Book Review: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

1. Bibliography: Selznick, Brian. 2007. THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET.  New York, NY. Scholastic Press Inc.  ISBN: 978-0-439-81378-5.

2. Plot Summary: The story is about a young man named Hugo Cabret who lives in Paris with his father who works at the museum.  Hugo and his father work on an mechanical man trying to fix him.  One night there is a fire in the museum and Hugo’s father tragically dies.  Hugo is then transferred to his uncle’s custody.  Hugo’s uncle works in the train station winding the clocks. Hugo learns how to wind each clock and, after his uncle’s disappearance, continues to do so on his own. In his free time, Hugo works on the mechanical man stealing parts from the local toy store and working from his father’s notebook.  One day the man who runs the toy shop catches him stealing and confronts him taking his father’s notebook.  In order to get his notebook back and work off his debt, Hugo must work in the shop helping fix the toys.  
   Hugo meets a young girl named Isabelle Melies who is an orphan and lives with her godparents Georges Melies (the toy shop owner) and Jeanne d’Alcy.  Isabelle pushes Hugo to go on adventures and Hugo eventually ends up showing Isabelle his automaton. Hugo has worked and worked to fix the mechanical man but his work fails. Hugo then notices that Isabelle’s necklace is the exact shape of the key hole in the automaton.  They then put the key in, turn it, and find out that the automaton draws cryptic pictures.  The story then flows in and out weaving a story full of magic, moving pictures, and a film making giant who fell.   

3. Critical Analysis: I fell in love with this story from the very first time I read it.  The story itself is very intricate but the pictures are what amazes me.  Brian Selznick is a very talented artist and his work is displayed beautifully in this book.  Many of the pages in the book are just pictures.  No words. Readers are drawn into the story even deeper because they can see what’s happening.  There are words on many of the pages that help move the story along.
     The characters in this story are so raw and real.  Hugo has lost both his parents and his uncle and is now alone in the world. Isabelle is an orphan who was taken in by her godparents.  These aren’t picture perfect, cookie-cutter families.  They know pain and fear.
     The story may come across as strange because of the the shift between pictures and text but I adore the change and welcome it.  

4. Review Excerpts:
~A Caldecott Award Medal winner
~ Publisher’s Weekly: “Here is a true masterpiece~ an artful blending of narrative, illustration and cinematic technique, for a story as tantalizing as it is touching.”
~The Los Angeles Times: “Brian Selznick explores the line between telling and showing in an entirely new way in his captivating book, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret."

5. Connections:
~This would be a great way to look at illustrators and their job.
~ Exploring the French culture and food.
~ Exploring how movies started and Georges Melies.
~ Other books where the illustrator is the author:
Brown, Peter. 2009. THE CURIOUS GARDEN
Potter, Beatrix. 1902. THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT. ISBN:12533701.