Chris Van Allsburg
Writer / Illustrator
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.
Other popular author/illustrators include Dr. Seuss and Beatrix Potter.
Four Good Links
World of Chris Van Allsburg
From his publisher, details on The Polar Express plus much other Van Allsburg info
Teacher's Resource File
Annotated list with all kinds of online resources for teachers
KidsReads: Chris Van Allsburg
A brief biography, then a nice sturdy interview with the author
USA Today: The Polar Express
The newspapers reports on the production of the 2004 film
Vital Stats
Birth
Birthplace
Death
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Best Known As
The author of The Polar Express
