The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Selznick, B.  (2007).  The invention of Hugo Cabret.  New York:  Scholastic.

As a young orphan boy, Hugo takes care of the clocks in the train station.  His love for fixing things like windup toys gets him in trouble.  He meets an old man that has a secret of his own along with the old man's foster daughter, who carries her own secret.  The author brings together all these secrets in a novel that seems a lot like a movie playing as you read it.  Of course, the movie adaptation of this book has just been released!  I first heard of automatons on the CBS Sunday Morning news show.  This book was mentioned in their story about automatons.  When I read the syllabus for this class and saw the book listed as a choice, I knew it had to be one I read.

The illustrations in this book are remarkable.  They are used in some cases to help explain some of the more mechanical aspects of the story, such as the films that become an integral part of the plot.  In the drawings, the illustrator will lighten the area around the part of the picture in particular he wants to draw the reader's attention to.  Mingled in with the realistic drawings are photographs of old films that are important to the setting as well.  Sometimes the illustrations tell parts of the story as well.  Then the text, which is written on simplistic, white paper, will continue the story.

As a picture book for older readers, the story comes to life through the pictures.  They are so realistic they make the reader feel as if they are looking out from behind the clock face, down into the train station.  Older children can relate to keeping secrets and not wanting others to find out about their living situations.  The book could also be used in an art class to discuss pencil and ink drawings.  Science classes could use the books to study gears, automatons, and other mechanical aspects mentioned in the book.

Big Question:  Why is Hugo's friendship with Isabelle so important to him?