Toy Time!: From Hula Hoops to He-Man to Hungry Hungry Hippos: A Look Back at the Most- Beloved Toys of Decades Past

by Christopher Byrne

What was your favorite childhood toy?

Do you have fond memories of fighting unseen enemies with your G.I. Joe action figures, demolishing fleets of vehicles with your Tonka Toy Trucks , or Karate-chopping imaginary street thugs with your Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ?  

What about carefree summer afternoons counting ticks on your Skip-It , scooting around the neighborhood on your Big Wheel , or soaring down your backyard   Slip 'n Slide ?

Still a little bitter that your parents never let you have a   Nerf Super Soaker , or a Barbie Dream House ?

Did you prefer to unleash your inner artist with your Etch a Sketch , or your inner chef with your Easy-Bake Oven ? D

id you like to challenge your friends to  a rousing game of Mousetrap , or did you prefer to get tied up in knots over a round of Twister ?

In Toy Time! you’ll be reunited with all these classic toys and more.  No matter when you grew up, or what types of play ignited your imagination, Toy Time! will take you on a journey of rediscovery, allowing you to relive those carefree, innocent, and fun-filled days of childhood.

Charming, playful, and full of photos of vintage toys, Toy Time! is an exploration and celebration of the toys that roused our imaginations, shaped our memories, and touched our lives.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Pop Culture, Design

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just a delightful trip through memory lane. Many of the toys I played with as a youth and some that were before me but I had heard of all the same. Also, some my kids played with like the Turtles and the easy bake oven.

Where the idea came from, how and who came up with them, where they are now and how many are no longer made and hard to find. Many will be not surprised to hear that play-doh is as popular today as it was when it first came out. Silly putty, though still made today is made with a different formula, back than I guess they did not care if we were being poisoned, anyway the new formula n longer works on comics.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again, this book is very hard to compare to some of the epic novels that I like to read, but this was a very cute filler book that I read last night after my two library books proved to be less than engaging. The book is divided into sections such as dolls, boy toys, fads and timeless classics. It gives details about a particular toy, no more than 2-4 pages, telling the history, the appeal and what is the current status. The information isn't super indepth but it definitely is a good read for nostalgia's sake. Most of the toys with a few exceptions, I had either played with myself or have heard of.

[Anthony Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic! Fans of Netflix' The Toys That Made Us will enjoy this.

A comprehensive beautiful guide back to YOUR CHILDHOOD!

Sometimes a welcoming feeling of nostalgia can happen when you least expect it. I mean, of course I knew I was gonna see some of my old toys but this has so much and it breaks it down to you from the 50's to the 90's on what was hot and how it was. I believe if you want a true trip down memory lane find yourself a copy of this book.

I already bought 3 toys that were from my era for my niece and its really cool how I can (sort of) tell when it was made and some little trivia about it.

It's Toy Time baby!

[Tirzah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't even remember how I came across this book; I only remember that I wanted to read it, because sometimes you need those nostalgic moments that make you happy. It is not fair to recommend this book for one particular generation, because many of the toys are classics that have stood the test of time. Young, middle age, and old will recognize toys, such as Barbie and Legos. The format of this book is inviting and the author's writing style is humorous, making it an enjoyable read.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh man, THE NOSTALGIA! I spent this whole book saying out loud, "I remember this!" and then wishing I could go back in time and save so many of these toys from my childhood.

My personal favorite was the Creepy Crawler Oven, which I swear I didn't even remember until I saw the pictures, but then I had so many good memories come flashing back.

For anyone looking for a trip down memory lane, I highly recommend this book!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, charming read. Most of these toys belong more to my parent's generation than mine (my mother, age fifty-five, still seethes with jealousy when she talks about her childhood neighbour's Big Wheel). 4.5 stars. A fun, breezy overview of some of the major toys of our time.

[Hayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was pretty cool to read a little bit about how these toys were made/promoted and to go through and see which ones my grandmother, mother, and I played with. Though, tbh, they were missing my top three. An updated version including toys of the 90s would be super cool to see.

[Rob Schorr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, fun-filled book with just about every memorable toy mad in the last 50 years!
4 thumbs up!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blast from the past. Nostalgic from start to finish. Full of pics and fun facts.

[angelofmine1974 · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review of this book can be found on my Youtube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/AW6VYo1OcVY

Enjoy!

[Laura Sanner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would make a great bathroom book. The bite size stories are perfect for a quick bite read. Reading it all in one go made it a little meh.

[Denny Wagner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun, light read for anyone who grew up in the 70s and 80s. It's a formulaic retrospective on some of the most memorable toys from that period. The book is split into various chapters that categorize the toys (dolls/girls, action figures/boys, games, outdoor toys, etc.). And then each chapter is split into sections devoted to one particular toy each. The author provides a description of the toy, a brief summary of how it was developed, and its place in toy history. There is usually a picture or two as well.

I skipped over the sections devoted to toys I didn't remember from my childhood. If you don't have the emotional connection, it's not very interesting to read about. But there were several toys that I'd completely forgotten about, and I delighted in reading about them and calling up dusty old memories of playing with them.

Don't expect to be too surprised or educated by this book, but do expect to enjoy a trip down memory lane.

[Melissa Guimont · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a blast from the past and answered my question of "whatever happened to the big wheel?" If you are interested in a short history of the toys of our past, pick this up for a enjoyable trip into your childhood. I remembered the frustrations of spirograph mistakes, throwing those across the room like frisbees and the joy of watching my shrinky dinks melt in the oven. It makes me want to run out and buy some Colorforms and hug my Teddy Ruxpin in the attic. A fun fact from this book: the smell of Crayolas and Play-doh are the most recognizable odors to American adults. I love my job cataloging these new books because I wouldn't have discovered this gem had I not had to add it to the library today. The only down side to this book is that it reminded me of that horrible contraption called the sit-and-spin.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My only complaint with this book is that it isn't longer! Christopher Byrne covers dozens of toys in his book, and there were only a very few that I didn't remember playing with myself as a kid. The book is so well laid out that I ended up reading it cover to cover. You know, with some non fiction titles similar to this one you would just flip through and read about a couple of your favorite toys then put it down, but I couldn't do that. The chapters were arranged brilliantly, covering inside toys, outside toys, traditionally boy toys, traditionally girl toys, board games, fads, and classics. The book has lots of pictures of the toys themselves and sometimes shots of the original ads; every page is full-color. Each toy got 1-3 pages and the author never drowned me in descriptions. Such fun! I want to go play now...

[Danielle Booey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun look at the most beloved toys of the past decades. My favorite section was Chapter 7: For Two to Four Players. It was full of old favorite board games and a few I wish I had access to like, Green Ghost and Mystery.

This book is full of old favorite toys like Creepy Crawler machines, LEGOs, He-Man action figures, and troll dolls. I was, however, disappointed by the lack of 90s toys. I feel like the book really missed the boat on that one considering that the 90s are probably the hey day of collecting. There were only brief mentions of favorites from the decade like Tickle Me Elmo, Polly Pocket, and Beanie Babies. Where is Furby? Or the rise of female action figures like the Jewel Riders? The rise of Japanese phenomenon like Pokemon? Or the first incarnation of the Littlest Pet Shop? Just sad. I demand a recount Mr. Byrne!

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lot of interesting info here... Did you know the reason Silly Putty comes in eggs was because the marketing began around Easter and plastic eggs were cheap & plentiful, as well as held just the right amount of putty? Or that the US military saved View-Master back in WWII by requesting viewers & reels for training purposes? Or that Crayola could be translated as "oily chalk"?

Written in a lively and slightly snarky fashion, it may not have all of your favorite toys (everything is from 1940-1987), but it should have enough for you to take a pleasant trip down memory lane. (It would have been nice if they had included a few from the 90s however, as those kids are pretty much grown up by now)

[Marathon County Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revisit your childhood with this charming, full-color chronicle of toys from decades past. Among the toys described and illustrated are Play-Doh, Barbie, Gumby, Uno, Rubik's Cube, Etch-a-Sketch, Teddy Ruxpin, Silly Putty, G.I. Joe, the Star Wars Action Figures, Care Bears, Dungeons and Dragons, Tonka Toy Trucks, NERF Ball, View-Master and the Frisbee. A virtual time-travel machine, the book is a fun, affectionate read of carefree times filled with beloved toys and games.

Mike O. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is pure nostalgia! I think this is reason enough to pick it up and flip through it at least. I liked that Byrne incorporated chapter introductions that gave context to all these toys from the 50s ranging to the 90s. Explaining the culture that influenced the popularity of each toy made it a little more than a collection of toy memories, even if only briefly. I didn't care for the puns though. There were way too many for my liking, so I got a little annoyed towards the end. Otherwise, a good compilation that would make a great coffee table book, if anyone's looking for any.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toy Time!: From Hula Hoops to He-Man to Hungry Hungry Hippos: A Look Back at the Most- Beloved Toys of Decades Past by Christopher Byrne (Three Rivers Press 2013)(688.72). The author resurrects toys ingrained into the collective memories of the Baby Boomer generation, reminding us of toys we once loved. This features many of my favorites: Creepy Crawlers, Major Matt Mason, and GI Joe. My rating: 7/10, finished 9/11/14.

[Eva Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, so this is a grownup book about TOYS!!! OLD toys! With lots of pictures! But I like it and looked at it a lot.
I think it'd be fun to have all these or even some of them, but how come it's not a kid's book? I guess when you get old and you can't buy toys anymore you need to look at them in books. But why not just buy the toys for your kids and then when they're not playing with them you can!!
A good one!

[Emmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun and fascinating collection of awesome old toys (some I've owned or at least heard of, and others which were completely new to me). For the most part, it was a great trip down memory lane, while at the same time a glimpse into a past even further back than my own childhood. All in all, a great read!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. It was fun seeing games I have hiding away still. And some that we wore out as kids. A few we always wanted and could never have. Backgrounds on them as well. Mstly toys that were from the 1950's through about 1990. Mostly the iconic ones but a lot of fun. Tells about the start and where those toys are now.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real nostalgia-mine! I wish, though, that Byrne had included my old Ben-Hur play set, and my Nylint Electronic Cannon... and maybe that Buddy-L Hydraulic Dump Truck...(mumble mumble--regresses to childhood)

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was lots of fun. Nice graphics and pictures of the beloved toys of the past. When my husband saw me reading it he came to sit next to me, and we went through it and discussed all the toys that we had owned, and our memories of them. Some good memories.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant for short entries on retro toys and images that are plentiful but not distracting from the text.

This book will be a fun way for my 7th grade students slightly below grade level to prepare for the state exams!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a walk down memory lane!

[Abraham Ray]

nice book about toys!

[Lorna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of fun. I recognized most of the toys featured, only a few were totally unfamiliar. Enjoyed getting some history on how these toys came to be.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun look at the past. Memories of toys that we had or wanted.

[Tawnya · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fun trip down memory lane to recall the toys I had and those I could remember. Interesting those toys who stand the test of time.