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Toys #2
Toy Dance Party
Here is the second book in the highly acclaimed Toys Trilogy, which includes the companion books Toys Go Out and Toys Come Home.
Lumphy, Stingray, and Plastic are back! And this time the lovable trio finds that their little girl has left for winter vacation and taken a box of dominoes, a stegosaurus puzzle, and two Barbie dolls—but not them. Could she have forgotten them?
As the girl starts to grow up, the three best friends must join together to brave a blizzard, save the toy mice from the vacuum, and make sure that they’ll always have the little girl’s love. (And they still have time to throw an all-out dance party with the washing machine!)
From the Hardcover edition.
Lumphy, Stingray, and Plastic are back! And this time the lovable trio finds that their little girl has left for winter vacation and taken a box of dominoes, a stegosaurus puzzle, and two Barbie dolls—but not them. Could she have forgotten them?
As the girl starts to grow up, the three best friends must join together to brave a blizzard, save the toy mice from the vacuum, and make sure that they’ll always have the little girl’s love. (And they still have time to throw an all-out dance party with the washing machine!)
From the Hardcover edition.
173 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 9, 2008
63 people are currently reading
432 people want to read
About the author
Emily Jenkins
103 books166 followersEmily Jenkins is the author of many books for children, including the recent picture books Tiger and Badger, illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay, and Princessland, illustrated by Yoko Tanaka. Her chapter books include the Toys series, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky; she is co-author of the Upside-down Magic series. Emily Jenkins lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
June 12, 2009
I didn't care for this book as much as the first one, Toys Go Out. I even read it over 3 days, just to see if it was my mood affecting my disinterest. I guess the novelty of the toys who talk didn't work as well as the first, where the reader was wondering who Plastic was and was enchanted by Sting Ray and Lumphy. There were too many other toy characters in this book and in the first book, each of the linked chapters/episodes seemed more touching than this book. The dialogue was even contrived in places, almost cinematic. I can just see this coming out as a Disney movie some day! I wanted to like the book, but it seemed like another case of an author trying to squeeze too much out of a good thing.
February 26, 2020
Just as great as the first one. My absolute favorite plot development in either book is when the sheep toy, shark toy, and various toy mice form a club called the Chewing Society of North America, that is devoted to chewing various things. And then they get all excited when there are new things to chew. The Chewing Society of North America is the perfect example of why I love these books.
Would any of my friends enjoy "Toy Dance Party?" All of my friends would enjoy "Toy Dance Party." I'm not sure we can be friends if you don't.
Would any of my friends enjoy "Toy Dance Party?" All of my friends would enjoy "Toy Dance Party." I'm not sure we can be friends if you don't.
February 6, 2017
This is my favorite of the three chapter books! I love the dance party. I felt so bad for the poor shark. There is so much humor and delight in these books. Just such fun!
July 13, 2012
Well, now I know why Emily Jenkins recommends this trilogy be read in the order in which they were written, not the order in which they occur in time. Unfortunately, I didn't read her recommendation until I had finished the prequel Toys Come Home. This has a rather sad ending as "Honey" is growing up. I would much preferred to have ended with Toys Come Home. But what a wonderful trilogy!
July 16, 2014
This is a book that makes me wish I had a younger child to read it to. I love those little toys, and the things they get up to when the people aren't around. And I particularly loved Honey's effort to make pink milk. Oh, and a cautionary tale about nature programs with sharks.
Library copy.
Library copy.
October 9, 2015
So sad! Sad that this book is over - all my kids are listening to it. What will we read next? I need tuktuk to help me dry my tears
September 1, 2019
Toy Dance Party
Plot: The little girl (who we later find outs name is Honey) goes on a winter vacation, but she doesn’t take StingRay, or Lumphy or Plastic. Lumphy starts to get worried when days go by and she doesn’t come back. So, he goes out (in the snow) and tries to find her. Only he gets stuck in a hole and StingRay has to go out and rescue him. But they both get stuck. Luckily Honey and her family return and bring them in and dry them off. Honey is starting to be more into Barbie’s than stuffed animals. So StingRay is relieved when she picks her over a Barbie to take to the movies. When she gets home, she tells the others about the movie and she and the others decide to dress up as the movie characters. Lumphy and StingRay get in a fight over who gets to be what character and Lumphy tears StingRay’s tail. Later they make up when he gets some yarn from the parent’s room and fixes it while she sleeps. A new toy joins the gang a Shark. When they find out what it is Lumphy and StingRay freak out and run down to the basement. Frank the Washing Machine for some reason thinks StingRay and Lumphy have come to throw him a dance party and they all get so carried away that they forget they left the other toys upstairs with a killer. When the party’s over they feel guilty and return to the room. They take a bunch of garbage so they can stuff the Shark’s mouth with it. But they see that the toy mice and the Shark have formed a biting club. They wash the Shark out in the tub, apologize, and everything is forgotten and they become friends. One of the mice gets stuck in the vacuum cleaner and Spark comes to the rescue and frees him. StingRay and Spark bond over their hatred of the Barbies (who Spark has taken several bites out of). Lumphy finds out from Frank that the Dryer needs to be fixed and if they can’t they’ll replace it which leaves Frank sad. Lumphy wonders what he can do. Meanwhile, Honey gets invited to a friend’s sleepover (Shay) and this time she takes StingRay, Lumphy, and Plastic. But all she does is play with the Barbies all night and they soon get bored. The only one who seems to have fun is Plastic when they throw a circus extravaganza (which really is just them jumping on the bed. Shay’s stuffed toy (who’s happy to have finally found someone to talk to) and Lumphy talk about the dryer. She tells him that sometimes her wishes come true when she wishes on a star. They both make a wish for the dryer. The wish comes true and they find a part to fix the Dryer. Later that night all the toys sneak to the basement for a dance party. Lumphy, Stingray, and Spark all decide to get back at the Barbies and take the nail polish and begin to deface their box. Holly gets in trouble when they mess up the room. But she isn’t mad. She thinks the toys tried to decorate the box for her. The nail paint has closed the box so the Barbies will be stuck in their for-a while-good thing they aren’t alive-.
My Thoughts: It’s interesting that Honey knows that her toys are alive but they don’t know she knows. And that she missed the whole point of them defacing her Barbie box. It was amusing that they hated the Barbies so much. And that Holly also didn’t figure out what happened to the Barbie’s knowing that some of her toys come alive because they were “never quite where she left them”. And amazingly she’s calm about this. I think if I was a kid and I knew my toys had minds of their own I’d stick them in a box somewhere. Just like my cousin did a My Buddy doll he had after he watched the Chuckie movies. It’s also interesting that while they’re having these dance parties no one hears them and comes down to investigate. For some reason, I can see this as a cartoon. Just like with the reveal of Plastic there was also a reveal in this book (the Shark) that had me anxious to find out what was in the box.
Rating: 6 As cute as the last one!
Plot: The little girl (who we later find outs name is Honey) goes on a winter vacation, but she doesn’t take StingRay, or Lumphy or Plastic. Lumphy starts to get worried when days go by and she doesn’t come back. So, he goes out (in the snow) and tries to find her. Only he gets stuck in a hole and StingRay has to go out and rescue him. But they both get stuck. Luckily Honey and her family return and bring them in and dry them off. Honey is starting to be more into Barbie’s than stuffed animals. So StingRay is relieved when she picks her over a Barbie to take to the movies. When she gets home, she tells the others about the movie and she and the others decide to dress up as the movie characters. Lumphy and StingRay get in a fight over who gets to be what character and Lumphy tears StingRay’s tail. Later they make up when he gets some yarn from the parent’s room and fixes it while she sleeps. A new toy joins the gang a Shark. When they find out what it is Lumphy and StingRay freak out and run down to the basement. Frank the Washing Machine for some reason thinks StingRay and Lumphy have come to throw him a dance party and they all get so carried away that they forget they left the other toys upstairs with a killer. When the party’s over they feel guilty and return to the room. They take a bunch of garbage so they can stuff the Shark’s mouth with it. But they see that the toy mice and the Shark have formed a biting club. They wash the Shark out in the tub, apologize, and everything is forgotten and they become friends. One of the mice gets stuck in the vacuum cleaner and Spark comes to the rescue and frees him. StingRay and Spark bond over their hatred of the Barbies (who Spark has taken several bites out of). Lumphy finds out from Frank that the Dryer needs to be fixed and if they can’t they’ll replace it which leaves Frank sad. Lumphy wonders what he can do. Meanwhile, Honey gets invited to a friend’s sleepover (Shay) and this time she takes StingRay, Lumphy, and Plastic. But all she does is play with the Barbies all night and they soon get bored. The only one who seems to have fun is Plastic when they throw a circus extravaganza (which really is just them jumping on the bed. Shay’s stuffed toy (who’s happy to have finally found someone to talk to) and Lumphy talk about the dryer. She tells him that sometimes her wishes come true when she wishes on a star. They both make a wish for the dryer. The wish comes true and they find a part to fix the Dryer. Later that night all the toys sneak to the basement for a dance party. Lumphy, Stingray, and Spark all decide to get back at the Barbies and take the nail polish and begin to deface their box. Holly gets in trouble when they mess up the room. But she isn’t mad. She thinks the toys tried to decorate the box for her. The nail paint has closed the box so the Barbies will be stuck in their for-a while-good thing they aren’t alive-.
My Thoughts: It’s interesting that Honey knows that her toys are alive but they don’t know she knows. And that she missed the whole point of them defacing her Barbie box. It was amusing that they hated the Barbies so much. And that Holly also didn’t figure out what happened to the Barbie’s knowing that some of her toys come alive because they were “never quite where she left them”. And amazingly she’s calm about this. I think if I was a kid and I knew my toys had minds of their own I’d stick them in a box somewhere. Just like my cousin did a My Buddy doll he had after he watched the Chuckie movies. It’s also interesting that while they’re having these dance parties no one hears them and comes down to investigate. For some reason, I can see this as a cartoon. Just like with the reveal of Plastic there was also a reveal in this book (the Shark) that had me anxious to find out what was in the box.
Rating: 6 As cute as the last one!
May 21, 2017
Toy Dance Party is the second book in the Toy's Go Out trilogy. I read Toys Go Out with my second grade students in the winter and they adored it so much we checked out Toy Dance Party. Emily Jenkins is a skillful writer and takes the reader inside the world of bedroom toys. My students gained great practice engaging in directing reading thinking activities throughout both books. They would make thoughtful predictions, ask questions, and cite evidence from the text. Throughout the entire book, they were giggling, ooo'ing and aah'ing, and making connections to their bedroom toys. I felt a slight connection to the Toy Story movies as I read this aloud.
The round characters, Lumphy (stuffed buffalo), Stingray (stuffed stingray), and Plastic (bouncy ball) caused a ruckus most days in the little girl's bedroom and home. I was captivated, alongside my students with the clever ideas these toys had! There were other toy characters in the story and I often led discussions about the different character traits among the toys. These books allowed for rich discussion about character's, friendship, and loyalty.
It is a shame I do not have enough time to read the final book, Toys Come Home with my eager students. I told them we could write reminder notes to take with when their families go to the library this summer!
The round characters, Lumphy (stuffed buffalo), Stingray (stuffed stingray), and Plastic (bouncy ball) caused a ruckus most days in the little girl's bedroom and home. I was captivated, alongside my students with the clever ideas these toys had! There were other toy characters in the story and I often led discussions about the different character traits among the toys. These books allowed for rich discussion about character's, friendship, and loyalty.
It is a shame I do not have enough time to read the final book, Toys Come Home with my eager students. I told them we could write reminder notes to take with when their families go to the library this summer!
August 31, 2024
2.5 stars. The attitudes and situations felt a little more intense than book 1, but we laughed a lot and talked about the things that needed our “discerning ears.”
Content:
“Dumb” 3-4 times
“Stupid” 3-4 times (related to stuff and not characters)
“Bossy boots”
“Hate” when jealous
When play-acting a movie’s storyline, there’s a witch who will “magic you” to (pretend) to turn toy animals into other things.
Two stuffies get into a fight when they are mad and hit / hurt each other. One makes amends with actions but not words.
“Spank him with dry spaghetti” (a thought that doesn’t actually happen).
Prejudice / jumping to conclusions (and feeling bad about it later).
There’s a sleepover where girls play with glitter makeup.
The stuffies make poor choices with nail polish when they are angry.
This book uses “specialness” to talk about one stuffy being chosen for a special outing (no use of “private”).
_
My review of book 3: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Content:
“Dumb” 3-4 times
“Stupid” 3-4 times (related to stuff and not characters)
“Bossy boots”
“Hate” when jealous
When play-acting a movie’s storyline, there’s a witch who will “magic you” to (pretend) to turn toy animals into other things.
Two stuffies get into a fight when they are mad and hit / hurt each other. One makes amends with actions but not words.
“Spank him with dry spaghetti” (a thought that doesn’t actually happen).
Prejudice / jumping to conclusions (and feeling bad about it later).
There’s a sleepover where girls play with glitter makeup.
The stuffies make poor choices with nail polish when they are angry.
This book uses “specialness” to talk about one stuffy being chosen for a special outing (no use of “private”).
_
My review of book 3: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
December 6, 2019
Charming, bittersweet, often funny, with interesting (and not always nice) characters kids will identify with. I read this to my daughter; she had read the previous book (Toys Go Out) in school (I have not read it). It's keeping in the Winnie-the-Pooh/Toy Story tradition but feels different from both. Toy Dance Party can be understood and appreciated without any knowledge of Toys Go Out, though if you can get your hands on it, it's probably better to read Toys Go Out first. Includes some interesting moral dilemmas and depth, and as such it's especially recommended for precocious/mature young kids--like A Wrinkle in Time or His Dark Materials but for a younger audience (ages 5-8 or so). I think it's a good choice to read aloud--lots of amusing songs, onomatopoeia, and nonsense words that kids will love listening to.
March 23, 2018
The first chapter of this involves them going outside in the snow, to much less success than in the picture book (Toys Meet Snow by the same author). The girl receives a shark, and they fill it with garbage because they are afraid of it. They have a party for the repaired dryer. A toy mouse gets trapped in the vacuum and the shark chews to get him out. The toys put nail polish on the Barbie box and the girl takes the blame to her angry parents rather than get the toys in trouble.
I found the moment when they stuffed garbage in the shark to be a bit dark. And I do have to question on if everything else is alive - why is the vacuum cleaner apparently not? But otherwise this had a much happier feel than the first or third book, with the parties down in the basement.
I found the moment when they stuffed garbage in the shark to be a bit dark. And I do have to question on if everything else is alive - why is the vacuum cleaner apparently not? But otherwise this had a much happier feel than the first or third book, with the parties down in the basement.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2018
What a wonderful sequel to the must-read children's book, Toys Go Out. Plastic, Lumphy and StingRay are so entertaining! The addition of Spark, Frank and some drama with Dryer round out a great read - one I recommend to friends as a family summer read-aloud. Be warned, some readers (me) might get choked up when the toys begin to notice that Honey is growing up. In the end, all is happy and you may find yourself (again, me) headed to your children's closets to love on some former Specials that have been relegated to a quiet shelf.
August 23, 2017
Audio. This one was a different narrator than the first book. This narrator sounded more juvenile which fits the book, but I did miss the smoothness of the first one sometimes. Similar stories to the first book in terms of toys working out their differences or dealing with changes. I actually really liked it for my 6 year old for that reason. It was also more fun to come back to the same characters.
May 20, 2021
My kids found this one absolutely hysterical thanks to the addition of the Shark to the toy crew. Overall there’s not much” new” here, but if you’d like further Toy adventures then there are plenty to be had. StingRay, Lumphy, and Plastic all join back in. Their main dilemma is wondering if the Girl has outgrown them, which is a somewhat sad topic (as a parent, and as a toy I guess)! It is sad to acknowledge that children do in fact grow up and outgrow things they once loved.
October 9, 2020
Me and my 4yo love this book. She listens to the audiobook over and over and over - and I don't even mind! The characters are well developed with their own personalities and the plots of the chapters (each chapter can stand on it's own, but fit into the overall story as well) are interesting as well. This is a classic that we will read many times!
August 6, 2022
This one, while better than #3, was still just an okay read for me. I guess I'm just the odd man out because I really don't find these books "charming." I don't think I'll be getting any of these for my grandchild nor recommending them. In this book, they get a new plaything (which doesn't seem to be anywhere in book 3) that chews on things, including the barbies. And somehow everyone hates the barbies and they don't talk, etc. Just weird how some of the toys (and appliances/towels) are "alive" and can talk and some aren't. This series just isn't for me.
November 15, 2019
3.5 stars for this charming book. I think kids would enjoy it, and I will recommend it to my 7 year old nephew. I think the sounds the toys make should be written differently to sounds more like sounds one could imagine them actually making instead of random noises, but maybe that’s just me.
February 1, 2021
Loved reading with and to my 5yo son. He has a rich imagination for what his toys do when he’s not there and when he with them. He was a great fit for this book.
(Sequel to the excellent TOYS GO OUT.)
(Sequel to the excellent TOYS GO OUT.)
September 20, 2021
I love this series! The characters are so endearing and genuine. My boys and I loved getting to know "the humans" a little more this time, and venturing more into the toys friendships. This book made us laugh and made me cry. Such a perfect read aloud for young kids.
November 17, 2023
This wasn’t as enjoyable as the first one, but it was still pretty cute. My 6 year old commented… ”There wasn’t much of a plot and it seemed to ramble; but, the dance party scene made up for all of that!”
July 24, 2017
Love these books and these characters, their seemingly innocent simple fears and concerns that mirror our own, and the lessons they learn. Great for kids and parents alike.
October 29, 2017
This was always popular when I used it in children's lit class.
May 3, 2018
I love this series by Emily Jenkins. The little girl, Honey, is getting older and her toys are worried she doesn’t love them anymore. They risk getting into big trouble with their antics! (Library)
August 13, 2018
Cute story. I wonder if it will be better as a read aloud?
April 4, 2019
We didn’t finish this one. It had funny parts but there were things that were just not a good fit for our family. Probably fine for a lot of families but not ours.
September 27, 2019
Wonderful and hilarious - a very worthy sequel.
December 9, 2019
I laughed out loud reading this to my four year old. Excellent read aloud book and each chapter is it's own story. Either as good as Toys Go Out or better!
December 22, 2019
Another winner, with sly humor and childlike sweetness.
March 18, 2020
A little sad. The Girl is getting older, and the toys are starting to notice
April 13, 2020
Read this to my 7 year old son. We both loved it! Kinda like Toy Story meets Winnie the Pooh. Absolutely adorable!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews