Metro Parent's Holiday Gift Guide 'It' List 2012: Animals and Critters

These cool toys span tech to plush to puzzles, for tykes to teens! Many have a creature theme – plus find the seasonal 'hot' toys, book-inspired stuff, 'explosively' awesome gear and more.

Kim Kovelle and Megan Krueger

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The mouse in that famous Christmas poem may have been snoozing away. But not the critters in Metro Parent's Holiday "It" List. No sir-ee. Our lively crew of animal-inspired gifts and goodies is ready to delight kids of all ages this season – from games, mittens, plushies and puzzles to water toys, spa stuff, high-tech critters compatible with your smartphone and even some super quirky clothing hangers.

Of course, that's not all Santa's stashed on his sleigh. Scroll through to find four "hot" toys this season – the Bat-Pod, Y Fliker scooter bike, Furby and One Direction dolls.

Also, peppered in between, we have cool gear celebrating some very big book birthdays in 2012 (Clifford, The Magic Tree House, Where's Waldo and Harry Potter) – as well as some "explosively awesome" extras (giant inflatable robot fists and volcano kits, anyone?).

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