ah, fleeting youth

[kodalai]

Okay, here's a completely random topic for today: Where's Waldo.

Everybody remembers Waldo, right? If you don't, here's the low-down: Where's Waldo is a picturebook game intended for kids. The basic idea is that they give you these full-color spreads of a complex, detailed cartoon crowd scene, often with hundreds of people in it. The idea is to search in among all the people for Waldo, a traveller who helpfully wears a striped red and white hat and shirt to make himself distinctive.

I don't think I was ever fully on the Waldo bandwagon; the only book of his I had was this huge thing of Where's Waldo in fantasy scenes. But oh my Lord, I loved that book. You see, not only was the game fun and engaging, but the pictures themselves were artistic composition bordering on genius. The true incarnation of a picture that's worth a thousand words. In addition to Waldo, all the other dozens or hundreds of people in the scene will be involved in their own little businesses or travels, often telling hilariously funny stories just with pictures.

I can't think of anything cooler to give to a kid. The books are interactive, fun, interesting, extremely funny, and teach detail orientation. And like any book, picture or words, they expand your horizons.

I'm also remembering, somewhat less fondly but still positively, books of puzzles and mazes I had as a child. I always loved mazes -- still do, and I'm pretty good at them still, although I don't encounter them often and when I do I often don't really have the time to solve them. But still, for some reason I'm thinking of them again, and all the fun I had with them when I was younger.

I'm very fond of anime in particular, cartoons in general, and I love playing video games. But when I think about all the awesome stuff that's out there for children, I wonder what a failure of imagination it is to rely so much on Sponge Bob Square Pants or Nintendo.

Comments

[ayelle.livejournal.com]

If it's any comfort, Where's Waldo still sells like crazy at Borders, and the publishing company that launched it/it launched (Walker UK/Candlewick US) is still going strong.

[kodalai.livejournal.com]

That is nice to know, actually. :)

[lavenderfrost.livejournal.com]

I remember "Where's Waldo?" as well. As well as "Where In The World Is Carmen San Diego?" Loved CSD. [/random mental association]

[kodalai.livejournal.com]

*grin* I loved CSD as well, but was never particularly good at it. Pretty much every turn I'd have to ask my dad for help. On the other hand, considering that I always played over the shoulder of my sisters and they were 3 and 5 years older than me, maybe the problem was that I was just too young.

[okaasan59.livejournal.com]

Have you seen the large "I Spy" books? They have lots of different versions out. Here is a link to the Treasure (http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0439042445/ref=sib_dp_pt/104-3887711-0571157#reader-link) one that is one of my favorites. Each page of every book is distinctly different, some of them have whole cityscapes made up of tiny found objects--truly works of art.

[ayelle.livejournal.com]

Also totally popular at Borders!

[reikah.livejournal.com]

Ah, 'Where's Waldo', or 'Where's Wally' in the UK. I used to have a few of those :p.