I was Wonderstruck, Were you?

Wonderstruck has been greeted with a great deal of excitement and anticipation.  The book, written by Brian Selznick, is full of both words and pictures, that is to say: beautiful and stunning pictures and words.  The pictures tell the story of a young girl, Rose, in the 1920’s while the words tell the story of a boy, Ben, in the 1970’s.  The stories are interesting and told with a sense of urgency.  I flew through this book even though it’s a very large book.  I hadn’t felt a book that was this heavy since I read some of those huge Jean Auel in college.  I felt so compelled to find how these 2 stories were connected; I couldn’t put the book down.  I was struck by how the pictures pulled me into the book.

Ben’s story begins in Minnesota in the 1970’s.  He is dealing with the recent death of his mother and his partial deafness.  His story is already full of sadness and pain when tragedy occurs and he loses his hearing completely.  The only hope Ben can see in his life is a few clues he has found to the whereabouts of his father whom he has never met.  Rose’s story, set in New York in the 1920’s,  is full of mystery and action as she runs away to the big city to find a famous screen star.  The stories share a connection when each child ends up at a New York museum.  Ben continues to look for his father while Rose connects with someone at the museum too.  Each story has twists, turns, excitement, and distress.   

I enjoyed this book so much!  I couldn’t put it down and finished it in one sitting.  Selznick is a master at his craft, creating a new genre of books that will spark imagination and take readers on a ride.  Both Rose and Ben are carefully created characters with childlike actions and feelings.  You may not predict their actions, but they feel very real and true anyway.  Ben is that sensitive kid with a passion for collecting, while Rose is an adventurous girl who likes to create.  Plus, the resolution was satisfying and heart-warming.  This book won’t disappoint young readers or adults.  This is the kind of book that inspires all who read it.  It’s also the kind of book that I can’t wait to share with my Lil Guy when he reaches the right age.