Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Wonderstruck is two stories in one. Ben is from a remote town in America in 1977. His mother has recently died and he has moved in with his aunt, uncle and cousins. One stormy night he is looking through his mother’s things and finds a book called Wonderstruck. In it is a bookmark to his mother from a man. He wonders if this man is his father and so decides to investigate. The only problem is that it would appear that his father lives in New York, which is miles away. There is also the fact that he has recently become deaf, following an accident and can neither sign nor read lips. The other story is told entirely through pictures and is set just outside New York in 1927. It follows Rose, a deaf girl, who isn’t allowed to do things by herself but really wants to explore the city just outside her doorstep. Throughout the book their stories merge and become one big story.

Ben is only young but so much has happened to him already. You can’t help but want to be his friend so he has someone to talk to and hang out with. When something life altering, like suddenly not being able to hear anything, happens to you it’s going to take a while to adjust. At first Ben tries to ignore it, but he finds that just isn’t possible. He needs to be able to communicate. Ben is both brave and cowardly. He decides to run away and look for his dad instead of dealing with problems at home but he isn’t scared to go around New York by himself. Rose is not the happiest child although she enjoys spending time with her brother, who seems to understand her best. She’s very creative and has lots of potential if only her parents could see past her being deaf.

The book is approximately one third written novel and two thirds graphic novel / picture book. Ben’s story is told through words, Rose’s through pictures. The two mediums are blended together seamlessly; allowing you to have cliff-hangers in the two stories when the author switches between the two. The written part has just the right amount of description and inner thought. The pictures convey inner thoughts through facial expressions but it’s the detail of the city that captures your imagination. Selznick is an incredible artist. You don’t need any words to know what’s going on and how the characters feel.

I really enjoyed this book, and although it’s over six-hundred pages it doesn’t take long to read. I really felt connected to both main characters and the ending just ties it all up nicely. It’s not the happiest of books as both have struggles to overcome, so the end makes it all the more touching. This would have been an excellent story had it been just words but the pictures just bring it to life so, at least for Rose, you don’t need to picture what she looks like. Selznick did a lot of research in to this book and I’d like to think that if I ever went to the American Museum of Natural History, I’d be able to picture Ben and Rose being there too. I think adults and children can enjoy Selznick’s work and would urge everyone to try one of his novels.

Overall rating 5 out of 5.