Brian Selzniak
Schoalstic Inc
ISBN: 9780545448680
RRP: $34.99
Published: October, 2015
Reviewer: Nicola Cain
They say, a picture really does paint a thousand words, and this book proves it.
Brian Selzniak’s The Marvels tells two stories in one. The first is story of Billy Marvel. He survives a ship wreck and then finds work in a theatre. As time goes on, the Marvel family blossoms into generations of talented actors. Then in 1900, Leontes Marvel is banished from the stage.
Travel forward 100 years later, we meet a boy named Joseph who runs away to seek refuge with his uncle in London. Once there, Joseph marvels at the beautiful house, and it’s seemingly supernatural type contents and decides to go searching through clues and mysteries to unravel secrets about the house, his family and the past.
The Marvels is told through both prose and pictures, with the first 400 pages made up purely of illustrations. These intricate illustrations create a beautiful story that is both enchanting and magical. If you enjoyed Wonderstruck and The Invention of Hugo Cabret, this book will not disappoint. This is definitely one to add to your bookshelf!
