The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Selznick, Brian.  2007.  The Invention of Hugo Cabret.  New York: Scholastic Press.  ISBN 0439813786

Plot:

Mystery is around a boy named Hugo, who lives his life in a train station, adjusting clocks. The setting takes place in Paris, France, a place Hugo calls home.  He is stealth in his movements, so that no one finds out, who he really is.  Through the shadows and darkness, Hugo begins a covert mission to fix an automata, whose previous life, is a mystery.  Where did the automata come from?  Hugo has no family in existence throughout the book and his only companion seems to be the automata.  Though he is intrigued by the automata, he is obsessed with finding the secrets it holds.  To repair the automata, Hugo begins to steal from a toy merchant who is located within the train station. He begins this journey to complete the automata by taking apart the toys to fix what is wrong with the mechanism.  The fascination with the automata seems to stem from drawings his father culminated, previously, which surprises the toy merchant. 

Critical Analysis:

The automata has become a constant companion to Hugo.  He becomes obsessed with the automata and has a thirst to find out the key secret.  What does the automata have in store?  The book keeps the reader in suspense and once you begin the journey with Hugo, it hooks the individuals to unlock the secrets. 

Hugo Cabret is like a detective, asking questions, observing every aspect of the train station.  He is well knowable in many aspects, especially fixing toys.  His drive to fix the automata becomes a crutch and a rewarding experience at the same time.   It seems Hugo has a maddening persona because he is consumed by the automata.   

The mystery behind the toy maker is revealed at the end of the book.  There are twists and turns with Hugo and the toy maker.  Conflict between the two is evident throughout the book, possible because the toy merchant sees himself in Hugo.  Why is the toy merchant interested in the drawings of the automata?

The latter part of the book reveals the true identity of the toy merchant, a man called George Melies, who turns out to be a pioneer in cinema.  An astonishing revelation is that George is the  creator of the automata.  It is a surprising twist to the story and somewhat unexpected.  Throughout the book, there are remarkable scenes, intertwining characters and setting the tone for the story.  It loops together characters by circumstances such as the toy merchant parts and the automata. 

The theme throughout the book is somber and sad.  There is a sense of urgency, secrecy, and hidden messages to unfold.  The book briefly mentions a few family members but they are underdeveloped and do not contribute greatly to the storyline.

Brian Selznick did a wonderful job, illustrating scenes in black and white pencil drawings that create a mysterious setting.  Every page becomes intriguing and a person can feel drawn to the character, as if, they are in the story themselves. 

Excerpts:

From the School Library Journal: "Selznick's art ranges from evocative, shadowy spreads of Parisian streets to penetrating close-ups."

Lukehart, Wendy. Review of  The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.   School Library Journal 53(5):218.

From Booklist: "an intriguing mystery set in 1930s Paris about an orphan, a salvaged clockwork invention, and a celebrated filmmaker, resuscitates an anemic genre- the illustrated novel- and takes it to a whole new level."

Mattson, Jennifer.  Review of  The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.  Booklist 103(9/10):97. 

From the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books: "However, the pacing, plot, and characters are all geared to young readers, who will find Hugo, the intrepid orphan racing against time and towards his goals, as compelling as the artistic tribute to cinema and forgotten filmic geniuses."

Spisak, April.  Review of The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.  Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 60(8):321-344.

From Horn Book Magazine:"There is a bounty of mystery and incident here, along with several excellent chase scenes expertly rendered in the atmospheric, dramatically crosshatched black-and-white (naturally) pencil drawings that make up at least a third of the book."

Sutton, Roger.  Review of The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.  Horn Book Magazine 83(2):173-175.

From Kirkus Reviews: "The book, an homage to early filmmakers as dreammakers, is elegantly designed to resemble the flickering experience of silent film melodramas."

Kirkus Review.  2007.  "Review of The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick."  Accessed September 9.  https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/brian-selznick/the-invention-of-hugo-cabret/.

Connections:

Other Brian Selznick books

Wonderstruck ISBN    0545027896                          

The Houdini Box ISBN 0689844514

The Boy of a Thousand Faces ISBN 0064410803

Awards:

2008 Caldecott Medal Winner

Activities for children:

Watch a George Melies movie and write about your thoughts.

Children can color scenes from the book like the clocks or the automata.

Children can draw a version of the automata and explain what it can do.  What would the automata draw for them?

Personal Response:

I believe the pencil drawings helped me coordinate the tone of the book with the words.  When visual imagery is used, the individual can sense the setting and theme of the book.  Although, the surprising part of the book was the creator of the automata, which was at the end of the book.  The story focus primarily on the automata and what its secrets hold.  It kept me in suspense and turn the page to find out the secret.  The book was a learning experience and I took away from it a lesson that is true.  The secret, is to follow your dreams, no matter your age.