Brian Selznick's, The Invention of Hugo Cabret:Book Review

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Selznick, Brian. 2007. The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Ill. By Brian Selznick. Scholastic Press. New York. ISBN 978-0-439-81378-5

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

The protagonist of Brian Selznick’s, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, is a boy named Hugo, the setting of the story is in Paris. The story begins by providing some insight into Hugo’s life. Hugo’s father was a horologist, owned a clock shop and also worked in a museum where he fixed clocks as well. The father becomes fascinated by an automaton, it was a windup figure of a man sitting on a desk with a pen in his hand, the figure was made from hundreds of wheels and gears, but it was broken. Hugo and his father became entranced by this artifact, they are intent on fixing it. Even though, his father was overloaded with work, he wanted to fix it, to show Hugo how it worked. One late night, Hugo’s father was at the museum working late, and accidentally got locked in the basement where the automaton was. There was a great fire which burned down the museum and ultimately took his father’s life, his father was engulfed in the fire. Hugo now an orphan was guilt ridden and distraught, he was taken in by his Uncle Claude. Uncle Claude was an alcoholic, who took him to live with him at the train station, and trained him as his apprentice, and taught him how to take care of the clocks and gears. Life with his uncle at the train station was rough, his uncle taught and encouraged him to steal, didn’t feed him, and made him sleep on the floor. Then one day, his Uncle Claude disappeared, prompting Hugo to leave the train station, as he ran away he came across the burned museum and found the broken automaton that had once captivated him and his father, after much deliberation he takes it with him and goes back to the train station. He continues to stay at the train station alone, where he has to fend for himself, and do his missing uncle’s job, and maintain the clocks running. Sometimes out of hunger he is forced to steal food, even though he knows it’s morally wrong, and on occasion steals a wind-up toy. He is in constant terror of being caught by the station inspector, and fears if caught he will arrest him or send him to an orphanage. Then one day, Hugo is trying to steal a little, blue mouse wind-up toy, and gets caught by the toy shop owner, Papa Georges, who captures him and confiscates all of his things, including his dead father’s notebook. Hugo gets angry and demands that the old man to return it to him, to no avail. The next day the man gives Hugo a pile of ashes, making him believe, that he had burned his father’s notebook; Isabelle, Papa Georges’s goddaughter, tells Hugo that his notebook was not burned and that she will help him find it. Hugo confronts Papa Georges, who is mysterious and acts strange at the mention of the notebook, he negotiates with Hugo to work at his toy shop in exchange for the return of the notebook. Papa Georges makes it clear that he might or might not still have the notebook. After a series of events. Hugo fixed the automaton, finds the missing key on Isabelle’s necklace and get the machinery to work. The automaton, the mechanical man sitting on the desk, ends up drawing a picture. The drawing was a scene from a movie that his father had often described to Hugo, it was from one of his favorite movies from his childhood. The mechanical man signed a name on the picture, George Melies. Later it is learned that Papa Georges is George Melies, a once famed and brilliant film maker, who because of the war had lost it all. So to deal with the great loss, Papa Georges tries to forget that part of his life because it reminded him of everything he lost. No wonder he was unhappy and felt like a prisoner in his toy shop, he had to suppress all his imagination and talent. A tidbit that helped Hugo connect the dots and decipher this intricate mystery was “his father’s favorite movie was called A Trip to the Moon.” That movie was made by filmmaker George Melies, now known as Papa Georges. At the end, Hugo’s story comes full circle, he is taken in by Isabelle’s Godparents, Papa Georges flourishes and is honored at the French Film Academy. Hugo Cabret becomes known as Professor Alcofrisbas, named after a magnificent character created by Papa Georges. Thanks to Etienne, Isabelle, and Hugo who recovered and helped restore eighty of George Melies’ films his legacy will continue to be honored and endure the test of time. As for Hugo, he builds a new automaton that is even more incredible than the original, and is a tribute to all his loved ones, and he lives happily ever after, deservingly so!

3.      CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Author and illustrator, Brian Selznick’s writing was mesmerizing, magical and mysteriously captivating. The vocabulary meshed so well, and echoed the mood of the story, as do the pictures throughout the book. The drawings dominant colors are a wash of grays and black only contrasted by the shading or light used in them. The pictures are illustrated in a simplistic manner, yet detailed in black and white.

Selznick’s rich illustrations create the link between a picture book and the essence of a novel. The black and white drawings are as much part of the story as are the words written to tell it. The journey and darkness that Hugo goes through is captured in every drawing, there are certain drawings that are close-ups of an eye, a hand, a certain image that serves as a counterpart to develop the story being told. It is a combination of a picture book merged with a novel. The visual elements in this book written and illustrated by Selznick complement each other. With the book’s length being astronomical with 535 pages to it, the pictures are as much a part of the story as is the text, it is wonderfully intertwined.

Selznick’s book may be a challenging book for younger children, the age range that it would be most suitable would be 5^th grade students and up. Because it deals with a delicate topic, a loss of a parent, becoming an orphan, filled with a sense of loss, loneliness and sadness; but the protagonist Hugo manages to overcome every obstacle, and at the end thrives regardless, of what life has thrown at him.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

The Caldecott Medal

Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY:

“A true masterpiece.”

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:

“Breathtaking.”

Starred review in THE BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS:

“An original and creative integration of art and text.”

Starred review in PARENTING MAGAZINE:

“Cinematic.”

5. CONNECTIONS

If you feel comfortable leading a discussion about the loss of a loved one, grief and loneliness, this is a book that can show the readers the gloomy journey of a child and that perseverance is possible, it will encourage sympathy and understanding amongst their peers.

Other books illustrated by Brian Selznick, winner of The Caldecott Medal: The Marvels and Wonderstruck.

Associated books for children:
Selznick, Brian. The Marvels. ISBN 978-0545448680
Selznick, Brian. The Robot King. ISBN 978-0060244934