Kitchen Table Reviews: The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Find out how this award-winner stacked up with our kid reviewers.

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I put Brian Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret on the shelf and waited. And waited. And waited some more. It's a Caldecott winner, for crying out loud! Yet neither child touched it, possibly because — as the thickest book on the shelf — it was rather imposing. Hugo's eyeball stared out from the grey and black spine for months, and finally I had to take matters into my own hands — literally. I opened it up one day and was immediately sucked in by the story and dark, soulful drawings.

Me: I just finished Hugo Cabret and it was awesome!

My darling children immediately commenced arguing over who would get to read it first. Of course. After a few days, we convened to talk about it.

Me: Okay, what did you think of Hugo Cabret?

Son: It was awesome!

Me: How come?

Son: Because he lives in the walls like a spy! And has that mechanical man! And he figures everything out!

Me: Wow. I'm sorry you didn't like it.

Son: I did!

Me: That was a joke.

Son: Not a very good one.

Me: You're right.

Hey, I know when to own up. I turned to my daughter.

Me: What about you? Did you like it?

Daughter: Yeah, it was... good.

Me: You seem unsure.

Daughter: It made me feel kind of sad, sometimes. Especially for Hugo and that George guy.

Me: Georges. Me, too. But then I felt happy at the end.

Daughter: Me, too!

Mom: So what did you think of having all those pictures in the book, with pages of drawings and no writing in a bunch of spots?

Daughter: That was really cool. It was like, showing you stuff instead of telling. You could watch the story instead of reading it, some.

Son: I loved all those pictures of him working on stuff!

I decided to dig a little bit deeper.

Me: So... what do you think Hugo's invention was?

Son: The mechanical man!!

Daughter: He didn't invent that, silly.

Son: Oh, yeah.

Me: Any other ideas?

Daughter: I think it was something... I don't know how to say it... something not physical. Something about how he felt?

Me: I think so, too. Like, maybe his invention is his new life?

Daughter: Yes, that!

Son: I want a mechanical man. Can we build one?

So, I'd have to say that my son (3rd grade) was old enough to enjoy it, but maybe not to really "get" it; and my daughter (5th grade) was just on the cusp of understanding (the book is recommended for grades 4–7). This is a complicated and emotional book, with lots of layers.

Pros: Unique graphic-heavy format. Hugo is a likeable protagonist. Lots of intrigue.

Cons: Sort of depressing (until the end). Hard-to-pronounce French names. My son is now obsessed with making a mechanical man.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret gets three thumbs up from our kitchen table, which I now wish was located in Paris.