Johnsenclan

Book nine in 52 books in 52 weeks

The 2008 winner of the Caldecott medal, The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a children’s book despite being over 500 pages long. It’s a short read, a combination of illustrations and short chapters that I finished in less than two hours.

The story manages to combine a young clock winder, some famous photographs, one of the earliest film directors in the world and magic. Hugo Cabret was taught to take care of the clocks in the Paris train station by his uncle, who soon disappeared. To keep people from becoming suspicious, he continues to wind them, while stealing food and mechanical parts to work on the magic mechanical man he and his father were working on. He meets a young grl who helps him, a shopkeeper who tries to punish him and help him, and learns about the history of the cinema in Paris.

Th illustrations are nice to look at, but I usually found myself flipping through them quickly to continue on with the story. They are nice pencil illustration, but sometimes strung five or six in a row. I can see how they would help keep children interested though.

The story moves along quickly, and is full of characters (real and imaginary) that were interesting enough that I researched some of the films and characters some more after finishing the book. Everything ties together nicely, and it has a satisfying ending that both children and adults should enjoy.

It’s a great book, I wish I wouldn’t have left it on the shelf so long before reading it, I’m planning on going though it again with Sidney.

Rating B+

More 52 books in 52 weeks here.

More book reviews by people participating in the 52 week project.

• Jamie reviews lord of the Flies by William Golding
• Heliologue reviews Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams and The Road by Cormac McCarthy
• Natasha reviews Ninteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith, The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen, and Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Florance Atwater