Silent Movie

by Avi, C.B. Mordan (Illustrator)

Black-and-white images follow one after another.
The story of an immigrant family alone in a big city.
Close-ups of a mother, a son -- faces filled with heartache and joy.
Plenty of action.
Excitement.
Melodrama.
A Silent Movie.

Genres: Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Childrens, Adventure, Media Tie In, 19th Century, New York

64 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2003

About the author

Avi is a pen name for Edward Irving Wortis, but he says, "The fact is, Avi is the only name I use." Born in 1937, Avi has created many fictional favorites such as The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Nothing but the Truth, and the Crispin series. His work is popular among readers young and old.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the concept of the book: the idea of using illustrations and simple text to tell a story of a newly immigrated Swedish family in America. The illustrations really capture the feel of a back-and-white silent movie. Each picture is like a carefully chosen film "shot." However, something about the story bothered me. I can not put my finger on what exactly, but the emphasis seems to be on the "movie style" of the book, and not on the story of the family. The author and illustrator talk about this silent-movie style, but I found myself wanting to know why the author chose certain the story elements; what were his ispirations for the story, itself, not the style.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silent Movie is certainly a book unlike others you have read. The author and illustrator did extensive research on the making of silent movies from the early 1900s in order to publish this book with integrity. This book captures the reader by using just a few words on each page to further explain the framed illustrations, akin to watching a silent movie. The story begins in 1909 when Papa Hans set off for America from Sweden in search of a better life. Six months later, Mama and Gustave left Sweden to meet Papa in America. When Mama and Gustave arrive in New York, they are unable to find Papa who is searching the dock for them. The two must set out alone together in the big city, not speaking English. Soon, they meet up with an old neighbor from Sweden who offers them a place to stay and a job for Mama. The plot climaxes when Gustave is offered an acting job from the famous movie director, Bartholomew Bunting. Feeling lonely, Papa decided to go to the nickelodeon to see a silent movie. He sees his son on the screen and shouts, “That’s my boy!” Papa sets out to the studio where movies are made and finds his son and wife. Gustave ends up making one hundred dollars per week acting in movies! The family is together once again living as an American family where they have a better life.

It is imperative for readers to read the Author’s Note and the Illustrator’s Note at the end of the book because they offer insight into the process of creating this book and a bit of history about silent movies. The illustrator notes that his use of large images is intended to show a longer time period, while his smaller framed illustrations portray a fast-paced scene. Creativity abounds in this book that portrays a silent film so well. Anyone interested in history and entertainment of the early 1900s should read this book! The illustrations are shaded in black with small white spaces and a double-lined frame around each image. Children of all ages will enjoy reading this book whether they are in search of information about family life in the 1900s or are interested in a unique way of illustrating books to match the time period of the making of silent movies. The text is easy to read, so children in grades 2 and up can read it with ease while appreciating the one-of-a-kind combination of text and illustrations.

[Lauma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in the early 1900's, Papa Hans sets sail for America from Sweden. Six months later, his wife and son follow him to New York, but unfortunately do not find each other upon their arrival. Mama and Gustave set out alone in the city, resorting to begging for a little money to buy some food. Gustave is lucky to be spotted by a famous movie director that is looking for a child actor for his new action movie. The boy's success leads to a happy ending--fulfilling their American dream.

The best part about this book is the black and white format that tells the story in pictures--frame by frame--like a silent movie of that era. Illustrator, C.B. Mordan, did a fantastic job capturing the drama, action, and emotion in the characters and settings of each frame. Sparse text helps support the illustrations just as in the silent movies. The story successfully introduces the reader to the topics of immigration and silent movies in the early 1900's. However, it is a short picture book and does not provide additional information for readers left with many questions.

I, for one, wondered if the book's reference to the famous movie director, Bartholomew Bunting, was a real person in silent movie history. Did they really produce movies on the streets of New York City in that time period? Would they have paid their child actors so generously? These would have been interesting facts to include in the back of the book.

This book is an enjoyable read with an interesting format, but would need to be supported with additional information about the historical topics. The Inventions of Hugo Cabret did a much job of this. I would recommend it for 4th or 5th graders.

[(NS) Panagiota Angelos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Silent movie written by Avi is a picture book set in 1901 and is illustrated to mimic a silent movie. The illustrations are black and white and featured frame-by-frame. This story is about a family who goes to America in search for a better life. The story begins by the father going alone to America. Several months later his family, Mama and Gustave, make the long trip to join father. Unfortunately they are unable to find Father Hans and after a few days they have no money and are scared. The two are forced to beg for money, which is then stolen by a thief. Things turn around for Gustave and Mama when they encounter an old friend, especially when Bartholomew Bunting sees Gustave and asks him to be in his movie.

Overall I was a little disappointed with this book written from Avi. She was a featured author in our textbook and is highly regarded. I thought this story was a bit unrealistic. I chuckled at the end of the book because it seemed a little unbelievable when Gustave goes from making a dollar a day to a hundred a week. I also found it odd that the father busts into the studio and attacks an actor in bear-suit acting with his son. I do find the topic of silent movies interesting and believe it can be used as a great teaching tool. On a positive note, I thought it was creative and an effective manner how the illustrator created a feeling of time. “I’ve created smaller images to show a quick sequence of events; most larger images are for stiller, more emotionally packed moments.”

[Victoria Leininger-halpern · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting book about a family that immigrates to America, and all the difficulties, financial and otherwise, that they face and the exciting way they overcome them.Told in the same format as a silent movie with very little wording and black and white pictures, it is a very interesting take on how the life of immigrants used to be, and the strange ways some of them were able to make a living.

This is a great, exciting book for any child who is interested to learn about history, and possibly how their relative's lives were if they cam from a different country. While fictitious, it can also give them hope they they too may become famous and be able to makes movies, much like the little boy in the story. I would highly recommend this book to children of all ages as an exciting tale and also an informative historical synapses of life in America.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The whole book is based on the theme of a movie including the title page. It is story of a young boy and his mother who come to America to meet up with Papa. But they don't find each other at the docks so Mama and Gustave find a friend to stay with and Mama gets a job. Meanwhile Bartholomew Bunting sees Gustave and decides he would be a great actor for his movies and he doesn't have to speak because they make silent movies. This leads to the reunion of the family and a rich life in America. The pictures in the book are all black and white and made like scenes from a movie. The illustrator even said he made them different sizes to show the passage of time. This book can be used from K and up.

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art and the feel/style of Silent Movie give this book it's third star. It did feel like watching a silent movie. I'm conflicted about the plot however.

I would tell you what my conflicts are, but it would mean putting up spoiler alerts, and since the book only takes about 5 minutes to read, it wouldn't be worth it.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: One hundred years ago people from all over the world are moving to the United States of America. Some want adventure. Some are fleeing hardship. Others come because they believe America is the "Promised Land." Among those who seek a better life is a family from Sweden. The first to go is Papa...

Premise/plot: Silent Movie is not a wordless picture book. However illustrations--told within black and white frames--do the heavy lifting in terms of story telling and characterization. The words assist the artwork.

The premise is relatively simple: A mother and son who have recently arrived in America--New York City, I believe--struggle to find the "Papa" who came before. Relatively alone and without resources, the pair struggles to find a way to make it. A chance--oh so fortunate--encounter with a movie maker (director?) leads to a happy ending! The boy is cast in a silent movie and the father recognizes his son on screen and the family is able to reunite!

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. The illustrations and text pair wonderfully together to convey the story of immigration experience at the turn of the twentieth century. (The story is set circa 1909.)

This one might be appreciated more by readers who have seen at least one or two silent movies and understand the concept. However, there's no reason why this picture book couldn't come first and serve as an introduction to the early days of movies.

Some/many silent movies are "shorts" and are about twenty minutes in length. There are silent movies for just about any genre.

This one could be read by a wider range of ages.

[Tami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silent Movie is a picture book meant to be experienced like a silent movie. The story is set in 1909: a young family immigrates from Sweden to America, Papa going first, then sending for Mama and son, Gustave six months later. Mama and Gustave arrive but are unable to find Papa once they arrive in New York. They are accosted by a thief, who steals what little money they are able to collect by begging and aided by an old friend from their native Sweden. Out on the street a famous movie director, Bartholomew Bunting, is searching for a child actor for his next movie, sees Gustave and thinks he will be perfect! Meanwhile, an exhausted Papa, still looking for Mama and Gustave, takes a break in the local nickelodeon and sees his son on the screen!

For me, as a teacher of theater, Silent Movie works as a way to introduce the topic of silent movies to students and start them thinking specifically of how to tell a story completely visually--how a director might envision it and then how to implement that vision with actors, sets, etc.

The illustrations are all in black and white. The illustrator, C. B. Mordan, took great pains to have the illustrations be reflective of the experience of seeing a silent movie. The frames which show close ups are the most effective, character-wise and the larger, more populated images are very evocative of the lighting and moods in silent movies.

I don't think I would use Silent Movie as a picture book without using it as part of an introduction to either silent movies or visual art--the idea of communicating with visual images.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't normally put a rating on / log an easy reader like this, but I happened upon this by chance and I thought it was a really cool idea and format to show some of the youngest readers the appeal of early film. The illustrations were also very nice.

As an adult reading it, it was interesting, although it definitely leans more into the later silent era trend, especially in Hollywood, of choosing to add more title cards to show conversation as opposed to showing-not-telling. I'm nitpicking, but I feel I am allowed even though I am not the target audience.

However, I would definitely share this with a kid in my life if I had one, haha.

3.5/5

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book, but no one I think kids will read again and again. It’s about Gustav, a young boy who is new to America. He and his mother can not find Papa, so mama takes a job. One day while trying to stay out of trouble, he catches not only a thief but the eye of a silent movie director. His first movie helps lead papa back to his family. The story is set up like a silent movie. Each part of of the story being set up frame by frame. A heartfelt story, but a one time read.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple picture book about a Swedish family's immigrant experience in 1909. Would probably be good as a single picture book along with other immigrant themed picture books as an introduction to a larger text.

[Zachary McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I wasn’t a big fan of this book until I realized the the reality of it. Here in America it can feel impossible to get by, then next thing you know you can become a famous actor if you should be so lucky as to be in the right place at the right time.

[Emily Chickering · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the illustrations in this books. This book would be great for students to pay attention to pictures in books and how they tell the story, I also thought this book would be a great for integrating social studies into reading.

[Kary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really neat book. Not really good for a read aloud, but could be a neat book to have available during a unit on the Depression.

[Kacee Eddinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avi and C.B. Mordan make the feeling of immigration and the wonder of silent movies come alive in this picture book that imitates the classic formats.

[Victoria Bozarth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is all about how motion movies were made and how they got their start.

[The Voracious Bibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like this book was written specifically for me.

[Kfiles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cool story that gives background to what silent movies were.

[Abbigail]

Meh, the text had a disjointed feeling, which might have been on purpose because of the subject, but I found it to drag on, and it seemed like it would be boring for it's intended audience

[Janine Darragh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A family movies from Sweden to NYC in the early 1900s. Told in the format of a silent movie (which is cool) the son gets discovered, becomes, a child actor, and makes a ton of money... (I get the happily ever after movie ending, but Ugghhh)

[William C. · Rating 1 out of 5]

This picture book by Avi and C.B Mordan provides a brief look at the lives of immigrants in the early 20th century, and uses the style of the early cinema to frame the story.

The story follows a Swedish family as they make the journey to the United States in the year 1909. The Father had set out first, and had planned to meet his family when they arrived at a later date. Unfortunately, they could not find each other on the dock on the day they arrive, so the Mother, along with her young son, Gustave, are forced to brave the streets of New York City on their own. Against all odds, the boy is seen on the street by a local film maker one day, and immediately casts Gustave in his current movie. What a lucky break. The boy becomes a sensation, the Father sees him on screen at a Nickelodeon, and reunites with his family.

Not exactly a realistic turn of events in the lives of most immigrants of this time. I understand that the harsher realities of this era are too serious and depressing for young children, and there is nothing wrong with an uplifting story involving fortuitous happenstance, but I was personally a little turned off by how quick and easy it was for this family to fulfill their “American dream”. This book portrays the American dream as something that just happens to you when you arrive at Ellis Island, and it wasn’t like that; even a small amount of success was something that many people had to work incredibly hard to achieve, it was not just handed to them haphazardly.

The illustrations were perfectly done, despite having a weak storyline to work with. The picture book format lends itself very well to the idea of producing a silent film, which also depicted stories visually, while adding in the odd bit of writing to provide context. The illustrations appear to have been done in
the style of old woodcut engravings, totally black and white, and I think are quite effective at providing a mood of early cinema.

The book is probably better suited for children in the 5th or 6th grade, as the theme of achieving the American dream will probably not be that appealing to 4 or 5 year olds.

[Randie D. Camp, M.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avi. (2003). Silent Movie. C. B. Mordan. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Literary Genre: Historical Fiction (Picture Book)

“1909. Goodbye to the Old World! Papa Hans sails for America.” This Swedish father makes the trip to America six months before his wife and son, Gustave. When, Mama and Gustave arrive to New York they have no luck finding Papa. Gustave is seen by a silent movie director, Bunting, and becomes a good actor. Papa, weary from looking for his family, takes a break at the nickelodeon and sees his son on the screen. Gustave becomes the well-paid “wonder boy” of silent movies and his family fulfills the American Dream. The minimal text and black and white framed illustrations mimic the design of a silent movie.

Love this book! I am a huge fan of historical fiction in general, but I am especially fond of immigrant stories. Avi’s ability to transform a picture book into a silent movie is remarkable. The minimal text may hinder children’s ability to follow the plot on their own. However, Mordan’s close-ups of the characters allow the readers to feel the emotions of the characters and allow inferences to be made. Both the author and illustrator include a “note” at the end of the book that shares historical information about the time period, and silent movies. Avi mentions that silent movies were popular among immigrants because there was no language barrier, this is a huge insight that allows young readers to connect with how immigrants felt; which is what makes historical fiction so great. I would definitely recommend this quality book to others.

[Stephanie Linton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall--drawings are very interesting and works much like a real silent movie would--frame by frame with very little text.

Specifics--

1) Themes--the theme of immigrant life in the early 20th century America is one that is still fascinating to many. For students whose families hail from a different country, this would be a good book for them. The issue of immigration would also inspire great classroom discussions, especially when one compares immigration and immigrants from the 1900s to today's immigration policies and immigrant lives.

2) Illustrations--pictures are black and white and presented in a frame-by-frame manner that recalls the old silent movies. The great frames are the close ups of the characters, which show character emotions and feelings. The illustrations alone could turn into a great discussion or research into the cultural aspects of the early 20th century. How did silent movies reflect society? What were some of the most popular ones? What topics were shown in these silent films? Etc...

Other--this would be great for upper elementary, middle, and high school grade levels.

[Jessica Rawden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silent movie takes the ideas in Hugo Cabret a step further. This is funny to say, because it was created in 2003. The idea is that the book is seen and read exactly like a silent movie. A boy immigrates to America and becomes a movie star. Animation by animation, we see his transformation, and occasionally text pops up to supplement the images. Avi is by no means the first person to do this, David Wiesner has been doing the image thing since the late eighties, however, Wiesner is the first person to segment his book up so completely and to give himself the idea of creating a text that mimicked a silent film. Apparently, Avi got the idea for his book by looking at some other examples of his illustrator's work, rather than the other way around. There is some text at the end of the book that discusses silent films, which I also found cool. The story is not as great as Brian Selznick's work, but the idea is there. For ages 4-8, but could be appreciated by all lovers of silent films.

[Cathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real treasure. Both the plot itself and the style in which it is conveyed effectively capture the style of old-time silent films. The story centers on an immigrant family struggling to reunite and to survive in the unfamiliar world of New York in 1909. After a series of disheartening events, the boy is then spotted by a movie director and invited to act in his new film. This opportunity leads to a change in their fortunes, creating for them a truly happy ending.

As the reader views the story, one cannot help but notice the striking woodcut black and white images. Text is minimal and gestures are dramatic -- just as silents were originally made. In his own words, the illustrator strove to "interpret the experience of watching a silent movie in a picture-book format" and did so by "creat[ing] smaller images to show a quick sequence of events; most larger images are for stiller, more emotionally packed moments". His success is apparent, even as the reader finds himself paging more quickly with growing suspense towards those final credits.

[Sarah Pfingston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book one can tell right from the start is that it is geared towards more advanced readers. The illustrations it this story are similar to what you might see when watching a silent movie, hints the title of the title of the title of the book. This book is set in 1909 and a young boy and his family are in pursuit of America. This father comes alone first and then he and his mother follow. When they try to find each other in New York, this becomes a struggle. The mother and son soon run out of money and they have to beg for food and spare change. A thief comes and takes everything they have just received. Bunting a movie producer needs a child actor and see Gustave on the street and requests that he star in his new movie, which the boy does. They family is still trying to find each other in the big city. This story is not only about immigration to the West, but also about the history of film. I think this story would be geared more toward forth and fifth grade readers. if not into middle school.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silent Movie is told in a series of black and white sketched line drawings to tell the story of an immigrant family coming to America in the 1920's. with very few words and detailed pictures, it portrays the emotions and hardships faced by immigrant families who came to America with only the clothes on their back.
The illustrator, C.B. Mordan, does an excellent job with historical details such as clothing and setting. While the illustrations seem to be very dramatic and choppy from one scene to the next, it really is similar to an early silent movie experience. The conflicts faced by Gustave and his family are plausible - especially the missed connection with Gustave's father and the language barriers. There is a twist at the end that seems very unlikely, but it stays true to the dramatic climax of many silent movies from the 1920's and 1930's. I would recommend this book for use in 1st - 3rd grade classrooms.

[Kaycee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silent Movie strives to recreate the experience and style of silent movies. All the pages in the book are black with boxes that contain illustrations. The illustrations are also in black and white and use lines to really emphasize shading and texture. The illustrations were done using ink on a clayboard. The words in the book are minimal, again this helps to recreate silent movies which had few words and relied on the visual images to move the story along. The book does this and emphasizes the passage of time or an action sequence by putting multiple picture boxes on the page. Other pages just have one picture box and usually emphasize an emotion. Silent Movie does a really good job of replicating now only the silent movies of the time period but the difficulties of the time period as well. The main characters of the books are immigrants who come to America but have difficulties in making their way in the city. This is a great book but it is one that would work best read alone.

[Bec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Format: 50 pages. Approx. 350 words. POV: third person, present.

Sparsely written book based on the form used by silent films to narrate the images on the screen. The story is about an immigrant family separated when the father fails to find his wife and son at the New York docks. Money runs short for mother and son, especially when a thief steals what they are able to beg in the streets. Finally, the mother finds work with help from a woman from their village overseas, though they still cannot find the boy's father. While waiting for his mother to return from work, the boy is spotted by a silent film maker who casts him in his films. It is one of these films that his father sees and the family is reunited once more. Wonderful use of a historic period to tell the story of immigration and determination.