Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, twelve-year-old 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 girl and the owner of a small toy booth in the train 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 all come together.

Winner of the 2008 Caldecott award this 526 page book is a mixture of illustrations and text. Often 10-12 pages of only illustrations will flow into a few pages of text to further tell the story. It felt strange to read a Caldecott winner that was over 32 pages. The illustrations were lovely but I didn't really care for the story until about 2/3 way into it. I felt that everyone was such an unhappy person and would delibertly not tell the truth that it got annoying to me. But I do appreciate the detail the author gives to telling the story of how cinema got it's start in the world. That part was truely amazing.