Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Selznick, Brian. (2011). Wonderstruck. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

This incredible book is actually two stories in one set 50 years apart.  The first story, written in text, is about Ben who has recently lost his mother and is currently living in his aunt and uncles' house.  One night as he wanders over to the house he shared with his mother, he discovers a book and a couple of mysterious messages that lead him to believe that the father he has never met lives in New York City.  On this same night, a bolt of lightning through the phone lines leaves Ben, who was born deaf in one ear, completely deaf.  The second story, told through pictures, is about Rose, a young girl who is deaf.  Rose seems to be depressed, as well as completely obsessed with the life and career of an actress, Lillian Mayhew.  When Rose takes off to New York City to see Lillian, we learn that she is the child's mother, who is too busy working with little time for her daughter. As Ben travels to New York, the search for his father lands him in the American Museum of Natural History.  As Ben spends much time in the museum, he notices an older woman who seems to spend much of her time there too.  When Ben's search takes him to the Kincaid Bookstore, he again notices this mysterious woman who it turns out has a lot more in common with him than he could have imagined.

What might appeal to a reader in your library?

Ben, who has struggled with hearing loss since death and now due to a freak accident has completely lost his hearing, has recently lost his mother and makes the decision to journey to New York to find the father he’s never met.  Rose, who is also deaf, is tired of being stuck at home with her father, and decides to journey to New York to find her mother who she longs to be with.  At over 600 pages, the sheer size of this novel is likely to scare off many young readers.  However, this story told in a combination of text and pictures should not be dismissed so easily.  Encourage students to flip through the book and they will quickly see that at least one-half of the book is composed of illustrations.  That is because this book is two stories in one, one told in words and one in pictures, each taking place 50 years apart, and converging in a climax as exciting as a Hollywood motion picture.   

Teaching Guide and Virtual Field Trip for use with Wonderstruck

Brian Selznick discusses Wonderstruck