Submitted by Michael D, who spies some WIN.

If I could count the hour spent interacting with I Spy books during my youth…Well, I don’t have that much time, honestly. In addition to being fun, the images themselves were gorgeous enough to stare at for hours. I’ve even, as an adult, flipped an I Spy book open once or twice, and there is still something magical about them. These have my vote over the “I spy, with my little eye, something _____” games that my brother and I used to play on road trips. Here’s a sample to gaze at for a bit (might be kind of hard to spot a toothpick in an image this size, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying):

Submitted by Katie, press “sea urchin” now to hear her speak:

Does anyone even remember these? They were basically “electronic storybooks”. You were supposed to read the book and whenever you came across a picture within the text, you had to press the button on the side panel that matched the picture to hear the sound it represented. Quite a few of them were put out by Disney. I think they make books with the same concept today, but the ones from the early 90’s were so much cooler.

Confession: I still sometimes play with these in the store. They combine my three favorite things: Pictures, sound clips, and button pressing.

Submitted by Bruce W, invisible showoff.

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is a children’s book series written by Betty MacDonald featuring the enchanting widow of a pirate in the titular role. She resided in an upside-down house (and, in one book, a farm) and helped the neighborhood children overcome obstacles using both magic and common sense. She had a cure for just about every problem one could imagine, though most issues she dealt with pertained to manners, politeness, and hygiene. Oh, how I loved these books. Naming no names, I think we all know a kid or two in need of one of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s cures…

Submitted by Johnny’s Girl, not to be confused with Jessie’s girl

Maurice Sendak, best known for the classic children’s book Where the Wild Things Are, said, as a child, he was inspired to become a writer and illustrator by Disney’s Fantasia. (Fantasia only inspired me to do drugs.) Though he’s most famous for Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak was also the illustrator for the Little Bear series.

Have you guys seen the new Where the Wild Things Are film yet? It’s fantastic. When asked if the movie is too scary for kids, Sendak told parents that they could “go to hell.” Win.

Submitted by TJ

The Disney Read Along book series taught a lot of us how to read. I loved that Tinker Bell’s chime signaled the reader to turn the page, (way better than Bob Seger… JK! LOL!).