Relive Your Childhood With The New I-Spy London Book

Laura Reynolds
By Laura Reynolds Last edited 91 months ago

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Relive Your Childhood With The New I-Spy London Book

If, like us, you spent many hours of your childhood seeking out the big-point sights in your I-Spy books, you'll be pleased to know that some of them are being republished — including our favourite, I-Spy London.

For anyone not familiar with the concept, I-Spys are travel-friendly books for children, giving the, certain sights they have to tick off, each sighting worth a certain number of points. The books come in themes including road signs, species of bird, and, luckily for us, London.

The original edition was published in the 1940s, so it's no surprise that I-Spy London has had a bit of an update for 21st century kids.

As you'd expect, the main sights and tourist attractions appear: the London Eye, The Shard, Tower Bridge. Hotels such as The Savoy sit alongside memorials including the Oliver Cromwell statue.

The book is divided geographically, with areas including Soho and West End, and the City represented by different colours. It seems a shame that only four pages are dedicated to 'Outside Central Zone', although parents who are being dragged around by kids keen to tick everything off will no doubt be relieved.

The final Iconic London section at the rear of the book is a nice touch, featuring not only the expected (phone boxes, red buses), but also giving recognition to everyday Londoners, including cycle couriers and buskers.

We have to question the logic behind the points system though; The Shard is worth a substantial 15 points, which seems excessive when you consider it can be seen from outside the M25, while the likes of Whitehall, which requires a bit more hunting down, is worth a measly five.

The Shard. 15 points, apparently.

Top spots, worth an excellent 25 points each and therefore the places that kids are mostly likely to want to drag you to, are the Thames Barrier, the Clink Prison Museum, the frost fair mural under Southwark Bridge and Sir John Soane's Museum. You've been warned.

I-Spy London is published by Harper Collins.

Last Updated 03 August 2016