Award-winning author Selznick inspires young creators at Mount Prospect school

The creator of “The Invention of Hugo Cabret,” upon which Martin Scorsese based his movie “Hugo,” opened a window into his creative process Monday for students at Fairview Elementary School in Mount Prospect.

“This really was one of the best schools I have been to,” award-winning author/illustrator Brian Selznick said, crediting Fairview's teachers and librarians. “The children were so well prepared.”

“It's wonderful to know that the kids like my books, but the only way they know my books is if the librarian and the teachers are sharing my books with them,” he added.

Selznick told students that he initially resisted the advice of adults in this life who suggested he become an author/illustrator.

“Even though the adults were right, I needed to get a little bit older and figure it out for myself,” he said.

Students erupted with a roar of recognition when Selznick mentioned the book “Baby Monkey, Private Eye,” which he wrote with his husband, David Serlin.

Selznick also discussed his latest book, “Big Tree,” about sibling sycamore seeds named Louise and Merwin and their 147 million-year odyssey.

After the assembly, fourth-grader Annabelle Kowal said she aspires to be an author/illustrator like Selznick. She said she is reading his young adult novel “Wonderstruck” and appreciates the detail in Selznick's work.