I had attended the UCLA Alumni Foundation's lecture series dedicated to children's literature in memory of writer, educator and librarian Frances Clarke Sayers. The event opened with a presentation of the winning entries submitted by students in grades 4-12 in the state of California, for "Letters About Literature". The students presenting these very personal and well informed pieces about various works of literature were charming and intelligent. I had no idea that such a competition existed and least of all that their work would be shared with us - a delightful experience.
Brian Selznick, the author and illustrator of the 2008 Caldecott medal winning "The Invention of Hugo Cabret", gave a splendid presentation that captivated the entire audience. A demanding challenge as there were children as young as five and people as old as, well, lets just say a little up there. He managed to convey important tidbits of his own life experience and his working methodology into an entertaining story/presentation unto itself. It's no wonder that he has so many awards and acknowledgements as one of the best in the field. His love of the theater plays out in all of his work, and indeed even in his presence as he spoke with mighty gusto, like that of a ring master. I was honored to speak with him breifly afterwards and to have received some words of encouragement - such an emense personage might very well intimidate most people, but to me he was unfailingly charming. Even with those shiny silver shoes!
In any event, I strongly encourage the reading of his latest novel, as it is a ground breaking vision of what an illustrated novel can be. Right down to the colophon! He mentioned in his speech the importance of "looking", and I have to agree, if you see but do not look at the entirety of things (including his novel) you may miss the very details that make it such a beauty.
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