Seen by more than 14 million YouTube viewers, Marcel the Shell, the weirdly endearing star of a popular short film by Jenny Slate, comedian and actress, and Dean Fleischer-Camp, writer and director, is now the protagonist of a charming children’s book. No doubt Marcel fans young and old are rejoicing, but you don’t need to have seen the YouTube video and its sequel to appreciate the quirky appeal of Marcel the Shell With Shoes On: Things About Me. In his picture book debut, the one-eyed, pink shoe-clad miniature mollusk shows readers where he lives and reveals what he likes to do and what he wants the most (a dog!). With deadpan humor, Marcel explains that he sleeps in a piece of bread (oddly enough, located in a potted plant): “It’s a bedroom. But I sleep in a piece of bread. So I just call it my breadroom.” His favorite amusement park ride is the ladle; his least favorite—the salad spinner. On Saturdays, Marcel likes to watch movies with his grandmother and treat himself to “a large popcorn.” As for that dog that he’s always wanted—Marcel has found a way to compensate: He drags around a piece of lint tied to a strand of hair. “His name is Alan,” explains Marcel. “He doesn’t know any tricks or anything. Tell him to roll over… See?”
At quick glance, the illustrations appear to be photographs of a tiny protagonist navigating the regular-size world of someone’s apartment. But they’re actually paintings by Amy Lind, which are based on photographs by David A. Erickson. The result is an enchanting quasi-realistic visual style that enhances Slate and Fleischer-Camp’s droll, matter-of-fact humor. I especially love the illustration of Marcel watching a movie on TV, sitting between his grandmother and a lone popcorn (all three similar in size; the popcorn resembling Granny from the back). Marcel the Shell With Shoes On: Things About Me is the kind of book that will have both kids and adults chuckling and smiling. It’s funny, adorable, and inspiring for anyone who’s ever felt wee in a gigantic world. Move over, Little Engine That Could—Marcel the Shell has arrived!
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Are you familiar with Marcel the Shell With Shoes On? What’s your favorite part in the video and have you seen the book version yet?
