Ooh So Cute! The Cutest Fashion, Toys, and Gifts!

You always figured that a rodent who drives his own car would be able to withstand the recession, right? As retailers ramp up for the all-important holiday shopping season, at least the toy stores know that have a hit on their hands. Fuzzy, electronic toy hamsters called Zhu Zhu Pets are flying off the shelves at major outlets like Walmart and Toys “R” Us. Demand for the pets is so high that Zhu Zhus, which retail for $8 at Walmart, are going for $60 on secondary-market sites like Amazon.com and eBay.com. The hamsters, which have names like Mr. Squiggles, Pipsqueak and Num Nums, scoot around and coo like real pets. Kids can add accessories like a car, a skateboard and a wheel to their own little hamster world – without the inevitable mess or traumatic death. “This is the hottest toy of the year,” says Gerald Storch, chairman and CEO of Toys “R” Us. “There’s absolutely no doubt about it.”