The Invention of Hugo Cabret

I just have to say that the school librarian knew just the book when asked by my 8 year old "I need a really big book, can you help me?" He had been getting tired of reading through the Jack and Annie books in an hour or two and was ready for a book not as scary as Harry Potter and the other bigger ones out there.
Hugo caught his attention right off. He was so into the book that he couldn't put it down. When he finished all I heard was "that was the best book ever!" He is going to try and write a review for Hugo in his school library. To support my child through his reading we traded nightly and took turns reading it. It caught my attention and the pictures lead me and my son perfectly through the book. Excellently written!

This was a very unique book and I really enjoyed it! It did take me a few chapters to get completely absorbed, but after that I was thoroughly interested in the plot and how everything would be resolved.
The book is unique in multiple ways, but two stand out for me. The first of which, is that it's probably one of the least predictable books I've read lately. You can guess how the overall ending will probably turn out, but the specifics and the "how" were (at least to me) pretty unpredictable.
Also, the book uses pictures to help tell the story, instead of depicting what's already been written. For example, The text might read something like, "Hugo walked into the train station," followed by four or five drawings, one of Hugo walking into the station, one of him seeing a friend, one of him running to meet his friend, and one of him tripping. The text would then say something link, "Hugo's friend offered him a hand up." That's probably very confusing, but I hope it helps a little. I think it would be a great book for a young reader who isn't too keen on reading, because it is a thick book, but because of all the drawings, you can get through it fairly quickly, yet you still have a great sense of accomplishment. So, I think it would probably be a good jump-start sort of book.
Though, let me emphasize that, even if you are an avid reader, it's still a great book!

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RB2Y01LBZS84M A Caldecott Medal Winner. A fine achievement from Brian Selznick with this blend of graphic novel, novel and flip book. It has a scripted movie-like feel, evocative of the wonderful era of silent film. The words and illustrations work well together to unfold an engaging tale. I really liked it as an adult. It's a little too 'old' for my younger children, but I believe that older readers in 9- 15 year old bracket will get a lot out of it.

We read this book as a family. My youngest son hates to read but with this story he was the first to ask if we could read each night. Great visualizations and illustrations for the reader.

When I first picked up this book I knew I was holding something special. "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" is a story told not only through words, but also through a series of pictures (like watching an animated feature), but furthermore through the physical object of the book itself.

Mr. Selznick has created a one-of-a-kind entity that just so happens to fit on a library shelf, but that acts as so much more than a book. In general, authors tell their stories through words and filmmakers through pictures. Selznick has combined the two and come up with something that is more than just the sum of the parts.

I have a feeling we're going to see a slew of copy-cat books trying to replicate the magic that Selznick created in this "invention" of his, but my guess is that most of them will fall flat without the brilliant interplay of subject matter and form that comprise this masterpiece.

This is a book full of mystery and suspense, and keeps you rooting for Hugo and wanting to enter deeper into his world. It was truly a joy to turn each page, and as I closed the back cover, it left me with an immense smile of satisfaction on my face.

I highly recommend this as a book that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, from younger children to teens and adults. A brilliant invention!