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Parents' Guide to

Toys Go Out

By Patricia Tauzer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Playful, inventive stories starring oddball toys.

Book Emily Jenkins Friendship 2006
Toys Go Out Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 5 parent reviews

Misty W.
Misty W. Parent of 2 and 5-year-old
February 8, 2023
age 9+

Weird innuendos and too much language for a 5 year old.

I wanted to like this book. The librarian raved about how cute it was. I looked the book up and Google said it was appropriate for a 5 year old, so we started to listen to it for bookclub. I had concerns when I was listening to the first chapter. There was jealous tendencies and not kind language, like "shut up". Okay, I can deal with that and have a conversation about how we don't use that language. BUT when we got to chapter 3, I was just extremely shocked. There is mention of ghosts and ax-murderers in the basement. WHAT?! That is not a conversation I want to have with my 5 year old tonight when he's afraid to go to sleep. Come on. This is a kids book. THEN, when the stuffed animals goes into the washing machine, the description of the washing cycle is WEIRD! Like grooming weird. This book may be appropriate for an 8 year old with guidance, but I was not expecting this. I get that I could be being extra cautious when it comes to the washing machine chapter, but with everything you see nowadays about how Disney and other corporations have 'crept in' sneaky little inappropriate things, I don't think we can be too cautious in some things like this. Hindsight is 20/20 and I truly regret letting him hear this book.
aliciabird
aliciabird Parent of 7-year-old
June 20, 2022
age 6+

Wonderful and Funny - Great for a Range

Great for reading aloud with little guys or an age range, or second or third graders to read on their own. This one made my 6 year old (and myself) belly laugh. It's imaginative and sweet. The characters are so loveable.
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Toys Go Out is a collection of six stories that reveal the small adventures of the same group of toys; the stories are not chronologically connected. In each story the toys learn about the world in which they live and their place in it. The adventures begin when three of them are trapped in a dark, damp backpack and, because they don't understand where they are going, imagine the worst. Then Plastic, the red bouncy ball, has an identity crisis until Tuk Tuk the towel sets her straight. Later, Lumphy conquers his fear of the washing machine, and both StingRay and Lumphy learn an important lesson about jealousy. In the end, they all celebrate their love for one another and the little girl at a very special birthday party.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5 ):
Kids say (2 ):

The lessons of this early chapter-reader are gentle and ring true. These stories are not about how the heroic toys save the little girl or cure evil in the rest of the world; they are stories about the irrational fears, small jealousies, and petty competitions with which the toys struggle in their own private world as they learn to trust, understand, and depend on one another. Their struggles are the kind any kid will understand, especially as they're presented with all the confusions kids have and told in language kids use. While the language of the stories is both poetic and humorous, it is also that of the everyday kid-world. The conversations sound like those you would hear if you were listening in on a group of kids playing. Black-and-white sketches by Caldecott medalist Paul Zelinsky add to the fun of each chapter.

Younger kids may feel confused in the beginning stories about who is who. It may have helped if author Emily Jenkins had added an introductory chapter or a character list before starting off on the adventures. On the other hand, perhaps she invited the mystery and confusion as integral to the world of toys. Unfounded fears and misinterpretation of information are balanced with humor, love, and support that creates a world kids will understand and enjoy.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the various fears and jealousies the toys face, and the solutions they find. Why, for example, did the buffalo want so badly to sleep on the bed? Why wasn't it as wonderful as he thought it would be?

Book Details

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