Author: Chris Van Allsburg
Ages: 5+
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Warning: Extreme over usage of the word mystery, because, well, it is an extremely mysterious book!
When you find a beautiful story, you find yourself getting transported to the world it portrays. When you find a story though, with a title, a picture and just one line as caption, you are treated to not one, but a thousand possible worlds and stories and the result is just endless hours of intrigue and extreme suspense. And when you find a book that has 14 such pictures, it is a riot of imagination! And that is exactly what this book is.
Mulled over by many and attempted to be solved by many more, Chris Van Allsburg's book is truly a sensation. And the mystery and suspense became too much to bear that a group of choicest authors from all over the world ( including Stephen King, Louis Sachar and Chris himself) put down to pen their own versions and published it as a book, "The Chronicles of Harris Burdick".
As if this isn't mysterious enough, the origin of the book is another mystery in itself. Chris saw a set of 14 drawings during a visit to a children's book publisher, Mr Peter Wenders. Mr Wenders explained that thirty years before that day, a Mr Harris Burdick came into his office with these pictures, which were samples from the 14 stories he had written.
Mr Wenders was fascinated by the drawings and wanted to read the stories. Mr Burdick left the samples with him and agreed to bring the stories the next day, but he never turned up. Mr Wenders was never able to find him, and Mr Burdick remained a big mystery. Inspired by the drawings, many children including Mr Wenders' had written so many stories about each picture. Chris read the stories and was amazed at the endless possibilities and got inspired himself. He reproduced these drawings and made them into a book including Mr Burdick's original captions as well, in the hope that it will inspire children of generations to come. I'm including a picture here with it's caption and you can see how hard it is to not imagine a story!
Title: A Strange Day in July.
Caption: He threw with all his might, but the third stone came skipping back.
This book has been used by teachers, parents, story competitions all over the world to stimulate the children's imagination. The drawings are stunning and in keeping with the black-and-white pencil drawing style that Chris has used to create so many timeless magical books like Jumanji, Zathura and my favourite one, The Polar Express.
Chris' works have won many awards and have even inspired directors to create enchanting and extraordinary movies, all of them going on to become mega hits! And although Polar Express would always be my favourite as a book and also as an entrancing movie ( particularly during the Christmas season), it is always Robbie Williams in Jumanji who would come to my mind whenever I read any work of the author.
More at Chris' website here. Story Competitions and an opportunity to win signed copies here.
P.S: Many years later, the mystery of Harris Burdick became even more profound when another picture made by him was located elsewhere in a library collection. Read all about it here.
Ages: 5+
Warning: Extreme over usage of the word mystery, because, well, it is an extremely mysterious book!
When you find a beautiful story, you find yourself getting transported to the world it portrays. When you find a story though, with a title, a picture and just one line as caption, you are treated to not one, but a thousand possible worlds and stories and the result is just endless hours of intrigue and extreme suspense. And when you find a book that has 14 such pictures, it is a riot of imagination! And that is exactly what this book is.
Mulled over by many and attempted to be solved by many more, Chris Van Allsburg's book is truly a sensation. And the mystery and suspense became too much to bear that a group of choicest authors from all over the world ( including Stephen King, Louis Sachar and Chris himself) put down to pen their own versions and published it as a book, "The Chronicles of Harris Burdick".
As if this isn't mysterious enough, the origin of the book is another mystery in itself. Chris saw a set of 14 drawings during a visit to a children's book publisher, Mr Peter Wenders. Mr Wenders explained that thirty years before that day, a Mr Harris Burdick came into his office with these pictures, which were samples from the 14 stories he had written.
Mr Wenders was fascinated by the drawings and wanted to read the stories. Mr Burdick left the samples with him and agreed to bring the stories the next day, but he never turned up. Mr Wenders was never able to find him, and Mr Burdick remained a big mystery. Inspired by the drawings, many children including Mr Wenders' had written so many stories about each picture. Chris read the stories and was amazed at the endless possibilities and got inspired himself. He reproduced these drawings and made them into a book including Mr Burdick's original captions as well, in the hope that it will inspire children of generations to come. I'm including a picture here with it's caption and you can see how hard it is to not imagine a story!
Title: A Strange Day in July.
Caption: He threw with all his might, but the third stone came skipping back.
This book has been used by teachers, parents, story competitions all over the world to stimulate the children's imagination. The drawings are stunning and in keeping with the black-and-white pencil drawing style that Chris has used to create so many timeless magical books like Jumanji, Zathura and my favourite one, The Polar Express.
Chris' works have won many awards and have even inspired directors to create enchanting and extraordinary movies, all of them going on to become mega hits! And although Polar Express would always be my favourite as a book and also as an entrancing movie ( particularly during the Christmas season), it is always Robbie Williams in Jumanji who would come to my mind whenever I read any work of the author.
More at Chris' website here. Story Competitions and an opportunity to win signed copies here.
P.S: Many years later, the mystery of Harris Burdick became even more profound when another picture made by him was located elsewhere in a library collection. Read all about it here.
