The Invention of Hugo Cabret

By: Brian Selznick

Narrated by: Jeff Woodman

Length: 2 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

©2007 Brian Selznick (P)2006 Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.

Critic reviews

"It's wonderful. Take that overused word literally: Hugo Cabret evokes wonder." ( New York Times Book Review)

"A true masterpiece." ( Publishers Weekly, starred review)

"A fast-paced treat for tweens." ( People Magazine)

Great Book

Good book if you want something to listen to for hours on a trip. Very entertaining with great sound effects.

Left me crying

I watch the movie and then sought out the book. The story is amazing and just moved me. I loved it and I hope you listen too.

what an intruiging story

I listened to this book during a long drive, with my mother (in her sixties), my son (six), and myself (30's). This book kept all of our interest, and we could all follow the story line. The sound effects during this reading were great, keeping it interesting and fun. The narrator did a great job, with old timie radio images popping up in my mind throughout. And the story itself shows why they would turn it in to a movie (which was also fabulous), with heart-felt emotions being felt when this poor boy's plight is made clear. I recommend it for all ages!

Best Book Ever!

Where does The Invention of Hugo Cabret rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

First audiobook

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Invention of Hugo Cabret?

The end! Don't want to spoil it - but it was surprising!

What about Jeff Woodman’s performance did you like?

good character voices

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Some parts made me laugh out loud!

Great Story, Great Production.

Got this title after watching "Hugo". The movie is pretty faithful to the book, and I can see why Scorcese wanted to make this into a film since it is largely a book about the love of movies.

The story can be considered historical fiction, since it deals with the real filmmaker Georges Méliès. I love the themes interwoven throughout the story, of time, imagination, and the magic of movies.

This audiobook has wonderful sound effects by foley artists. Chapters are interspersed with the sounds of the train station, and many instances of the clicking of shoes on the floor which can also represent the ticking of a clock, the passage of time. In my search for audiobooks that my 3-year-old son will enjoy, I always appreciate a story that has sound production included.

Overall, I enjoy listening to this story and have listened to it several times already.

Great book

I saw the movie twice and I'm grateful to have read the book, it's truly mind opening and wonderful, I think everyone should try it

Simple yet enjoyable children's story

This is a nice little children???s story but it is really designed to include illustrations. The listen was fine, as was the narration, neither were great. I really did not like the sound effects (I almost never like any sound effects in audio books). It takes quite a bit more depth to be a great children???s story, but this is a nice short listen that everyone will mildly enjoy. Great for a family drive. I now expect I will like the movie as I am looking forward to the visuals.

Enjoyable story

Would you consider the audio edition of The Invention of Hugo Cabret to be better than the print version?

As the print version contained many illustrations, I believe that version may be better.

Would you recommend The Invention of Hugo Cabret to your friends? Why or why not?

I would recommend the story but probably recommend the print version. Perhaps due to the lack of illustrations, the story seemed to be missing something.

What does Jeff Woodman bring to the story that you wouldn???t experience if you just read the book?

He did an excellent job with characters.

excellent

Would you listen to The Invention of Hugo Cabret again? Why?

I would share ths story with my family, it was a great adventure and very unique.

Good, but darker than the movie

Very similar to the movie, but on the darker side. I wouldnt recommend it as a younger childs story. But overall enjoyable.