Review by Booklist Review
For the completely uninitiated, Marcel is the creation of actress and comedienne Jenny Slate (Parks and Recreation) and Dean Fleischer-Camp, whose stop-motion video of Marcel navigating the much larger world around him went viral and was later featured at the Sundance Film Festival. To recap: Marcel is a tiny, shoe-wearing shell who first appeared on the page in Marcel the Shell with Shoes On: Things about Me (2011). This installment furthers Marcel's adventures as he documents the day he got the most surprised. It begins with a cake (I really love cake!) and an unexpected launch from a blanket, which sends Marcel sailing through the air. For the first time, Marcel can see familiar items in their entirety sneakers, a baby, and his grandmother's house and Fleischer-Camp's dreamy oil paintings show the everyday objects from new perspectives. Be warned: this installment may have young Marcel enthusiasts requesting that those reading aloud use Marcel's oddly gravelly baby voice during storytime.--Jones, Courtney Copyright 2014 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review
Internet sensation Marcel the Shell--the adorably voiced shell with one eyeball and red shoes--describes his journey upon being flicked off a blanket. Much of Marcel's narration, abetted by photorealistic illustrations, plays like a stand-up act ("I don't read the newspaper because it turns my shoes black"). The book succeeds as something, but not quite as a picture book. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Philosophical univalve Marcel returns in this sequel to Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2011). Speaking in a chatty first person, Marcel opens with visual close-ups of his distinctive red-and-white sneakers and his single giant eye, followed by a total body shot and the news that he's feeling "pretty good about" himself. Unsure what each new day will bring, Marcel describes the day he "got the most surprised," after suddenly finding himself tossed into the air while walking on a blanket and thinking about how much he loves cake. Time stands still as the airborne Marcel notices everything in the room below: the rug, a sneaker, the baby and his grandmother's house. Momentarily suspended midair, Marcel thinks about his grandmother and the importance of beauty, comparing his weightless state to an astronaut's. As he descends, Marcel admits he's scared, recalling other events when he felt powerless: a paper airplane crashing, the baby's first word, exploding popcorn. Subsequent to his fortuitous sweet landing atop a three-layer cake, Marcel concludes this day "took the cake." Blurred illustrations reminiscent of airbrushed color photographs transform Marcel's seemingly minor experience into a life-changing drama. Close-ups and aerial views allow readers to share the diminutive mollusk's perspective and wonder at his self-reflective aplomb. Visually clever and verbally unusual. (Picture book. 5 up) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
