Wonderstruck

Selznick, Brian. (2007). Wonderstruck. New York: Scholastic.

Wonderstruck is a fascinating book that tells of two intertwined stories. The stories contain children who lost their ability to hear as well as their mother. The story of Ben is told with text. Ben is on a journey to find his dad. The story of Rose is told primarily through illustrations. The illustrations tell us Rose’s story happened 50 years before Ben’s story. In the end we find out that Rose is actually Ben’s grandmother. The author did a phenomenal job in blending both stories together.

Analysis: How would this book appeal to "your" library? How would you sell these books? What other books has the author written?  Are they similar or different?


Wonderstruck is a novel told in both words and illustrations. This book has incredible drawings. The illustrations are vital to the story because they tell the story.  It would appeal to readers emerging readers as the illustrations are part of the story line. Readers who like to discover new genres would like this book because it tells two stories simultaneously. Readers with disabilities would also like this story because they can relate to the character. Other appealing characteristics of this book are for readers who are visual learners, as the illustrations are a key part.

I would sell this to readers by saying that the style of the book is unique.  I would also tell the emerging readers that this is a great book to read as the illustrations tell the story; maybe that might motivate them to read.  

The other books I read by the author are The Invention of Hugo Cabret, The Boy of a Thousand Faces, and The Houdini Box. The Invention of Hugo Cabret is very similar to Wonderstruck in that the images are an intrinsic part of the story. Without the images the reader would be lost. The Boy of a Thousand Faces also has a young boy as the main character, who has an overactive imagination.  The text is supported with an abundance of illustrations. This book also introduces the reader to many classic movies and stories such as Frankenstein and Dracula. The Houdini Box doesn’t contain as many illustrations as the other two books. In this book the illustrations help visualize the story not tell it like in the other books. Selznick has a style like no other, she makes the reader really focus and internalize his images and words.