The invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Published: March 2007 by Scholastic Pres
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Young adult
Pages: 525

The story begins with a boy struggling to get by and find his place in the world in 1930’s Paris and turns into a beautiful scavenger hunt for both him and the reader. Flying solo under the radar in secret passageways at the train station, Hugo has a mission to accomplish, but there are several hurdles and obstacles in the way of his plan.

There’s a great story there, and there’s truth in the details which makes it all just a little more magical. And in between all of that, there’s heart and soul in the artwork.

This book is so much more than just a YA novel, it’s suitable and enjoyable for all ages because of the depth of it. It has shallow ends for the kids to play in and deep ends for the grown ups to dive into. It is so rare a book that I can honestly say that I have never read anything like it. So I found it an experience in itself just to read it.

I remember seeing the movie some years back, but it didn’t stick with me the way the book did. So if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, this one sure hits the mark.