The Invention of Hugo Cabret
by Brian Selznick
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Book Summary Information
Author: Brian SelznickEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2007-01-30
ISBN: 0439813786
Number of pages: 544
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Book Reviews of The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Book Review: Perfectly Fine, But Not Stunning
Summary: 3 Stars
The publishers of this children's book (it's intended for ages 9-12) appear to be trying their hardest to present this 500+ page book as boldly innovative. However, the mix of prose and pictorial storytelling didn't strike me as nearly beguiling as they would hope for. The concept for the story is decent enough (if a little overstocked in cliches) -- in post WWI Paris the titular young orphan lives secretly in the walls of a large train station (presumably Gare du Nord), where he keeps the clocks running smoothly (a job his uncle is too drunk to perform). His discovery of an old automaton brings Hugo into contact with an old man who sells small toys in the station, as well as his book-loving daughter, and a few other people. Without giving too much away, Hugo's discovery leads him into the history of early film, and the pioneering creations of George Melies (whose best known work is probably 1902's A Trip to the Moon). Along the way is the usual stuff, platonic boy/girl friendship, the quest for a father figure, a chase scene involving angry adult authorities, and of course, the clever orphan's ultimate elevation to a higher station in life (no pun intended). The story is perfectly inoffensive and can be applauded for its effort to interest young readers in the dawn of cinema, automata, and whatnot. Throughout the book, the prose part of the story is interrupted up by illustrations which advance the story and then redeposit it into prose. This is a perfectly fine technique, however the artwork doesn't really measure up to the prominence given to it. Selznick's drawings are rather flat and static, and I suspect will feel awfully tame to today's graphically-oriented kid. Later in the book, stills from old movies are used, and this is rather more effective and startling. On the whole this is a decent book, but nothing to raise a great hue and cry over.
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