Author: Brian Selznick
Illustrator: Brian Selznick
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: September 15th, 2015
Genre/Format: Fiction/Hybrid Novel with Pictures
GoodReads Summary: Caldecott Award winner and bookmaking trailblazer Brian Selznick once again plays with the form he invented and takes readers on a voyage!
Two seemingly unrelated stories--one in words, the other in pictures--come together. The illustrated story begins in 1766 with Billy Marvel, the lone survivor of a shipwreck, and charts the adventures of his family of actors over five generations. The prose story opens in 1990 and follows Joseph, who has run away from school to an estranged uncle's puzzling house in London, where he, along with the reader, must piece together many mysteries.
What I Think: I'm so excited to share this book with young readers! I'm a fan of The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck and believe fans of Selznick's work will enjoy The Marvels as well. While Selznick includes his combination of drawings and prose to tell his story again, this time the majority of the drawings come first and then the bulk of the text comes at the end. I was so fascinated by the drawings and then even more intrigued by the prose because the characters are so interesting. By the end of the book, I felt so connected and in love with the characters but it happened so naturally along the way.
As a mentor text, this book is an excellent anchor piece for looking at character development and characterization. We see especially how Joseph develops as a character and how he changes throughout the book. It's simple and subtle but remarkable at the same time.
The Marvels is also a unique opportunity to discuss how the setting impacts the book and the characters because it is deeply woven into the progress of the story and its characters.
Finally, the end notes are always fascinating but completely so in this instance. Discussing how the author got the idea for The Marvels and extending that to students, asking them to think about the world around them and the stories and possibility for stories around them is a powerful opportunity to help them see how they are writers. Writers need ideas...and there are ideas all over the place if we just keep our eyes open. Brian Selznick shows us what we're able to find when we do keep our eyes open. You either see it or you don't.
There are so many mysteries to unlock in The Marvels. All readers are going to be curious as to how Joseph and the Marvels are connected! To hear some mysterious recordings by Brian Selznick, get a sneak peek at artwork from the book, and discover souvenirs from inside THE MARVELS house, check out the YOU EITHER SEE IT OR YOU DON’T tour. Can you figure out what they all mean? You either see it or you don’t.
September 7th – TheBookSmugglers.com
September 8th – Hypable.com
September 9th – SuperSpaceChick.com
September 10th – TheReadingRoom.com
September 11th – PopWrapped.com
Brian Selznick will be out on a multi-city tour to celebrate the release of The Marvels!
Click here to find out where you can meet Brian on his tour for #THEMARVELS!
And be sure to enter the giveaway below!
Read Alone: Grades 5 - 8
Read With: The Real Boy by Anne Ursu, See You At Harry's by Jo Knowles, Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz, We Were Liars by E. Lockhaart
Snatch of Text:
Topics Covered: Family, Friendship, Mystery, Determination, Courage, Honesty
I *heart* It:
*Thanks to Scholastic for providing
a copy of this title and the opportunity to offer a giveaway
in exchange for an honest review!*
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