Chris Van Allsburg writes and draws for THOSE

Chris Van Allsburg writes and draws for… “THOSE WHO TRULY BELIEVE…”

When he was a kid… • Chris never thought he would grow up to be an artist, even though he would never miss art day even if he was sick…even though he would dazzle his classmates by drawing cartoons and horses that really looked like horses! • Chris never thought he would be an author even though he loved to read cereal boxes, comic books, and even reading newspapers in the bathroom! That was until…

Tita n i c r S o f i t nkin u o h c t a W g ! ! e e f f spilt co When he was a teenager… Chris would make models of cars, trains and planes and sculptures out of wood and metal. They were always from an “interesting” perspective! Trains Crashing! WWII Plane out of a German Erector Set!

As an adult… Chris has “made it” as an author and illustrator! He was given $800, 000 just to start writing “Zathura!” Click on the Caldecott Award Medal to see how many books he has and how many medals he’s won!

From one of Chris Van Allsburg’s Caldecott Award speeches… In third grade my class paid its first visit to the school library as prospective book borrowers. I was on this occasion that we learned about the fascinating Dewey decimal system. None of us really understood this principle of cataloging books, but were inclined to favor it. Any system named Dewey was all right with us. We looked forward to hearing about the Huey and Louie decimal system too! A little LIBRARY humor!

In Chris’s imagination… he always wonders… what if? . . . what now? . . . ? ? ? Dear Mr. Van Allsburg. I love the books you write. I am so glad your books are so weird because I am very weird. I think you are weird but great. I wish a volcano and flood would be in my room when I am bored. I am happy because I am only five because I have lots more years to enjoy magical gardens and crazy games in books by you. Love Alexandra. P. S. I have a younger brother Peter too. Some adults thought his stories were “too weird, too scary!” What about you? He likes to use his pencil for black and white pictures…His art is always mysterious…

Did you know… CHRIS FRITZ • Chris Van Allsburg’s first book, “The Garden of Abdul Gasazi, ” was about a little bull-terrior named Fritz? • You can find Fritz somewhere in every single one of Chris Van Allsburg’s books? If you want to know why, click on CHRIS and he’ll tell you! Hint: Scroll down and click on “Hiding Fritz!” OR Click on FRITZ above and you can also find the answer and other amazing information by clicking on FRITZ inside the official Chris Van Allsburg website!

Speaking of “Crazy Games, ” Anyone want to play? Click on the sleeping boy slide puzzle to play! My favorite is the memory game!

Sometimes Chris Van Allsburg’s imagination runs away from him. . Or is it towards him? ? ? Click on the TV, channel 10, to see a scene from the movie Jumanji… AND if you’re still FEELING GAME, get ready for a puppet show that will “rock you off your chair!”