4 good links

  1. The Official Site of Chris Van Allsburg

    Background, press release, artwork and occasional contests

  2. World of Chris Van Allsburg

    From his publisher, details on The Polar Express plus much other Van Allsburg info

  3. KidsReads: Chris Van Allsburg

    A brief biography, then a nice sturdy interview with the author

  4. USA Today: The Polar Express

    The newspapers reports on the production of the 2004 film

Chris Van Allsburg Biography

Chris Van Allsburg won Caldecott Medals for his lavishly illustrated books Jumanji (1982) and The Polar Express (1986). Van Allsburg's books are known for their mysterious stories and whimsically dreamy images. He was one of the most prolific and successful children's illustrators of the 1980s and 1990s. His other books include Ben's Dream (1982), The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (1985), The Wretched Stone (1991), and Zathura, a follow-up to Jumanji, in 2001.

Extra credit:

Jumanji was made into a movie in 1995, starring Robin Williams and Kirsten Dunst... A holiday film based on The Polar Express was released in 2004, with Tom Hanks as the train's conductor.

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