Literary pick for week of May 14
Merwin and Louise, sibling Sycamore seeds living 100 million years in the Cretaceous period, long to put down roots and grow into big trees. But when a fire forces them to leave their mother tree prematurely, they find themselves catapulted into the unknown, far from home.
That’s the essence of Caldecott medalist Brian Selznick’s new book “Big Tree,” which he will introduce with a reading at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, at the University of St. Thomas O’Shaughnessy Education Center, 2115 Summit Ave., St. Paul, in partnership with St. Paul’s Red Balloon Bookshop.
“Big Tree” (Scholastic), began as a planned collaboration between Selznick and producer/director Steven Spielberg for a film project that never got off the ground. But both men agreed it would make a terrific book, and it lives up to that prediction with starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal and The Horn Book. It is enlivened with nearly 300 pages of pictures, including those showing the two seeds’ personalities even though Louise and Merwin have no faces.
Selznick is the author and illustrator of many books for children, including “The Invention of Hugo Cabret,” winner of the Caldecott medal for illustration and the basis for the Oscar-winning movie “Hugo.” He is also author/illustrator of “Wonderstruck,” made into a movie by Todd Haynes with a screenplay by Selznick. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Harry Potter series, he created new covers and a box for all seven books. His books have sold millions of copies and been translated into more than 35 languages.
A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design in 1988, Selznick got his start in children’s books as an independent bookseller in New York. He is married to David Serlin, a writer, editor and professor at the University of California, San Diego. They divide their time between California and Brooklyn.
Selznick’s appearance here is presented by the Red Balloon Bookshop and the University of St. Thomas’ schools of Education and Engineering, promoting the connections between science and art. This is a ticketed event. Each ticket includes a purchase of one book and up to four seats for the program. For information go to redballoonbookshop.com/event.
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