Where’s Waldo Turns 25 And He Is Still Missing!

Happy Anniversary Waldo and I’m sorry you have the shittiest parents on earth because no one ever knows where you are. Waldo may as well be the son of Lori Grimes on The Walking Dead because she never knows where her kid Carl is. My kids are crazy about these books and the Where’s Waldo iPad app. We have spent many many many (many) hours looking for Waldo.

On Thursday night the London Eye in England, was lit up in red and white stripes emulating Waldo’s classic jersey and in the USA on Friday The Empire State Building was also lit in red and white. These Where’s Waldo books have been around since 1987 and were created by Martin Handford, a British illustrator.

For all of you Where’s Waldo fans (and your kids!) there are a lot of events planned to commemorate his anniversary. From The Missoulian:

As part of a year’s worth of events and product tie-ins designed to launch Waldo as a lifestyle brand, the lanky explorer will race around the track at a NASCAR event next month. He’ll be a category on the TV quiz show ”Jeopardy!” this season. His smiling mug already appears in printed scarves from the Japanese fashion house Comme des Garçons and on commemorative coins from the Birmingham Mint. Even fans who want Waldo’s happy-go-lucky look will have an opportunity, with eyeglasses and limited-edition cameras.

And for those of us who always assumed Waldo was just a cheerful, wholesome world-explorer:

Waldo did, however, occasionally get in trouble. ”Where’s Waldo?” landed on the American Library Association’s list of most challenged books for an image that appeared in the original 1987 picture book: A topless sunbather’s breast was exposed in a beach scene crowded with hundreds of other beachgoers.

Gasp! Where’s Waldo hanging out with topless ladies on the beach! Who would have thought? According to the article the art for that was changed fifteen years ago, and I’m glad we can continue searching for Waldo without having to explain that one to my kids.

(Photo: Amazon)

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