Monday Book Review - The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Welcome to Monday and this week's book review!

THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET by Brian Selznick

 

This is the story of a young boy with a love of machines and clocks, who finds himself orphaned, living in a train station and in possession of a wondrous (albeit, broken) machine that he believes has a message for him. This sweet little tale is made even sweeter by the beautiful illustrations throughout. It's very simply told, perfect for sharing with your child at bed time, (perhaps a chapter a night), filled with imagination and mystery. 

My favourite part is definitely the illustrations. They add a whole new level to the story, reminding me of what it felt like as a child to turn the pages of a story book, enraptured by the beautiful pictures within. The story is also very imaginative as I've said, with such an original plot and a really sympathetic main character in Hugo Cabret. You also can't beat that it's set in Paris, which I believe adds a little more wonder to the story, more so than if it was set in Chicago or Toronto.

So, if you'd like to recapture the wonder of a beautiful story book that you enjoyed as a child, or if you're looking for a book that extends past age barriers for different generations to enjoy together, this is the book for you. If for nothing else, pick it up and just have a look at the pictures.