BookHounds

MY THOUGHTSABSOLUTELY LOVED ITWhat an amazing story! This one is full of imagination and insight brought together by words and pictures intertwined to tell two stories that become one. What is so fascinating about this book is that the stories of Rose, told through images and in the early part of the 1900's and Ben, told through words with a few illustrations combine in the end to make an enduring and gratifying tale. Rose, somewhat of an orphan herself and living in a mansion across the river from New York City, finds refuge in movies before they became they become filled with sound which is a problem for her since she is deaf. Ben, is now an orphan and survives a lightening strike to find his hearing gone. Since his mother died, he is determined to find his father, whom he knows little about.Even thought their stories take place 50 years apart, there are parallels between the two. They both end up in the Natural History Museum where they discover a life and purpose both unknown to them before. Ben doesn't know the full story of his father until he starts digging and finds an old address and a bookmark in his mother's belongings. He sets out with some cash for the address in New York City and through a bit of luck finds that his father worked at the museum. Rose has her own search for her mother, an actress, and ends up with her brother who works at the museum where she finds work. They both meet there and learn about an amazing connection both familial and historic. WOW! This is one that will stay with me a long time. It is such wonderful work that went into this creation. I can easily imagine that this is a book that can be shared through generations and has important lessons about aging, growing up and the connections between them. It truly touched a place in my heart with the details that brought everything to life. I felt so sad for Ben as he struggled with his hearing loss and not having a mother, you wonder how he gained the strength to go on his quest. Rose also tugged at my heartstrings when she is shut out by her mother and the loss she feels when movies added sound and took away her one true joy. The ending is just spectacular that these two find themselves related and connected. I highly recommend this one to all ages!