Edmunds.com Editors' Top-10 Car-Themed Gifts for Kids to Delight Budding Car Enthusiasts

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--Dec. 1, 20055, 2005--Editors at Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, are coming to the rescue of parents who want to indulge their kids' budding enthusiasm for cars, yet haven't found the ideal gift as the holidays quickly approach.

Even if getting their driver' license is years in the future, lucky kids will take delight in a wide range of new car-themed toys, books and video games that range in price from $7.95 to $299. The Edmunds.com editors' favorites (just in the nick of time):

1. Lego Ferrari F430 Spider
   Ages 9-14
   Lego makes racer models priced from $3.99 to $49.99, but the
   Edmunds.com editors' favorite is the $39.99 Spider, an authentic
   1:17 scale copy of the Ferrari 430 Spider.

2. Nintendo Mario Kart DS Bundle
   Rated: E for Everyone; best suited for those over 6
   This special holiday pack bundles the Limited-Edition Hot Rod Red 
   Nintendo DS portable with the high-quality, kid-friendly Mario 
   Kart DS game. The bundle costs $149.99, but the game can be 
   purchased separately ($34.99) if the child already owns a Nintendo 
   DS.

3. Electronic Arts Burnout Revenge
   Rated: E10+ for mild violence
   Winner of "Best Racing Game" at the 2005 Electronics Entertainment 
   Expo (e3), "Burnout Revenge" even makes rabid fans out of 
   driving-game haters. Available for PS2 and Xbox, $39.99.

4. Fisher-Price Power Wheels Cadillac(R) Escalade(TM) Custom Edition
   Ages 2-6
   This Fisher-Price/Toys "R" Us exclusive has almost as many features
   and "bling" as the real thing. Like its namesake, this 
   top-of-the-line pick has a hefty price tag: $290.

5. Safety 1st C5 Racer Corvette
   Ages 3+
   Chocked full of features, this sturdy, super-realistic ride-on-top 
   model seats two, has great racing sounds and is priced at $299.99. 
   Colors include Bubble Gum Pink with flower decals for the girls.

6. Have Fries -- Will Travel! The Adventures of a Veggie-Powered Car 
    and an Eco-Rap Star
   By Linda K. Hempel and Kathy Dotson
   All ages
   A unique book (complete with celebrity introduction by Daryl 
   Hannah) that makes the "green" subject accessible and fun. 
   Published by New Society Publishers and priced at $12.95.

7. Everything I Know About Cars: A Collection of Made-Up Facts, 
    Educated Guesses, and Silly Pictures about Cars, Trucks, and 
    Other Zoomy Things
   By Tom Lichtenheld
   Grades 1-4
   Author/illustrator Tom Lichtenheld is a longtime favorite of 
   children everywhere, having penned similar "Everything I Know..." 
   books about monsters and pirates. In his new "Cars" book, kids will
   learn a made-up history of cars and motor travel, how cars 
   (supposedly) work, how to be a good passenger, and even offers tips
   for kids on how to design and draw their own vehicles. It retails 
   for $16.95.

8. Crashed, Smashed, And Mashed: A Trip to Junkyard Heaven
   By Joyce Slayton Mitchell and Steven Borns
   Grades 3-6
   What happens to a car after it dies? This new paperback edition of 
   the 2001 hardcover gives kids (and adults) a glimpse into a world 
   they might not ever see for themselves. From Tricycle Press for 
   $7.95.

9. NASCAR, a DK Eyewitness Book
   By James Buckley
   Grades 5-8
   There are plenty of other NASCAR books, but those who have read DK 
   Eyewitness books know that nothing compares to the way they tell 
   the story via large color photos, graphs and fun facts. The book 
   retails for $15.99.

10. Reed and Barton Silver-Plated Race Car Bank
   'Silversmiths Reed and Barton, well-known for their flatware and 
   giftware, offer this classy 6  3/4-inch, tarnish-resistant model 
   from their Antique Toy Bank Collection. If the child's first word 
   (after "Mama" or "Dada") was "car," this shiny toy priced at $35 
   will elicit the kind of squeals that don't come from tires.

For more details about these gifts, additional "honorable mention" ideas for car-themed kids' presents, and time-saving links to find these gifts online, go to http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/108469/article.html .

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