8 Search & Find Books You Should Search & Find

Where’s Waldo? Deluxe Edition, by Martin Handford
In a rare turn for Waldo, he made himself easy to spot on this list. This deluxe edition, released 25 years after the original, comes with a poster, never-before-seen artwork for each scene, and a bonus “spot the difference” game to play with the cover and book jacket. And unlike some of the later Waldo books—where the sea of white and red stripes can be overwhelming—this one is fun without being too frustrating.

I Spy Treasure Hunt, by Jean Marzollo
Though all the books in the I Spy series are lovely (and there are dozens), this may be the best. It features 12 photographs of a little model town, built from miniatures, complete with whimsical details like a giant pencil on the back of a truck and a polar bear walking across a piano in a shop window. Once all the objects are spied, kids can go deeper by trying to solve the “extra credit” riddles in the back.

Where Is Curious George?: A Look and Find Book, by H. A. Rey
A Curious George book for the most curious of kids. Each page finds George in a different house (such as a log cabin, a lighthouse and a treehouse), and clever poems ask children to find a series of objects hidden in the scene, along with George himself. The illustrations are brightly colored, detailed, and great for repeat viewing.

Can You Find It?: Search and Discover More Than 150 Details in 19 Works of Art, by Judith Cressy
Your children can discover a love for reading and fine art in one fell swoop. They’ll scour 19 paintings from the Metropolitan Museum of Art—ranging in time from ancient Egypt to modern works—looking for small details like birds and rings. Some of the searches are quite challenging, but luckily for parents, there’s an answer key in back.

Treasure Hunt: Around the Town, by Richard Priddy
For the littlest explorers, here’s a Search & Find board book from an early-learning author whose other books your toddler has probably chewed through. It comes with five fold-out pages, packed with colorful photographs of familiar objects that your little one will love to discover.

Search and Find National Parks, by Maud Lienard
The bright, cartoon-style illustrations are charming, but what really makes this book unique is the subject matter. How often do kids get to explore national parks like the Great Smoky Mountains and Death Valley? In addition to the objects they’ll need to find, kids can also learn facts about each national park and hunt for an “intruder” on each spread.

Animal Fun Search and Find, by Holly Brook-Piper
Here’s the ultimate Search & Find book for animal-loving kids. Each spread has 10 types of animals to find, and they’ll need to find a different number of each. Sure, finding one bear is easy – but can you find three raccoons and seven squirrels?

Once Upon a Time: Picture Puzzles to Search and Solve, by Walter Wick
Part of the Can You See What I See? series, this one’s filled with whimsical, digitally manipulated photos that depict scenes from children’s favorite fairytales. Search for animals in the dark woods of Hansel and Gretel, and find kitchen items (and the big bad wolf) in Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother’s house. It’s a lovely way to keep the magic of fairy tales going once the stories have been read.
What’s your kid’s favorite Search & Find book?