Amazon.com Crazes come and crazes go. Hula-Hoops twisted themselves into oblivion， deely-boppers never quite made it out of the 1980s， and the worldwide obsession with the Spice Girls， well， without Ginger should the others now hang up their Union Jack micro-dresses as well? But one craze that isn't going anywhere is the obsession with Beanie Babies， those oddly endearing beanbag animals. This craze becomes easier to comprehend when you realize some retired Beanie Babies are fetching several thousand dollars at auction. With random Beanie Babies being retired every year， who knows what your Bongo the Monkey or Gobbles the Turkey will be worth in a few years? Beyond the mercenary level， Beanie Babies are also fun little toys to have around (but remember， keep the tag on or the value is seriously diminished). Les and Sue Fox's The Beanie Baby Handbook is an essential reference guide for Beanie Baby fanatics. Every known Beanie Baby is pictured in full color， with an estimate of its 1998 value and a speculative value for the year 2008. (Although this is only an estimate， who knows if Beanie Babies will hold their value like Microsoft stock does). Also included is some sensible advice for collectors--don't blow your life savings on one Beanie Baby; spend within your means! The Beanie Baby Handbook is jam-packed with essential Beanie tips and topics， and even includes the lyrics to the (unofficial) Beanie Baby song， "I want it! I want it! I want a Beanie Baby!" Sing it loud， folks. --Naomi Gesinger