Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

★★★★★

"Ben wished the world was organized by the Dewey decimal system.  That way you'd be able to find whatever you were looking for."

I picked this one up after I read Hugo for the second time.  I read it to Isabelle when she was about six-months old - back when she wasn't crawling yet and could sit still for me to read her pages at a time.  We have since moved on to primarily board books and short pictures books except on the rare occasion that she wants to cuddle in the morning!

First of all, I just need to point out that Brian Selznick is an amazing storyteller and illustrator.  His books are pure genious.  I think I've said this before, but I've read a lot of books (both children and adult) and it's a rare treat when I find an author that is able to do something completely new and different that I haven't seen before.  And to top it off, Selznick manages to do it extremely well while still creating an captivating story.

The book is similar to Hugo where the story it told through both pictures and words except that Wonderstruck tells two different (but connected) stories - one through only words and the other through only pictures.  

Here is a brief description: Ben and Rose secretly wish for better lives. Ben longs for his unknown father. Rose scrapbooks a famous silent actress. When Ben finds clues and Rose reads enticing news, the children independently run to New York for what they are missing. Ben's story in words, Rose's in pictures, come together in deafness.

Amazing. Moving. Wonderful. Pure genius.  I perfect mix of history, self-discovery, and mystery told through words and pictures.  I CANNOT wait until The Marvels comes out in less than a week!!