International Where's Waldo Event Coming to Indiana Bookstore

If your childhood did not include searching for Waldo in a colorful, oversized book, were you really ever a kid?

Best Gen-X Memories Ever

The Where's Waldo books were some of my favorites growing up. Maybe it was because I was a typical Gen-X latch-key kid who spent way too much time alone or maybe it was because I was also one of those "gifted kids" - which really just means that I had ADHD that would go undiagnosed until I was well into adulthood so I was super good at hyper fixating on things if it meant my brain was going to get a dopamine hit. Yay for being neurodivergent!

There's an International Where's Waldo Event

Either way, the Where's Waldo books provided hours of enjoyment, hyper fixation, and dopamine over the years so you can imagine my surprise and excitement to learn that our city's newest bookstore will be a host for the International Where's Waldo event.

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Candlewick Press

The Stripes Are the Same; Only The Name Has Changed

We know him as Waldo in the United States but in other parts of the world he is known as Wally, and in some countries like Denmark and Germany as Holger & Walter, respectively. Regardless of the moniker, he goes by, he is always dressed in the iconic and memorable red and white striped shirt and hat and his black-framed eyeglasses as imagined by creator and illustrator, Martin Handford.

Happy 35th Anniversary Waldo!

In 2012 there was a global celebration to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the beloved, stripe-wearing adventurer, according to the Chicago Tribune, and since I mentioned earlier that I was one of those "gifted kids," I did the math - 2022 will mark the 35th anniversary of Where's Waldo.

Waldo is Coming to Evansville

I don't know if the anniversary has anything to do with the International Where's Waldo event being planned but I feel like it can't be a coincidence. Your Brother's Bookstore in downtown Evansville just announced that they will be a part of this global event on July 30, 2022. In a post on Facebook they say,

We're extremely excited to announce that we've been selected to be one of 300 (out of 4000 bookstores) hosts of the Official Where's Waldo international event!
We're teaming up with a lot of local businesses for some exciting activities, ending in a big celebration on Evansville's Main Street on July 30th!

More Details to Come

And while there are not a lot of details right now, you can bet that we will be searching for (more details about) Waldo until we can tell you more.

Books that Have Recently Been Challenged in School Systems Across the US

Across the country, legislators and school administrators are seeing a spike in efforts to prohibit certain materials from being available in libraries. As a result, books that explore topics such as race, gender, sexual orientation, and other social issues are being targeted. The American Library Association received over 330 reports in the last year alone, containing multiple books that are being challenged all over the U.S.

Check out the following gallery to see some of the books that are currently in hot seats across the country.

Click on the below links to read an additional synopsis of each book. *As Amazon associates we earn on qualifying purchases.