When an illustrator writes a novel, interesting things can happen. The
official website notes that Selznick's book is "not exactly a novel, and it’s not quite a picture book, and it’s not really a graphic novel, or a flip book, or a movie, but a combination of all these things." Hugo's story is told by pictures and by text, but each in their own place. The pictures do not illustrate what has already been written, and the text does not describe the drawings. Each tell part of the story, and tell it well. This is a fantastic piece of work, and an excellent story for children. The plot itself is a little predictable, but the medium is enchanting. Besides, historical fiction about resourceful orphans has lasted for a reason. I'd be thrilled to see more books influenced by Selznick's graphic/literary style.
Note: The heft of the 500+ page book may intimidate a few readers, but bear in mind that more than half of the pages are taken up by gorgeous illustration. If Diary of a Wimpy Kid weren't nominated in the
same YRCA category this year, I'd expect this one to win.
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