Where’s Waldo?franchise
Identification Children’s hide-and-find book
series based on a character known as Waldo
Author Martin Handford (1956- )
Date First published in 1987
Where’s Waldo?began a fad in children’s literature for
hide-and-find-type literature and expanded throughout the
1990’s to become a popular culture phenomenon.
First published in Britain asWhere’s Wally?, the series
was renamedWhere’s Waldo?for publication in the
United States and Canada. Featuring Waldo, a char-
acter with a red-and-white striped shirt and bobble
hat and accessorized with a walking stick and glasses,
the book placed Waldo in a large picture and chal-
lenged children to attempt to find Waldo in the pic-
ture; in some cases, finding Waldo was more diffi-
cult, especially in one notable picture where Waldo
was only identifiable by a missing shoe. Waldo also
loses a number of his possessions throughout the
books, and children are encouraged to find those
items in the pictures as well.
Waldo was accompanied in later books by other
characters; Martin Handford added Waldo’s friend
Wenda, nemesis Odlaw, and dog Woof. The series
expanded throughout the 1990’s to include a num-
ber of books, one with poster prints of
former pictures, and one with other ac-
tivities.
In 1991, thirteen episodes of a televi-
sion show based onWhere’s Waldo?were
produced and aired by the Columbia
Broadcasting System (CBS). The show
was half an hour long and sent Waldo on
adventures that often caused him to
come into contact with Odlaw, who regu-
larly attempted to steal Waldo’s magic
stick. In an effort to also connect the tele-
vision series with the books, each episode
featured two snapshots that lasted a min-
ute long and allowed children to hunt for
Waldo in the still frame. This animated
series lasted only one season.
The Where’s Waldo? series has had
Waldo travel across the world, through
Hollywood, through history, as well as
through a number of fantastic locations.
The Where’s Waldo? books have been
widely regarded by educators as a valu-
able resource for children who have problems focus-
ing on details. The series has assisted children with
autism, attention-deficit disorder, and other ill-
nesses that cause attention and concentration prob-
lems in children.
The American Library Association listedWhere’s
Waldo?among the one hundred most frequently
banned books between 1990 and 2000. One image
inWhere’s Waldo?showed a woman sunbathing with-
out a top, exposing her breasts. Parents and school
administrators objected to this portrayal of nudity
and banned the book.Impact Where’s Waldo?influenced many children
growing up in the 1990’s, teaching attention to de-
tail as well as some historical and geographic infor-
mation in the guise of a hide-and-seek book.Further Reading
American Library Association. Www. ala.org.
Handford, Martin.Where’s Waldo?Boston: Little,
Brown, 1987.
Emily Carroll ShearerSee also Children’s literature; Children’s televi-
sion; Literature in the United States.914 Where’s Waldo?franchise The Nineties in America
Martin Handford, author of theWhere’s Waldo?book series, searches for
Waldo at a bus stop in London.(Hulton Archive/Getty Images)