Teacher reading- The Invention of Hugo Cabret

I have started reading to Room 13 this fascinating novel by Brian Selznick, about Hugo Cabret, an orphaned boy who lives in the Paris Railway Station. The book's primary inspiration is the true story of turn-of-the-century French pioneer filmmaker Georges Méliès, his surviving films, and his collection of mechanical, wind-up figures called The book's primary inspiration is the true story of turn-of-the-century French pioneer filmmaker Georges Méliès, his surviving films, and his collection of mechanical, wind-up figures called automata.                                                                                                                                                 Admittedly, the class was a bit taken aback when I told them Part 2 of the story started at page 257 (how long would it take to read the novel?) but at the end of day one we had reached page 80 because of how the book is constructed- lots of illustrations and some pages have very few words.                                                                                                                                                            As we read we build on our knowledge of the story, the characters and the plot by expanding our concept web.  This is to help students understand how they can improve their own writing by determining all the myriad details, and the connections between them, at the beginning of the writing process.  Over the next few weeks the web will grow as I add new connections.

Some illustrations from the book: