Goodreads Says: 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. My Thoughts:
- I randomly picked this book up while I was browsing the library. We were in the children's section, and I saw a big fat book. I picked it up and flipped through it. The pictures looked awesome, so I brought it home, and I'm SO glad I did!
- This was a very fun and informative book. It is fiction, but it is based on a real person.
- The book isn't illustrated. The pictures are part of the story. I LOVE that! The book is half words and half illustrations. They work together to bring the story to life.
- The illustrations are amazing. They are sketched with pencils or charcoal or something like that, and they are awesome! There are also some real photos about Georges Melies.
- I have seen the famous picture of the rocket in the moon's eye, but I didn't realize it was an old black and white silent film. In the middle of the book, I went and watched the film. It is terrible, but it was fun to see what the book was talking about. If you want to watch it, it is on Netflix. There are two versions.- This book made me want to learn how to build a clock. Ha! It sounds fun and intricate. I also want to see automaton toys and things.
- The characters are brilliant. Each one is special in their own way. The girl is annoying sometimes, but she is okay.
- I found out that they made a movie adaptation that is pretty good. I want to see it!!
