Brian Selznick

Brian Selznick (born July 14, 1966) is an American illustrator and author best known as the writer of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Wonderstruck (2011), The Marvels (2015) and Kaleidoscope (2021). He won the 2008 Caldecott Medal for U.S. picture book illustration recognizing The Invention of Hugo Cabret. He is also known for illustrating children's books such as the covers of Scholastic's 20th-anniversary editions of the Harry Potter series.

Life and career Selznick, the oldest of three children of a Jewish family, was born and grew up in East Brunswick, New Jersey, where he graduated in 1984 from East Brunswick High School. He is the son of Lynn (Samson) and Roger E. Selznick. His grandfather was a cousin of Hollywood producer David O. Selznick. He graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design and then worked for three years at Eeyore's Books for Children in Manhattan while working on The Houdini Box, about a boy's chance encounter with Harry Houdini and its aftermath. It became his debut work, a 56-page picture book published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1991.

Selznick won the 2008 Caldecott Medal from the American Library Association for the year's best-illustrated picture book, recognizing The Invention of Hugo Cabret. At the time it was "by far the longest and most involved book I’ve ever worked on."

Selznick cites Maurice Sendak, author of Where the Wild Things Are, and Remy Charlip, author of Fortunately, as strong influences on his books The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck.

Works As writer

"A Buried History of Paleontology", by Selznick and David Serlin, Cabinet 28: Bones (Winter 2007/08) The Hugo Movie Companion: A Behind the Scenes Look at How a Beloved Book Became a Major Motion Picture; with additional material by Martin Scorsese and David Serlin (Scholastic, 2011)

As illustrator

Doll Face Has a Party (1994), picture book by Pam Conrad Our House: stories of Levittown (1995), by Pam Conrad—about Levittown Frindle (1996), novella by Andrew Clements The Boy Who Longed for a Lift (1997), picture book by Norma Farber Riding Freedom (1998), by Pam Muñoz Ryand—about Charley Parkhurst, fictionalized Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride: Based on a True Story (1999), by Pam Muñoz Ryand—about Amelia Earhart; fictionalized Barnyard Prayers (2000), picture book by Laura Godwin The Doll People (2000), novel by Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin The Landry News (2000, paperback), novella by Andrew Clements (1999) The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins (2001), by Barbara Kerleyd—about Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins The School Story (2001), by Andrew Clements When Marian Sang (2002), by Pam Muñoz Ryand—about Marian Anderson Wingwalker (2002), by Rosemary Wells The Dulcimer Boy (2003), novel by Tor Seidler The Meanest Doll in the World (2003), by Martin and Godwin, book 2 Walt Whitman: Words for America (2004), by Barbara Kerley—about Walt Whitman Lunch Money (2005), novel by Andrew Clements Marly's Ghost: A Remix of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol (2006), by David Levithan The Runaway Dolls (2008), by Martin and Godwin, book 3 12: A Novel (2009, Feiwel and Friends; ; also Twelve) The Frindle Files (2025), by Andrew Clements, sequel to Frindle