I’m sure at some point in your life you had fun finding Waldo or spent hours tucked away trying to search for hidden items on the back of a children’s magazine cover, right?  My children have all enjoyed doing this on car trips, between holiday activities and even sometimes to break up our daily homeschool routine.  Another favorite for my 11-year-old is “I Spy” and we play that often, even in a hospital room you will find us deciphering shades of white.  My youngest can pick up on the tiniest detail and has an unshakeable memory.  It was exciting when I discovered a book series that offered a reading experience that put these two things together. 

Each book is a thin hardback and fits easily in a backpack or beach bag.  The pages have a gloss and feel a little thicker, which is perfect because it will stand up to countless hours of page turns from little ones.    I also appreciated the simplicity and repetition of the instructions given.  With every turn of the page you and your child are presented with a two-page spread that’s beautifully illustrated.  The pictures are vibrant, bold and very entertaining.  As soon as we opened our package Kaden was on a mission to find all the mistakes and we thought it was cool you get to travel and discover with Leah and Eddie as they help you spot all the mistakes.  With each two-page spread you get a few sentences of introduction about the scene and then prompted to find five things wrong or that doesn’t belong.  Sometimes you are asked if you can explain what is wrong and where they do belong.  And you are always given two clues to help you get stated.  Then at the back of the book is a picture of the scene with all the wrong things highlighted with a number.  And each wrong thing explained along with a bonus strange but true fact.

The first book is What's Wrong? Around the World and it takes your child all over to explore scenes from places like London, Beijing, Istanbul, New York and Rio De Janeiro.  Your child will be invited to explore the Great Wall of China, learn what a gondola is, see the Grand Bazaar and take a glimpse of the city of love.  This would be a fun addition if you are learning World History or Geography.  If you have an age gap this would be perfect to keep younger kids entertained while the older children work or even have them read with their siblings.  Kaden also used this book to spark further investigation.  He was encouraged to learn more about those London double decker buses, how to make homemade Turkish Delight and the story behind New York’s Flatiron Building.  Anything that gives my kids the desire to learn more on their own is a great addition to our homeschool.

The second book, What's Wrong? In the Wild was also very fun.  Kaden was able to hang out with Leah and Eddie as they discovered big and little critters from all over.  Some of his favorites were found in the rainforest, a farm, the ocean, underground and even the air.  Kaden agreed we could never live in the icy cold Arctic, or the scorching desert even though some of those inhabitants were interesting.  This book would be a wonderful addition to a child’s library.  Kids are naturally drawn to animals and this book allowed Kaden to see these animals in a funny way while learning a few facts here and there.  Kaden was pretty familiar with all of the animals, so we decided after he found all the mistakes and read all the facts, he could practice writing by making up a short story about a few of the animals and their habitats. 

Overall, Kaden and I both enjoyed searching, learning and talking about these two books.  I think they would make excellent gifts and wonderful additions to car trips and rainy afternoons.  I would say they are a great introduction to both wildlife and different cultures through facts and vivid illustrations.

-Product review by Sheila Quach, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, November, 2018