The Secret World of Arrietty (G), an animated adventure based on Mary Norton's much-cherished classic, The Borrowers (Harcourt, 1953), premieres in theaters on February 17. Created by Studio Ghibli—Japanese filmmakers well-known for anime productions including Spirited Away (2001), Howl's Moving Castle (2004), and Ponyo (2008)—the movie debuted in Japan in 2010, where it has earned critical acclaim, audience enthusiasm, and high-grossing box office receipts. The North American version is being released by Walt Disney Pictures with an English language script and a new voice cast featuring two Disney Channel headliners.
Though only about four inches tall, Arrietty (voiced by Good Luck Charlie's Bridgit Mendler), almost 14, possesses boundless courage, unending curiosity about the world around her, and a huge capacity for affection. The Borrower girl and her parents, the dependable Pod (Will Arnett) and ever-fretful Homily (Amy Poehler), live beneath the floorboards of a country manor, cautiously venturing out as needed to "borrow" small items from the human "beans" who inhabit the premises.
Remaining carefully hidden, the little people believe that their safety depends on never being seen by their unknowing hosts. However, when 12-year-old Shawn (David Henrie, aka Justin Russo in Wizards of Waverly Place), a human boy with a heart ailment, arrives at his aunt's house for a bit of rest and recuperation, he manages to catch a glimpse at Arrietty. Before long, a forbidden friendship begins to grow between the two youngsters, one that could force the Borrowers from their home and place them in danger. Kids can visit the website for a trailer previewing the movie's cleverly imagined details, sunlit outdoor scenes, and taut tone of adventure.
Book Tie-ins
VIZ Media has published several tie-in volumes sure to draw in movie fans. Jam-packed with lushly colored images from the film, The Secret World of Arrietty Picture Book (2012; PreS-Gr 5) provides a detailed recounting of the plot. The volume begins with a "Meet the Characters" spread that pairs portraits of the players with brief summaries. The text, which incorporates dialogue into clear and vividly written descriptions of settings and events, is divided into chapters by headline-style subtitles. The illustrations are effectively varied in size, with larger pictures providing overviews of important scenes or close-ups of the characters, and smaller images revealing action sequences and conveying excitement and motion. Occasional dialogue balloons and sound effects add to the dynamic layout. The large-size print, straightforward language, and close pairing of text and visuals give the book appeal for beginning readers, while the solid storytelling and handsome illustrations will attract younger listeners when shared aloud as well as independent readers.
Presented in two colorful volumes, The Secret World of Arrietty (2012; Gr 1-5) film comics read in the Japanese anime style, from rear to front, right to left. Pairing copious full-color movie images presented in panels with dialogue balloons and sound effects, the quick-to-flip-through books provide an in-depth retelling of the story. Whether pulled back to sketch a scene (a comfortably sprawled-out Shawn reading in a sun-warmed garden, for example) or zoomed in tight on a detail (Arrietty's hands pulling on tall brown boots for her first-ever "borrowing"), the artwork effectively conveys the action while underscoring the differences in size and perspective between the characters and their two worlds. Much of the storytelling relies on the visuals, making these titles appealing to less-confident readers. Clearly reproduced and attractively laid out, the movie artwork is sumptuously colored and filled with whimsical details. The illustrations convey the dangers and wonders of Arrietty's adventures, as well as the scope of her emotions. The story is divided into four chapters, and each installment begins with brief introductions to the characters (volume two catches readers up with a summary of events that have already taken place). With an appealing graphic novel format, these offerings are fine choices for movie fans.
Filled with an array of gorgeous full-color images, The Art of The Secret World of Arrietty (2012; Gr 5 Up), also from VIZ Media, offers a look at the making of the movie. Included are "preliminary concept sketches, rough character sketches, concept art, background art, and stills used during production" all presented in a manner that encourages readers to "follow the process by which the original story evolved through trial and error to the final product." Detailed captions and interviews with the movie's director (first-timer Hiromasa Yonebayashi) and two art directors (Yoji Takeshige oversaw the world "above...the floorboards" while Noboru Yoshida orchestrated the world below) add context and insight to the images. The book provides an interesting behind-the-scenes exploration of a work in progress, and readers can clearly trace the evolution in the style and tone of the artwork. A copy of the English-language script is appended. A good selection for kids interested in movie-making, animation, and anime.
Why not catch the eye of movie fans with a display of Mary Norton's beloved "Borrowers" tales? Houghton Mifflin Children's Book Group recently reissued The Complete Adventures of the Borrowers (2011) in a boxed set that includes Sandpiper paperback editions of The Borrowers (1953), The Borrowers Afield (1955), The Borrowers Afloat (1959), The Borrowers Aloft (1961), and The Borrowers Avenged (1982, all Harcourt). All of the volumes are adorned with Marla Frazee's lovely cover illustrations from the 1998 editions, with Beth and Joe Krush's original pen-and-ink artwork retained for the interiors. Take the opportunity to make a connection between screen and page, and re-introduce a fantasy classic-and read-aloud must-to parents and young readers alike.
Publication Information
The Secret World of Arrietty: Picture Book. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-1-4215-4115-0.
The Secret World of Arrietty: 1. (film comic adaptation). pap. $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4215-4116-7.
The Secret World of Arrietty: 2. (film comic adaptation). pap. $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4215-4117-4.
The Art of The Secret World of Arrietty. pap. $34.99. ISBN 978-1-4215-4118-1.
Each vol: VIZ Media. Feb. 2012.
NORTON, Mary. The Complete Adventures of the Borrowers. illus. by Joe & Beth Krush. Sandpiper/HMH. 2011. Boxed set. $34.99. ISBN 978-0-15-204915-7.
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