By early 2008, major retailers and toy stores were taking note of The Elf on the Shelf®’s popularity, leading to awards and recognitions from Learning Express, iParenting Media, USA Book News and Creative Child. They also captured the attention of New York-based bookstore chains, and Barnes & Noble became the first major retailer to carry the product. Bigger trade shows were targeted, and the company made its first move into the international marketplace when stores in Canada opened Scout Elf Adoption Centers.