I really enjoy reading a good novel, but sometimes I like other books, too. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick is a big book, but don’t be intimidated by its size; it is really mostly a picture book. It is not a complete picture book, otherwise known as a graphic novel, because it has tons of writing on most pages. I think it has the perfect combination of pictures and writing to be an amazing book.
The artistic designs in this book are the first reason I enjoy it. They are in black and white, but that does not affect the amazing design and artistic style of the pictures. The pictures look like they have been made with dots instead of a smooth stroke. It makes the pages look so cool! The other thing I think is cool is the way the artist uses light strokes and dark strokes to make each object stand out and look different compared to the other objects.
Another reason I enjoy this book so much is the layout. The pictures are evenly spaced after each exciting part. One of my favorite parts of this book has a few pages of pictures after it, so I can really see that scene in my mind. The book is filled with lots of suspense because when you want to know what happens next, the pictures do a review of what just happened. The pictures happen just when things get confusing, so they really help with understanding the book.
Finally, the actual story line is great, too. The 11 year old boy, Hugo, is in a great mystery about his dad, a mysterious automation (a robot kind of thing), and a thought-to-be-dead filmmaker! I won’t give away the story, but I will tell you a little bit about the book. Hugo starts off really happy, but then his dad dies in a mysterious fire at a museum. After his uncle takes him in, he disappears! Hugo then meets a small toy-stall owner and his amazing adventure begins!
Clearly, it would be easy to mistake The Invention of Hugo Cabret as a boring, baby picture book, but that is not the case at all! In it, you will find amazing illustrations and a wonderful story about a young boy named Hugo. Click the link below to get a copy of this magnificent book and enjoy it for yourself.
Thomas Lee, Waccamaw Intermediate
Thomas Lee, Waccamaw Intermediate
