T'is the season to buy and toys are top of every parents list. But every year there are the "it" toys, ones that parents fight for tooth and nail.

This year that toy appears to be the Swan Lake Barbie ? and already one of the Island stores has sold out of one of the accessories ? a $250 castle.

Hot on the heels of this tulle-clad princess and the matching pastel clothed Ken prince, are the Bratz series of dolls as well as MyScene ? the first Barbie to be produced that does not look like a traditional Barbie.

Another doll that has already sold out is the outsider Baby Born, a drinking/wet doll which has flown off the shelves at the Annex Toy store.

In the toys for boys department there is still not a front runner, with scalextrics making a big come back in Toys 'n' Stuff and the electronic Bayblade flying off the shelves at the Annex.

The two main toy stores, the Annex and Toys 'n' Stuff have reported good overall sales for this season so far and Jack and Jills have told that they have had no item that has sold particularly well this year.

"Swan Lake is the big hit this year," said Carol Bromby, manager and co-owner of Toys 'n' Stuff. "All the castles have gone and the accessories ? and there are all sorts ? are also going well."

Deanda Cartwright, manager of the Annex said: "We have sold lots of the Bratz dolls and we had nearly 50 of the Baby Born drinking wet dolls and they have all gone. We have ordered more and we hope that they arrive before Christmas."

Ms Bromby also said that the trendy Bratz dolls were doing a good trade. They are a Barbie-sized doll dressed in a "funky" way with lots of accessories.

Educational toys are also popular this year, with Vtech electronic toys which are based abound learning to read and write with the help of gadgets such as laptops and cell phones making the top sellers at Toys 'n' Stuff. At the Annex the Leap Frog range is the winner in this line, with the Leap Pad computer a favourite learning toy with parents and kids alike.

Another mystery hit are electronic cats, dogs and kittens which bark, move and wag. "My Go-go Pop", a dog, sells for $120 and has sold out at the Annex, while the cat and kitten versions are also selling well.

On the cheaper end of the scale, hula hoops are making a comeback at Toys 'n' Stuff, and can be bought for as little as $2.95, while the Annex said that balls and hula hoops sell well all year, including at Christmas.

For boys remote control cars, which can range from $15 to $200, are also a good seller this year in both the Annex and Toys 'n' Stuff.

And Play Stations are still a good option, selling well as well as the Eye Toy, a computer game with 12 games which sits on top of the television and the child can see themselves playing the game on the screen.

"These are very popular," said Ms Cartwright. "There is a music game in it as well as a soccer one where you have to keep the ball up, boxing as well as games for smaller children. They are just in and are proving very popular."