Wonderstruck!

I loved this book. It is by the same author and in the same format as The Invention of Hugo Cabret (I didn't see the movie, so I can't comment on that, but the book was fantastic). The format, if you haven't read either of these, is part picture book-part novel. So, for like 20 pages you just have a series of illustrations that tell part of the story. It's quick, it's descriptive, it's effective. Then back to a few chapters of words. It is awesome. It obviously cuts down on how long a book can be because pictures, frankly, do tell a thousand words. And it is more interesting. And a little mysterious feeling.

ANYWAY, I read this book several months ago, but it is coming up NOW because I went here yesterday:

This is the Menil Collection, an art museum in Houston. And I was delighted because it had a Cabinet of Wonders! And Wonderstruck is all about cabinets of wonder. I would never have known what I was looking at and experiencing if I hadn't read this book. Since I had, however, I was thoroughly delighted above and beyond just looking at whatever was there (which was cool and creepy also). Plus, the whole time I was reading the book, I was wanting to see a cabinet of wonders. Lo and behold!

I am now going to pull a sweet idea from my friend Courtney by reading this book to my kids and then taking them to a real cabinet of wonders. It will be awesomely awesome. At least for me. And for Gabe because he loved the cabinet of wonders, and he has never even read the book.

Speaking of Gabe, see that picture up there of the museum grounds? That is an art installation in the grass. It is a series of ditches in different shapes - zig zags, swirl, lines - that vary in depth. You can't tell they vary in depth unless you walk in them or see someone walking in them. Naturally, when Gabe saw them he started running in them (they are only about one person wide, and the one you see right there is maybe 6 inches deep). I did it with him. Not only is it surprisingly fun, but it inspired this artsy couple to take pictures of us "experiencing the art and becoming the art together. It's so beautiful." Not kidding, they said that. It was nice and also funny to me.

ALSO, Gabe was inspired to make his own cabinet of wonders. We will be looking for just the right cabinet for him to begin. I'm stoked. Since my kids are hoarders collectors, I think he'll thrive at this endeavor.