Books Like The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Brian Selznick

Selznick's follow-up uses the same alternating structure, with one story told entirely in drawings and another in prose, so readers who loved Hugo's cinematic page-turning will recognise the magic immediately.

Shaun Tan

A wordless illustrated novel about an immigrant in a strange city, it shows how much feeling pictures alone can carry, just as Hugo's long drawn sequences do.

Kazu Kibuishi

A richly drawn graphic novel with mechanical creatures, a mysterious inheritance and a grieving family, it suits readers who loved Hugo's mix of visual storytelling and loss.

Peter Brown

Illustrated by its author, this gentle story about a robot learning to live on a wild island shares Hugo's fascination with machines that seem to have a heart.

Philip Pullman

A short, eerie tale built like the inside of a clock, with interlocking stories and a mechanical figure, perfect for readers drawn to Hugo's automaton and gears.

Elinor Teele

A boy escapes a grim family business and survives on his inventive skill, echoing Hugo's tinkering, resourcefulness and search for somewhere to belong.

E. L. Konigsburg, Jill Clayburgh

Two children secretly live inside the Metropolitan Museum and chase an art mystery, a classic that matches Hugo's thrill of hiding inside a grand public building.

Trenton Lee Stewart

Clever orphans solve puzzles and uncover hidden messages, offering the same pleasure of decoding clues that drives Hugo's search through his father's notebook.

Kate Milford

A cosy, atmospheric mystery in an old inn full of secrets and maps, ideal for readers who enjoyed Hugo's slowly unfolding puzzle and intimate setting.

Kate DiCamillo, Timothy B. Ering

An illustrated fable about an outcast hero, darkness and forgiveness, it shares Hugo's tenderness and its belief that broken people can be mended by kindness.

Jeanne Birdsall

A warm, old-fashioned story of family and friendship that will appeal to readers who cared most about the bonds Hugo forms with Isabelle and the toy-booth owner.

Patrick Ness, Siobhan Dowd

Strikingly illustrated and deeply moving, this story of a boy facing grief suits older readers who were touched by Hugo's longing for his lost father.