If you've ever wondered how an Etch A Sketch writes on its gray screen, or why a boomerang comes back, or how an R/C car responds to a radio controller, now you'll have your answers.

The Way Toys Work explains the technology, history, and trivia behind 50 popular toys, with patent blueprints and photos of the “guts” of devices including:

Kaleidoscope          * Magna Doodle          * Slinky

Nintendo          * Super Soaker          * Big Mouth Billy Bass

Rubik's Cube          * Silly Putty          * Video Game Light Gun

Furby          * Dunking Bird          * View-Master

Yo-Yo          * Push 'n' Go Car          * Wiffle Ball

Gyroscope          * Operation          * Hula Hoop

You’ll also find pointers on how to build your own versions using recycled materials and a little ingenuity, experiments that can be done with certain toys, and tips on reverse engineering old toys to get a better look at their interior mechanics. The only thing you won’t learn is how the Magic 8 Ball is able to predict the future--some things are best left a mystery.