Ben wished the world was organized by the Dewey decimal system. That way you'd be able to find whatever you were looking for.

In that moment, the machinery of the world lined up. Somewhere a clock struck midnight, and Hugo's future seemed to fall perfectly into place.

Maybe we are all cabinets of wonders.

Even if all the clocks in the station break down, thought Hugo, time won't stop. Not even if you really want it to. Like now.

Since I spend such a long time making each book, I only choose books that I'm really interested in and that I really love.

I can draw pencil lines to show something is moving, but if I'm writing, I struggle with how to write it. The boy ran down the hallway? The boy ran quickly down the hallway? The boy ran down the marble hallway? I agonize over the words. So my editor works very hard. I'm lucky to have her.

I majored in illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design, although I never had any intention of being an illustrator and didn't take any classes in illustration there. It was just that the illustration degree had no requirements.