StingRay, Lumphy, and Plastic are the three favorite companions of Little Girl. StingRay gets to sleep on the bed, but Lumphy and Plastic are rarely far away. Of course, there is the time only Lumphy is chosen to go on a picnic. The little buffalo ends up covered in peanut butter and must face “the terrifying bigness of the washing machine” on his own. And there is the time that StingRay, feeling unloved when Plastic is chosen for a trip to the beach, makes a solitary journey to the bathtub, determined to swim despite a tag that reads “Dry Clean Only.” And then there is Plastic’s identity crisis (what is a plastic?), when friends can provide little consolation. Chapters detailing these and other tenderly funny experiences will resonate with young readers and listeners on several levels, whether giving them the satisfaction of understanding things the naïve characters do not (what is plastic and round and bounces?) or echoing feelings they know so well themselves, from insecurity and fear to compassion and, above all, love. (Ages 6–9)

Here is the first book in the highly acclaimed Toys Trilogy, which is followed by the companion books Toy Dance Party and Toys Come Home. These six linked stories from Emily Jenkins, and illustrated by Caldecott Medal Winner Paul O. Zelinsky, showcase the unforgettable adventures—and misadventures—of three extraordinary friends. A Parents' Choice Silver Honor Winner, an ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book, and an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Book Award Winner, Toys Go Out is truly a modern classic.

Lumphy is a stuffed buffalo. StingRay is a stuffed stingray. And Plastic... well, Plastic isn't quite sure what she is. They all belong to the Little Girl who lives on the high bed with the fluffy pillows. A very nice person to belong to.

But outside of the Little Girl's room things can be confusing. Like when Lumphy gets sticky with peanut butter on a picnic, why is he called "dirty"? Or when StingRay jumps into the bathtub, what will happen to her fur? And where in the house can they find the Little Girl a birthday present that she will love the most?

Together is best for these three best friends. Together they look things up in the dictionary, explore the basement, and argue about the meaning of life. And together they face dogs, school, television commercials, the vastness of the sea, and the terrifying bigness of the washing machine.