by Brian Selznick
Flap Copy description:
Orphan, Clock Keeper, and Thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks - like the gears of the locks he keeps - with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the train station, Hugo's undercover life and his most precious secret are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.
My thoughts:
After delighting in the 3-D movie, Hugo, during the holidays, I knew I had to read the groundbreaking graphic novel as well. The Invention of Hugo Cabret is an innovative creation of graphic art, partnered with a unique and intriguing story set in Paris in the year 1931. The author, Brian Selznick, has written a novel with wonderful descriptions of Paris and its people, along with a very sympathetic character in Hugo.
I enjoyed this book even more than the blockbuster; it filled in the plot gaps that were left in the movie. Mr. Selznick won the Caldecott Medal in 2008 for his wonderful black and white illustrations. I would highly recommend this book to readers from the ages of eight to eighty!
