Can You See What I See? Dream Machine: Picture Puzzles to Search and Solve

Our family has... wildly divergent interests. As is true for most families, I am sure. And yet, every one of us loves picking up this book. It is fascinating, mesmerizing, and entertaining. The 4-year-old puzzle addict is a whiz at finding the clues. The early reader loves to read it out loud. The homeschool-parent-wannabe in me loves the book's universality. Everybody loves how quiet the kids become when they look at this book. Big kids, little kids, kids over 30, kids over 60, we can cooperate to solve the riddles. Teenaged babysitters admit that it's cool. Mr. Big Shot grade school inventor tries recreating some of the layouts on a small scale (we have a high tolerance threshold for blocks, train tracks, and marble runs). I love the "story" inside the book -- each page is a puzzle to solve, and then the little car progresses through the page to the next, and you go deeper and deeper into the dream city. It is remarkable. Dads, Grandpas, _everybody_ gets engaged in this simple, lovable book. Walter Wick, you are a genius and my family thanks you.`

I fully agree with the previous 5star reviews. To add to it I want to say that my son is not yet 2 1/2, and he's of average intelligence, and he can spend a TON of time staring at this book. we read it together before naps and he can easily spend 20 minutes concentrating on the pages. And then he will also choose to read the book on his own, quietly studying all the details. I find that amazing. There are so many levels to this book, as mentioned by others, and so It's also very fun for me to look at while we are reading it together (unlike some toddler books). I also get great ideas for projects for us to do together as you will understand if you get this book. Also, you can do more than just what the book asks for, go ahead and ask the toddler to find an easier or more exciting object along with a few off the list. We don't find the whole list on each page, we slowly do 1-2 (plus some added ones) until he chooses to turn the page...I think otherwise it might bore a child as young as him. And lastly, I want to mention that what initially captivated him was all of the vehicles. My son loves vehicles, and there are many on most pages, with quite a few "city" scenes. Good to know if you have a vehicle obsesses child. Love It!

Can you See What I See?/ Dream Machine is my FAVORITE book in the series. The sets and photos are unbelievably detailed and full of childlike imagination. I could just stare at the Dream City photos for hours soaking up the imagery and the feelings it evokes. AWESOME book. My 6 year old daughter LOVES to do the puzzles with me every night before bed. HIGHLY recommended. It has even reminded me of the power of simple imaginative play with my kids instead of video games. So much so that my 6 year old is now dying to build her own Dream City with me this weekend using all left over blocks, paper plates, small toys and other items I so often have referred to as 'junk' lying around that needs to be picked up. Well... now I can hardly wait myself. That's how good this book is. If you or your kids ever dreamed of flying jet cars, robots, and retro-futuristic cities this book is a must have!

We purchased this book for my son's third birthday. It is amazing how much time he would like to spend with this book. Some of the objects are easier to find than others, so he has enough success to be willing to look for the more difficult objects. He has loved all the I SPY books, and this is no exception. The pictures are fascinating, and there are always new things to discover, whether or not you are searching for the listed items. My five year old also loves this book! Our family highly recommends this series of books!

I disagree with the reviewer who suggests that the pictures in this book are too dark, and that this title in the Can You See What I See ? series is not good for the 2-6 age group. My five-year-old son is absolutely enthralled with the amazingly creative, futuristic cityscapes. I think this is Walter Wick's best creation to date. Just look at the intricate details that he has put into the buildings, all of which were made by hand from cardboard boxes and other easy-to-find materials. Wick's books are not just about finding hidden objects. They are also about learning how to appreciate the value of everyday stuff -- like the things we all throw away or have stashed away in our junk drawers and never think about. In this, and all of his books for that matter, Wick inspires the imagination in countless ways, as all good authors of children's books should. In addition to searching for the lost items in these magical pages, my son has spent countless hours trying to create his own cityscapes out of cereal boxes, soap boxes, and every other kind of box one would care to imagine. THIS BOOK IS EXTRAORDINARY!