It was "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick. Now, don't be put off when I tell you it's considered a children's book. And, don't be put off when I tell you it's 544 pages! Most of those pages are charcoal illustrations that move the story along.
The story takes place in 1931 Paris, in and around a train station. Hugo, a twelve-year-old orphan, lives in the walls of the train station where he keeps the clocks running, a job that his uncle taught him. The uncle has since disappeared and Hugo has to steal food to survive. He also steals small mechanical toys from the toy shop in the station. He needs parts from the toys to complete the repair of a mechanical man he discovered in the ruins of a fire that killed his father.
It is through the owner of the toy shop, and his god-daughter Isabelle, that Hugo is able to realize his dream of getting the mechanical man to work and also solving its mystery.
Paris, clocks, magic and the early days of the movie industry all come together in this charming book.
This was the winner of the 2008 Caldecott Award for best illustrated children's book.
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