Daily Almanac for
Jul 26, 2008
Info search tips
Bio search tips

Chris Van Allsburg

Writer / Illustrator

Born: 18 June 1949
Birthplace: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Best known as: The author of The Polar Express
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.

Copyright © 1998-2006 by Who2?, LLC. All rights reserved.

More on Chris Van Allsburg from Infoplease:

Buy it at amazon.com:

Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

    • Cite
    • Print
    • Bookmark