Find the 80s character and win a prize!<\/p>\n
It has been forty years since English illustrator Martin Handford\u00a0created Where\u2019s Waldo? Back in the UK (and the rest of the world) they call him Wally and wherever he is, we\u2019re all still looking for him. The cartoon explorer finds himself in the world\u2019s most crowded places but stands out with his round spectacles, red and white striped sweater and ubiquitous beanie.<\/p>\n
For the last fourteen years, the American Booksellers Association has invited independent booksellers to hide illustrations of the beloved character in their shops, asking customers to come look for him (and maybe pick up a couple of books while they\u2019re inside). Find Waldo Local<\/a> is an annual project from Indiebound, a hide-and-seek game that brings in customers and urges them to explore. Through August 16, shoppers can request a special stamp card that the bookseller will sign or stamp. Prizes and discounts vary by bookshop. Collect \u2018em all!<\/p>\n More than 300 bookshops are participating nationwide, but only five of them are in greater Los Angeles. The local stores are: Chevalier\u2019s Books<\/a> in Larchmont, Children\u2019s Book World<\/a> in West L.A., Diesel, a Bookstore <\/a>in Santa Monica, Pages: a Bookstore<\/a> in Manhattan Beach \u00a0and Village Well Books and Coffee<\/a> in Culver City. Completists can add the Frugal Frigate<\/a> in Redlands, ninety minutes east of L.A.<\/p>\n The Waldo character has appeared in tens of millions of books, as well as video games, TV cartoons, posters, pillows, coffee mugs, puzzles, action figures and even a Funko Pop. Handford has said that he was inspired by the toy soldiers he collected as a kid, but that\u2019s about all he says since he hasn\u2019t done an interview in years. He sold off his creation to Entertainment Rights Group in 2007 for $2.9 million.<\/p>\n