Wonderstruck

Sitting proudly at the top of Ben's Christmas book stack this year was Wonderstruck, the newest offering from Brian Selznick.   Of course I was just as excited to get it as he was, but I managed to hold off reading until after Christmas, and then I devoured it on a quiet, relaxing December 26th.  It did not disappoint.


Wonderstruck is the story of two young children, a boy and a girl, living 50 years apart, but connected by many threads and living similar lives in many ways.  One story, that of Ben, is told in words, while the other, of Rose, is shown in breathtaking drawings.  The stories take turns and mingle giving the reader little clues as to how they will actually become one.  (I loved trying to guess just how the two would be connected!)

From Wonderstruck: Cabinets of Wonder


The setting is split between  Northern Minnesota (yay Gunflint Trail!)  and New York City, giving the author plenty of beautiful and exciting scenes to portray.  The Museum of Natural History plays a big part in the story and I found the idea of a Cabinet of Wonders-sort of a nature table on steroids- irresistible.  I think I need one.  

Perhaps like this:

rocks and minerals

Or maybe this:

Scary stuff!

But I digress.

Selznick's words and illustrations pull you along through the story and keep you interested in guessing if the children will somehow meet in the end.  It is beautiful and sad and tender.  Every bit as wonderful as The Invention of Hugo Cabret! 

Book Stacks 2011

Coming Soon! Christmas Book Stacks!

For a number of years now-is it six? Seven?- Book Stacks have been a part of Christmas day excitement at our house. This is a tradition that both my friend Caryl and I look forward to as much as our kids. (Although she is far better at wrapping hers for presentation.  I slap on the tissue paper and go, while she raises packaging to an art form!  I'm inspired to rise to the challenge next year though!)  While I'm a bit slow to chronicle the contents of my tissue towers, I am content in the fact that the kids are already enjoying some of the great new stories they received this year.  So, as soon as I can, I will do the big reveal on the 2011 Book Stacks, and hopefully that will be before 2012 catches up with us!!

Christmas Book Stacks 2009-William's Stack

William's Stack

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

by J.K. Rowling


It was pure torture for William to hear me and Ben talk on endlessly about what was happening in the Harry Potter stories as we read through the entire series together. We laughed, we grimaced, some of us lost faith in Professor Snape (ahem, it was not me by the way. I trusted him to the end!), and we were continually glossy-eyed for weeks carrying around those tomes. But William is extremely sensitive. I'm not sure he can leave things like Dementors, Bogarts, and ghosts inside the books when the covers are closed. Therefore, books 3 through 7 will have to wait for awhile, but while Harry is still relatively innocent and humorous in books 1 and 2, it should be enjoyable reading for him. He has already started digging in, and feels pretty cool to now be in the club. Ben and I are excited for him to get through the books so we can start on watching the movies!


Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry


I don't know what to do about this book! I bought it for Will to read himself, but it looks so good that I selfishly want to do it as a family read-aloud so we can all share in it! I probably just need to let Will read it, right? Help!

From the Amazon review:
Humorist Dave Barry and suspense writer Ridley Pearson have clearly taken great delight in writing a 400-plus page prequel of sorts to Scottish dramatist J.M. Barrie's beloved Peter Pan stories. The result is a fast-paced and fluffy pirate adventure, complete with talking porpoises, stinky rogues, possible cannibals, a flying crocodile, biting mermaids, and a much-sought-after trunk full of magical glowing green "starstuff." Ever hear of Zeus? Michelangelo? Attila the Hun? According to 14-year-old Molly Aster they all derived their powers from starstuff that occasionally falls to Earth from the heavens. On Earth, it is the Starcatchers' job to rush to the scene and collect the starstuff before it falls into the hands of the Others who use its myriad powers for evil.



Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback


This was headed towards Charlie's stack originally, but then I considered how much Will still enjoys looking at picture books. I dread the day that beautifully illustrated children's books are no longer the rage at my house, so I thought I should keep the joy alive with this fabulous offering from Simms Taback. I was right on the mark as William exclaimed excitedly on Christmas morning "I remember this book! This is really good!" Sweet.



Peter Duck by Arthur Ransome


This one will be a read-aloud for sure. We have read the first two books in this series with great enjoyment and although we are all on the edge of our seats throughout these stories, William is always the first one to beg for "just one more chapter, please!". Thus, I felt this family favorite belonged in his stack. Everyone is looking forward to the continued adventures of the Swallows and Amazons.

Christmas Book Stacks 2009- Benjamin's Stack

There were so many good books on my list this year to give to the kids, but the two big Deal-Breakers, Time & Money, prevented me from filling out the stacks like I wanted to. The titles that did make the stacks were all big hits, though, so I have no regrets and no complaints. And those wish-listers just might show up this spring in someone's Birthday Book Stack.....

Ben's Stack

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart

Ben requested this book some time ago and it was at the top of his Christmas list. When talk of getting a Wii came up this year, and it was made clear that there would not be much else under the tree if one came, he asked wide-eyed "But can I still get The Mysterious Benedict Society along with the Wii?" I must be doing something right. He has already kept his lights on too late into the night to read this daring new adventure of the Benedict Society kids. A side note: I really thought that dilemma was spelled with an "n". Dilemna. So convinced was I, that I had to ask the Google. Here's an interesting Blog bit about it at Grammarphobia. Huh. Who knew? Very odd indeed.

The Sorcerer's Companion-A Guide to the Magical World of Hary Potter by Allan Zola Kronzek and Elizabeth Kronzek


As Ben neared the end of the Seventh Harry Potter in mid-December, I knew he would be a bit melancholy about there being no more stories in the series. When I stumbled across this book, I knew it would fill that wizard shaped hole in his reading life. The Sorcerer's Companion takes a look at many of the creatures and customs in the Harry Potter series and connects them to their real-life origins from around the world. Ben thinks it is really cool that J.K didn't just make up things like the Grindylow and Hinkypunk . A great education in mythology, folklore and superstition as it relates to the H.P books.


The Time Machine by H.G.Wells


This was in a Scholastic book flyer for $1.00. I find that beyond the kindergarten/first grade years, Scholastic really pushes a lot of junk, so when I saw this I had to grab it. One dollar? Come on! The vocabulary is rich and the writing will be chewy, but I think Ben will really like it!


Merlin and the Making of the King by Margaret Hodges, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman


I found a copy of this book, in hardcover, brand new, at the library book sale. For twenty-five cents, people! A magnificiently illustrated version of popular Arthurian legend. A perfect addition to Ben's stack. Margaret Hodges and Trina Schart Hyman are both well respected around our house.

Motel of the Mysteries by David Macaulay


I remember reading this book with Ben when he was about 6 or so. I thought it was pure genius, but alas, at such a tender age, he did not get the concept of archeological satire. The premise of the book is that our civilization has finally and mysteriously died off, leaving archeologists from the 41st cenury to piece together our customs and habits from the remains of an excavated motel room. Their conclusions, though seemingly well drawn, are ridiculously off course. When I came across the book again at the Goodwill recently, I knew it was time for him to give it another try. Ben totally gets it now (yay!) and can appreciate the stumbling blocks faced in interpreting the past.