Chris Van Allsburg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chris Van Allsburg
|
|
|---|---|
Van Allsburg in 2011
|
|
| Born | June 18, 1949 Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer, illustrator |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan Rhode Island School of Design |
| Genre | Children's picture books |
| Notable works | |
| Notable awards | Caldecott Medal 1982, 1986 |
| Spouse |
Lisa Van Allsburg
(m. 1974) |
| Children | 2 |
Chris Van Allsburg (born June 18, 1949) is a famous American writer and illustrator. He is best known for creating amazing children's picture books. Many of his books have been turned into popular movies.
He has won two Caldecott Medals for his illustrations. These awards are for the best picture book illustrations in the U.S. He won for Jumanji (1981) and The Polar Express (1985). Chris Van Allsburg also wrote both of these books. He was also a Caldecott runner-up in 1980 for The Garden of Abdul Gasazi.
Contents
Life and Career of Chris Van Allsburg
Chris Van Allsburg was born on June 18, 1949. His family was from the Netherlands. He grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has an older sister named Karen.
When Chris was young, his family lived in an old farmhouse. Later, they moved closer to an elementary school. This meant Chris could walk to class easily. His family moved again when he was ready for middle and high school.
Becoming an Artist
Chris Van Allsburg went to the College of Architecture and Design. This college was part of the University of Michigan. He studied sculpture there. He learned many ways to create art, like working with bronze and wood.
He finished college in 1972. Then, he continued his art education. He went to the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). In 1975, he earned a master's degree in sculpture. After that, he opened his own sculpture studio.
Starting His Writing Journey
At first, Chris Van Allsburg found it hard with his sculpture studio. At home, he started drawing many sketches. His wife, Lisa, thought these drawings would be perfect for children's books.
She showed his artwork to an editor. The editor loved his work! This led to his first book, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi, which came out in 1979.
As of 2022, Chris Van Allsburg has written or illustrated 21 books. His art has also appeared on the covers of The Chronicles of Narnia series. He also illustrated three children's books by Mark Helprin.
Chris Van Allsburg's Family Life
Chris Van Allsburg lives in Providence, Rhode Island. He lives there with his wife, Lisa. They have two daughters named Sophia and Anna.
Amazing Books by Chris Van Allsburg
Here are some of the wonderful picture books Chris Van Allsburg has created:
- The Garden of Abdul Gasazi (1979) – This book was a Caldecott runner-up.
- Jumanji series:
- Ben's Dream (1982)
- The Wreck of the Zephyr (1983)
- The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (1984) – This book has mysterious pictures. Many famous authors later wrote stories based on them.
- The Polar Express (1985) – This book also won a Caldecott Medal!
- The Stranger (1986)
- The Z Was Zapped (1987)
- Two Bad Ants (1988)
- Just a Dream (1990)
- The Wretched Stone (1991)
- The Widow's Broom (1992)
- The Sweetest Fig (1993)
- Bad Day at Riverbend (1995)
- Probuditi! (2006)
- Queen of the Falls (2011)
- The Misadventures of Sweetie Pie (2014)
Books That Became Movies and Shows
Many of Chris Van Allsburg's books have been made into movies and TV shows. This is called an "adaptation."
- Jumanji (1995) – A movie based on the Jumanji book.
- Jumanji (1996–1999) – An animated TV series.
- The Polar Express (2004) – A movie based on the famous book.
- Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005) – A movie based on the Zathura book.
- Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) – Another movie based on Jumanji.
- Jumanji: The Next Level (2019) – A third movie in the Jumanji series.
- The Garden of Abdul Gasazi (coming soon) – A movie based on his first book is being developed by Disney.
Chris Van Allsburg also helped with the set design for The Nutcracker ballet in 2024. This was for the Grand Rapids Ballet.
Chris Van Allsburg's Film Work
Besides his books being adapted, Chris Van Allsburg has also worked on films directly:
- The Little Mermaid (1989) – He was a visual development artist for this animated classic.
- Jumanji (1995) – He helped write the story for the movie.
- How to Deal (2003) – He was an executive producer for this film.
- The Polar Express (2004) – He was also an executive producer for this movie.
See also
In Spanish: Chris Van Allsburg para niños
