The Marvels

The Marvels by Brian Selznick is a wonderful, gorgeous book telling the story of a family's connection to theatre in London over the course of hundreds of years. The book is mostly in two halves, revolving around two sets of characters, including the runaway Joseph and Frankie, a girl pretending to be a boy.

The book is a blend of genres: The first half is largely a picture book, with splendid vintage illustrations designed like ads, programs, and trade papers from Old London. The second half is a chapter book, with Frankie and Joseph illustrating the narrative with their words and dialogue. The book is geared more toward advanced readers, ideal for those in middle school.

Activities:

1. Create a new piece of art to go into the first half of the book. What is it and why? How does it fit into the narrative of Frankie and Joseph?
2. What was your response to the story-within-a-story? Did it change how you felt about the first half of the book? Why or why not?
3. Change the setting of the book, both in time and locale. What changes? Why? When you're finished, write about how setting can impact the story being told and how characters interact.
4. Pretend to be Joseph or Frankie, and write a letter to Uncle Albert at one point in the story. Make sure to write 1-2 sentences at the beginning about when the letter is being written. What do you have to say? How do you feel? 
5. A box of wonders. Create a box and decorate it in the style of the first half of the book. Pretend you are with Frankie and Joseph, and fill it with things you think belong to the story. When you're done, create a "key": A list of the items inside, and 1-2 sentences per item that describe why you put them there.

I really, really enjoyed this book! I initially picked it up at a bookstore, not knowing it wasn't adult fiction (the cover art was gorgeous and in tune with many adult fiction covers). Once I flipped through it, the art got me so excited I had to buy it! Frankie and Joseph are such unique, contemporary characters, despite being in a totally different time. While the book deals with some adult issues (gender, depression, isolation), it does so in a way that makes it fantastic for advanced readers beginning to delve into adolescence. The art itself is truly unique and a great asset. Other similar books include The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, a tale in similar settings, Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley (similar setting with different narrative, and a little less dark), and Wonderstruck, another of Selznick's magic-oriented, enchanting novels.

Bibliography

Selnick, Brian. The Marvels. (2015) Scholastic Press.