Seek the things that call to you
though they may be tough to see.
For that’s the universe whispering…
who you’re meant to be.
Welcome.
Hide & Seek Adventures is a seek & find book with poetry and reoccurring characters, Foxy & Big Bear. The theme of the book is finding yourself, what you like, and your passion.
Main Character Energy.
Foxy & Big Bear are the adventurers in the story. They are based on our boys’ favorite stuffed animals that I had recreated in needle felt by a local artist. They are the embodiment of our boys’ personalities.
Big Bear with messy hair is our 3-year-old Jones and cool guy Foxy with lots of moxy is our 5-year-old Caleb. You’ll find each character in the scene where I imagined Caleb and Jones would be. Foxy favors finding the most exciting thing to do or can be found with his favorite foods, cheese pizza and a watermelon slice. Big Bear loves being with his best friend on their grand adventures and is often the easiest to find.
Origin Story.
I’m book creator Emily Critser. My husband Corey and I have been working together since 2009 when we fell in love on a film set in art school at Savannah College of Art & Design. We worked in Los Angeles, went on a 100-day road trip around America camping in 40 national and state parks, and settled in Chattanooga, TN in 2015. We love adventuring, the outdoors, and creating together.
We own a production company and work out of our spot Lanewood Studio as commercial and editorial photographers. I also work as a prop stylist. We have 2 young boys and 2 needy dogs, Scout and Lady.
View our professional commercial photography work here.
In November 2024, Corey fell off a boulder he was climbing while out hiking with the boys and completely tore 3 major tendons in his knee. We had to cancel all planned photoshoots for months.
I created much of this project while Corey had 2 major knee surgeries, nerve treatment, and grueling physical therapy. This project started as a way to fuel creativity through a challenging time in our life and has led to me finding a great passion in creating these books.
Artist Statement.
Some of my most precious moments are after the busy day is done and I read to my boys at bedtime. Corey and I have memorized their favorite books.
I remembered how much I adored the iSpy books, Where’s Waldo books, and Highlights magazines as a kid. I’ll always remember being blown away by the real photography in the iSpy books and all of the tiny, hidden things.
I love the idea of creating a series of children’s books inspired by my kids, in our modern photography style, with lovable, reoccurring characters exploring the world through the eyes of a child. This is a special book that parents can read to their kids or kids can enjoy on their own.
This book’s purpose is to spark curiosity in the world around a child as they explore new things. This book is full of visuals that spark curiosity towards the questions: Who am I? and What do I like? I believe a person finds their passion by following those things that spark their curiosity and make them want to see/learn more.
Dreaming.
The dream is this project grows into a series. The first book Hide & Seek Adventures is shot and the book is drafted.
Other concepts I have outlined include:
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Each page would depict a feeling with a color assigned. I would build abstract sets based on a 2-d design in monochrome color palettes based on the feeling color. ie Happy yellows, silly violets, afraid greens, loved pinks, angry reds, peaceful grays.
Thesis Poem
Let’s seek the things hidden inside
our mind, our feelings will be our guide.Bright and loud or soft and bowed.
our feelings are there to show
what we think about the world,
and a way for others to know.Happy, loved, excited, and silly
are some of the feelings that make us feel REALLY
ready to blast off into the sky!
These are the feelings of the highest high!Yet, don’t be scared to feel the bad,
the mad, the fear, the nervous, the sad.
Those feelings have things to tell you too.
Slow down, take a breath, and listen to you.Your feelings have things to tell you,
and you should ask them, “Why?”We may not understand them,
but it’s good for us to try. -
Thesis Poem
Seek the thing that sparks your passion.
It may show up in unusual fashion.You might know right off the bat,
Go for it now, and that is that.“I’ll be a doctor, go to school,
change the world, use my tools.”You also might change your mind,
and reinvent a hundred times.Start as a baker, then a dream-maker,
drive race cars, and reach for the stars.Anything you decide to do,
let it be authentically you. -
AKA All things boys love.
Word cloud - Cars, dinosaurs, robots, video games, marble run, adventure, treasure hunts, pirates, superheroes, sports, dirt, trucks in the dirt, trains, building with father figure and tools, sticky goo, fogs, snakes, space, astronauts, rocketship, tiny things.
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AKA All things girls usually love.
Word cloud - Gardening, crafts, dress, makeup, dresses, stuffs, cozy spa, baking, unicorns, mermaids, sports, fairy garden, fairy tales, horses, princesses, mom’s jewelry and shoes, puzzles, building something beautiful, tiny things.
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As I’ve talked to people about this book idea, one of the most common responses is, “Cool! You should do a (fill in the blank) book!”
Here are some of my original ideas I’ve started thinking about for other books
Food Book
Dream Book
Animals in their environment
Famous art recreated with found materials
Toy or Board Game books could have opportunities for brand sponsorship
Educational.
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Observation & Focus.
Children must look closely at details and focus to find the items, improving their visual scanning skills.
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Vocabulary Expansion.
Naming objects as they are found helps children learn new words and associate them with real-world items, expanding their overall vocabulary. Versions of the same word appear and children learn to tell the difference.
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Critical Thinking.
The act of searching for specific items requires children to think critically about where those items might be located.
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Memory Development.
The search and find helps build working memory by requiring players to hold a list of items in their mind while searching the visual scene.
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Early Literacy Skills.
Games incorporating words can help with letter recognition and phonics, laying a foundation for reading.
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Classroom & At-Home Tool.
Teachers and parents can use Hide & Seek materials as engaging activities to support learning in various subjects, from vocabulary to STEM.