, multicultural products, science toys, educational toys and a full chapter on adapting ordinary products for kids with special needs.
Customer Reviews:
Great Idea; Disappointing Reality.......2007-08-26
I really liked the idea of this book and quickly purchased a copy. However, after reading it and working with it, I have become frustrated with the content of the book. I have had a difficult time finding many of the recommended toys. Some of them are no longer being produced by their manufacturers, others are primarily produced and retailed overseas, and therefore these items can be difficult to purchase. You can find some sold used through sources like eBay or possibly have them shipped from overseas. Neither is my perferred option.
I also would like to comment on the online website the Oppenheim's offer to compliment their books. I really find pictures of the recommend toys very valuable for helping to identify them online or in stores. I wish the online site and the book would provide many more pictures of the most recommended toys. Also, I found some of the editing of the paragraphs regarding certain toys confusing. Other toys are mentioned embedded in the text of the paragraph either as picks or pans. Some of the editing of the paragraphs is rough and doesn't make sense to me. On the web site some of the paragraphs read like poor cut and paste jobs. I am very appreciative that the site and the information on it is free without registration, but it seems like the authors would not want the site so sloppily edited. Some of the headers and links in the Toddler section, for example, relate to products in the Preschool group, which I found confusing. I could not tell if the hyperlinks were incorrect. I also had some difficulties in the Toddler section differentiating between toys which were more appropriate for my 14-month old daughter and those that are more appropriate for a 2-year old. I wish there were more differentiation and clarity in the recommendations. That said, many of the toys I've purchased based on recommendations (either the recommended toys themselves or toys that seem somewhat similar in properties) have generally been enjoyed by her.
Great guide for new parents.......2007-01-04
I have purchased several issues of this book. Everyone is very pleased with the contents. A very valued source of reference for all new parents.
Two books were for my grandchildren and I wanted them to have the best in educational toys at the appropriate ages.
Wonderful resource for parents!.......2006-11-03
While their website does provide a good amount of information, the book is much more in depth and detailed. Our son, 6 months old, loves all the toys we have gotten him that were listed as winners by the book. We make our christmas shopping lists based upon the recommendations from this book. I would highly recommend this to any new parent.
always right on.......2006-02-19
The oppenheims never fail to recommend kid tested toys, books and videos that have been perfect gifts for my friends' kids. I read a bad review from a grouch who thought name calling was helpful.It was probably written by a toy person who did not get a good review.
I think the Oppenheims use excellent toy testers and I truly respect the assessments done by children. They are always right on!!
Myra Klahr
An excellent resource.......2006-02-14
The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio continues to be the standard against which other toy reviewers are judged: Every product is kid & parent tested and reviewed by the Oppenheims for value, safety, and age appropriateness, and I've found that the products that they recommend are excellent. Unlike magazines and other reviewing sites that take advertisements or fees, the Oppenheims do not. They call it like they see it and are independent.
I've relied on their annual guide for years. I also like the fact that you can get a "feel" for their reviews for free just by going their website (www.toyportfolio.com) to see if their views coincide with your own (and to find reviews of things that might not yet have been covered in the book). Nevertheless, the book is so fully packed with useful information (not just what to buy, but what to avoid) that it ranks as an excellent value
I've found their recommendations to be right on. I love the way the book is organized (by age and sub-topic) so I can zero in on just the right product for my kids. For instance, where else will you find comparison reviews of the best musical instruments for five year olds, or the best active toys, or craft project or science books, for that matter? Some of the products are available at chains, other's can be bought on-line; I like the balance.
Like any good critic, the Oppenheims have a point of view: Emphasizing quality over "hype" - they take the products out of the package and really see if they deliver lasting play value. The Oppenheims are parents, authors, and child development experts and this multi-faceted background shines through in their informative (and blessedly short) reviews.
I really respect that they look at mass-market toys as well as less well promoted products, because I like to mix and match the kinds of things I give. Whether I'm looking for a big ticket toy or a product for under $10, a game to share with my child or a toy to develop independence, the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio is always where I turn to first.
Average customer rating:
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Audio Video Buying Guide
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0890438722 |
Average customer rating:
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Audio/Video Buying Guide
Monte Florman , and
Consumer Reports
Manufacturer: Consumer Reports Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Technical
| Video
| Movies
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Consumer Guides
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Stereo & Audio Equipment
| Electronics
| Electrical & Electronics
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Stereo & Audio Equipment
| Electrical & Electronics
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Television & Video
| Telecommunications
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0890436800 |
Average customer rating:
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Audio/Video Buying Guide
Consumer Reports , and
Monte Florman
Manufacturer: Consumer Reports Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Electrical & Electronics
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0890435855 |
Average customer rating:
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The Best Toys, Books, Videos & Software for Kids 1997: Oppenheim Toy Portfolio (1997 ed)
Joanne Oppenheim , and
Stephanie Oppenheim
Manufacturer: Prima Lifestyles
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Consumer Behavior
| Marketing & Sales
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Child Development
| Babies & Toddlers
| Parenting
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
Toddlers
| Babies & Toddlers
| Parenting
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Parenting
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Business
| Bibliographies & Indexes
| Publishing & Books
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Literature
| Bibliographies & Indexes
| Publishing & Books
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0761507051
Release Date: 1996-09-11 |
Book Description
What parent doesn't want to give their child the very best they can? With the thousands of new products for kids that are created each year, who has time to research each and every one of them before buying? To the rescue comes
The Best Toys, Books, Videos & Software for Kids 1997. This resource takes the guesswork out of shopping by providing the reader with expert reviews of new and classic toys, safety and shopping tips, and the products every child should have.
Authors Joanne and Stephanie Oppenheim see 1997 as the year for the return of classic toys. As with everything these days, these classics are updated and modernized. Speak and Spell, Peter Rabbit, Dr. Seuss, and Richard Scarry are all back, and more popular than ever.
For each of the past four years, the Oppenheims have compiled the best products reviewed in The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio into a handy reference book for parents. For every stage of a child?s development, the Oppenheims list which products a parent should consider for gift giving occasions and beyond. Also included are the top-rated mail-order catalogs and S.N.A.P.s (Special Needs Adaptable Products).
This year, as has become tradition, the Platinum Awards
announced in this annual consumer guidebook
will be presented over several segments of
The Today Show on NBC.
About the Authors
Joanne Oppenheim is one of today?s leading authorities on child development and education. She is the author of more than forty books for children, including Have You Seen Birds? and Not Now! Said the Cow. Her daughter, Stephanie Oppenheim, former corporate lawyer, is the cofounder of the ///Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, and a mother of two.
Book Description
This book takes the guesswork out of finding the best products for kids from infancy to age ten. Here are over 1,000 expert- and kid-tested products that are guaranteed to entertain as well as educate. You will also find safety tips and a key to buying the best new and classic products your kids will love. This fun, easy-to-use guide includes:Learning toys that work
Brand-name comparisons
Baby shower and birthday gifts for every budget
Products for kids with special needs
And much, much more!Revised every year, this complete guide helps you make choices your kids will love!
About the Authors
Joanne Oppenheim is one of today's leading authorities on child development and education. She is the author of more than forty books for children, including Have You Seen Birds? and Not Now! Said the Cow.
Her daughter,
Stephanie Oppenheim, a former corporate attorney, is cofounder and publisher of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio and a mother of two.
Customer Reviews:
excellent.......1998-09-28
This book is an invaluable tool for choosing toys for children of all ages. We have found it much easier to make smart selections for our infant as well as gifts for relatives and friends with various aged children. The book itself would make a great baby shower gift. Invest in the book and don't throw money away on toys that won't get used. This book enables you to stretch your toy dollars for purchasing toys that have a lasting appeal.
Average customer rating:
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Tocqueville's Revenge: State, Society, and Economy in Contemporary France
Jonah Levy
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Policy & Current Events
| Popular Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Development & Growth
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Economic Policy & Development
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
International
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| France
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Politics
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Political Science
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
International Institutions
| Political Science
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Business & Investing
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0674894324 |
Book Description
This book offers a new interpretation of the transformation of French economic policymaking and state-society relations over the past twenty-five years. In so doing, it challenges widely held views about the preconditions for state leadership and for a vibrant civil society.
France has long been characterized as a statist or dirigiste political economy, with state "strength" predicated on autonomy from a weak and divided civil society. Jonah Levy shows that this disdain for societal and local institutions has come back to haunt French officials--what he terms "Tocqueville's revenge." The absence of societal partners undermined the operation of dirigiste policymaking in the 1970s and early 1980s and has made it difficult to forge alternative forms of economic coordination in the post-dirigiste period.
Levy argues that just as the French state has been weakened by an absence of societal and local partners, French civil society has been weakened by the absence of a supportive state. In the 1980s, French authorities invited societal and local institutions to relay state intervention, but did little to cultivate their economic capacities. Taking the dirigiste state out of the French economy did not suffice to bring civil society back in, however. The broader lesson is that revitalizing civil society requires an active, empowering state, as opposed to an absent or indifferent state.
Book Description
The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) region is one of the fastest growing areas of the world. Larger than the European Economic Community in population, the ASEAN member states of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand are likely to surpass that region as a U.S. trading partner by the turn of the century. Authors Hans H. Indorf and Patrick M. Mayerchak examine the relationship between the United States and ASEAN in terms of opportunities for and limits of cooperation. This book is a comprehensive political and economic introduction to the critically important Southeast Asian region. Because of its up-to-date economic data and relevant policy recommendations, it will appeal to members of the business and government communities. The volume opens with an analysis of general development variables and progresses to problems of the national economies of the ASEAN member states and the characteristics of U.S. bilateral relations with the region. The first three chapters establish a data base for an analysis of the current situation and identify problems and prospects. The chapters that follow explore the obstacles to U.S. relations as well as positive external factors. The activities of international organizations, major trading nations, and ASEAN itself are also scrutinized. In conclusion, the authors offer possible measures the U.S. and ASEAN could take to improve a stagnating relationship. This book will be valuable supplementary reading in courses on Southeast Asia, international organizations, comparative political and economic systems, and economic development.
Average customer rating:
- A useful traveling companion
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Japanese Etiquette Today: A Guide to Business & Social Customs
James M. Vardaman , and
Michiko Sasaki Vardaman
Manufacturer: Tuttle Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Exports & Imports
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| International
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Ethics & Morality
| Philosophy
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Politics
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Culture
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Etiquette
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Japanese
| Instruction
| Foreign Languages
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0804819335 |
Customer Reviews:
A useful traveling companion.......1999-10-01
I took this book with me on a recent trip to Japan and found it both endlessly fascinating and surprozingly useful in understanding the little dance our hosts did when making introductions, the subtleties of negotiations about seating and a host of other behaviors that were curious to American eyes.
Books:
- Patient Groups and the Global Pharmaceutical Industry the Growing Importance of Working Directly With the Consumer
- Profitable Customers: How to Identify, Develop and Keep Them (Professional Paperback Series)
- Pushing the Digital Frontier: Insights into the Changing Landscape of E-Business
- Randy Gage's MLM Power Weekend
- Relationship Banking: Cross-Selling the Bank's Products & Services to Meet Your Customer's Every Financial Need
- Seeking Customers (The Harvard Business Review Book)
- Shore to Shore: The Politics of Migration in Euro-Maghreb Relations (Discussion Paper)
- Shoveling Smoke: Advertising and Globalization in Contemporary India
- Start and Run a Profitable Mail-Order Business (Self-Counsel Business Series)
- Stop the Bad Service
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