Dear Hardcovers and Hangovers,
With a new year comes lots of new reads. Our first selection of 2012 was a children’s literature piece, The Inventions of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. A bit unconventional for an adult book club, however, the book was well liked by all. What makes this book so awesome is the visual journey it takes the reader on. The characters and plot are secondary to the format of this book. As Marrie pointed out she really never connected with the characters. Marrie also noted that as she read the book she envisioned her ‘text’ pages as black and white. Charli liked it as flipping through a silent film. Indeed this was Selznick’s intention. His format and the tie into the story line (Georges Melies) is very cleaver.
In the field of children’s literature, what excites me the most is a book that is so stunning and captivating it can draw that reluctant reader in. Hugo breaks the paradigm and delivers such a book. This brought us to a discussion about Harry Potter and how this series has promoted reading as ‘cool’. Bringing Marrie to ask, ‘What book got you hooked?’. For Susan it was Stephen King books, Charli loved Fudge by Judy Blume (which got a lot of ‘oh’ loved her stuff), for Sara it was the Bobbsey Twins series, Ellen recalled those Scholastic Readers, Karin remembered Aesop Fables and Fairy Tales, for Jenn it was Trixie Belden series and for Marrie it was the classic To Kill a Mockingbird. Lots of memories are associated with childhood books, the ones that were read to you and those that you could start to read on your own.
I highly recommend reading Selznick’s next masterpiece, Wonderstruck. Here is a synopsis from Amazon: “From Brian Selznick, the creator of the Caldecott Medal winner THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET, comes another breathtaking tour de force.
Playing with the form he created in his trailblazing debut novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick once again sails into uncharted territory and takes readers on an awe-inspiring journey.
Ben and Rose secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known. Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother's room and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing.
Set fifty years apart, these two independent stories--Ben's told in words, Rose's in pictures--weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. How they unfold and ultimately intertwine will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder. Rich, complex, affecting, and beautiful--with over 460 pages of original artwork--Wonderstruck is a stunning achievement from a uniquely gifted artist and visionary.”
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We all enjoyed seeing Sara in fits of laughter as the evening was full of non related book talk that generated many hysterical moments. Bathtubs is all I will say…..
Thanks all for an enjoyable evening. We missed Allison and Amy and look forward to seeing them next month at Charli’s when we discuss Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.
Happy Reading,
Jenn
