Ten Times the Toys

There's an article in last Thursday's Wall Street Journal about the 2007 American International Toy Fair held last week in New York City.

It's no mystery (and no wonder) that the toy industry is in precarious shape in this country. That's not news, but a fascinating stat attributed to Eric Clark, author of a new book about the industry, grabbed my attention:

The problem for the fair, and the industry, seems to be oversaturation. In the U.S., in particular, 4% of the world's children consume more than 40% of the world's toys, according to Mr. Clark. Kids have more toys that hold their interest fleetingly at best.