Hugo lives a secret life inside a train station. His days are kept busy as he maintains more than 2o clocks within the station, because if any of them lose time, break down or at the very worst, stop, it will be discovered that a 12 year old boy is looking after them instead of his uncle.

To survive, Hugo steals milk and food from vendors within the station. He’s not happy being a thief, but he has no other choice. One day, his life of theft catches up with him.

The man who catches him owns a small toyshop inside the station. His clockwork toys have fascinated Hugo as they remind him of his father who taught him about gears, and mechanisms and how to build these sorts of toys; from very young. The toymaker has all the things Hugo needs to finish building something he believes will reconnect him with his father.

The toymaker has his own story – now angry and bitter, he was once famous and happy, connecting people to their dreams. Neither he or Hugo know that catching Hugo stealing will be the best thing that’s happened to them both for years.

There are two stories within this story. One of a boy with a painful past, and one of a talented old man whose happy past slowly slipped away from him. With the help of the old man’s determined god-daughter to connect the man and boy, both lives are revealed and a more promising future possible.

Author – Brian Selznick

Age – 8+

(Film, Movies, Movie-maker, Secrets, Historical, Family, Loss, Grief, Wonder, Thief, Train station, Magician, Caldecott Medal, Award winner)