SELZNICK, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret. NY: Scholastic [2006]. 8vo, x 531pp. Color pictorial paper wrappers. Profusely illustrated in b&w. A fine copy.

Advance Reader’s Edition, being issued in limited quantity to reviewers several months prior to the March 2007 release of the first printing. 2008 Caldecott Medal Winner! Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo hide inside 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, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the 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 from Hugo's dead father form the backbone of this intricate, spellbinding, and heartwarming mystery, told though both text and illustration. The basis for the 2011 Martin Scorcese, Oscar-winning film and the debut of this groundbreaking storytelling format.