Monday, May 22, 2017

Book Review: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.

Summary:
Hugo is an orphan living inside the walls of a Parisian train station, fixing clocks and stealing croissants. When he discovers a broken mechanical man in the ashes of his fathers office, he is determined to fix it. Perhaps it will give him a secret message from his father. As he tries to steal parts from the local toy maker, Georges, he is caught and made to work for the old man. Magic, movies and mystery surround Georges, and Hugo is determined to find how everything connects.


Personal Notes:
It's a thick book, (534 pages!) but that's what is so fun about it! It is full of so many beautiful illustrations you and your child can tear through the whole novel in just a few days. (It took us about 2 hours total to read it) I give it 5/5! My six year old loved it as well. It offers a beautiful snapshot of the early days of cinema. It's full of fun mysteries and chase scenes, and will really get their imagination going.
Why This Book is Important to Read to Your Child: 
It was awesome to see the confidence on my kiddos face to know that he finished such a big book so quickly. The themes in the book were valuable and I feel like I was able to discuss some really important topics with my little guy. Some topics you can discuss are: homelessness, lies, perseverance, desperation, hope, resourcefulness, friendship, and creativity.
Supplemental Material:
There's a charming movie on Netflix right now that you can watch to celebrate finishing such a big book with your child. It embellishes the role of the station inspector and adds a layer of humor that we both enjoyed. Plus, the book talks about a lot of old movies, and shows stills from the films, but watching this movie, you actually get to see the clips that Selznick talked about in the book.

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