Chris Van Allsburg

“Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see.” Late one Christmas Eve after the town has gone to sleep, the boy boards the mysterious train that waits for him: the Polar Express bound for the North Pole. When he arrives, Santa offers the boy any gift he desires. The boy modestly asks for one bell from the harness of the reindeer. The gift is granted. On the way home the bell is lost. On Christmas morning, the boy finds the bell under the tree. The mother of the boy admires the bell, but laments that it is broken—for you see, only believers can hear the sound of the bell. In strange and moving shades of full color art, Chris Van Allsburg creates an otherwordly classic of the Christmas season. 'The Polar Express' evokes the same sense of mystery as his previous imaginative books 'The Garden of Abdul Gasazi' (1979), 'Jumanji' (1981), and 'The Wreck of the Zephyr' (1983). Awarded the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1986, 'The Polar Express 'has sold more than 7 million copies, become a classic holiday movie, and been translated into stage productions that take place across the United States during the holiday season.

Acclaimed author Chris Van Allsburg’s daring companion to Caldecott-award winning Jumanji—a tale of intergalactic adventure and sibling rivalry where a roll the dice transports two brothers to the mythical land of Zathura. On the last page of the Caldecott-winning book Jumanji, young Danny Budwing is seen running after his brother, Walter, with a game tucked under his arm. Now after twenty years, Chris Van Allsburg is ready to reveal what happens when Danny and Walter roll the dice. This time the name of the game is Zathura and the battling Budwing boys are in for the ride of their lives. The first book in seven years by Chris Van Allsburg, Zathura is a dramatic adventure that promises a breathtaking and unforgettable experience. At the story's end which becomes, miraculously, the beginning, we find that Walter's feelings for his little brother are greatly altered. Only the mind and hand of Chris Van Allsburg’s could create this fantastic world where shifts in time and space and perspective take the reader on such an extraordinary journey. In double spread illustrations that shimmer against the surreal events of the story, readers will be holding their breath with each new threat the boys face in the satisfying enigma that is Zathura.

The game under the tree looked like a hundred others Peters and Judy had at home... But they were bored, restless and looking for something interesting to do... so they thought they'd give Jumanji a try. Little did they know when they unfolded its ordinary-looking playing board that they were about to be plunged into the most exciting and bizarre adventure of their lives. In his second book for children, Chris Van Allsburg again explores the ever-shifting line between fantasy and reality with this story about a game that comes startlingly to life. His marvelous drawings beautifully convey a mix of the everyday and the extraordinary, as a quiet house is taken over by an exotic jungle. Chris Van Allsburg (1949-) is an American illustrator & author born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has won two Caldecott Medals for U.S. picture book illustration, among other awards, for 'Jumanji' (1981) and 'The Polar Express' (1985), both of which he also wrote. These two books were later adapted as successful motion pictures.

"Six times Miss Hester's dog Fritz had bitten dear cousin Eunice. So when Miss Hester received an invitation to visit Eunice she was not surprised to read 'P.S., Please leave your dog home...' " A 1980 Caldecott Honor Book Sometimes that very thin line between illusion and reality is not as clearly defined as we would like it to be. It certainly wasn't the day that Alan Mitz stumbled into the garden of Abdul Gasazi. For in this bizarre and eerie place—where strange topiary trees loomed—the evil visage of Gasazi casts its shadow. And even after Alan escaped, the spell of Gasazi still seemed to penetrate into his everyday world. In this extraordinary, unusual, and unique picture book, Chris Van Allsburg explores both the real and surreal worlds with incredible deftness. In doing so, he has created exquisite and beautiful images that will continue to haunt readers long after they have left the enchanted garden of Abdul Gasazi. Chris Van Allsburg (1949-) is an American illustrator and author born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has won two Caldecott Medals for U.S. picture book illustration, among other awards, for 'Jumanji' (1981) and 'The Polar Express' (1985), both of which he also wrote. These two books were later adapted as successful motion pictures. Edition MSRP: $18⁹⁵ US (ISBN 0-395-27804-X) Library of Congress Card #79-016844 Printed in the United States of America

A 25th anniversary edition of the enchanting story of a widow who finds herself in possession of an extraordinary broom after a witch falls into her garden.

From the award-winning author of Jumanji and The Polar Express, Chris Van Allsburg challenges young readers to use their creativity and imagination in this one-of-a-kind book that asks readers to finish the story. When author-illustrator extraordinaire Harris Burdick goes missing, all he's left behind are a series of images with accompanying captions, ideas for separate picture books. But what can a picture of a nun quietly sitting in a chair floating in a cathedral have to do with a caption that says, "THE SEVEN CHAIRS: The fifth one ended up in France?" Enticed to come up with their own endings, readers will marvel at the mystery behind these lasting drawings and the charm of an everchanging narrative. Caldecott medal winner Chris Van Allsburg's call for readers to write their own stories will enthrall young minds again and again.