The Invention of Hugo Cabret: A Novel in Words and Pictures by Brian Selznick (2007, Hardcover)

Synopsis
In this most unusual and intriguing children's novel, Brian Selznick, a winner of the 2008 Caldecott Medal, has created an adventure set in Paris in the 1930s that combines complex, film-like illustrations and artwork with writing. Twelve-year-old Hugo Cabret, orphaned and living in a Métro station, is a mechanical genius and a gifted thief. Unable to support himself, he ends up working for his friend Isabelle's godfather in a toy store, where he delves into the mystery of an astounding film maker, Georges Melies. A 2007 National Book Award finalist in the Young People's Literature category, as well as a 2007 New York Times Best Illustrated Book, and both a 2007 Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book.

Key Details
Author:	Brian Selznick
Language:	English
Publisher:	Scholastic Pr
Format:	Hardcover
ISBN-10:	0439813786
ISBN-13:	9780439813785

Size
Length:	544 pages
Thickness:	2 in
Weight:	42.4 oz

Publisher's Note
Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks-like the gears of the clocks he keeps-with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the train station, HugoÂs undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from HugoÂs dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery. With more than three hundred pages of original drawings, and combining elements of picture book, graphic novel, and film, Brian Selznick breaks open the novel form to create an entirely new reading experience. Here is a stunning, cinematic tour de force from a boldly innovative storyteller, artist, and bookmaker.

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.

Industry Reviews
"With deft fore-shadowing, sensitively wrought characters, and heart-pounding suspense, the author engineers the elements of his complex plot...This is a masterful narrative that readers can literally manipulate."
(03/01/2007)

"[THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET] is wonderful...a captivating work of fiction that young readers with a taste for complex plots and a touch of magic--think Harry H., not Harry P.--can love."
(03/11/2007)