Monday, November 21, 2011

Book Review/Giveaway: Can You See What I See? Toyland Express by Walter Wick


Published by: Scholastic
Released on: October 1st, 2011
Ages: 4-8
Source: book from publisher to review
5 star: We Loved It!
Purchase from: Scholastic | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

CAN YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? TOYLAND EXPRESS, the eighth title in the bestselling search-and-find series, follows the life of a toy train from the workshop to the attic, only to be rescued at a yard sale and brought to life once again in a new home. As readers search for more than 250 hidden objects, they will also notice how the train takes on various transformations along its journey.


Have you ever read a book that made you wish you could jump into it's pages? While reading this book with my kids, it made me wish I had an attic to go into to, so that I could pull out a box of toys and set up a Toyland Express train set like the one featured in the story, and allow my children endless hours of imaginary fun. Luckily Walter Wick's stunning photos and engaging story provide those hours of entertainment for my kids with his newest release.

The Toyland Express is a fabulous book for readers ages preK through 2nd, as they take a journey with the Toyland Express from when it's first hand crafted, to it being giving as a gift for a birthday party, played with, stored in an attic, reclaimed, and played with once again. My son's a 1st grader and he loved being able to read the book and looking for the different objects in each picture. This book is the PERFECT gift for train fans. The photography is beautiful, and the story and puzzle search is entraining, as well as engaging. I highly recommend picking this book up this Christmas/holiday season.

Don't miss this behind the scenes video with Walter:


About the author:

Walter Wick has opened millions of eyes to a world of treasures big and small in his award-winning, bestselling I SPY and CAN YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? picture-puzzle books. Walter discovered his passion for building picture puzzles by accident. One day when cleaning out a drawer, he scattered odds and ends on a glass tabletop and photographed them. The photo appeared in a magazine and caught the eye of Jean Marzollo, editor of Scholastic’s Let’s Find Out. This photo inspired the first I SPY book, with riddles by Jean Marzollo, and led to their long collaboration.


In his more recent CAN YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? series, Walter’s detailed photographs convey subtle hidden stories. Walter meticulously constructs 3-D sets for CAN YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? in his Connecticut studio. For videos and more photos, visit www.walterwick.com or www.facebook.com/walterwick.

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Thank you to Scholastic, we have 1 SIGNED copy of Can You See What I See? Toyland Express to giveaway. To enter, please fill out the form below:


I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~ Anna Quindlen

Good children's literature appeals not only to
the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child.
~ Anonymous ~