The Invention of Hugo Cabret Book Review
By Rose

The Invention of Hugo Cabret is by Brian Selznick. It is a graphic novel. This book is about a boy who is trying to fix a machine because he thinks that it will give him a message from his father who died in a fire. When a toy maker takes the notebook that he has been using to fix the machine he doesn't know what to do. But just when he finds out a secret about the toy maker and he discovers that he might be able to fix the machine without the notebook he runs into trouble, can he fix the machine without being captured by the stationmaster?

This story takes place in Paris in 1931. The boy Hugo Cabret lives in a small room in a train station, and he takes care of the stations clocks so he is pretty good with mechanical things. After Hugo's father died, his uncle took him to live with him. But after his uncle disappeared a few months ago Hugo knows that he must continue to take care of the clocks or be discovered by the stationmaster and taken to a children's home.

The main character Hugo Cabret is a young boy who lives in a train station. He has shaggy hair and a determined attitude. His father was a clock maker and a good one. One day Hugo's father finds a broken automaton in a museum that he works at. He shows Hugo where it is and begins to try and fix it. Unfortunately a few weeks later he dies in a fire while he is working at the museum. Hugo is devastated but not so much that he forgets the automaton. As his uncle drags him away Hugo see's the automaton in the wreckage of the museum and a few days later he sneaks back and gets it.

Hugo is determined to fix the automaton but how can he without his notebook? But when he meets a mysterious girl who might be able to get his notebook back and a toy maker who seems angry but is actually sad he begins to think that his life might not center around the automaton. Can he figure out the mystery of the toy maker and the girl without giving his own secret away?

This book was a wonderful way to show that you can find friends even when it seems like there is anybody but friends around you. It also shows that even if you love something it is not always the answer to life. This is one of my favorite graphic novels ever.