Sunday, July 13, 2008

The Invention of Hugo Cabret


Brian Selznick is now officially one of my favorite illustrators. Without realizing it, I had previously purchased two of his books pre-Caldecott award announcement. He is the man responsible for the breathtaking images in Amelia and Eleanor Go For A Ride as well as When Marian Sang, incidentally both written by a favorite author, Pam Munoz Ryan.
Hugo Cabret was a brilliant read I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the illustrations, the adversity faced by the characters and the unpredictable ending. I lent it to my Grandma to read. She is French and her Mother came to America from France to join my Great Grandfather. She loved it just as much as I did. My soon to be fifth grader cousin, an avid non-reader, also enjoyed the book. The Invention of Hugo Cabret must be pretty special to be enjoyed by 3 different generations. So, for those of you that haven't read it yet, don't let the 500 or so pages scare you! Most of them are beautiful illustrations and this exciting adventure will keep you reading until the very end!
Other books written by Mr. Selznik: A Boy of a Thousand Faces
Other books featuring Mr. Selznick's illustrations: Room One: A Mystery or Two by Andrew Clements, Lunch Money by Andrew Clements, The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements, Frindle by Andrew Clements, The School Story by Andrew Clements, When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan, Amelia and Eleanor Go For A Ride by Pam Munoz Ryan