The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Julie saw this on my "to read" list and very nicely lent it to me. I had actually given it as a gift a couple of times already to friend's children based on all the good reviews. I have to say I loved how the story would be proceeding along in writing and then suddenly like a person speaking halting English suddenly breaks into their own native language to tell the story better and quicker, the author would break into pictures to tell the story. Sadly though it was not such a great book storywise, things happen too suddenly and with no basis. A mean old man suddenly is a gentle genius, a father is missing and then forgotten. But--hey--it's a kid's book and the drawings are clever.