Kids should not be intimidated by the size of this book. My copy is 511 pages long, but there were 284 pages of pictures. But you can't just skip the pictures, pay attention because they tell part of the story. This story takes you into the world of a boy, Hugo Cabret, who thinks that an automaton can save his live and makes you realize how easy your life must be if Hugo has to face so many challenges just to live in the world after the death of all his relatives. I liked everything about this turn-of-the-century novel, from the detailed characters, to Isabelle's love of Greek mythology (which really tied into the end of the story well). All of the details seemed to fit in just right. As the first novel ever to win the Caldecott medal, I recommend this book to kids and adults, to readers and lovers of illustrations.
Rating: *****
Check out the movie, coming out in December of 2011!
Great to hear your thoughts on this intriguing book. I've picked it up a couple of times at my library, but haven't got to reading it as yet. Will have to try and get it read before the movie comes out.
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