Read of the Week: Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Chosen by Calderstones and People Assistant Eamee, this week's read is Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick, a story that will appeal to young and old.

This is one book which has two stories in it separated by 50 years. One half is told in beautiful drawings, the other half in captivating words.

Wonderstruck, is ideal to read with children and adults alike. Don’t be put off by the weight of the book: it’s beautifully illustrated and catches the heart with thoughtful language that would appeal to both young and old.

One story is about a young boy named Ben, who lives in Gunflint Lake, Minnesota. Told in words, we learn how this young boy sets himself a mission of finding his father after his mother dies in an accident, whilst Rose’s story is told in pictures. Both stories intertwine and move towards a very satisfying connection.

It’s not giving too much away to reveal that both stories deal with the subject of deafness, but the book somehow makes you appreciate that ‘hearing’ the world can be done in a different way and that we can all do this in our daily lives.

"He wished he was with his mom in her library, where everything was safe and numbered and organized by the Dewey decimal system. Ben wished the world was organized by the Dewey decimal system. That way you'd be able to find whatever you were looking for, like the meaning of your dream, or your dad.” - Brian Selznick, Wonderstruck
― Brian Selznick, Wonderstruck