If you've ever wondered how an Etch A Sketch writes on its gray screen, or why a boomerang comes back, or how an R/C car responds to a radio controller, now you'll have your answers. The Way Toys Work explains the technology, history, and trivia behind 50 popular toys, with patent blueprints and photos of the &“guts&” of devices including:

* Kaleidoscope        * Magna Doodle          * Slinky

* Nintendo               * Super Soaker            * Big Mouth Billy Bass

* Rubik's Cube        * Silly Putty                  * Video Game Light Gun

* Furby                    * Dunking Bird             * View-Master

* Yo-Yo                  * Push 'n' Go Car        * Wiffle Ball

* Gyroscope            * Operation                  * Hula Hoop

You'll also find pointers on how to build your own versions using recycled materials and a little ingenuity, experiments that can be done with certain toys, and tips on reverse engineering old toys to get a better look at their interior mechanics. The only thing you won't learn is how the Magic 8 Ball is able to predict the future--some things are best left a mystery.