Book: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Genre: YA, sort of graphic novel-ish, historical fiction
Rating: A
Awards: Caldecott Medal
For: Fun
Last week, I got to sort shelves for the first time at my library job. I did a couple of carts in the teen section, which was quite hazardous since I wanted to check out nearly everything I touched. I resisted pretty well, until I came across this book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Having heard many good things about it, and needing a quick read to reach my last minute 100 books mark, I snatched it up and took it home.
Wow... and I was not disappointed! What a wonderful little... big... book! It's about an orphan boy who hides away in the train station in Paris, winding the clocks, and making it appear that his uncle is still alive, even collecting his uncle's checks but not knowing how to cash them. His sole purpose, besides surviving, is to fix an automaton (a robot type toy) that his dad had been working on before he died. In the process, he discovers who the old, crotchety man who runs the toy store in the station really is!
Great story and full of wonderful amazing pictures. Also, included is a bit of a history of the first movies. Really interesting stuff. Once I finished, I handed it off to my younger kids, both of whom devoured it and are now asking, "What else has this guy written?" So my next quest s to bring home more Brian Selznick from the library for them.
Wow..great review. I have been looking for some great YA titles since your recommendation. I gonna look for this one.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you liked this one! I flew thru it and loved it! The drawings were unbelievable right? I couldn't do your job. They'd find me curled up in a corner somewhere reading and I'd be fired. I don't know, can you be fired for reading?? LOL
ReplyDeleteJust dropping by to let you know that I'm giving you an award! Here is the link: http://ruthiesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2009/01/butterfly-award-i-love-awards-lol.html
ReplyDeleteHugs :D
The pictures do look amazing. That one reminds me of the illustrator's style who did The Amazing Horrible Terrible No Good Bad Day or whatever it was called. Do you know it?
ReplyDeleteIt is a fabulous book, huh? I read it in 2007 and I loved it! It was a total impulse buy. Nowadays I see things about it all over the internet, but when I bought it I had never even heard of it before. I am very glad I took a chance on it!
ReplyDeleteYay! I'm glad you loved it. The illustrations were impeccable!
ReplyDeleteThis one's on my list to read this year and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm glad to hear you liked it!
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm giving you another award, check out the post on my blog - so now you have two all together! Spread the love!
ReplyDeleteWahoo! Awards! Thanks Ruthie! :)
ReplyDeleteI meant Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. The illustrator is Ray Cruz. So no, I guess not the same. Now I feel silly.
ReplyDelete