Toy vey!

From Too Many Toys by David Shannon

Fanny
By Holly Hobbie Little, Brown; $17. Ages 4 to 8.

The creator of the acclaimed Toot & Puddle series introduces Fanny, a little girl whose mother denies her the same kind of slick, store-bought doll that her best friends have. So she takes out her sewing kit and stitches a quaint moppet of her own. The anti-Bratz message might have been cloying if not for Hobbie’s lovely illustrations and straightforward but charming text. Bonus: The book includes a make-your-own paper doll insert, for kids who catch the DIY spirit.—Raven Snook

Too Many Toys
By David Shannon Blue Sky, $17. Ages 4 to 8.

The type of children’s book that cracks up parents as much as tykes, David Shannon’s tale is immensely relatable. Spencer has amassed way too much junk, and after his parents have a few near-fatal run-ins with his toys (lesson learned: Railroad tracks can really trip you up), his mother decides it’s time to purge. The ensuing negotiations are both funny and spot on. Initially Spencer refuses to part with anything, but he comes to see his mom’s point of view…sort of. After a reading, you’ll be begging your family and friends to skip the gifts and donate money to your kid’s 529 instead.—RS

Traction Man Meets Turbodog
By Mini Grey Knopf, $17. Ages 4 to 8.

The sequel to the multi-award-winning Traction Man Is Here! chronicles the action figure’s search for his faithful but filthy scrubbing brush sidekick, who has been replaced with a fancy battery-powered pet. The author beautifully renders the world through the eyes of a child—a compost heap becomes a mountain, a garbage can the underworld—and also delivers the Toy Story–like moral with only a minimal helping of syrup.—RS

Toy Dance Party
By Emily Jenkins Illustrations by Paul O. Zelinsky. Schwartz & Wade, $17. Ages 6 to 10.

Much about this sequel will feel familiar to fans of the Brooklyn-based author-illustrator team’s first venture, Toys Go Out. StingRay is still bossy, Lumphy the buffalo remains brave, and the globe-shaped optimist called Plastic is, well, bouncy. The three playthings continue to vie for the attention of Girl, their owner, and occasionally get caught in compromising positions (considering they’re supposedly inanimate). New this go-around: a running joke concerning the inexplicable appeal and utter uselessness of Barbie.—Carolyn Juris

The Runaway Dolls: The Third Doll People Story
By Ann M. Martin andLaura Godwin Illustrations by Brian Selznick. Hyperion, $17. Ages 8 to 12.

Annabelle Doll (Victorian-era, porcelain) and Tiffany Funcraft (modern, plastic) go on the lam with Tilly May, Annabelle’s long-lost sister. The trio ends up on the shelves of a department store whose wares are being doll-napped. Suspicious disappearances, family intrigue and a plot anchored by a shop filled to bursting with toys—what more could young readers want? Other than their own pile of toys, of course.—CJ