The hidden treasure books from the February 28th post took me on to books on optical illusions or other images where you had to look more than once to be sure you saw what was there. (Check out the August 5th, 2014 post for books on Escher, Bev Doolittle, etc.)

Many years ago a friend, an elementary school teacher, showed me a book with a title, I think, something like 'What Is It'. One page would have a close up of part of this object and you were to guess what it was. I was unable to track it down, but did find others of a similar nature.

What in the World: Fun-Tastic Photo Puzzles for Curious Minds, by Julie Vosburgh Agnone and one of the wonderful National Geographic KIDS books. It is full of fun mind games ... match the pattern to the animal, looking for what is different in two similar pictures, optical illusions (and how they were created), even a few word scrambles.

There are many things too small, or too far away for us to see. Out of Sight: Pictures of Hidden Worlds, by Seymour Simon solves that problem. What does Velcro really look like? MRI images? Distant galaxies?

Another from the National Geographic KIDS collection: Xtreme Illusions. There are pictures that pulse and squirm, some that change color, images that change (a sleeping elephant, or a leaping elephant?) and one of my favorites ... the "Escher" stairs that go up. Or is it down?!

The Art of Deception: Illusions to Challenge the Eye and the Mind, by Brad Hunicutt is filled with all kinds of 'look again' art. I love the 3-D art on sidewalks that create amazing illusions, and the puzzle art with hidden images, and where there are trees at the base, but tall buildings at the top, and, well, the list could go on and on, but it's best if to just read the book yourself! There are some remarkable twists on Escher, words within words, words that can be read backwards and forwards .... all in all just an amazing book.

 

And, for a fun twist on Where's Waldo? (aka Where's Wally?) books, try this: When's the Doctor? from BBC Children's Books. Look for the Doctor (the Eleventh) and other characters throughout time, then, when you've found those, check in the back for a list of other things to find in each time period. I'll admit it, this book was a lot of fun!

Reading Hermit With Dog