The controversial blonde pop singer is one of Barbara Walters‘ “10 Most Fascinating People of 2009” (Wed. 9 p.m., ABC).
Also on the list: Tyler Perry, Sarah Palin, Kate Gosselin, Glenn Beck, Adam Lambert, Vikings QB Brett Favre, South Carolina first lady Jenny Sanford and Michael Jackson’s children, Paris, Prince Michael I and Prince Michael II.

That leaves one mystery person… any guesses?

1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up

Universe
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Universe’s 1001 series (not the knock-offs, mind you) have fast become a key addition to any good library. Everybody loves lists, and this is yet another great one. The book is lovingly divided into age groups to make it less daunting for your little ones. It starts with stuff like Beatrix Potter classics and “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” and brings us to “A Wrinkle in Time” and up through the adult-friendly modern classics like “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (it’s an English list, people). A must.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass

Oxford World Classics
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Do parents still do that thing where they don’t let kids see a movie until they read the book? Doubtful. But “Alice” is a classic (and remember, that it’s the second part which has that creepy jabberwocky) so all the world’s children, young and old, should give it a look before Tim Burton’s new film comes out in March 2010. There’s also a chapter originally excluded called “The Wasp in a Wig” so the academics have something to look forward to as well.

CLUE: Harry Potter Edition

Parker Brothers
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Perhaps more important than the game itself will be who you play it as. You have your pick of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna or Neville. If your love of Hogwarts outweighs your affinity for classic characters like Professor Plum, then it’ll be a good time had by all. Plus, because it’s all wizard-y, the weapons aren’t candlesticks but rather invisibility cloaks and that sort of thing. Nice.

The Complete Fairy Tales

by Charles Perrault
A new translation by Christopher Betts
Oxford
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In Louis XIV’s France, Charles Perrault created (or so we think) some of the most famous fairy tales that we all know to this day. You’ve got your Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Puss in Boots. This isn’t the most traditional book for the little’uns, but the pen and ink drawings will appeal to slightly older joyhogs.

Creator: Family Home

LEGO
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Here at JoyHog, when new toys arrive in their shiny packages, they are immediately sent over to the Quality Control department so we can play with them while avoiding the real work of the day. And it has now been decided that the reason LEGOs are for kids is because they are the only kinds of people with enough patience to assemble these things. But the engineering miracle when the last piece is placed is definitely worth it. This Creator set of 976 pieces (we may have lost 1 or 7) can actually be made into one of three types of houses. We went for the nicest, of course :) but it can easily be a Villa or a Bungalow. This will certainly keep the little ankle-biters busy for a while…

Fraggle Rock: Complete Series Collection

Lionsgate
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This will also keep the tots busy for a bit. The 20 disc set has all 96 episodes plus 8 new special features like interviews with the performers, excerpts from the final day of shooting, and an inside look at designing the puppets. If that’s not enough, there’s also a little poster in the very cool box as well. You just bought yourself like, five days of freedom. You’re welcome.

The LEGO Book

DK Publishing
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This hardcover slipcase actually holds TWO books: Standing Small, which shows us the various collections of LEGO peeps (we didn’t know there were Harry Potter ones!) and The LEGO Book, which has an uber-cool photographic history of the LEGO brand from its beginnings in 1958 up through present-day and the Master Builders who have fallen under the spell. This has plenty of cross-over potential for grown-up builder types on your list.

The Little Prince: Deluxe Pop-Up Book

by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
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It’s one of the classics – right up there with “Where the Wild Things Are” and all the rest. For kids who have not yet read “The Little Prince,” this new pop-up is certainly the way to go. You can leave out the part about how the story was originally written in 1943 – the classics will persevere!

The Marvel Encyclopedia

Updated and Expanded
DK Publishing
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Sure, it’s kind of a nerd bible, but who doesn’t have a few nerds on their shopping list? In full-colour glory, this updated and expanded edition has over 60 new entries which give more detail than anyone could possibly require on the Marvel characters. Sidebars showcase all the vital statistics like age, base city, allies/foes, powers and what went down in their #1 issue.

Monopoly: Here & Now: The World Edition

Parker Brothers
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Apparently things have changed since we were kids. No longer does one pine to be the banker in a game of Monopoly, but rather there are credit cards and some swiper do-hickey that adds and subtracts money from your account. This makes cheating more difficult, if you ask us. But this World Edition is fun because you get to buy cities. And having a knowledge of real-world places where you are putting up hotels certainly makes it easier to decorate them. We’re partial to the London / New York / Sydney properties in red. Who wants to play?!

NERF Dart Tag FuryFire 2-Player Set

So it may not be totally PC to be buying your kids toy guns these days but wouldn’t you rather have your kids shooting at each other with foam pellets than in a video game with CGI bloodshed? This two person set comes complete with 2 guns, vests, protective goggles and 20 tag darts (you may need to buy more of these) And as most NERF products are, adults will have to resist swiping these from their little rug rats when their back are turned.

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Complete Series

by Rick Riordan
Hyperion Books
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For those of you not in the know on Percy Jackson, you’d better get with the program and quick. Rick Riordan’s 5-book series takes us into the world of a young boy who learns that he is Poseidon’s son, and that all those crazy Greek gods and godesses really DO exist. Just make sure that the kids have plowed through book 1 (”The Lightning Thief“) by February when the movie directed by Chris Columbus takes over the cineplexes.

Pixarpedia

DK Publishing
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Pretty self-explanatory: a lush guide to the world of the Pixar films over the past 30 years (it began as Graphics Group in 1979). All the favorites are here: “Toy Story,” “The Incredibles,” “Finding Nemo,” “Up,” and all the rest. Very colourful. Good stuff.

Shorts

Warner Home Video
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From ‘Spy Kids‘ director, Robert Rodriguez it’s the movie with the weird wishing rock. Kids will go for the humour though it might make the grown-ups cringe in the next room. Hey, a distraction is a distraction, right?

We will be launching a new section everyday so make sure to check daily for the latest and greatest gift ideas for the JoyHog in your life.

JoyHog Jr. | Classic JoyHog | Series Addiction
Kiss The Cook | Coffee Table Envy | Those Awkward Teen Years

• Movie: “Watchmen” (March 6)… Zach Snyder’s adaption of cult comic.
• Movie: “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (May 1)… “Sexiest Man Alive” and Academy Awards host Hugh Jackman returns as Wolfie.
• Movie: “Star Trek” (May 8)… J.J. Abrams’ revival of the beloved movie franchise.
• Music: “Working On A Dream”, Bruce Springsteen (Jan. 27)… Bruce’s 24th album is released a week before he rocks the Super Bowl.
• Music: “No Line on the Horizon”, U2 (March 3)… Irish band’s first studio album in five years.
• TV: “Dollhouse” (Feb. 13)… Joss Whedon returns to television with former Buffy star Eliza Dushku.
• TV” Untitled Amy Poehler comedy (April)… SNL star gets her own show from the producers of “The Office.”
• Books: “I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti”, Giulia Melucci (April 8)… A relationship memoir with the title of the year.
• Books: “The Murder of King Tut”, James Patterson (September)… Mega-popular novelist investigates the death of the child pharaoh.

• David E. Kelley has plucked Kristin Chenowich (”Pushing Daisies”) to co-star in his new legal drama “Legally Mad.” The NBC show is about a woman who takes a job at her father’s Chicago law firm.
• U2’s new album “No Love On The Horizon”, the group’s first studio work in five years, is due March, 2009.
• How about a bottle of Flame with that Whopper? Burger King has created a cologne that mixes “the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat.”
• Oprah is PETA’s Person of the Year.
• Keith Richards (65) and Scrabble (60) are celebrating birthdays.

• “Friday Night Lights” returns for a third season. DirecTV airs 13 new episodes, beginning Oct. 3. NBC gets the run in 2009.
• “Lipstick Jungle,” which grew more addictive each week, is back in the fall.
• “The Office” gets a spinoff, debuting after the 2009 Super Bowl.
• “ER” signs off with a 15th season.
• “Saturday Night Live” airs special “Weekend Update” half-hour editions of three Thursday nights leading up to the November election.
• “Chuck” (staying on Mondays at 8) and “Life” (moving to Fridays at 10) get second seasons, and hopefully solid promotion during the Summer Olympics.

Promising new dramas:

• “My Own Worst Enemy” star Christian Slater as a man with two personalities.
• “Crusoe,” based on the Daniel Defoe novel. “Equal parts “MacGyver,” “Castaway” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
• “Kings,” an exploration of the David vs. Goliath struggle. Starring Ian McShane (”Deadwood”). Michael Green (”Heroes”) is the executive producer.
• “Merlin,” set in a 21st century Camelot.
• “The Philanthropist,” the world’s first vigilante philanthropist — a renegade billionaire who uses his wealth, connections and power to help people in need.
• “The Listener,” a “telepathic procedural” about a 24-year-old paramedic who can read people’s minds.

FALL 2008-09
MONDAY 8-9 p.m. “Chuck” 9-10 p.m. “Heroes” 10-11 p.m. “MY OWN WORST ENEMY”
TUESDAY 8- 9:30 p.m. “The Biggest Loser: Families” 9:30-10 p.m. “KATH & KIM” 10-11 p.m. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
WEDNESDAY 8-9 p.m. “KNIGHT RIDER” 9-10 p.m. “Deal or No Deal” 10-11 p.m. “Lipstick Jungle”
THURSDAY 8- 8:30 p.m. “My Name Is Earl” 8:30-9 p.m. “30 Rock” 9- 9:30 p.m. “The Office” 9:30-10 p.m. “The Office”/ “SNL THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE” 10-11 p.m. “ER”
FRIDAY 8-9 p.m. “CRUSOE” 9-10 p.m. “Deal or No Deal” 10-11 p.m. “Life”
SATURDAY 8-9 p.m. “Dateline NBC” 9-10 p.m. “KNIGHT RIDER” (Encores) 10-11 p.m. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (Encores)
SUNDAY 7- 8:20 p.m. “Football Night in America” 8:20-11 p.m. “NBC Sunday Night Football”

WINTER 2009
MONDAY 8- 9 p.m. “Chuck” 9-10 p.m. “Heroes” 10-11 p.m. “THE PHILANTHROPIST”
TUESDAY 8- 9:30 p.m. “The Biggest Loser: Couples” 9:30-10 p.m. “KATH & KIM” 10-11 p.m. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
WEDNESDAY 8-9 p.m. “KNIGHT RIDER” 9-10 p.m. “Deal or No Deal” 10-11 p.m. “Law & Order”
THURSDAY 8- 8:30 p.m. “My Name Is Earl” 8:30-9 p.m. “30 Rock” 9- 9:30 p.m. “The Office” 9:30-10 p.m. “THE OFFICE” SPINOFF 10-11 p.m. “ER”/”The Celebrity Apprentice”
FRIDAY 8-9 p.m. “Deal or No Deal” 9-10 p.m. “Friday Night Lights” 10-11 p.m. “Life”
SATURDAY 8-9 p.m. “Dateline NBC” 9-10 p.m. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (Encores) 10-11 p.m. “Law & Order” (Encores)
SUNDAY 7-8 p.m. Specials/”Dateline NBC” 8-9 p.m. Specials/”MERLIN” 9-10 p.m. Specials/”Medium” 10-11 p.m. Specials/”KINGS”

SUMMER 2009
MONDAY 8-9 p.m. “American Gladiators” 9-10 p.m. “AMERICA’S TOUGHEST JOBS” 10-11 p.m. “Dateline NBC”
TUESDAY 8-9 p.m. “Most Outrageous Moments” 9-10 p.m. “America’s Got Talent” 10-11 p.m. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (Encores)
WEDNESDAY 8-9 p.m. “SHARK TAGGERS” 9-10 p.m. “America’s Got Talent” (Results Show) 10-11 p.m. “Law & Order” (Encores)
THURSDAY 8- 8:30 p.m. “The Office” (Encores) 8:30- 9 p.m. “THE OFFICE” SPINOFF (Encores) 9-10 p.m. “Last Comic Standing” 10-11 p.m. “THE LISTENER”
FRIDAY 8-9 p.m. “CHOPPING BLOCK” 9-11 p.m. “Dateline NBC”
SATURDAY 8-9 p.m. Drama Encores 9-10 p.m. Drama Encores 10-11 p.m. Drama Encores
SUNDAY 7-8 p.m. “Dateline NBC” 8-9 p.m. “Monk” 9-10 p.m. “Nashville Star” 10-11 p.m. “KINGS” (Encores)