Where's Wally? The Great Speed Search

Where's Waldo?

by Martin Handford

Put your searching skills to the test and compete to find Wally first! A book of speedy searches to challenge yourself or play head-to-head with a fellow Wally fan.
Wally-Watchers, are you ready to take on the ultimate search-and-find challenge? The fastest finder wins in this brilliant book of speedy searches!

Play against an opponent or challenge yourself to spot Wally, his friends and over a hundred more truly tricky things to find as quickly as you can in the bustling scenes. There are hours of fun to be had for even the fastest of finders, so on your marks, get set... SEARCH!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

24 pages, Hardcover

Published March 2, 2023

About the author

Martin Handford, the man behind the mind-boggling Waldo books, began his career as a freelance illustrator specializing in drawing crowd scenes. The turning point came when he was asked to create a book showcasing his impressive talent, and the character Waldo was born—originally to provide a link between each scene. "I can't tell you how pleased I am that Waldo has taken on a life of his own," Martin Handford says. "I'd like to inspire children to open their minds to explore subjects more, to be aware of what's going on around them. I'd like them to see wonder in places that may not have occurred to them." Martin Handford lives in England.

Reviews

[Olivia]

See my full review here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/wheres...

WHERE'S WALDO?: THE GREAT GAMES SPEED SEARCH is a delightfully fun new search and competitive game. The book is printed with a search on each page for readers to sit opposite each other and race to find the characters amidst the scenes. The two sides are different, so readers can also play both sides solo. Additional games are included throughout.

What I loved: This is such an engaging and fun search game. Finding Waldo and friends is really tough on each page, making it quite the challenge. Woof appears as only a tail on most pages, so he was usually the last to be spotted. The length of time it took to find them seemed just about right, with some page spreads being even more challenging than others. This is sure to keep kids busy for a while!

The book also includes some additional games that can be played after the search. For instance, there was a Guess Who style game that could be played on one spread, and this was a particular favorite in our house. The book can be flipped around for a second speed search, and the other games keep it plenty of fun over time. The illustrations are great with lots of details and red herrings.

Final verdict: WHERE'S WALDO?: THE GREAT GAMES SPEED SEARCH is a delightful and entertaining Waldo search that will keep kids busy, whether they have an opponent or are running against their own timer. Highly recommend for an easy activity and game book!

Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get ready to challenge your friends to a Speed Search! Each page is turned horizontally so that you and your friend can sit opposite to each other and try to find Waldo first. Or you can play solo by setting a timer and challenging yourself to find Waldo as quickly as possible.

This is such a cool search activity book! In every scene you have to find Waldo, his dog, Wenda, the wizard Whitebeard, and Waldo's crazy opposite, Odlaw. There are also additional lists of things to look for in every scene, so that you can keep the game going as long as possible!

I used to love these Waldo books when I was a little girl, and the addition of the speed challenge makes it even more special.

There are scenes with Waldo skiing on a snowy mountain, fighting off dragons, wandering a hall of clocks, prospecting for gold, in the middle of a food fight, playing in a band, and running away from dinosaurs. There is even a scene in the "Land of Waldos" which is full of Waldo look-alikes dressed in all different colors!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHERE'S WALDO has morphed into a one versus one challenge where children can face off to determine who's the faster search and find. There's a scenario on either side of the page with three things to search for, that way two people can start at the same time and are on equal ground with the same number of items to find. The illustrations follow the traditional Where's Waldo bold and cartoon-y art style. To me, this is a classic character who is fun to both children and adults of all ages. With THE GREAT SPEED SEARCH, children can challenge their friends or even their parents and create lasting memories. It's also a great way to stimulate a child's mind that doesn't involve a screen.


Final Verdict: I would recommend this to children who like to compete or for those just looking for some fun. It definitely belongs in classrooms for children to utilize during play time.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

For Waldo fans, a search and a game, play alone or with a friend. It's a game that's timed and on each page, one must find Waldo and a couple of other things placed in a little box labeled "Checklist". Instructions are given on the first two pages for solo play or competing and other rules. Twenty-two pages are filled to the brim with people and things, titled, too, like "Go Team, Snowball! The Winter Games" and "Go Team, Prospector, A Gold Rush Game". Filled with color, color, color, except for one page that covers film and drama. If your eyes are good at spotting hundreds of pictures including dinosaurs, food, and music, all arranged in various ways, you will love it. I tried a few and was slow, but I completed the challenge! What a super fun new Waldo experience!
Thanks to Candlewick Press for this copy!

[V · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have my old blue Where's Waldo book, which is fun, but we've found Waldo on every page. The Great Waldo Speed Search evokes a feeling of nostalgia for 90's kids while also providing something totally new to the Where's Waldo? World for their kids. While T and I have raced to find Waldo in my blue book, Speed Search provides a dedicated format for duels (directions for solo searchers make this no less fun for lone locaters). With similar but unique designs on adjacent pages, the book is designed to be held between two people as they face off to spy an array of objects and characters over the course of many hours (we've not found everything and have had this in our possession for a couple of months now).

Of the various Waldo books, The Great Waldo Speed Search is novel and ideal for sharing, competing, or challenging yourself.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was part of my ongoing children's literature search. I checked out two from the library. This one was the better of the two and is printed on hard cardboard pages, about 20 pages worth. The pictures in these books could conceivably provide fun for adults, not just children. The drawings on every page are immensely complicated and full of details worth perusing carefully while searching for the figure of Waldo and his friends. It's great stuff!

[The Silvan Reverie | Sarah Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm always up for new Waldo adventures and this one is fantastic. Great for my 7 and 9 year old and one they can revisit again and again. This one has you search only half a page at a time, too, which I think can help keep the time it takes to find everything to a good amount.

***Note: I was given a review copy of this book via Candlewick. Opinions are my own.

[Paul Delacruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun book in search for Waldo and his friends were designed to play against another person. The dog was the hardest to find.

[Becs · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's difficult to go wrong with a Where's Wally book, the premise is pretty much always the same and never fails to be a winner. I think there are better iterations though; those with inventive twists on them - there was a detective one once with a light on a magnifying glass because you had to search in the dark. This one tries to be different too - it's a double sided flip board, so you can play against your friend and race to see who finds everything first.

I think, to be totally honest, you could do this with any Where's Wally book and just share the page so it feels very much a way to make profits from a beloved franchise, rather than a new iteration of the original.

Regardless, I'm sure this will be lots of fun for tandem wally spotting!

ARC provided from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all the Where’s Wally books as I personally love the challenge finding Wally.

Forget family board games. Here’s an exciting game with the famous Where’s Wally book, new book, Where’s Wally? The Great Speed Search.

You can either play it by yourself self or a timer can be set as each member of the family has to find Wally, Woof, Odlaw, Wizard Whitebeared Wenda. Plus there are extra challenges check list that you have to find, on each page. The quickest one will win.

I highly recommend this hardback book as its well worth the money, with over 22 pages of fabulous, Where’s Wally games to play.

This book will come in useful to play with friends in the garden, or inside when the bad weather sets in. Or it can easily be taken on on plane, or on a long train journey. Thank you Walker books for sending me a copy to read.

[Stace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn't love a 'Where's Wally?' book! In this large hardcovered book the aim of the game is to go up against an opponent and discover where Wally is hiding first - The race is on!

As usual the book is filled to the brim with fabulous illustrations all hiding Wally, there are lots to choose from.

At the beginning there is information on how to play the game either alone or against an opponent. Some games are harder than others. I love the variety of situations Wally can be found in.

Another amazing book. I love all the Where's Wally? books, they provide lots of entertainment and grow with their audience. My kids are older now and still read - play, these books.