Wonder Struck

 Selznick, B. (2007). Wonderstruck. NY: Scholastic

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick about a boy named Ben whose mother has died and is deaf and is made to live with his aunt but goes out to find his father in New York City. This book is filled with pictures all done as a silent movie. The faces of the characters you can feel the intensity of each emotion the characters are going through. The pictures are very captivating and the plot of a deaf boy and the story of a deaf girl told only by pictures. It is such a wonderful way to tell a story. As if you are watching a silent film. Students who are reluctant to read? They’ll read this one! That is what I will use to get the viewer to come and get the book, by the pictures so richly done. I would sale this book by its pictures.  I would ask the teachers to allow me to introduce a lesson about this book I found in Teachers pay teachers web site called “I See It!” A lesson plan I so much liked is on “Building Inferences from Drawings” from the pictures. Another lesson plan for the book I found is “Turn up the Volume:  Creating a Soundtrack for a Picture Sequence.” I would make one of the pictures from his book into a ledger size and place it in front of the library on display. I would show his book trailer and ask what is book about and how will it end? When they come to visit the library they can get a glimpse of the story and get book marks of the cover. His other books are very similar so I would put them together in a display in front of the library so they can grab and see the pages. His book sure captivates a visual learner and a reluctant reader.

Another book from the author is “The Houdini Box” about a boy fascinated with the great Houdini. This book is very similar to Wonderstruck by its pictures and the story line of a boy fascinated with a man. In his other book “The Invention of Hugo Cabgret” is a book about a boy who is very much intrigued with a mechanical man. Most of this book is told by pictures. In “The Boy of a Thousand Faces” a story about a boy who wants to make the face of silent films is funny and enjoyable. Again his pictures are extraordinary and they help the story line. The author has combined a novel, a picture book, a graphic novel, and a movie to make this distinctly books by which my school should get to know. In all his books there seems to be a pattern which contain a story line told by pictures and boys with  strong fascinations that take them on a journey filled with humor and mystery. 

The plot is about a little boy whose mother died and he goes out to find his father. He finds letters from his mother to his father and goes on a journey to find his father in New York City. The main character is (Ben) is deaf.

  His mother  a librarian taught him many things that he remembers and guild him through his quest. He has no other family member to go to but his aunt, uncle and  a bully cousin.Then his life got even worse by losing hearing in his other ear. He decides that he needs to go and his father who lives  in New York City.

Selznick, B. (2007). Wonder. NY: Scholastic