Award Winner: The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Selznick, Brian. 2007. The invention of Hugo Cabret. New York: Scholastic Press.

Set in 1930 era Paris, this is the story of Hugo Cabret, a young boy living alone in the walls of a train station. We realize early on that Hugo is a survivor and that part of what helps him survive is his obsession with one goal: unlocking the mystery that had been his father's obsession. Hugo and his father shared a love for mechanical things and figuring out how they work. How does an old man in a toy store, a curious young girl and a young man with an eye patch figure into the equation?

The 544 pages of this book seemed a bit daunting at first until you realize that most of the book is illustration; but not the kind of illustrations that you want to (or should) skip over. The exquisitely detailed pencil and watercolor illustrations are an important part of the story. The first 45 pages tell the beginning of the story and then the text of the story picks up where the illustration left off. Even if they weren't part of the story, you wouldn't want to miss them.

This fiction book is based on some fact. History buffs might enjoy doing more research on the life of George Melies, a well known pioneer of the early motion pictures. Selznick includes some early photos of Melies work in his book.

Selznick has created a masterpiece. It was hard to put this book down once you have started it. His research on the mechanical figure (automaton)really added an interesting element to the book. My feeling is that this element is just the hook to get some boys interested in reading this book.

This 2008 Caldecott Winner is recommended for children ages 9-12, although it will be enjoyed by everyone.

Are You My Mother

Eastman, P.D. 1960. Are you my mother. New York: Beginner Books.

This classic beginner book tells the story of a newly hatched baby bird who becomes separated from his mother before he even knows what she looks like. He has quite an adventure while trying to find her and learns a lot about his new world.

Using delightful pictures, simple vocabulary and repeating phrases, the well respected easy book has been used as a reader in many school for years. Somehow, I missed this particular book as a child. I added it to my repetoire and can see why it has retained its' popularity over the years. Children love animal stories and repeated phrases are a good way to get them involved in telling the story during a preschool story time.

For a story time with a "Mother" theme, I would pair this with other books such as Mothers Are Like That by Carol Carrick and/or Come Along Daisy by Jane Simmons.

My Librarian is a Camel

Ruurs, Margriet. 2005. My librarian is a camel: How books are brought to children around the world. Honesville, PA: Boyds Mills Press.

Most of us grew up thinking of libraries as buildings. In some remote parts of the world, libraries can take on unusual forms. The title of the book hooks us immediately by bringing up the image of a camel checking out books. It could be a fiction title, but this is an informational book about unique libraries around the world. It provides an educational tour around the world to see how books are brought to children by boat, bicycle, horseback, trains, camels and even by elephants!

I appreciate the fact that in addition to learning about these unusual libraries, children are learning facts about other countries and their people. Each chapter contains a flag and a few important facts about the featured country. The colorful photos give the children a visual taste of how kids around the world appreciate things that they sometimes take for granted.

This is a fun, interesting and educational read and the book could also be a great tool for sparking interest in using the library. It could be part of a unit on teaching library skills or perhaps be included as part of a display for National Library Week.

It could be paired very well with Down Cut Shin Creek: The Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky by Kathi Appelt and Jeanne Cannella Schmitzer That book shows how American librarians delivered books by horseback to poor Americans is rural areas of Kentucky during the Great Depression.

My Librarian is a Camel is recommended for children in grades 3-5.

Library Lion

Knudsen, Michelle. 2006. Library lion. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

Anyone who works in a library will get a kick out of this fun children's picture book. Those of us who are familiar with librarians and library rules know that sometimes we have to laugh at ourselves. This book about a lion who wants to visit the library but has to learn the rules just like everyone else, is both humorous and heartwarming. A lion in the library is a little bit like the proverbial bull in a china shop. Only this lion is smarter because he really can learn the rules.

While the book tends to paint librarians in a stereotypical way and seems to be outdated (in these days of on-line catalogs, most kids have never seen an old fashioned card catalog), the story will capture their attention. The lion teaches the children about all the great things a library provides -- books, story times, and most of all friends. The story also teaches kids that there are exceptions to all rules, especially when it comes to safety.

The colorful illustrations, rendered in acrylic and pencil, were created by award winning illustrator Kevin Hawkes. He really succeeded in capturing the mood and emotions of the characters.

This book is the perfect size for a story time. It could be paired with I.Q. Goes to the Library by Mary Ann Fraser for a theme of animals in the library.

Library Lion is a New York Times bestseller and is recommended for children ages 4-8.