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.

Book creator Emily Critser (me) and my husband photographer Corey Critser 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 own a production company and Lanewood Studio as advertising photographers. I also work as a prop stylist. We have 2 young boys and 2 needy dogs, Scout and Lady.

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 me getting through a challenging time in our life and has led to me finding a great passion of my own in 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 and things through the eyes of a child, but also a special book that parents can read to their kids or the kids can enjoy on their own.

Educational.

  • Observation & Focus.

    Children must look closely at details and focus to find the items, improving their visual scanning skills.

  • 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.

  • Critical Thinking.

    The act of searching for specific items requires children to think critically about where those items might be located.

  • 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.

  • Early Literacy Skills.

    Games incorporating words can help with letter recognition and phonics, laying a foundation for reading. 

  • 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.