"I like to imagine that the world is one big machine. You know, machines never have any extra parts. They have the exact number and types of parts they need. So I figure if the entire world is a big machine, I have to be here for some reason, too."
Citations |
| www.goodreads.com |
Selznick, B. (2007). The invention of Hugo Cabret. London: Scholastic Ltd.
Summary
Part novel, part picture book, part graphic novel, part film on paper, this book tells the story of Hugo Cabret, a twelve-year-old boy who lives inside the walls of a Paris train station in the year 1931. Believing a wind-up toy (also called an automaton) holds a connection to a father, Hugo longs to bring it back to life. As he balances winding the train station's clocks and fixing the toy, he meets an angry old toymaker, an intriguing young girl, and a mysterious older boy with an eyepatch, and his secret mystery is suddenly in danger. The story explores a little-known world of amazingly lifelike mechanical figurines, silent films, and the magic and dreams contained therein. Winner of the 2008 Caldecott Medal.
My Impressions
I was initially interested by the format of the book, mixing full-page pencil drawings with novel-like narration. I was immediately drawn into the story by the opening sequence of images and subsequent text. Hugo is a loveable child with a mesmerizing story. This book reminded me what I loved about books when I was a kid: characters that you felt like you knew, or wanted to be friends with; faraway places and the exposure to new and fascinating things, like automata and silent films. There's magic in between the covers of this book, and I hope that kids give this 500-page book a chance after seeing how thick it is.
Review
"Gr 4-9 -- With characteristic intelligence, exquisite images, and a breathtaking design, Selznick shatters conventions related to the art of bookmaking in this magical mystery set in 1930s Paris. He employs wordless sequential pictures and distinct pages of text to let the cinematic story unfold, and the artwork, rendered in pencil and bordered in black, contains elements of a flipbook, a graphic novel, and film. It opens with a small square depicting a full moon centered on a black spread. As readers flip the pages, the image grows and the moon recedes. A boy on the run slips through the grate to take refuge inside the walls of a train station-home for this orphaned, apprentice clock keeper. As Hugo seeks to accomplish his mission, his life intersects with a cantankerous toyshop owner and a feisty girl who won't be ignored. Each character possesses secrets and something of great value to the other. With deft foreshadowing, sensitively wrought characters, and heart-pounding suspense, the author engineers the elements of his complex plot: speeding trains, clocks, footsteps, dreams, and movies-especially those by Georges Melies, the French pioneer of science-fiction cinema. Movie stills are cleverly interspersed. Selznick's art ranges from evocative, shadowy spreads of Parisian streets to penetrating character closeups. Leaving much to ponder about loss, time, family, and the creative impulse, the book closes with a waning moon, a diminishing square, and informative credits. This is a masterful narrative that readers can literally manipulate."
"Gr 4-9 -- With characteristic intelligence, exquisite images, and a breathtaking design, Selznick shatters conventions related to the art of bookmaking in this magical mystery set in 1930s Paris. He employs wordless sequential pictures and distinct pages of text to let the cinematic story unfold, and the artwork, rendered in pencil and bordered in black, contains elements of a flipbook, a graphic novel, and film. It opens with a small square depicting a full moon centered on a black spread. As readers flip the pages, the image grows and the moon recedes. A boy on the run slips through the grate to take refuge inside the walls of a train station-home for this orphaned, apprentice clock keeper. As Hugo seeks to accomplish his mission, his life intersects with a cantankerous toyshop owner and a feisty girl who won't be ignored. Each character possesses secrets and something of great value to the other. With deft foreshadowing, sensitively wrought characters, and heart-pounding suspense, the author engineers the elements of his complex plot: speeding trains, clocks, footsteps, dreams, and movies-especially those by Georges Melies, the French pioneer of science-fiction cinema. Movie stills are cleverly interspersed. Selznick's art ranges from evocative, shadowy spreads of Parisian streets to penetrating character closeups. Leaving much to ponder about loss, time, family, and the creative impulse, the book closes with a waning moon, a diminishing square, and informative credits. This is a masterful narrative that readers can literally manipulate."
Lukehart, W. (2007). [Review of The invention of Hugo Cabret by B. Selznick]. School Library Journal. 53(3), 218. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com.
Suggested Library Uses
The back of the book features websites for more information about automata and Georges Melies, the filmmaker in the novel, as well as credits for images and citations for the real films mentioned in the book.
Suggested Library Uses
The back of the book features websites for more information about automata and Georges Melies, the filmmaker in the novel, as well as credits for images and citations for the real films mentioned in the book.
- Host an informative session about the history of automata. Have some machines available for demonstration, or at least video clips of automata. Wooden kits are available for purchase, but can be pricey. The children's toy, K'nex will also serve the purpose. A trip to a local museum that has automata, if applicable, is also a good idea.
- Host a silent film night. Discuss Georges Melies' contribution to silent film. Reading the book Before Hollywood: From Shadow Play to the Silver Screen by Paul Clee can teach about early films. Show a silent film (not necessarily by Melies, though this or one mentioned in the book would be a bonus!). If children in the audience become antsy, invite some to come forward and provide the dialogue.
Find it @ Your Library - Albany County Public Library
J SE489I
Notes
Winner of the Caldecott Medal, 2008
Top Ten, YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2008
National Book Award Finalist, 2007
Nominee, Wyoming's Indian Paintbrush Award (Grades 4-6), 2008-2009
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