There he finds a book called Wonder Struck with red ink inside the front cover. It reads for Danny, Love M. Ben also finds a book mark with a phone number on it and he wonders if it might be a link to his long lost dad, who he never knew.
Ben calls the number as the storm rages outside, just as lightning hits the house and strikes Ben to the ground.
He wakes up in hospital with the realisation that he is now deaf in both ears. As he recovers, Ben wonders about the history of his dad and so he escapes and travels to New York where he meets a faithful friend called Jamie. Jamie’s dad works at the American Museum of Natural History – and this is where Ben discover some amazing links to his dad.
Rose is deaf and lives with her father and mother, movie star Lillian Mayhew. Life is sad for Rose because she never gets to see her mum and she’s locked in her house, unable to lead a normal life.
Like Ben, she too runs away to New York where she meets an old friend at the Museum of Natural History. His name is Walter and he takes Rose to his house and takes care of her.
When Ben’s and Rose’s stories meet, it ends in the least imaginable way possible.
This book is very thick and heavy but only took me about two hours to read. That’s because most of the book is pictures. The author has put so much effort into these amazing sketches, which tells Rose’s story … whereas the words tell Ben’s story. That is, until they meet . . .
This book has to be my favourite this year.
- this review by Ella, 11
Title: Wonder Struck
Author/Illustrator: Brian Selznick
Publisher: Scholastic, $34.99
Publication
Date: September 2011
ISBN: 9780545027892
Format: Hard cover with dust jacket
For
ages: 9+
Type: Graphic Novel
