BOOK REVIEW: Where’s Wally? Destination: Everywhere! by Martin Handford

BOOK REVIEW: Where’s Wally? Destination: Everywhere! by Martin Handford

Walker Books
October 2017
Hardcover, $29.99
Reviewed by Natalie Salvo

Children & Teenagers/Picture Books & Early Learning/Interactive & Activity Books & Packs

9/10

For 30 years the bespectacled, intrepid world and time traveller known to Australian readers as Wally has entertained children and adults alike. British author and illustrator, Martin Handford has created incredibly detailed and complex hidden picture books where Wally and a host of his friends hide in the crowd scenes. The latest book, Where’s Wally: Destination: Everywhere! revisits 12 classic scenes but hides the people and objects of interest in new spots, as well as offering extra puzzles like mazes and word problems to solve. In doing so, Handford creates hours of new entertainment and fun for the reader.

Hi Wally friends,
I love to travel the globe.
It’s a whole world of fun!
In this album you’ll find my top 12 favourite journeys. Incredible places from the past, present and future- each overflowing with around-the-clock wonder!
…
Wow! Fantastic!
Let the search begin all over again!
Wally

This book is a large, durable hardback that is bursting with colour and quirky illustrations that will increase your visual observation skills. The size of the illustrations mean that it’s a fun challenge to complete the task of searching for the people and the objects insofar as they’re not immediately obvious to the naked eye but they are not impossible to solve either. Perhaps the hardest scene to solve is the last one which is set in the “Land of Wallies” because the majority of the characters in this scene (and we’re talking about several hundred individuals) are dressed like the book’s namesake in striped red and white jumpers, woollen hats, brown shoes and blue jeans.

The ultimate search to find me was in the land of Wallies! Wizard Whitebeard’s multiplying magic made a mirage of red-and-white striped wanderers, as well as lots of lost walking sticks, spectacles and bobble hats! But did you find the real me?
…
Try not to go oogly-boogly-woogly eyed!

Like most of Handford’s books Wally is joined in this one by his friends Wenda, Wizard Whitebeard, and pet dog Woof (hidden and shown with just a tail), as well as his arch-nemesis, the evil Odlaw. These characters have their own objects to be found on each page like: Wally’s key, Woof’s bone, Wenda’s camera, Whitebeard’s scroll and Odlaw’s binoculars. They are also joined by dozens of Wally-watchers (characters that also wear red and white stripes that can be found in every illustration.) Together Wally and company venture through interesting scenes involving pirates, dinosaurs, books, the Wild West, the art gallery, and more.

What a wonder it was to see books come alive and characters step out of their pages! I saw teeming crowds of familiar faces from folklore sharing their favourite adventures. Wow! Terrific! There was even a book about my travels, Woof’s book of animal stories, Wenda’s guide to art, Wizard Whitebeard’s book of magic, and the great (but very small!) book of Odlaw’s good deeds. Ha-ha!

Where’s Wally? Destination: Everywhere! once again allows kids and adults to get lost in a world of colourful illustrations, conversational text and mind-boggling problems. It’s a book that will encourage young children to read because it is an entertaining and participatory experience while adults can relive their own childhoods spent searching for all of those illusive objects. Where’s Wally? Destination: Everywhere is another enjoyable addition to the “Where’s Wally” stable and proof that even after three decades, Wally’s adventures still manage to entertain and enthral us with their magic.

Category: Book Reviews, Other Reviews