Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope
Brian Selznick
Scholastic, September, 2021
192 pages
Grades 5-7
Short Stories

Interconnecting short stories tell different versions of the unnamed narrator and his friend James. With each shake of the Kaleidoscope the time, setting, and circumstances of the friendship with James shifts with varying degrees of realism. Each chapter is led with a close-up Kaleidoscope illustration followed by a wider view of the story on the next page, where readers can find the area from which the close up can be found. Some of the stories feel realistic, while others are clearly fantasy. Certain objects repeat throughout the book connecting the stories, as do themes, such as loneliness and loss. The surrealistic mood remains consistent leading readers from one dreamy adventure to the next.

Brian Selznick is clearly an artist. He consistently creates fresh ways to convey a story for young people, weaving illustration with text and is a pioneer in children's literature. Kaleidoscope is his latest endeavor and, though a work of art, may go a bit too far to be useful to children. Selznick states in an author's note at the end of the volume that he wrote this book during the dark days of the pandemic while separated from his husband and this is clear through both the mood and themes of the story. Loneliness and loss are prevalent in every story and the narrator's connection to a mysterious "James" is the repeating main theme. The story is surrealism at its best and will go over the head of even the most thoughtful young readers, making the audience unclear. I am not confident that I understood the entire book and found myself confused and bored on various points throughout reading. I finished only because I am a loyal fan of the author and was waiting for clarity at the end-that frankly never came. That said, the illustrations are beautiful and I enjoyed finding the details from the kaleidoscope in the larger illustration, as will young readers. The writing is poetic and beautiful. This is truly a work of art, but will best be enjoyed by scholars of young people's literature than the young people themselves. I have a very thoughtful eleven-year-old niece who is a fan of Brian Selznick. I plan on passing this book onto her to get a young person's opinion and to see if she can get through it.