It makes sense for the King of Greetings to move into the kids story time arena and Hallmark, the greeting card company, have done exactly that by launching a range of very cute and interactive Story Buddies.
Each cuddly Story Buddy comes with its own story book and uses a clever playback technology that triggers the Buddy to speak and join in when specific passages are read aloud. Its a fantastic idea, allowing your child to bond with you and the Story Buddy as well as providing an engaging and educational experience, using technology to further enrich this traditional activity.
There are three cheeky Story Buddies in the current range, including the inquisitive Raccoon Watson, Cooper the Playful Bear and a Christmas Limited Edition favourite, Jingle the Husky. Each one with its own personality.
Hallmark kindly let me try out Raccoon Watson with my little monster. She sometimes takes time to warm up to cuddly toys – especially if they talk back to her, so I was a bit worried at first how she would react. But by the end, she was fascinated with Raccoon Watson, who’s great detective qualities were no doubt in honour of his namesake from the Sherlock Holmes novels. In fact, once he said goodbye, LM was quite disturbed that he “wasn’t talking to me anymore”.
My only (tiny) niggle about these Story Buddies is that they do have a squeaky American accent. However, with Disney being a firm favourite in this house, it didn’t bother LM and thats all that matters, right?
Like any good product, Hallmark have expanded the exclusive cuddly characters to create their own little Story Buddy universe, releasing additional books for Cooper and Watson for kids to collect. Hallmark have also developed a free ipad/iphone app to accompany the range. The app includes puzzles, games and a short story
At only £19.99 I think the Story Buddies have entered the market at a really competitive and affordable price. They’re lovely quality and extremely soft and cuddly despite the technology sitting inside them, (which I find often ruins the appeal of ‘talking toys’). The additional story books are £5.99 each.
Overall, I think they’d make a lovely gift this Christmas and you can buy them directly from www.Hallmark.co.uk . Hallmark can also be found on Facebook here and you can follow them on twitter – something i’d highly recommend you doing, they’re great fun.
If you can’t wait until Christmas though, Hallmark have generously given me 3 gorgeous Jingle the Huskys to giveaway
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WINNER CHOSEN
All the entries were put into a spreadsheet from 1-221. The winner was picked using www.random.org.
The winners will have 7 days to claim their prize otherwise I will choose another.
And the winners are:
Ashleigh
Holly King
Maria Messruther
Congratulations! – I will be getting in touch with the winners directly
Thank you to everyone who entered. Please check my Giveaway page for some more competitions
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To enter, simply comment in the box below telling me you or your child’s favourite children’s book
For additional entries:
– Subscribe to my email/RSS feed by entering your email address in the Subscribe box, or Google Friends Connect on the right hand side of this post. Comment below to let me know and if you’re already signed up, again just let me know
– Follow me on twitter and tweet the following – again, letting me know below that you have done it
RT @humanb3an Win one of three Jingle the Huskys from Hallmark UK via Gadget Mum. Enter Here: http://wp.me/p1QmbO-ha
– Like and share this competition on Facebook and again, let me know you’ve done it
Thats it! Good Luck
Terms and Conditions
– The competition closes on November 30th
– The winner will be drawn at random from all valid entries
– The prize is one of three Jingle the Huskys. There is no cash alternative.
– UK only
It might seem a little morbid but my favorite childrens book is Badger’s Parting Gifts by Susan Varley.
A really nicely illustrated story of an old badger who realises that his old age will soon
lead to death. His friends learn to come to terms
with his death, it goes some way in answering little ones questions of the preperation that their grandparents may be going through and also opens up the right kind of questions to explain this difficult time.
Peace at last – Jill Murphy
@littleboo_21
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Our fav book is the Gruffalo. It gets read time and time again
@budgetingmum
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Following you via FB and shared competition details – Boo Roo and Tigger Too
@littleboo_21
following via GFC
my granddaughter’s favourite book is The Cat In The Hat. Following on twitter and have tweeted
Our favorite book is “On the Night You Were Born”. It is such a whimsically written book and makes each child feel wondrously special when it gets read to them.
Our favourite book is ‘The Gruffalo’
I am subscribed by e-mail
I tweeted as @mumoffunkids
I liked and shared on facebook
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the gruffalo
my sons favourite book is The Gruffalo 🙂
Roald Dahl’s “James and the Giant Peach” 🙂
I’m following your blog via GFC as lightfran 🙂
I’m following you on Twitter and I’ve tweeted the competition message as @LoveWinning 🙂
The gruffalo
The hungrey catapiller he makes me read it over and over again x
Thomas the Tank Engine Books
My favourite children’s book is Dogger by Shirley Hughes. I am enjoying sharing it with my little boy now. @RedRoseMummy
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We love The Very Hungry Caterpillar 🙂
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I’ve tweeted too 🙂
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Shared on Facebook 🙂
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Facebook name : Hannah Mdy 🙂
mine and there kids love green eggs and ham i read it to my son before bed as he will not let me read a new book so would love to win a new one to read to him.
Facebook name is kim kirkwood
shared to my wall 🙂
we love any of Julia Donaldson’s books, especially The Gruffalo
My son adores Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell 🙂
Following you on GFC.
Following on Twitter & have tweeted @Isis1981uk
My son’s favourite book is Flat Stanley 🙂
Definitely The Gruffalo
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my 2yr old loves The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Chirpy Chick
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i am signed up to emails
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i have shared on on FB (Kerry Brown)
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batholemew , is my fave book to read to my kids
following
just signed up too and following on email x facebook too x
my son loves the Horrid Henry books :o)
my daughters favourite book is the hungry catapillar 🙂
following via GFC
My twins favourite book is “we’re going on bear hunt”
I follow you via GFC 😀
I follow you on twitter and have tweeted s @picklepie35 😀
liked and shared on fb as helen e harris 😀
My daughters favoutire author is Julia donaldson but it is hard to choose a favourite book. I think The smartest giant in town or a squash and a squeeze.
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Stick Man is our favourite.
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My toddler is In The Night Garden mad so has to be one of those books every night without fail despite her having loads of other books lol
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my daughter loves the mr men books
My son loves The very hungry Caterpillar
Tyrannosaurus Drip
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I think my kids all time favourite book would be ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’
Although ‘Santa has a Busy Night’ is getting a good going at the moment!
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Ami Pilbrow
I’ve tweeted too and am already following you on Twitter. – @ami_ibrow
We are in love with the Gruffalo at the moment. Even Daddy joins in when we read this. My little girl adores the story and pictures so much.xx
I have signed up too.xxx
Our childrens favourite books are as follows
the nearly 9yr old loves “diary of a wimpy kid” Ive even read then all as she said they were good
The 5yr old loves “the gruffalo” just like his dad
the 2yr old is currently loving “we are going on a bear hunt” but she chops and changes her mind quite frequently
Ive joined your email subscription x
finally ive liked and shared this competition on to my facebook page x
the bfg is my niece favourite book x
Lovely giveaway!
Elmer The Elephant
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Liked you on facebook
@mamamakes
Favourite book is the Tiger Who Came to Tea.
@01592_katie
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Richard Scarrys Busy Busy World is our favourite
Subscribed to emails
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The ever popular Gruffalo is favourite in our house! Am following you on facebook and liked and shared xx
wind in the willows x
winnie the witch
My daughter loves the That’s not my… range of books.
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I now follow you on Twitter and have tweeted @charliechinuk
Hi there
My child’s favourite book is “Hello Dudley” by Sam Lloyd. It has a hand puppet as the main character of the book! I think my little one likes it so much because dudley is really quite naughty!
I have liked on Facebook (Kelly Wiffin)
Following on twitter @princess4684 and liked on FB
My baby girl’s favourite book is, Old Mcdonalds Counting Farm, and my Son’s is Horrid Henry 🙂
I already follow you via GFC and am subscribed to your email too. 🙂
Following on twitter and tweeted as @DawnCosten
Has to be The Hungry Caterpillar ♥
Liking on Facebook and have shared as Dawnie Cotlin. Thank you 🙂
These look so lovely! My daughter’s into Horrid Henry and Mr Gum at the mo – sure she’s a tomboy at heart!
I’m following you via GFC – Fiona Edwards
I already follow you on Twitter @figgygee and have tweeted x
I already like you on FB (Fee Edwards MSE) and have shared
I love to read the Charlie and Lola stories to my girls, and they love hearing them! My eldest (5) also loves The Gruffalo. 🙂
I follow you on Twitter already, am Subscribed on GFriends connect, Through email, and Like Gadget Mum on Facebook. 🙂
The tiger who came to tea
my daughter likes the tiger that came to tea
My children love the Gruffalo book.
My son still loves the Gruffalo
following you on GFC
following on twitter and tweeted @angiesandhu
Maxx’s favourite book is goodnight little duck, it’s suck a lovely story x
The hungry caterpillar a favourite with all my kids x
Favourite book is the Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales,
I follow via GFC – kittysclearance
Thomas the Tank Engine (call me out of date if you must!)
I have joined up through Google Friends Connect 🙂
Was already following you on Twitter & have tweeted about the competition
@slbhill42
I already liked you on Facebook – have liked & shared the competition 🙂
I was brought up with Usbourne Books and have always loved them so thought id introduce them to my daughter who will sit there and look at them all for hours. Her favourite is called ‘Mermaids’ and its a touchy feely book which is perfect for her age range, very colourful and lots for her to explore. Books are so important in a child’s life im just glad that my mum brought me up surrounded by books as its so easy to forget about the importance of them nowadays with all the new gadgets and toys being sold.
jlnorris2010@gmail.com
I am following you on GFC x
I am following you on Twitter and have Tweeted @Jlnorris2010
I have liked you on Facebook and have shared the competition x
I love the Little House on the Prairie series. So timeless and a good history lesson as well.
Already stalk you on Twitter as bev_metallica and have just tweeted.
Thank you so much for the lovely review and giveaway! My children love me to read The Gruffalo at the moment! My two little girls have the cuddly toys and my 2 little boys love making the sound effects!
I am following you blog via GFC Tracy K Nixon
I am following on Twitter and have tweeted as @tracyknixon
I am a fan on Facebook and have shared Tracy K Nixon
The hungary caterpillar!
I’m following you on twitter and have retweeted @Jenni000
peppa pig goes to the library.
subscribed to your emails
tweeted
liked and shared on FB
when i was little my favourite book was the hungry caterpillar – my children love all sorts of books 🙂
My son’s favourite book is Private Peaceful by Michael Morpego. When I was young I loved Enid Blyton’s Folk of the Faraway Tree.
my children loved the far away tree by Enid Blyton
my grandchildren like the Mr Men series
I have already subscribed to emails thank you
I already follow on twitter and tweeted RT @humanb3an Win one of three Jingle the Huskys from Hallmark UK via Gadget Mum. Enter Here: http://wp.me/p1QmbO-ha
thank you @bella97p
I ve liked and shared on facebook thank you
My daughters favourite book is called “A very special wish” a collection of stories to share – by tiger press
B.F.G
we have so many favourites – my wee boy loves dear zoo, we all love the gruffulo and father christmas needs a wee!
i follow with gfc as mummy24
i have tweeted as @ashlallan
At the moment my sons favourite book is The Gruffalo.
following and tweeted as @mister_steven :O)
our favourite book has to be ‘The Gruffallo’ @mister_steven
liked and shared on FaceBook too
My 5 year old son loves ‘lost and found’ by Oliver Jeffers. We have found him a few times in his baby sister’s room on a morning sat by her cot reading it to her. So cute!
So hard to pick just one, we love Kipper and all the Percy park Keeper stories
Susies Shoes is a favourite, noy well known and probably about 30 years old now, but a lovely story
I’m following you on Twitter and I have tweeted
@chocolateonemse
I have liked and shared on FB
Karen A Barrett on FB
Thanks
My 16-months-old son’s fave book is Louie’s Little Zoo. It has very kind illustrations of animals.
Following you on Twitter and tweeted as @maximka25
Many thanks! This Husky looks adorable
Following on GFC
Have tweeted – @2668looby
Have liked and shared on facebook – Tracy Gladman
i have liked n shared x our fav books are “i love mummy” and “i love daddy” my son loves them 😀
have tweeted @Laus2516
fav book is gruffalo @kikicomp
have tweeted @kikicomp
favourite book is The Cat In The Hat
My 2 would have the teddy Bears Picnic before bed every night if they could 🙂
The very hungry Caterpillar
stick man is my daughters fav book at the moment
liked on fb
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
My son loves all the Horrid Henry Books
Alice in Wonderland
Our favourite book is The Cat in The Hat!
Subscribed to the e-mail and following with GFC as M.
I’m following on twitter (@maisietoo) and tweeted.
Liked and shared the comp on FB (Maya Russell)
my son loves the jungle book
ive tweeted @pinkbling11
i love gruffallo x
Our favourite book is ‘where the wild things are’. We love it (even though we’ve read it so often that it’s falling apart!) Still not sure how they managed to make a movie out of this book though. @piperanddaisy
already subscribed via Google Friends Connect as Piper and Daisy @piperanddaisy
already a twitter follower and have tweeted @piperanddaisy
already a facebook fan (sue willshee) and have shared this post @piperanddaisy
Our Grandaughters favourite book at the moment is Silly Barney by Anna Claybourne.
Already following via GFC with ID Phyllis/Gerry Ellett
Already following on twitter and have tweeted with @phyllgerry
Have liked and shared on FB with ID Phyllis Ellett
My daughters favourite book is called Grumpy Cat 🙂
I have subscribed 🙂
I follow you on twitter and have tweeted 🙂 @hannahbeadle
I have shared competition on facebook 🙂
my daughters favourite is ‘we’re going on a bear hunt’ she loves it as her bedtime story
the very hungry caterpiller
Already following on twitter and have tweeted with @phyllgerry
James and the Giant Peach is a lovely story
my 9 year old has always loved One Snowy Night, and all the Percy the Parkkeeper books, and now he reads them to his 2 year old sister and 11 month old brother. We are going to see One Snowy Night at the theatre on Saturday :-)) Cannot wait!
signed up to your newsletter, by email, and i have joined on GFC x x
https://twitter.com/#!/olivia280177/status/141572398938992641
i have tweeted and i follow you on twitter x x
The hungry caterpillar is my little boys favourite at the minute
Princess and i love to read Eat Your Peas By Kes Grey and Nick Sharatt
subscribed to email and following on gfc samantha_ripley
following and tweeted @lillyfer85
My niece’s favourite book is The Gruffalo
@webkinny
I am following on GFC @webkinny
I have tweeted @Webkinny
liked and shared on facebook Samantha Ripley
I have liked and shared on facebook x
gruffalo is the favorite in my house
The Gruffalo – have tweeted @karmaperle
My little ones favourite is Funnybones
My favourite books as a child were the Alfie books by Shirley Hughes i loved them as a child and my children love me sharing them with them 🙂
our favourite is Oi! Get Off Our Train by John Burningham
My 3yr old son loves the train and animals. I love the strong green message and the reasons behind why there are fewer animals left in the wild. Very interesting book.
following your blog using rss
following you and tweeted on twitter @mezlou84
liked and shared on facebook
The Gruffalo
the great big easter egg hunt
My children have always loved “James & the Giant Peach”
Winnie the Pooh – A A Milne
…..wonderful ………..