Book publishing had a high profile in a number of ways at the 120th edition of New York International Toy Fair, held in New York City February 14–17.
Two toy companies entered the publishing category in North America for the first time. Thomas & Kosmos, best known in the U.S. for STEM toys and science kits, introduced its Smart Fox children’s nonfiction book series on science topics. The books have a choose-your-own-path format that allows readers to follow the text all the way through or skip around to different topics. The first four titles are Smart Fox: Earth, Smart Fox: Space, Smart Fox: Robots & AI, and Smart Fox: Dinosaurs. Thames & Kosmos, whose parent company is German publisher Kosmos, expects to add new titles in this series and perhaps expand into other books that tackle science topics in a way that complements the company’s core science kits.
Ravensburger Group, whose parent company is also German and has a 140-year-old publishing arm (which recently purchased NorthSouth Books), is bringing its first two publishing initiatives to the U.S. market, where the company is primarily known for its puzzles and games. The Play + infant and toddler brand includes both early learning toys such as teethers and puzzles, as well as board books including a light-up seek-and-find format. Separately and for an older audience, Ravensburger is also launching the first books tied to its Disney-licensed trading card game Lorcana.
Companies from Schleich to Spin Master’s Melissa & Doug division also mentioned plans for entering or expanding in the publishing category, either in the near future or further down the line. Most said they would seek out a publishing licensee for their proprietary brands with publishing potential.
Book-only IPs Move into Toys
Historically, book properties without significant brand extensions into films, television, or streaming have rarely been able to license their IPs to mass market toy companies. But that seems to be changing.
Playmates, known for its Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja toys, debuted a line of action figures, trading cards, collectible statues, and a role-playing game based on the Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman, published by sci-fi and fantasy specialist Ace Books. The series has sold more than six million copies across seven titles, with an eighth title coming in April. The graphic, gory, and humorous science fantasy books have literary role-playing game (LitRPG) elements that have made their way into the toy line. The playthings will be introduced at Comic Con this summer and will have a presence at Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and other bookstores, marking the first time bookstores have been a primary distribution channel for Playmates.
In another example, Bonkers Toys introduced its line of Warrior Cats collectible plush and figures, based on the Warriors series of middle grade fantasy novels, developed by Coolabi and published by HarperCollins. The books generate significant social media activity and are being developed for traditional entertainment.
Romantasy also hit the toy business this year, as several licensees showed games, collectibles, activity toys, and puzzles tied to Rebecca Yarros’s Empyrean series. Among the licensees were the Noble Collection, Goliath Games, Thames & Kosmos, and Ravensburger.
In addition, toy companies are working closely with their fellow licensees on the publishing side to integrate book-based content into their licensed toy lines. Playmates exhibited its new Kaiju Power Rangers line of action figures, based on the IDW comic book series Godzilla vs. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers II, as part of its broader Power Rangers-Godzilla mash-up toy line. And Melissa & Doug featured Ms. Rachel toys developed from fellow licensee Penguin Random House’s Ms. Rachel books.
Of course, entertainment licenses are still where most of the action is, both in the toy industry and at the show. Longtime exhibitor Bendon was focusing on its coloring and activity books tied to theatrical films coming up during the year, with Toy Story 5, Minions 3, and a new Spider-Man movie among them. It also holds the license for coloring books based on KPop Demon Hunters, the hit Netflix movie that was ubiquitous at Toy Fair as its licensed products roll out.
A new program for Bendon is Valentine’s Day cards, a category it traditionally shied away from due to the short sales window. Sold at Target and Walmart, the cards are paired with some of Bendon’s existing licensed properties, such as Gabby’s Dollhouse and Minecraft, as well as a few Valentine’s-only licenses including Rachel Hale and Stranger Things. The program will expand in its second year, according to Toby Rogers, a VP of sales for Bendon.
Toy Trends Make Their Way to Books
Publishers often attend Toy Fair to spot innovations that might be relevant for publishing. This year, several publishers capitalized on trends that were widespread across the show floor. Igloo was offering book-nook kits with two related books; these miniature, illuminated dioramas that sit on a bookshelf were a leading TikTok and interior design trend in 2025. The publisher also showed nightlight books about bedtime routines, featuring Disney’s Spidey, The Lion King, and Stitch; light-up books of various kinds were a trend among publisher-exhibitors.
Igloo is upping its licensing activity, bringing some of its British parent’s licenses to the U.S. and acquiring other properties specifically for this market. It is developing innovative formats to differentiate it in a crowded licensing market, said Igloo’s Brooke Perkins, SVP of mass, special, and proprietary sales for North America.
Gaming has been among the strongest categories in the toy industry of late, with everything from board, card, and tabletop games to toys based on video game characters being part of the trend. Peter Pauper Press, whose staff includes some avid tabletop gamers, is introducing a series of journals and other products that are compatible with Dungeons & Dragons and other popular tabletop games.
Insight Editions, which focuses on pop-culture books and book-plus products, launched Book Accessories, adding the company’s name to the lengthy roster of exhibitors selling bag and backpack clips in the form of everything from plush figures to containers of slime. Insight’s product consisted of clip-on characters with a 192-page mini-book inside. The line kicks off with three Disney classic character and three Star Wars editions. Jeff McLaughlin, senior VP and group publisher, said more will come, with many of the company’s licensors interested in being added to the line.
Calming and sensory products—slime and compounds, fidget toys, advanced coloring, calming scents, and the like—remain a big focus in the toy industry. Highlights is joining the slime trend through its new partnership with Crazy Aaron’s, one of the leading purveyors of slime and compounds, marking its first acquisition of a licensed property. Three book-plus titles are planned so far, including Sweet Surprises: Puzzles & Slime and A Very Slimy Christmas, with a dinosaur title to follow, according to Patty Sullivan, who heads licensing for Highlights. The products feature classic Hidden Pictures seek-and-find puzzles paired with seek-and-find activities involving Crazy Aaron’s slime. Highlights was also spotlighting Can You Find Steve?, a seek-and-find picture book that comes with miniature ducks, joining the rubber duck trend.
Fox Chapel showed books under its Jeep license, which was newly inked at last year’s Toy Fair. One of the titles, You’ve Been Ducked, is a coloring and sticker activity book inspired by the #DuckDuckJeep trend in which Jeep owners leave often-customized rubber ducks on each other’s vehicles as a form of community and kindness. The company has three new Jeep titles coming out in the fall and two more the following spring, including a title in its flagship sticker painting series.
Fox Chapel was also exhibiting nightlight and flashlight books, getting a lot of attention for its range of titles about the national parks, and introduced a line of lift-the-flap books with many flaps, first published in China by Ronshin. Penny Makras, VP of marketing, noted that kids are looking for books with interactive elements that enhance the text, something that other publishers mentioned as well. Fox Chapel was also one of many publishers at the show highlighting a patriotic book timed to the 250th birthday of the United States later this year.
New Publishing Players Appeal to Toy Buyers
First-time exhibitors at the show included several publishers. Schiffer Kids saw the KindKids puzzle activity book series, which includes positive messaging and elevated design, attract attention from attendees, according to Michele Sensening, director of sales. It was also showing a variety of other titles, from Roxie Monroe’s A-Maze-ing Airport Adventures to Philly ABCs.
Cali’s Books offered titles that paired nursery rhymes with music to instill a love of books in babies. Its line for the youngest kids includes tie-ins with digital content creators who have TikTok-viral songs, benefiting from their creativity and marketing savvy, said founder Carinne “Cali” Meyrignac. Tie-in titles include The Boundaries Song by Hopscotch and Pancake Robot by Parry Gripp. The company also offers a read-along audio device for older kids to help build confidence and skill in reading.
Treetown Toys brought its line of Yes & Know invisible-ink trivia-game books to the show. The brand was launched by now-defunct Lee Publications and is currently owned by Australian publisher Hinkler, with Treetown developing the titles and overseeing North American sales. The newly relaunched series includes licensed titles with Highlights, Peanuts, and Hasbro Games (for Monopoly, Clue, and many more) and was a finalist for the Toy Industry Foundation’s Toy of the Year Award this year. While the products are sold mostly in toy stores to date, said founder and head of sales Doug Cass, 500 Barnes & Noble stores have brought them in as well.
JamJam Books was touting musical sound books that introduce young children to classical music, with 15- to 17-second music clips on every spread. Its titles have achieved an 87% sell-through rate across the stores that have brought titles in, the company said.
Toy Fair seemed a bit light on both exhibitors and attendees, including publishers. Attendees PW spoke to cited a variety of possible contributing factors, such as the multiple holidays occurring during the weekend of the show; tariff issues that have made some toy companies more cost-focused and less apt to travel or spend on trade shows; worries about potential visa or other travel issues for attendees from outside the country; and the conference’s calendar-jumping since the pandemic, with years skipped both during and post Covid and one show rescheduled to fall. That said, exhibitors reported strong conversations and enthusiasm for their products at this year’s Toy Fair, even as foot traffic was below what they would like.
