Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Epic saga of theater family, told mostly in pictures.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In 1766, young Billy Marvel and his dog, Tar, are the sole survivors of a shipwreck that claimed the life of Billy's brother Marcus, among its many victims. Rescued by an English ship, Billy and Tar find a home at a London theater, launching a famous acting dynasty, THE MARVELS, whose tale unfolds in nearly 400 pages of Selznick's skilled, meticulous, poignant drawings, leaving the page-turning reader in shocked suspense. As the prose narrative begins, it's 1990 in London, where 13-year-old Joseph Jervis just ran away from boarding school and is working up the nerve to ring the doorbell of his uncle Albert, whom he's never met. He'll soon encounter the legacy of the Marvels and try to discover what it has to do with him and his family.
Is It Any Good?
Brian Selznick delivers another stunner in the intertwined sagas -- told mostly in pictures -- of a shipwrecked boy in 1766, the theatrical dynasty he founded, and a teen runaway in 1990. Keep the box of tissues handy, as there's plenty of loss and many heartstring-tugging moments along the way, as well as lots of love, humor, and miracles in the strangest of places.
It's a lush, complex tapestry of stories that rewards many visits. It also explores many deep subjects (death, loss, families, relationships, truth and fiction -- and which is which), as well as history that may be news to today's young readers, such as the AIDS epidemic. Gay and straight couples, and the joy and grief of their relationships, are essential to the story.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about stories -- true, made-up, and something in between -- that bring people together and keep them connected. Do you have any family legends? Why do you think they survive from generation to generation in your family?
Do you like books that jump around in time? How does the art help tell the story? Have you read other Brian Selznick books? How is The Marvels different or similar?
Do you know about the AIDS epidemic of the '90s and the impact it had on people's lives? Do you know anyone who lived in those times and were affected? Are things better today?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Brian Selznick
- Genre : Contemporary Fiction
- Topics : Arts , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Animals , Friendship , History
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Scholastic Press
- Publication date : September 15, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 640
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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