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A video interview with

Brian Selznick

Brian Selznick feels that his illustrations are more authentic when he immerses himself in his subject matter. For the picture book Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride, Selznick spent six months in Washington, DC conducting research at libraries and museums. For his Caldecott-Honor-winning illustrations in The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins, he traveled to London to sketch, photograph, and climb inside the famous dinosaur replicas. For his best-selling 533-page illustrated novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Selznick watched old French films, interviewed experts, and traveled to Paris three times.

Click on the links below‡ to watch this interview online. You can also read the interview transcript or a short biography of Brian Selznick, or see a selected list of his children's books.

View online

GI Joe Island (2:09)
Brian Selznick waxes nostalgic about the days when he used to play with action figures and give haircuts to his little troll dolls.
Choosing a career (3:06)
When Brian Selznick enrolled in art school, the one thing he knew for sure is that he didn't want to illustrate children's books.
Eeyore's Books for Children (3:14)
While working at this popular Manhattan bookstore, Selznick received a hands-on education in children's literature.
A trip to the moon (1:45)
Brian Selznick has been fascinated by cinema ever since he was a young boy.
Automata (2:38)
In this video clip, Selznick describes how these complicated wind-up toys inspired his best-selling book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret.
The Invention of Hugo Cabret (3:07)
This unique 533-page book doesn't fit neatly into any one genre. It's not a traditional novel. And it's not a graphic novel either. Selznick himself doesn't even know what to call it.
Heavy reading (3:22)
Parents and teachers report that struggling readers feel a sense of accomplishment when they conquer this humongous book.
Climbing inside the dinosaurs (1:26)
In this video clip, Brian Selznick discusses how first-hand research makes his work feel more authentic.

‡ This video clip will appear in Windows Media Player, which most computers already have installed, or you can download it now. Macintosh users can download the free Flip4Mac playback file, which allows you to play Windows Media files in your Quicktime player.

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