The Marvels, Brian Selznick. Most definitely, Selznick has created a new style of writing. With the first 386 pages all strikingly beautiful pencil drawings, a story unfolds that takes us back to 1766. When two brothers escape the sinking Kraken, and land on an island with their dog, Tar, one brother is buried. The surviving brother, Billy Marvel, stumbles upon the Shakespearean Royal Theater stage as an actor, leaving his mark. His future heirs follow in his footsteps, until Leo seeks a different path and goes in search of the sea. When a fire blazes through the theater, Leo rushes back, hoping to save his grandfather. There, the pictures stop, leaving us to wonder.

Following is the written story of Joseph, a boarding school runaway, on a quest to find his uncle, Alfred Nightingale (his mom's brother), in the small village of Spitalfields at 18 Folgate Street, London. Once he finds him and is reluctantly invited into the house, he is transported back years and years to fancy chandeliers, crystal tea cups and china dishware, all laid out with a detailed precision. Trying to piece together the story of his family and convinced A. Nightingale has the answers, he and Frankie, or Frances, his new found friend, steal a box of cassette tapes that tells  it all, which correlates exactly with the illustrated story. Glued to his uncle's every word, the story unfolds until it just stops . . . like the drawings. Joseph will not quit until he gets answers.

The reader will be as surprised as Joseph when he learns the truth. What commences is a relationship that endures. Pick up this book and get immersed in the story within a story within a story. I dare you to put it down before you finish.