Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Wonderstruck is the second novel by Brian in the unique format of a novel told in words and pictures. It tells the story of a boy named Ben, who longs for the father he has never known, and a girl named Rose, who dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother’s room, and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing. Ben’s story, set in 1977, is told entirely in words, while Rose’s story, set fifty years earlier, is told entirely in pictures. The two stories weave back and forth before ultimately coming together. Rich, complex, affecting, and beautiful – with over 460 pages of original artwork - Wonderstruck is a stunning achievement from a uniquely gifted artist and visionary.

Brian won the Caldecott Medal in 2008 for The Invention of Hugo Cabret, a historical fiction novel described by Brian as “not exactly a novel, not quite a picture book, not really a graphic novel, or a flip book or a movie, but a combination of all these things.” It has been made into a 3D movie directed by Martin Scorsese, and scheduled to be released in November of 2011.

“…engrossing, intelligent, beautifully engineered and expertly told both in word and image…Selznick’s gift is for the uncanny and the haunting, and his subject is not only the strange poetry of ordinary things but the poetry of things from another time: train stations, frozen museum dioramas and old bookstores.”
-Adam Gopnik, The New York Times Book Review

“Visually stunning, completely compelling, Wonderstruck demonstrates a mastery and maturity that proves that, yes, lightning can strike twice. “
-Kirkus Reviews

“The way that the stories of Ben and Rose echo one another, and then finally connect, is a thing of wonder to behold.”
-School Library Journal

“Selznick follows his Caldecott-winning The Invention of Hugo Cabret with another illustrated novel that should cement his reputation as one of the most innovative storytellers at work today…Selznick’s story has the makings of a kid-pleasing classic.”
-Publisher’s Weekly (starred review)