A Classic (Already!): Invention of Hugo Cabret

Written a decade ago, Brian Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret is part traditional novel, part graphic novel. Set in Paris in the 1930s, Brian lives in the walls of a train station. The story just grows bigger and bigger from here, including a girl, a shopkeeper, secrets, clocks, and, and...The story easily captivates mid-level readers (strong upper elementary through middle school and beyond). Black and white drawings, too, add to the drama.  Book has 500 pages (much of it illustrations) so some students love the power of its size while others are intimidated.