The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

Tags

bbi review reading 2017, bullying, children, classics, english, fiction, illustration, newbery, secondhand books

Judul: The Hundred Dresses

Penulis: Eleanor Estes

Ilustrasi: Louis Slobodkin

Penerbit: Harcourt,Inc. (1972)

Halaman: 80p

Beli di: Capitol Hill Books, Washington, DC (USD 4.50)

Kisah sederhana ini bercerita tentang Wanda Petronski, murid di sekolah dasar yang sering menjadi korban bully dan celaan teman-teman sekelasnya. Biasanya celaan itu berawal dari baju yang Wanda kenakan, yang itu-itu saja, sudah lusuh meski tetap bersih.

Wanda tinggal di Boggins Heights, daerah miskin di kota mereka, dan kondisi ekonominya menjadi satu hal yang memisahkan ia dari teman-temannya, selain juga asal-usul keluarganya yang merupakan imigran keturunan Yahudi.

Celaan teman-temannya seringkali dijawab Wanda dengan bualan mengenai jumlah baju yang ia punyai, yang ia gembar-gemborkan mencapai jumlah seratus, terdiri dari beragam warna dan material yang serba indah. Tentu saja teman-temannya tidak ada yang percaya, dan malah semakin mengolok-oloknya. Peggy merupakan anak perempuan yang paling sering menggoda Wanda, sementara Maddie, meski bersahabat dengan Peggy, seringkali tidak tega melihat Wanda digoda, namun ia juga tidak berani menentang Peggy.

Suatu hari, Wanda tidak nampak di kelas, dan ketidakhadirannya membuat Maddie gelisah karena merasa bersalah. Ia bertekad akan mencari tahu tentang Wanda dan memperbaiki sikapnya pada temannya itu. Namun apakah ternyata sudah terlambat?

The Hundred Dresses adalah buku anak-anak dengan kisah yang sederhana namun mengena. Ditulis saat Perang Dunia II baru berakhir, buku ini mengangkat sekelumit kisah para imigran Amerika yang berasal dari keturunan Yahudi, dan bagaimana latar belakang berbeda ini ditanggapi oleh anak-anak dalam pergaulan mereka.

Bullying dalam buku ini sebenarnya dituliskan dengan sangat subtle, tidak sejelas atau sekeras tema bullying yang seringkali dibahas oleh buku-buku yang lebih kontemporer. Namun dari godaan atau celaan yang sifatnya main-main inilah Eleanor Estes ingin mengingatkan dampaknya yang mungkin lebih besar daripada yang dibayangkan oleh anak-anak itu. Wanda memang tidak disakiti secara fisik, namun perkataan teman-temannya yang diucapkan dengan ringan tentang bajunya, membekas amat dalam di hatinya.

Buku ini bisa menjadi perkenalan awal bagi anak-anak terutama yang masih berusia muda, tentang mengapa bullying bisa berkembang menjadi masalah serius bahkan bila diawali dari perkataan atau perlakuan yang sepertinya tidak berarti apa-apa.

Ilustrasi dari Louis Slobdokin melengkapi kisah Wanda dan menambahkan kesan klasik yang otentik pada The Hundred Dresses. Gaya lukisan cat airnya tampak sangat pas dengan nuansa sendu buku ini. Tak heran The Hundred Dresses mendapatkan Newbery Honor.

 

Submitted for:

Kategori : Children Literature

[Reading With Yofel] Oh, The Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss

Tags

bbi review reading 2017, children, classic, english, fiction, illustration, reading with yofel, yofel

Title: Oh, The Places You’ll Go! 

Writer: Dr. Seuss

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers (2003)

Bought at: Big Bad Wolf Jakarta (IDR65k)

I read this book with Yofel, but I think I enjoyed the content more than he did 🙂

For me this book is quite personal, it reminds me of the journey I’ve taken so far in my life. The story is about a boy who just started to launch into the “real world”- new adventures, new places, new experience..and all the fantastic journey that waits him ahead.

This book gives encouragement to every kid who wants to start living their own life to be brave, to experience things fully, to get up again if there are problems or unexpected things happen.

I’m sorry to say so

But, sadly, it’s true

That Bang-ups

And Hang-ups

Can happen to you.

 

You can get all hung up

In a prickle-ly perch.

And your gang will fly on.

You’ll be left in a Lurch.

 

….

 

Somehow you’ll escape

All that waiting and staying.

You’ll find the bright places

Where Boom Bands are playing.

 

With banner flip-flapping,

Once more you’ll ride high!

Ready for anything under the sky.

Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

 

This is a perfect gift for kids, especially those who just started to embrace an adult life for the first time. No wonder this book becomes one of the most popular gifts for graduation!

The amazing thing about Dr. Seuss is he could write something for kids, with all those cute words and fun rhymes, but the content would be still relevant for any adults.

When reading this book with Yofel, I reflected on how relatable those advice and encouragements to me! Every person must have experienced a low point in their life, and how hard it was to come out from that darkness. Also how sad it is to look at other people’s lives and realized we haven’t done anything meaningful. But again, life goes on! There must be other fun stuff, success stories, great things to anticipate- so don’t you just give up yet!

For Yofel, even though this book is full of fun words and funny illustrations, I don’t think he could grasp its meaning yet. I plan to read this book again with him sometime next year, and hopefully again and again afterwards- just to remind him of the great life that awaits him ahead!

Graduation Gift

According to Penguin Random House, Oh, The Places You’ll Go! sold as much as four times during the graduation period, compare to the weekly average for the rest of the year. The book even has its version of “graduation gift” and “deluxe edition”, making it more interesting to be the gift for your loved ones!

Gift set version!

Deluxe edition

 

Submitted for:

Kategori : Children Literature

Wishful Wednesday [217]

Tags

children, classic, fiction, hotel, illustration, meme, wishful wednesday, wishlist

What, another Wednesday? Kenapa waktu cepet banget berjalannya ya? Where did my January go?

Yahhh.. apapun itu, Rabu berarti bermimpi-mimpi dan semoga bisa membawa semangat di sisa minggu ini 🙂

Saya sedang membaca buku berjudul A Gentleman in Moscow, yang memiliki setting di hotel Metropol, Moscow. Ternyata buku dengan setting hotel itu seru juga. Saya sendiri pernah tinggal sekitar 3 minggu di sebuah hotel karena urusan kerjaan, dan ternyata kehidupan hotel behind the scenes sangat menarik, karena banyak tempat-tempat yang tidak kelihatan oleh para tamu biasa.

Saya jadi semangat browsing-browsing buku berlatar belakang hotel, dan ketemulah judul Eloise (Kay Thompson, Hilary Knight), salah satu buku anak klasik yang memang dari dulu sudah bikin saya penasaran.

Meet Eloise, the precocious darling of the Plaza Hotel!

Eloise is a little girl who lives at The Plaza Hotel in New York. She is not yet pretty but she is already a Person.
Henry James would want to study her.
Queen Victoria would recognize her as an Equal.
The New York Jets would want to have her on their side.
Lewis Carroll would love her (once he got over the initial shock).
She knows everything about The Plaza. She is interested in people when they are not boring.
She has Inner Resources.
If you take her home with you, you will always be glad you did.

Eloise memiliki beberapa sekuel lagi yang sepertinya semuanya juga seru, tapi yang paling ikonik memang buku pertamanya yang bersetting di Plaza Hotel, New York.

Yuk, share WW mu juga 🙂

• Silakan follow blog Books To Share – atau tambahkan di blogroll/link blogmu =)
• Buat posting mengenai buku-buku (boleh lebih dari 1) atau segala hal yang berhubungan dengan kebutuhan bookish kalian, yang jadi inceran kalian minggu ini, mulai dari yang bakal segera dibeli, sampai yang paling mustahil dan hanya sebatas mimpi. Oya, sertakan juga alasan kenapa buku/benda itu masuk dalam wishlist kalian ya!
• Tinggalkan link postingan Wishful Wednesday kalian di Mr. Linky (klik saja tombol Mr. Linky di bagian bawah post). Kalau mau, silakan tambahkan button Wishful Wednesday di posting kalian.
• Mari saling berkunjung ke sesama blogger yang sudah ikut share wishlistnya di hari Rabu =)

 

Wishful Wednesday [212]

Tags

america, illustration, meme, wishful wednesday, wishlist

Selamat datang kembali hari Rabu! Hari ini, Amerika (dan sebagian besar dunia) sedang deg-degan menunggu hasil pemilihan presiden yang berlangsung tanggal 8 November kemarin. Dan pemilu tahun ini mungkin adalah salah satu yang paling gila, paling banyak black campaign, sekaligus kedua kandidatnya sama-sama penuh kontroversi.

Saya sendiri lebih merasa sedih karena sebentar lagi akan kehilangan sosok Barack Obama, salah satu presiden Amerika Serikat yang paling cool, keren, dan karismatik yang pernah ada di Gedung Putih.

Obama sendiri sudah menulis beberapa buku, ada yang merupakan memoirnya, kumpulan pidato dan juga essay. Tapi satu buku yang saya kepingin banget baca dan belum kesampaian adalah buku yang ditujukan untuk anak-anak perempuannya. Obama sendiri memang terkenal sebagai sosok family man yang sepertinya layak menyandang gelar ayah ideal.

Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters:

In this tender, beautiful letter to his daughters, President Barack Obama has written a moving tribute to thirteen groundbreaking Americans and the ideals that have shaped our nation. From the artistry of Georgia O’Keeffe, to the courage of Jackie Robinson, to the patriotism of George Washington, President Obama sees the traits of these heroes within his own children, and within all of America’s children.

Breathtaking, evocative illustrations by award-winning artist Loren Long at once capture the personalities and achievements of these great Americans and the innocence and promise of childhood.

This beautiful book celebrates the characteristics that unite all Americans, from our nation’s founders to generations to come. It is about the potential within each of us to pursue our dreams and forge our own paths. It is a treasure to cherish with your family forever.

Siapapun yang akan terpilih hari ini – semoga tidak akan membuat dunia menjadi lebih buruk. Cheers to Obama and his 8-year of wonderful service 🙂 Pssst… mungkinkah Michelle akan mencalonkan diri juga di future election? 😀

Yuk, share WW mu juga!

• Silakan follow blog Books To Share – atau tambahkan di blogroll/link blogmu =)
• Buat posting mengenai buku-buku (boleh lebih dari 1) atau segala hal yang berhubungan dengan kebutuhan bookish kalian, yang jadi inceran kalian minggu ini, mulai dari yang bakal segera dibeli, sampai yang paling mustahil dan hanya sebatas mimpi. Oya, sertakan juga alasan kenapa buku/benda itu masuk dalam wishlist kalian ya!
• Tinggalkan link postingan Wishful Wednesday kalian di Mr. Linky (klik saja tombol Mr. Linky di bagian bawah post). Kalau mau, silakan tambahkan button Wishful Wednesday di posting kalian.
• Mari saling berkunjung ke sesama blogger yang sudah ikut share wishlistnya di hari Rabu =)

 

 

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Tags

british, children, english, fantasy, fiction, illustration, magical realism, middle grade, sicklit

Title: A Monster Calls

Writer: Patrick Ness (original idea by Siobhan Dowd, Illustrations by Jim Kay)

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd (2011)

Pages: 115p

Bought at: Periplus Sale FX (IDR 39k, bargain!)

Lately, I was craving for a tearjerker, a book that can make me cry and bawl my eyes out. I think sometimes in life, you will need to release the emotions bottled up inside you. Otherwise, you’re getting hard inside.

So I tossed and turned, read some books that people said will bring my tears out, but I haven’t found one that could successfully satisfy my need.

Until I opened A Monster Calls.

The story revolved around a boy named Conor O’Malley, whose mother was very sick because of cancer. Since her mom was dying, Conor had repeatedly been having a nightmare, a nightmare so scary that he could barely sleep at night.

One night, another nightmare suddenly came -literally- into his life when a monster – an old tree monster- entered his house and haunted his life. The monster would tell three stories to Conor, but he asked Conor to tell him his own story, about his recurring nightmares that had made his life miserable.

Meanwhile Conor’s life kept on deteriorating. He lost his friends at school because he turned down everyone, there were some bullies who chased him everyday, he had to live with his grandma who was making him crazy, and his father chose to live in America with his new family, than to live with Conor.

Only the monster knew Conor’s feeling. But the lessons that he gave Conor required Conor’s bravery, faith and hope. Things that Conor has already forgotten about. And he’s not sure if he could bring those things back into his life.

A Monster Calls is a reminder for all of us on how to face our grieves. How to let go of things and people we love the most. How to lose someone and still face the world bravely.

It’s a beautiful, moving book with haunting illustrations, lyrical prose and dark atmosphere. It’s a book for children and adults, a book for people who just lost someone dear, a book for anyone who love a good story. A recommended book, period.

[Reading With Yofel] The Day The Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

Tags

borrowed, children, english, illustration, picture book, reading with yofel, yofel

Title: The Day The Crayons Quit

Writer: Drew Daywalt

Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers

Publisher: Philomel Books

Pages: 36p

Borrowed from: Dian

This is one of the most hilarious, entertaining books Yofel and I have ever read. The story is pretty simple actually, about a box of crayons who wrote letters of complaint to their owner, a boy named Duncan.

Yellow and Orange kept on fighting because each of them thought it’s the better color for the sun. White was angry because it felt unused, there’s not much different whether it’s in the box or not. Meanwhile, Pink was sad since Duncan used it less and less (girl color? C’mon!), and Blue is overused (it’s Duncan’s favorite color!) – it’s very short and stubby.

Yofel’s favorite, though, is Peach crayon. Duncan tore its wrapper so now Peach had to be naked and can’t even get out of the box XD

The storyline is very original, easy to digest and could relate well with the kids. The language used by each crayon is also effortlessly funny, using words like “We need to talk” or “I am BEIGE and I am PROUD” or “Give me a break”. I love reading this story out loud to Yofel because the wordings are very cute and easy to expressed in different voice or tone.

This type of book can be read over and over again without the kids being bored, and the illustrations help too – they complement the story of the crayons really well. I also love the ending, because it’s quite creative and can address the issues raised by the crayons in a cute way.

Here are some of the illustrations from the book:

Poor Peach!

Pink monster sounds really cool! 😀

And Yofel enjoyed it too 🙂

Thank you Dian who has lent us the book! 🙂 We’ve thought on buying one for Yofel as well 🙂

Wishful Wednesday [177]

Tags

collector edition, fantasi, harry potter, illustration, meme, series, wishful wednesday

Hai! Selamat datang di edisi perdana Wishful Wednesday tahun 2016 😀 Semoga tahun ini semakin banyak wish kita yang terkabul 🙂

Tahun ini diawali dengan wish yang cukup mahal, makanya saya masukkan ke Wishful Wednesday 😀

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Illustrated Edition (JK Rowling, Jim Kay):

Prepare to be spellbound by Jim Kay’s dazzling depiction of the wizarding world and much loved characters in this full-colour illustrated hardback edition of the nation’s favourite children’s book – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Brimming with rich detail and humour that perfectly complements J.K. Rowling’s timeless classic, Jim Kay’s glorious illustrations will captivate fans and new readers alike.

When a letter arrives for unhappy but ordinary Harry Potter, a decade-old secret is revealed to him that apparently he’s the last to know. His parents were wizards, killed by a Dark Lord’s curse when Harry was just a baby, and which he somehow survived. Leaving his unsympathetic aunt and uncle for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry stumbles upon a sinister mystery when he finds a three-headed dog guarding a room on the third floor. Then he hears of a missing stone with astonishing powers, which could be valuable, dangerous – or both. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

Biarpun sudah khatam banget sama serial yang satu ini, rasanya nggak afdol deh kalau nggak punya edisi ilustrasinya yang sangat memanjakan mata itu 🙂 Memang harganya mahal sih (sigh). Tapi sepertinya wajib punya untuk yang mengaku Potterhead.

Sekarang pertanyaannya: beli edisi terjemahan, atau edisi bahasa Inggris? Hmmm…

Share Wishful Wednesdaymu juga ya 🙂

• Silakan follow blog Books To Share – atau tambahkan di blogroll/link blogmu =)
• Buat posting mengenai buku-buku (boleh lebih dari 1) atau segala hal yang berhubungan dengan kebutuhan bookish kalian, yang jadi inceran kalian minggu ini, mulai dari yang bakal segera dibeli, sampai yang paling mustahil dan hanya sebatas mimpi. Oya, sertakan juga alasan kenapa buku/benda itu masuk dalam wishlist kalian ya!
• Tinggalkan link postingan Wishful Wednesday kalian di Mr. Linky (klik saja tombol Mr. Linky di bagian bawah post). Kalau mau, silakan tambahkan button Wishful Wednesday di posting kalian.
• Mari saling berkunjung ke sesama blogger yang sudah ikut share wishlistnya di hari Rabu =)

 

Abarat 2: Days of Magic, Nights of War by Clive Barker

Tags

adventures, fantasi, fiction, Gramedia, horror, illustration, series, terjemahan, young adult

Judul: Abarat 2 (Days of Magic, Nights of War)

Penulis: Clive Barker

Penerbit: Gramedia Pustaka Utama (2004)

Penerjemah:Tanti Lesmana

Halaman: 508p

Beli di: Ika (IDR25k, bargain!)

Beruntungnya saya, karena buku Abarat no. 2 saya lenyap entah ke mana, dan sempat stress juga karena bukunya sudah lumayan susah dicari. Tapi berkat jaringan BBI yang luar biasa resourceful, saya mendapatkan buku ini dari Ika yang berdomisili di Semarang. Luar biasa kan BBI? 🙂

Buku kedua mengambil waktu 2 minggu setelah Candy dan Malingo melarikan diri di akhir buku pertama. Dikisahkan petualangan mereka dari pulau ke pulau di Abarat, menikmati pemandangan dan keajaiban yang ditawarkan kepulauan Jam ini. Namun di antara perjalanan mereka, orang-orang suruhan Christopher Carrion si Penguasa Tengah Malam sekaligus musuh bebuyutan Candy, tetap tak kenal lelah dalam pengejarannya.

Candy sendiri menemukan berbagai fakta menarik yang sedikit demi sedikit menjawab pertanyaannya tentang mengapa Abarat terasa sangat familiar baginya, anak perempuan yang seumur Hidup tinggal di kota Chickentown, Minnesota. Ia mengumpulkan potongan demi potongan puzzle yang membawanya kepada sejarah kelam Abarat, serta tebakan tentang apa peranannya selama ini, termasuk rahasia di hari kelahirannya yang selama ini selalu disembunyikan oleh Ibunya, Melissa.

Sementara itu, kerajaan Tengah Malam semakin kuat menyusun kekuatannya, bahkan bersiap meluncurkan pasukan super mengerikan yang akan membawa Tengah Malam Absolut di kepulauan Abarat. Kita diajak mengenal lebih jauh sosok Christopher Carrion, Pangeran Kegelapan yang ternyata biarpun menyebalkan dan jahat, masih memiliki kisah yang dapat meraih simpati saya. Karakter antihero yang tidak bisa diremehkan begitu saja.

Dan di balik Carrion, ada Mater Motley yang sangat, amat mengerikan dan kejam. Perempuan tua ini adalah nenek Christopher yang menjadi sumber ide dari segala rencana jahat pulau Tengah Malam yang ingin menguasai Abarat dengan kegelapan abadi. Dan ia sudah tidak sabar lagi untuk meluncurkan rencananya, bahkan bila itu berarti ia harus berduel dengan cucunya sendiri!

Buku kedua Abarat masih tetap seru seperti buku pertamanya. kita mengenal lebih jauh karakter-karakter dari buku pertama, sekutu dan lawan Candy, sekaligus diperkenalkan pada sosok-sosok baru yang nantinya akan ambil bagian besar dalam petualangan Candy. Clive Barker masih tetap menggila dalam imajinasinya, membawa kita berjalan lebih jauh lagi mengarungi setiap pulau, dari mulai yang menyenangkan seperti Babilonium (taman ria raksasa yang selalu ditingkahi keramaian), sampai yang dipenuhi horror seperti Piramida Xuxux (yang isi di dalamnya amat sangat misterius).

Ilustrasi yang  gelap dan gory juga menunjang deskripsi adegan yang kadang memang terlalu brutal untuk ukuran buku fantasi anak. Pembunuhan, pembantaian, kematian, monster dan makhluk jadi-jadian, semuanya dijamin akan menjadi mimpi buruk setiap anak yang membaca buku Abarat  🙂 Buku ini memang bukan dongeng‎ sebelum tidur!

Adegan klimaks buku kedua ini mungkin merupakan yang paling epik, meski bukan favorit saya, saat tokoh-tokoh Abarat membawa pertarungan besar mereka ke Chickentown, ‎menyatukan dua dunia yang sangat berbeda ini dan membawa alur kisah ke arah yang lain sama sekali.

Apakah buku ketiga Abarat sama memuaskannya dengan buku pertama dan kedua? Tunggu review saya berikutnya ya!

 

Wishful Wednesday [162]

Tags

fantasi, harry potter, illustration, meme, wishful wednesday, wishlist

Halow! Apa kabar? Bagaimana libur Lebarannya? Semoga seru dan memuaskan ya… Dan sekarang, siap kembali mencari sesuap nasi… (atau setumpuk buku? hihi).

Minggu ini, dunia dikejutkan (lebay) dengan rencana Bloomsbury menerbitkan edisi ilustrasi deluxe buku Harry Potter. Yaaa… para penerbit ini ngerti banget sih kelemahan Potterheads, yang selalu gatel pingin beli dan beli lagi setiap kali ada buku dengan versi baru.

Dan yang satu ini, memang menggoda banget siiiihhhh…Dikutip dari press releasenya, ini nihhh sekilas tentang Harry Potter Deluxe Illustrated Edition yang rencananya akan terbit November nanti:

 

The deluxe illustrated edition of J.K. Rowling’s timeless classic will feature an exclusive pull-out double gatefold of Diagon Alley; intricate foiled line art by Jim Kay on a real cloth cover and slipcase; gilt edges on premium grade paper; head and tail bands and two ribbon markers. It is the ultimate must-have edition for any fan, collector or bibliophile. This edition will be sold exclusively from the Bloomsbury.com website until March 2016 when it will be made available to retail outlets.
This special edition is an utterly enchanting feast of a book and something to treasure for a lifetime. Brimming with rich detail and humour, Jim Kay’s dazzling depiction of the wizarding world and much loved characters will captivate fans and new readers alike. In oil, pastel, pencil, watercolour, pixels and a myriad of other techniques, Jim Kay has created over 115 astonishing illustrations.

Tapi jangan kaget ya, rencananya buku ini sebuahnya akan dibandrol seharga $270, atau 6 kali lipat dari edisi ilustrasi yang biasa. Huaaaa… mengerikan banget ya.

Ini contoh ilustrasi yang bikin ngiler:

Tapi apakah se worth it itu mengeluarkan 3 juta rupiah untuk 1 buku? LOL. Kecuali ada yang mau ngadoin sihhh #kodekeras

Share WW mu juga yuks..

• Silakan follow blog Books To Share – atau tambahkan di blogroll/link blogmu =)
• Buat posting mengenai buku-buku (boleh lebih dari 1) atau segala hal yang berhubungan dengan kebutuhan bookish kalian, yang jadi inceran kalian minggu ini, mulai dari yang bakal segera dibeli, sampai yang paling mustahil dan hanya sebatas mimpi. Oya, sertakan juga alasan kenapa buku/benda itu masuk dalam wishlist kalian ya!
• Tinggalkan link postingan Wishful Wednesday kalian di Mr. Linky (klik saja tombol Mr. Linky di bagian bawah post). Kalau mau, silakan tambahkan button Wishful Wednesday di posting kalian.
• Mari saling berkunjung ke sesama blogger yang sudah ikut share wishlistnya di hari Rabu =)

 

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Tags

children, english, europe, fiction, FYE challenge, history, illustration

Title: The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Writer: Brian Selznick

Publisher: Scholastic Children’s Books (2007)

Pages: 533p

Bought at: Kinokuniya Ngee Ann City (SGD 37,60)

Age appropriate: 7 yo and up

I bought this book when I went to Singapore last year but I avoided reading it because I wanted so much to reserve it. I felt I didn’t have the heart to open its wrapper and flip into the beautiful pages. Does it make any sense? 😀

Anyway, I decided to read Hugo because I wanted to see the movie (I haven’t watched it, shame on me), and I think it’s better to tackle the book first before seeing it on screen.

What can I say? Brian Selznick is a pure genius. He could combine a wonderful storyline, some interesting historical facts, and magnificent pictures. I love the way he described this book: A novel in words and pictures. Because it’s true, some pictures replaced the words, but still became a perfect part of the story.

Hugo Cabret lives behind the walls of a train station in Paris. He was an orphan, his father died in a fire in the museum where he worked to maintain the clocks. Hugo was taken by his uncle to help him taking care of the clocks in the train station. But one day, Hugo’s uncle, who was a drunk, didn’t come to their place in the station and just disappeared.

Hugo had to take care of his own life, pretending to become his uncle and work by himself, stealing food from here and there. Hugo’s only consolation was a wind up figure, or automaton, that his father gave him before he died. Hugo believed that if he could repair the automaton, it will reveal a secret that could save his life. But things got complicated when Hugo’s life collided with a grumpy old man who owned a toy shop in the station, and somehow had a connection with the automaton. Helped by the old man’s adopted daughter, Hugo tried to open up the secret of the automaton- and enter the beautiful but sad secrets of the old man’s past.

This is a wonderful, simple story that could make you smile long after you close the book. I love how the narrative of this book flows beautifully between words and pictures, complimented each other flawlessly. The details of the pictures also mesmerized me. From the crowded station, the cold Parisian street, to the precise little parts of the clocks and automaton, they are all amazing!

I also love how Selznick included  forgotten historical facts about the olden days cinema and film history, it really suited the tone of the book. I can’t wait to read Wonderstruck, another Selznick’s masterpiece, that is still wrapped neatly on my shelf, waiting to be discovered….

 

My favorite scene! Look at those books 🙂

Huge glass clock in the station.

Beautiful Paris as the perfect setting.

Submitted for:

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