The Invention of Hugo Cabret

I had another not-quite-home-improvement book ordered from Amazon through my site today. It's a children's book (who knew children browsed the bathroom remodeling section on my site?), but it looks pretty cool, like something I would have enjoyed as a kid (or, you know, now).

"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."

The book is 550 pages, which seems pretty whopping for something aimed at 9-12 year olds, but apparently there are illustrations too:

"My new book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, is a 550 page novel in words and pictures. But unlike most novels, the images in my new book don't just illustrate the story; they help tell it. I've used the lessons I learned from Remy Charlip and other masters of the picture book to create something that is not a exactly a novel, not quite a picture book, not really a graphic novel, or a flip book or a movie, but a combination of all these things."

Anyway, the book has 4 1/2 stars overall, and lots of positive reviews, over at Amazon (where the hardback is heavily discounted at the moment), so if you're looking for a children's book to gift to someone (or, hey, read yourself--I won't tell), here you go:

The Invention of Hugo Cabret