Brian Selznick author page

Brian Selznick biography

Brian Selznick is an American author and illustrator known for his innovative contributions to children’s literature. He studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and began his career as a bookseller before illustrating his first book, The Houdini Box, published in 1991. Selznick has illustrated works by other authors, including Andrew Clements and Pam Muñoz Ryan, and is recognized for his detailed pencil drawings.

Selznick is best known for his groundbreaking book The Invention of Hugo Cabret, published by Scholastic in 2007. The novel combines elements of picture book, graphic novel, and film, using over 280 pages of original drawings to tell the story alongside the text. The Invention of Hugo Cabret received the Caldecott Medal in 2008, awarded by the American Library Association for the most distinguished American picture book for children.

Following this success, Selznick wrote and illustrated Wonderstruck (2011) and The Marvels (2015), both published by Scholastic. These works continue his signature style of blending illustration and narrative, exploring themes of discovery, family, and history. Selznick has also contributed illustrations to a variety of other children’s books and has been recognized for his unique approach to visual storytelling.

In 2017, Selznick published Baby Monkey, Private Eye, co-created with David Serlin, which was named a Caldecott Honor Book in 2019.