–published 2007
–544 pages, Scholastic Press
–4/5 stars

The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a book that could not escape notice as people began to share their year end round-up posts at the close of 2007. It seemed that many people had read this book and as one they praised it as a marvelous young-adult tale. That interest from other bloggers peaked my interest. The book’s synopsis then ensured that it would not be long before I picked this book up and read it for myself:

Orphan, Clock Keeper, and Thief, twelve-year-old 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 girl and the owner of a small toy booth in the train 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 all come together…in The Invention of Hugo Cabret.

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–published 2007
–40 pages, Viking Juvenile
–4.25/5 stars

I have long been a fan of writer Jon Scieszka and artist/author Lane Smith. From the moment I saw their first collaboration The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, I was hooked. My part-time bookstore job at Waldenbooks during my college days afforded me the opportunity to read this and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, by A. Wolf, and to recommend them to other. Over the years Scieszka and Smith have created several odd and humorous children’s picture books as well as the young adult chapter book series, The Time-Warp Trio. It goes almost without saying that a Scieszka and Smith collaboration will be a hit.

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I have a relatively small collection of children’s books that I add to whenever I come across a book whose art and design appeal to me. When I came across Oliver Jeffers‘ latest release, The Incredible Book Eating Boy, I just knew I had to bring it home with me. Dear readers, this book is a true gem.

For those who devour the written word, Henry is indeed a kindred spirit. I have no doubt that were you to read this book you would clearly identify with his passion and his dilemma.

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It is the nature of being a reader that the first book you pick up after a profound reading experience is not always an easy choice. After the experience I had with Ender’s Game, I was unsure where to go next with my reading. Two of the books that I desperately want to read, Ian Fleming’s Goldfinger and Orson Scott Card’s Speaker for the Dead are ones that I want to save for Annie’s challenge and the Sci Fi Experience, respectively. What to do, what to do? This is where having a library of unread books comes in handy. I went and browsed my own shelves. In so doing my eyes alit upon a gift from Pat that I received last Christmas that was written especially for this time of year: The Book of Dead Days by Marcus Sedgwick.

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For my second book for the R.I.P. II Challenge I chose Annette Curtis Klause’s NY Times bestselling book, Blood and Chocolate. Having really enjoyed the film, despite its flaws, I was interested in seeing just how different the story was in its original novel form. My motivation for reading this increased after the intensely satisfying experience I had with Klause’s latest novel, Freaks. With Freaks she proved herself a writer worth reading and thus I picked up Blood and Chocolate with very little trepidation.

I will forewarn you: if you have not seen the film or read the book and have intentions of experiencing either from an unspoiled viewpoint, you may want to skip the rest of this review as this is a case where I really cannot talk about either without giving away some plot points.

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