From: HarperTrophy Publisher: HarperTrophy Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: HarperTrophy Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 48 Publication Date: September 01, 2001 Reading Level: Ages 9-12 Release Date: August 21, 2001
Product Description: Because Alonzo King was born on Halloween, he has always loved monsters. But no one would ever guess that he lives in a haunted house with a graveyard out back, communicates with the dead, turns into a six-armed, slime-covered creature, or is a walking encyclopedia on horror films! However, when The Beast arrives, not even Alonzo can track it down. Will he be able to solve the mystery of the creature stalking his town and make his dream of becoming The Boy of a Thousand Faces come true?
01-02 TX Bluebonnet Award Masterlist
01-02 TX Bluebonnet Award Masterlist
Amazon.com: Alonzo King dreams of being known as The Boy of a Thousand Faces after his hero, Lon Chaney, late star of horror films. Alone in his room he transforms his face with makeup and tape, and then takes pictures with a Polaroid. In a town of nonbelievers, Alonzo is an expert on monsters, vampires, and assorted ghouls. One year, as Halloween approaches (as does Alonzo's 10th birthday), rumors of a mysterious beast start circulating, and suddenly Alonzo's grisly expertise is in great demand. But who--or what--is this horrible beast that crushes gladiolas in the night and leaves claw prints on cars? And will Alonzo's wish for fame and understanding from his friends and neighbors ever come true?
Brian Selznick's black-and-white pencil drawings set a spooky stage for this story of intrigue and imagination. Although the plot is convoluted and faintly perplexing, the overall effect is pleasingly sinister. Close-ups of Mr. Blake, Alonzo's seemingly mild-mannered neighbor and cohort in all things macabre, inspire speculation about skeletons he may be harboring in his own closet. Readers will want to run right out and read The Lost City of Atlantis, or rent the old classic versions of Frankenstein, The Phantom of the Opera, and Dracula. Perfect Halloween fare from the illustrator of Andrew Clements's Frindle and Pam Munoz Ryan's Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride. (Ages 7 to 11) --Emilie Coulter
Amazing artwork.... A wonderful book, my 5 year old really enjoyed it. Any child who is interested in monsters, individuality, monster movies, art, and creativity will love this book. It has inspired my son to create his own "book of a thousand faces." Also check out "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" this author brillantly melds illustration and story into a captivating universe. I enjoy these books as much as my son.
Brian Selznick Creates Masterpieces! This is a fun book about the magic movies have over people and their memories. A 10 year old boy is obsessed with having a thousand faces just like Lon Chaney. He watches many films and tries to recall all the faces that Lon Chaney had in different films. No one can really capture in their mind what Lon Chaney really looked like because he preferred to appear in character and the films are what lives on. I am a teacher and I defintely want to read this book and show The Phantom of the Opera to them. It is a great introduction to popular culture, and silent films. Lon Chaney was a very gifted actor and he was a pioneer in movie makeup. It's nice that Brian Selznick, a member of the Selznick family of movie fame, remembers him so fondly. I also remember taking out 8mm movies out of the library and showing them on our Super 8 projector. They were edited versions of The Mummy, Phantom of the Opera, The Wolf Man etc. without sound or music. We loved them, and borrowed them again and again. What memories they have for me.
The man of a thousand faces and the boy of a thousand faces The story is about a boy and his movie make-up. He lives in a town where no one believes in Halloween and monsters....except for him... In the beginning he was "alone" in a town of non-beleivers. Until the beast arrived, everyone beleived.... ~Erin Age 11
The boy if a thousand faces I thought this was a wonderful book. It had everything a kids book should have, mystery, adventure and best of all it dealt with Halloween, every kids delight, even at 43!
Turn out the lights and read by ... flashlight! Brian Selznick has created a perfect Halloween story book for the younger school age set. They will ask to see "Frankenstein", "Dracula", and "The Wolf Man" after reading and seeing the pictures in this little book of "horrors". The beginning was a little fragmented and slow to grow but once the story was moving to the main problem as to who "the beast" was, you really wanted to know more and why. The ending was very cute; maybe too cute for me, but I'm not 10 years old. The telling of this tale will help parents in getting their kids to talk about their fears, their dreams for the future, their secret desires! The boy hero is a real kid with hidden dreams who is able to finally show those dreams to his friends and family!
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