Children's Board Books with Sound Maker
CPSC Recall #04-134 — May 12, 2004
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 04-134 |
| Recall Date | May 12, 2004 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | About 214,000 |
| Manufacturer | DK Publishing Inc., of New York, N.Y. |
| Manufactured In | China |
Where It Was Sold
| Bookstores |
| gift stores |
| news stands |
| discount department stores and warehouse clubs nationwide |
| and directly to consumers by phone order from March 2001 through April 2004 for about $8. |
Product
Children's Board Books with Sound Maker
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), DK Publishing Inc., of New York, N.Y., is voluntarily recalling children's board books with sound makers. The sound maker mounted inside a plastic covering on the last page of the books poses a choking hazard to young children if removed.Name of product: Children's Board Books with Sound MakerUnits: About 214,000Manufacturer: DK Publishing Inc., of New York, N.Y.Hazard: The sound maker mounted inside a plastic covering on the last page of the books poses a choking hazard to young children if removed.Incidents/Injuries: DK Publishing has received one report of a 22-month-old child detaching the sound maker of one of the books and putting it in his mouth. The child was not injured.Description: The heavy cardboard books were sold under eight different titles that feature photos or illustrations of the title theme: Dinosaurs, Emergency! (with a fire truck on the cover), Kitty's Adventure, On The Road (with a yellow Volkswagon Beetle on the cover), Puppy's Busy Day, Tractors, Trains, and Trucks. All the books have a raised sound button in the lower right corner, which features a sound relevant to the title. The "DK" logo is in the lower left corner of the books.Sold at: Bookstores, gift stores, news stands, discount department stores and warehouse clubs nationwide, and directly to consumers by phone order from March 2001 through April 2004 for about $8.Manufactured in: ChinaRemedy: Consumers should take these books away from young children immediately and contact DK Publishing to receive a replacement book of equal value or a refund.Consumer Contact: Consumers should contact DK Publishing at (800) 505-4726 between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday and between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. ET on Friday, or send an email to [email protected] Contact: Catherine Melnicki, (212) 213-4800, Ext. 5063.
Hazard
The sound maker mounted inside a plastic covering on the last page of the books poses a choking hazard to young children if removed.
Incidents & Injuries
DK Publishing has received one report of a 22-month-old child detaching the sound maker of one of the books and putting it in his mouth. The child was not injured.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should take these books away from young children immediately and contact DK Publishing to receive a replacement book of equal value or a refund.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Replace) at no cost to you.
Federal law prohibits the sale of toys with small parts for children under age 3. CPSC uses a standardized small parts cylinder to test whether pieces from a toy can fit entirely inside — if they can, they are considered a choking hazard. Products marketed for children under 3 must not contain any small parts. Beyond the legal requirements, the CPSC and pediatricians recommend keeping all small objects away from children under 4, as the risk of choking extends beyond the formal legal age threshold.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.