In 1992, Scholastic published I Spy, a groundbreaking series of photography-based seek-and-find books created by illustrator Walter Wick and author Jean Marzollo. For over three decades, I Spy has captivated and entertained readers and families across the nation. With 100-plus books in the collection and over 75 million copies in print, the series continues to be a beloved classic.

Last November saw the latest installment in the series, I Spy Love, which brims with whimsical and heartwarming scenes accompanied by delightful riddles, all centered on the theme of love. The title also marks a significant milestone for the series as it’s the first time Dan and Dave Marzollo, sons of original co-creator Jean, have written an I Spy book entirely on their own, alongside Walter Wick!

In today’s episode, guest-host Billy DiMichele is joined by Walter, Dan, and Dave about the newest installment, what goes into creating an I SPY book, and so much more!

→ Resources

About I Spy Love: Check out the latest installment in the I Spy Series.

About I Spy Series: Learn more about the widely popular seek-and-find book series, published by Scholastic Press.

Walter Wick: Learn more about the illustrator.

Let’s Find Out!: Check out the nonfiction magazine designed for kindergarteners, featuring fun, seasonal content on science and social studies themes.

→ Highlights

Walter Wick, Illustrator, I Spy
“As soon as the first I Spy book came out Jean started to realize how to articulate what those educational values were all about. And that really came to fruition in I Spy School Days…she really set the curriculum on that book.”

“You can almost think of each of my scenes as a window display, but without the window.”

“A child who struggled with reading was actually better at finding the objects from the riddles than the advanced readers. We called [these books] a 'great equalizer' because they brought people together and got them on the same page.”

Dan and Dave Marzollo, Authors, I Spy
“My favorite book of the series is I Spy Mystery, where Walter built these mysteries within the pictures. That to me is really great—to find those hidden things within the bigger picture.” – Dan

“We were the first ones that got to see the very first fold and gathered copy of I Spy and test it.” – Dave

“My mom always said that the moment she realized how big of a success the series was going to be, was when all the high school kids were pushing each other out of the way to try to find the blue thumbtack first. In the beginning, she thought this was going to be just something for kids but saw that high school kids were just as fully riveted by the books.” - Dave

→ Special Thanks

Producers: Maxine Osa, Anne Sparkman, Allyson Barkan

Sound Engineer: S. Shin

Music Composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl