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The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian…
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The Invention of Hugo Cabret (original 2007; edition 2007)

by Brian Selznick

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingConversations / Mentions
9,617662794 (4.29)1 / 561
When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toyseller and his goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized.
Member:DRHuber
Title:The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Authors:Brian Selznick
Info:Scholastic Press (2007), Edition: First Edition, Hardcover, 533 pages
Collections:Your library
Rating:***1/2
Tags:read with Anna, 2011

Work Information

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (2007)

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» See also 561 mentions

English (645)  Spanish (3)  French (3)  Italian (2)  Portuguese (Portugal) (2)  German (1)  Danish (1)  Catalan (1)  Swedish (1)  Dutch (1)  All languages (660)
Showing 1-5 of 645 (next | show all)
I've read this book about 3 times, that's how amazing it is. Selznick's illustrations are amazing! I love how the story is told in both words and pictures, the words filling in the gaps between the full page (and sometimes across 2 pages) illustrations. ( )
  Dances_with_Words | Jan 6, 2024 |
I can't say this book totally lived up to the hype, but it took so little time to read I can hardly complain. My one sentence review: It's beautiful to look at, but just a'ight to read. ( )
  LibrarianDest | Jan 3, 2024 |
The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a historical fiction story set in 1931 Paris, revolving around an orphan living in the walls of a train station, who gets wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton that ultimately leads to the rediscovery of lost Georges Méliès films, and Georges himself - receiving the recognition he deserves. Artists, film lovers, Francophiles, and historical fiction enthusiasts will love this strange and endearing picture book hybrid. Selznick's pencil/charcoal based illustrations often play out as if you were watching a film strip and the story is so enchanting and touching ( )
  ryantlaferney87 | Dec 8, 2023 |
There isn't much in the way of story but it is one of the most beautifully illustrated kids books I have ever seen. ( )
  cdaley | Nov 2, 2023 |
This book was a delight! It's a quick read because although the book tops 500 pages, the majority of the pages are images with many of the pages with text just being a half or even quarter filled with fairly large type.

Still, the story and characters are riveting and the twist at the end (as well as the true details that inspired the story) really are a huge payoff.

4 stars ( )
  Sean191 | Oct 9, 2023 |
Showing 1-5 of 645 (next | show all)
The story is an engaging meditation on fantasy, inventiveness, and a thrilling mystery in its own right. No knowledge of early cinema is necessary to enjoy it, but for those who do know just a little, the rewards are even greater.
 
The carefully selected details make Hugo Cabret feel like, well, a machine, full of tiny interlocking parts, built to fuel a curious child’s lifelong infatuation with wonder.
 
The Invention of Hugo Cabret is full of magic ... for the child reader, for the adult reader, the film lover, the art lover, for anyone willing to give it a go. If you’re scared of the size or the concept, don’t be. Open your mind, pour Selznick’s creation in, and be reminded of the dream of childhood.
 
With The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the American illustrator/author Brian Selznick seems to have invented a new kind of book. It's at once a picture book, a graphic novel, a rattling good yarn and an engaging celebration of the early days of the cinema. All in black and white.
 
It is wonderful.
 

» Add other authors (9 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Selznick, Brianprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Paracchini, FabioTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Santen, Gert vanTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Woodman, JeffNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed

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For Remy Charlip and for David Serlin
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From his perch behind the clock, Hugo could see everything.
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Hugo felt sure that the note was going to answer all of his questions and tell him what to do now that he was alone. The note was going to save his life.
The coffee was hot, and as Hugo let it cool, he looked around the cavernous station at all the people rushing by with a thousand different places to go. When he saw them from above he always thought the travelers looked like cogs in an intricate, swirling machine. But up close, amid the bustle and the stampede, everything just seemed noisy and disconnected.
Hugo though about his father’s description of the automaton. “Did you ever notice that all machines are made for some reason?” he asked Isabelle. “They are built to make you laugh, like the mouse here, or to tell the time, like clocks, or to fill you with wonder, like the automaton. Maybe that’s why a broken machine always makes me a little sad, because it isn’t able to do what it was meant to do.”
“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 type of parts they need. So I figure if the entire world is a big machine, I have to be here for some reason. And that means you have to be here for some reason, too.”
When you wind it up, it can do something I'm sure no other automaton in the world can do. It can tell you the incredible story of Georges Méliès, his wife, their goddaughter, and a beloved clock maker whose son grew up to be a magician.
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When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toyseller and his goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized.

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