The Invention of Hugo Cabret

For many years, I had seen the movie Hugo, but I never knew that it was based on a book. I found the book in a thrift store and thought it looked familiar. I knew Brian Selznick was the author of Wonderstruck which was turning into a film. After flipping through the pages, I realized I had seen the images before of a man in a toy booth and a little boy spying on him through a clock. I immediately purchased the book and could not put it down once I started reading.

I particularly enjoyed the film because it was about the man who created the first film. It was an instant classic historical fiction story. The book and movie do vary in ways, but both are spectacular in their own formats.

Selznick has a way of telling a story not only through words but through pictures as well. There were some parts in the book where the images and prose blended into the other story wise, and it helped to capture the visuals and the emotions of the characters. There was one part in the book where I was reading prose for a suspenseful scene and the next page was an image that shocked me because it was the outcome of the previous scene.

The story is told in two parts which is kind of odd. There’s even a message at the beginning of part two explaining that when one story ends, it never truly does, for it always leads to another. The story could have worked without the two parts, but it was a creative choice, and it worked.

This book could probably be read in one sitting, but I decided to take my time with it to observe the artwork and feel the pace of the story. I recommend this book to anyone that wants to read award winning children’s book that all ages can enjoy and appreciate.

#Hugo #BrianSelznick