The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

My Review

The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a magical story of a young boy in the old train station of 1920s Paris who dreams of restoring and repairing an automaton (a machine like a robot). Children (or adults) who love reading history, who enjoy looking at art, or who are fascinated by mechanical toys should try this book. Selznick's Caldecott medal-winning illustrations and photographs are integral to the storytelling process, and add key pieces of information that are not written in the text of the story.Through the illustrations and through the story, readers get a real taste of Hugo's world: 1920's Paris and the famous old train station.

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Book Information

Tan, Shaun. The Arrival. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2006.

My review

The Arrival is the story of an immigrant to a new and unfamiliar country. It follows the main character as he journeys from his home to the unknown, which is filled with creatures and scenery that are so strange to him. Will he ever belong in his new home? And who can he trust?

Shaun Tan tell's the immigrant's story by communicating only through pictures. In this wordless graphic novel, readers are able to see the new world through the newcomer's eyes. Unlike many graphic novels, the images are not drawn or coloured with pen or ink. Tan's style of shading with pencils makes the characters realistic and memorable, and gives the impression that this story could have been the story of countless immigrants in the past.