Selznick,
B. (1991). Houdini. New York: Atheneum
Books for Young Readers.
Selznick,
B. (2007). The invention of Hugo Cabret. New York: Scholastic.
Selznick,
B. (2011). Wonderstruck. New York:
Scholastic.
This
blog will compare three of Brian Selznick’s picture books: Houdini, The invention of Hugo Cabret, and Wonderstruck. These works use the artistic media of charcoal
pencil (Lynch-Brown, Tomlinson, Short, 2011, p. 87) and are picture books for
older readers ages 8-12 (Lynch-Brown, et al., p. 110). As well, all three display the ability and
efficacy of a combination of text and illustration to convey narrative. But the way in
which they do so is proportional to their intrinsic sophistication regarding
same. On a continuum of least to most sophisticated Houdini is an example of the former: Though in terms of space Houdini is divided equally between text
and pictures, the story is told almost completely in the text. The pictures
don’t replace the text or function in its stead but act as foil.
Selznick accomplishes this using artistic media
of charcoal pencil to create a subdued atmosphere. Plot, character and mood in
the text proper are enhanced but not overpowered by the illustrations. Though Selznick uses the cartoon technique of
outlining objects, the figures are soft and all faces lightly indistinct.
Further Selznick uses a crosshatch texture to demodulate the impact of the
figures. This approach is ideal because it perfectly captures the aspirations
and dreams of a little boy who delights in magic. Happily though for a time disillusioned
about Houdini, through his own son the narrator is able to reconnect to the
magic Houdini inspired and by book end has rediscovered the magic in himself
While Hugo
Cabret builds on this same use of artistic style, media and visual elements
to deliver plot character and theme the book shifts away from an equal partnership
of text and illustration. Instead the illustrations themselves function as a
vehicle of narration. As a result illustration and text are no longer evenly
balanced but articulated successive ‘chunks’ of illustration and text.
Thus the reader is no longer provided visuals to
illustrate the text but given narration in a completely visual manner. Within a
short period of time the reader easily shifts between word and picture
narrations while at the same time never losing track of the story and consequently
its apprehension is taken to a much deeper level. Selznick lets us both see and
read the story and soon the reader is unconcerned which – text or illustration
– is foregrounded and completely absorbed in the story.
Hugo
Cabret also ‘illustrates’ the title character’s
inventiveness through sub-narratives of his life in the train station and his
relationships with the toy seller and the toy seller’s god-daughter and his wife.
And as it unfolds Selznick incorporates the history of Hugo’s father the
inventor and the toy seller who is actually Georges Méliès, creator of film.
But at no time does the story stop revolving around Hugo of which the
partnership of text and illustration never loses sight.
Finally Wonderstruck
is the ultimate transmogrification on the continuum of the relationship of
illustration and text that has been encountered so far in Houdini
and The Invention of Hugo Cabret. But
it goes one step further: Wonderstruck
inculcates what appear to be completely separate narratives through most of the
book by telling Rose Kinkaid’s story in illustrations without text and Ben’s story
– at least in the first two thirds or Parts – in just text.
Consequently up until Part 3, we ponder what
possible relationship these seemingly disjointed pictures and text say about
their respective protagonists relationship. In Part 3 the illustrations and
text begin to intertwine and interoperate connecting Ben and Rose and making
everything clear. It is an amazing book.
Personally I was not thrilled with one aspect of The Invention of Hugo Cabret: The title character was at times a petty thief and it
seems Selznick hadn’t a problem with that. This ‘smudged’ the book’s ending in
a celebration of the invention of film and Hugo’s budding career as a magician.
It seems Selznick lost the opportunity not to preach to adolescents but let
them know that even pilfering for survival entails the felonious and should be
at least questioned.
I had no reservations about Wonderstruck. It was just so incredibly creative about all the
things I love: Museums, science, artistic endeavor and creativity all grounded
in the possibility that all human relationships hold potential for wholeness. Both Ben and Rose were healed and what
started as fragments of disjointed chronology blossomed into the importance and
security of family and friends.
Question
for instructors: How could the The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck be used in read alouds?.
Question
for students:
How do The Invention of Hugo
Cabret and Wonderstruck teach us
about the importance about character and our own character’s impact on the
choices we make.
Activity:
Use “So What” Thinking Strategy” to build a class activity. For instance in Wonderstruck try to determine what
possible connection their might be between Ben’s text-based narrative and
Rose’s illustration-based narrative and then predict how the book might end.
Work in pairs or small groups to contextualize the history of film and dilemma
of inventors in World History. How does impact which inventors finally get a
chance and obtain success.
References
Lynch-Brown,
C. L., Tomlinson, C.M., & Short, K.G. (2011). Essentials of children’s
literature,
7th
ed. Boston:
Pearson.
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