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The Invention of Hugo Cabret

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

By: Brian Selznick

Caldecott Winner 2008

I was not expecting this book to win the Caldecott.  Why, you ask?  Let me count the ways!

1. It's not a picture book
2. It's not a graphic novel
3. It's not strictly a Middle Grade or YA novel
4. It has more words than a typical winner
5. Isn't that enough?

Caldecott was, however, "known for breaking the rules of illustrating for children and creating new ones" (Newbery and Caldecott Trivia and More for Every Day of the Year).  In that train of thought is how I would describe this book.  It breaks the rules!  It doesn't conform to a particular or specific genre.  I think that Selznick's book is like an old-time black and white movie with the dialogue on the screen.  The fact that one major part of the book deals with film-making really emphasizes the structure of this novel.  It is a book with all manner of loveliness.  The layout of the book is phenomenal!  The pages all have black borders, in the sections with illustrations they make a nice frame, and the border frames the words on the other pages. 

The book is over 500 pages, but it is hardly a daunting task.  If I remember accurately, Selznick said there are 300 drawings in here that he did himself.  And they are lovely.  Even if you don't read the written story, you can follow the emotions of some of the characters throughout the book.  There are also photo spreads from some of the old movies described in the book.

Ok, have I bored you with my talk of structure and formatting yet?  If not, on to the story!

Hugo has a talent for tinkering with clocks and other mechanical toys.  Life has left him hiding in the walls of the train station trying to repair the mechanical man and stealing food to eat.  He doesn't enjoy the stealing part, but he doesn't have any other way of getting food.  The theft that has the biggest impact on him is that of the toy mouse from the vendor in the train station.  Hugo works off his theft for the man, meets his adopted daughter and so begins the adventure of a lifetime!  Why won't the man give Hugo his notebook back?  Why does that girl follow him?  How long will it take him to fix the mechanical man and find out what he has to say?  Once he learns that, will he be satisfied, or will it lead him on a further mystery?

I'm leaving out a lot of details here people, but you have to get them through the experience of this story.  Half of it is told in pictures while the rest is in words.  If you skip either, you're going to miss out on major parts of the story. 

A word of warning: Some of the illustrations are so gorgeous and intricate you may have a hard time continuing on!

Recommended To:

• Teachers far and wide
• Art lovers - just for the aesthetic aspects of this beauty!
• Kids - I really think they'll all love this one!  It's not a girl book or a boy book, but the main character is a boy, and he is a little stubborn!
• Everyone!