The Plaything's the Thing

There's one thing you can say about many of the promo products released in anticipation of Home Alone 2, they're a real scream — that is, they literally cash in on little Kevin McCallister's signature shriek. Here's a sampling from the dozens of goodies and baddies licensed from the movie:

*WALKIE-TALKIE SET (Tiger Electronics): ''If Kevin would have had these he could have called the police to stop the burglars,'' says the packaging, but these kiddie-communications devices are not actually in the movie. Though only a bit more sophisticated than Dixie cups and string, the set offers a Morse-code feature that issues a series of high-pitched squeals. C

*ELECTRONIC SCREAMING BACKPACK (Tiger Electronics): A canvas bag with vinyl trim and a bonus in the buckle: If someone tries to open the sack when the alarm is on, it emits a facsimile of Kevin's toe-curling scream. B-

*KEVIN DOLL (Tiger Electronics): This mini-mannequin bears a decent likeness to Macaulay Culkin and has him spouting such homilies as ''I'd rather kiss a toilet seat.'' Too bad his backpack lacks a screaming clasp. B+

*MONSTER SAP (Tiger Electronics): Viscous goop that's really bath gel shoots from a monster-head nozzle. No one washes with Sap in the film, but it resembles the slippery stuff Kevin uses to thwart the crooks. B-