Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo's undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.
"Starred Review. Here is a true masterpiecean artful blending of narrative, illustration and cinematic technique, for a story as tantalizing as it is touching. Ages 9-12." - Publishers Weekly.
"Starred Review. Leaving much to ponder about loss, time, family, and the creative impulse, the book closes with a waning moon, a diminishing square, and informative credits. This is a masterful narrative that readers can literally manipulate. Grades 4-9." - School Library Journal.
"This hybrid creation, which also includes movie stills and archival photographs, is surprising and often lovely, but the orphan's story is overshadowed by the book's artistic and historical concerns .... Nonetheless, bookmaking this ambitious demands and deserves attention ..." - Booklist.
"It is wonderful. Take that overused word literally: Hugo Cabret evokes wonder. At more than 500 pages, its proportions seem Potteresque, yet it makes for quick reading because Selznicks amazing drawings take up most of the book. While they may lack the virtuosity of Chris Van Allsburgs work or David Wiesners, their slight roughness gives them urgency. The result is a captivating work of fiction that young readers with a taste for complex plots and a touch of magic think Harry H., not Harry P. can love." - New York Times.
"This unforgettable work is homage to early cinema, to human curiosity, and to magic, that manages to evoke, in even the most the modern, high-tech, wired reader a sense of wonder at the splendid creations of the world in 1931." - Children's Literature.
"Part mystery, part feel-good drama, and part picture book for older readers, this novel will fly off the shelf simply because of its visual appeal." - VOYA.
"The book, an homage to early filmmakers as dreammakers, is elegantly designed to resemble the flickering experience of silent film melodramas. Fade to black and cue the applause! Fiction 9-12." - Kirkus Reviews.
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Brian Selznick is the author and illustrator of many books for children, including The Invention of Hugo Cabret, winner of the Caldecott medal and the basis for the Oscar-winning movie Hugo, directed by Martin Scorsese. His newest book, Run Away With Me, is his first Young Adult novel and will be published in April of 2025. His book (his first for an adult audience), Live Oak, With Moss, is based on twelve poems by Walt Whitman. Brian is married to Dr. David Serlin, a writer, editor, and professor at the University of California, San Diego. They divide their time between San Diego, California and Brooklyn, New York.
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