The Invention of Hugo Cabret

 

1. Bibliography

Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret. New York: Scholastic Press, 2007. ISBN 9780439813785

2. Plot Summary

This story follows Hugo Cabret, an orphaned clock keeper that lives in a train station in Paris. He spends his days tending to the clocks in the station and keeping to himself. One day, he meets the toy booth shopkeeper who catches him stealing and a girl that is curious about his life. Meeting these two throws his life for a loop and forces his secrets out into the open. The automaton his father lived to work on was threatened and so was his security living at the train station. Hugo must do all that he can to uncover his deceased father's secret message while struggling to survive. 

3. Critical Analysis

The story of Hugo is suspenseful and thrilling. The reader goes on his journey full of thievery and secrecy. He never expected that the toy booth owner and his goddaughter would derail his life the way that it did. Hugo is a child, but his experiences are something no child should have to endure. He cries, he hurts, and he steals in order to survive and avoid the orphanage. The seemingly adult experiences that Hugo experiences are highlighted by his childlike nature. 

The illustrations are in black and white and capture Hugo's trials and tribulations. The reader can see the inside of his notebook and Georges' drawings. The black and white keeps with the time period that the book is written in, which is 1931. Despite being in black and white, the illustrations do the work of amping up the story's tension and moving the story along. 

4. Review Excerpts

2008 Caldecott Medal
New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2007
From Publisher's Weekly: "A true masterpiece."
From The Horn Book: "Complete genius." 

5. Connections

Gather other Caldecott Medal books to read such as: 

• Wiesner, David. Tuesday. ISBN 9780395870822
• Martin, Jacqueline B. Snowflake Bentley. ISBN 9780547248295

Gather other Brian Selznick books to read such as:

• Wonderstruck. ISBN 9780545027892
• The Marvels. ISBN 9780545448680

Use in a film class to discuss the old films that are mentioned in the story. 

Use in an art class for pencil/charcoal drawing visual lessons.