The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Reviewed by Lori
Invention Of Hugo Cabret
Title:  The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Author:  Brian Selznick

Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 14355

Description:  Hugo, an orphaned clock keeper living in a Paris train station, finds his secret life jeopardized when he meets an old toy seller and his goddaughter.

2008 Caldecott Medal Winner

Rubric Rating: Level 4: Love It

Why I Read It: Just flipping through this book it was the illustrations that got me.

Lori's Notes:  This book is a tome but the majority of the novel is beautiful pencil illustrations.  The writing is easy to read and follow, and is surrounded by extensive white space.  The story is fantastic.  After his father dies in a museum fire, Hugo is adopted by his alcoholic Uncle and moves into the Paris train station.  When his Uncle fails to return home one night, Hugo, takes it upon himself to become the station's clock keeper.  By using materials he finds (read: steals) around the train station, Hugo attempts to repair an old automaton that his father had been working on before his death.  Hugo believes this mechanical marvel holds a secret message for him, if he can just get it to work.  The characters in this novel are all interconnected and the toy seller's goddaughter, Isabelle, holds the key that Hugo needs to make his automaton work.  What they discover is more than either of them could have imagined. The novel works very much like a silent film.

Recommended Readers:  Everyone.  This is a fantastic book for kids and adults.  The illustrations will engage reluctant readers and the story is captivating.  It lends itself very well for a book to movie comparison.

Themes: Relationships, Orphans, Movies, Automatons, Connections, Friendship, Extended Family, Secrets

Cross-Genre Links:
Movie: Hugo (2011)
Movie: Metropolis (1927)
Media Search: Automatons
Media Search: Georges Melies
Movie: The Astronomer's Dream (1898)

Possible Discussion or Essay Topics:
  • Why does Hugo continue keeping the clocks after his Uncle disappears? 
  • Discuss the Relationships between the characters in this novel.
  • Toy-Seller or Story-Teller what do you think of Papa Georges?
  • Why would Georges keep his identity secret?
  • Does the automaton really have a special message for Hugo?

Other Support Materials:
The Invention of Hugo Cabret on Playaway Audio

Other Titles by Brian Selznick:
Wonderstruck
Boy of a Thousand Faces
The Houdini Box

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