Zowie's 123 Children's Book
CPSC Recall #02-101 — February 11, 2002
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 02-101 |
| Recall Date | February 11, 2002 |
| Remedy Type | Refund |
| Units Affected | 5,180 |
Where It Was Sold
| Bookstores nationwide sold the recalled books from January 2002 through February 2002 for about $7. |
Product
Zowie's 123 Children's Book
Description
In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Disney Children's Book Group, LLC, also known as Disney Press, of New York, N.Y., is voluntarily recalling about 5,180 Zowie's 123 children's books. The Zowie's 123 book is a twelve page white board book that measures 6.5-inches by 6.5-inches with a yellow plastic abacus-like toy attached to the back book cover. The abacus toy has five small beads: blue, green, red, yellow and orange. The beads slide along a plastic track. The book is based on the Rolie, Polie, Olie television series and depicts the Zowie character on its cover. The book can be identified with the ISBN code number 078683307-6, found on the back cover in the bottom corner.
Hazard
The books have a plastic abacus-like toy attached to the back cover that contains five plastic beads. The beads can separate from the book cover, posing a choking hazard to young children.
Incidents & Injuries
Disney-Press has received one report of a 15-month-old boy who broke a bead from the book cover and placed it in his mouth. An adult was able to remove the bead from the child's mouth without injury.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately take these recalled books away from young children and return the books to Disney Press for a full refund and postage. Mail the books to Disney Press, Attn: Zowie 123, 114 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011 and use six first-class stamps per book. Be sure to include a return address and phone number.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Refund 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 (Refund) 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.