Fat But Fast

Feb 9, 2019 -

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Fat But Fast

It’s not fancy, but it’s an accurate description of Brian Selznick’s Wonderstruck from a physical point of view; it’s fat and heavy, certainly, but since more than half of the pages contain only pictures, it doesn’t take a terribly long time to read.

Wonderstruck is made up of two stories that ultimately intertwine–Ben’s story in 1977, told through text, and Rose’s story in 1927, told through pictures. Saying too much more feels like a spoiler, since there are aspects of the stories you ought to be able to discover yourself, and so I’ll say only that both children are looking for something missing in their lives. Selznick’s style is unique and an enjoyably interesting reading experience (even if it’s less my thing overall), and Wonderstruck is at least as good as The Invention of Hugo Cabret. I loved the stories themselves, and I think most young readers will enjoy them as well. Tell me what you think!