Toys "R" Us has released its ninth annual Toys "R" Us Toy Guide for Differently Abled Kids, a free guide designed to help families and friends pick the right toy for the child in their lives. Working together with the National Lekotek Center, Toys "R" Us created a uniquely informative catalog featuring popular toys which, while appropriate for all children, are particularly well-suited to meet the needs of children with disabilities. The Guide, with its skill-building icons, is an excellent resource for parents, family and friends shopping for toys that are age and ability-appropriate. The Guides became available in all 688 Toys "R" Us stores nationwide on October 1. Each toy in the Toys "R" Us Toy Guide for Differently Abled Kids is available in Toys "R" Us stores nationwide or on the Internet at http://www.toysrus.com/differentlyabled.

Featured on the cover this year is an amazing young man named Mattie J.T. Stepanek. Mattie is a 12-year-old poet, author, and the 2002 Muscular Dystrophy Association Goodwill Ambassador. He also is a 12-year-old boy who believes in the power of play as a source of learning and relaxation. Mattie has been writing poetry since he was three and has four books published by VSP Hyperion including "Heartsongs," "Journey Through Heartsongs," "Hope Through Heartsongs" and "Celebrate Through Heartsongs." His newest book, "Loving Through Heartsongs" is coming out this year.

"Playing is one of the most important things we can do in life," said Mattie. "Playing can be rigorous and stimulating for the body and mind. Or, playing can be simple and rejuvenating for the spirit. No matter how we do it, we just need to remember to take time to play."

"Children's potential to learn and create is limitless," said John Eyler, Chairman and CEO of Toys "R" Us, Inc. "No one exemplifies that statement more than Mattie Stepanek. His spirit, his strength and his ability to move beyond the boundaries are inspiring to us all. We're very proud that he is featured on the cover of this year's Toy Guide for Differently Abled Kids."

All of the toys in the Toys "R" Us Toy Guide for Differently Abled Kids have been extensively evaluated and specifically chosen by the National Lekotek Center for promoting the development of children with physical and cognitive disabilities. The National Lekotek Center is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to making the world of play accessible to children with all types of disabilities. Each toy in the Guide has strong play value and is chosen for its developmental and educational attributes. The toys are evaluated by The National Lekotek Center and assigned symbols that indicate the skills they help to enhance -- auditory, creativity, fine and gross motor, language, self-esteem, social, tactile, thinking and visual.

Depending on a child's abilities, parents, family and friends can select toys that are fun and develop or enhance the specific skills appropriate for their child. For instance, there are toys featured in the Guide that can reinforce visual and language skills while refining gross motor coordination. There are toys particularly accessible to children with limited mobility. Many of the toys featured in the Guide promote thinking and give children opportunities to have fun while developing speaking and listening skills.

Toys "R" Us, one of the world's leading retailers of toys, children's apparel and baby products, currently sells merchandise through 1,579 stores worldwide: 688 toy stores in the United States; 524 international toy stores, including franchise stores; 148 Kids "R" Us children's clothing stores, 175 Babies "R" Us stores and 44 Imaginarium stores, and through Internet sites at http://www.toysrus.com, http://www.babiesrus.com and http://www.imaginarium.com.