Awards and Praise for The Invention of Hugo Cabret:

2008 Caldecott Medal winner
National Book Award Finalist
#1 New York Times Bestseller
New York Times Best Illustrated Book
Los Angeles Times Favorite Children's Book of the Year
TIME Magazine's 100 Best Children's and Young Adult Books of All Time

“Evokes wonder . . . like a silent film on paper.” -- The New York Times

“A fast-paced treat.” -- People Magazine

“Distinctive.”-- The Wall Street Journal

“Cinematic.”-- Parenting Magazine

“Captivating.”-- Los Angeles Times Book Review

“If your kid loves the J.K. Rowling series, then [they are] bound to enjoyThe Invention of Hugo Cabret. . .”-- Good Housekeeping


• “A true masterpiece.”-- Publishers Weekly, starred review


• “Fade to black and cue the applause!”-- Kirkus, starred review


• “Complete genius.”-- Horn Book, starred review


• “Breathtaking . . . shatters conventions.”-- School Library Journal, starred review


• “An original and creative integration of art and text.”-- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

“Visually stunning . . . raises the bar.” -- San Antonio Express-News

An orphan boy named Hugo is on a mission. He lives in a Paris train station, stealing food and toys. But the toys he steals are not playthings. He needs parts for a mechanical man that he is reassembling, in the hope that he can solve a mystery left by his dead father. This goes on for some time until the old man who owns the toy booth catches Hugo stealing. Then Hugo's father's notebook, which helps him make sense of his mission, goes missing, and Hugo is bereft. Hugo and Isabelle, the old man's goddaughter, become friends and soon find a hidden connection between them. Magic, secrets, and betrayals keep this entertaining story moving swiftly. Listeners will care more and more about Hugo and Isabelle as their secrets are unraveled and the mystery of Hugo's father's invention is solved. The narrator does an excellent job of giving distinct personalities to each character; his tone and pace sets each scene just right. For example, when a shopkeeper catches Hugo stealing milk and thunders after him, enlisting help from the police, listeners will feel as if they are right there in the train station, boots pounding and heels clicking after Hugo, who is running for his life. A bonus DVD is included with the three CDs that make up this unabridged audio book. The CDs total two hours and 51 minutes of listening time. The Martin Scorsese movie Hugo, based on this book, won several Oscars at the 2012 Academy Awards. Reviewer: Jeanne K. Pettenati, J.D.