Zathura facts for kids
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| Author | Chris Van Allsburg |
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| Illustrator | Chris Van Allsburg |
| Cover artist | Chris Van Allsburg |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature, science fiction |
| Published | 2002 (Houghton Mifflin) |
| Pages | 32 |
| ISBN | 978-0-618-25396-8 |
| OCLC | 49031916 |
| LC Class | PZ7.V266 Zat 2002 |
| Preceded by | Bad Day at Riverbend |
| Followed by | Probuditi! |
Zathura is a children's book from 2002. It was written and illustrated by the American author Chris Van Allsburg. The story is about two brothers who get pulled into an exciting adventure in outer space. Their house is magically sent flying through the galaxy!
This book is a separate story that connects to Van Allsburg's earlier book, Jumanji, which came out in 1981. You'll find hints and mentions of Jumanji in Zathura. Later, in 2005, Zathura was made into a movie called Zathura: A Space Adventure.
Contents
What Happens in Zathura?
The story of Zathura begins right after the end of the Jumanji book. Two brothers, Danny and Walter Budwing, are left alone when their parents go out. The brothers often argue and don't get along well. Danny wants to play catch, but Walter prefers to watch TV.
Danny throws a baseball at Walter, hitting him on the head. Walter gets angry and chases Danny outside. They run to a park across the street from their house. There, they discover a board game called Jumanji. Danny takes the game home, but he quickly loses interest in playing it.
Starting the Space Adventure
Underneath the Jumanji game board, Danny finds another game. It is called Zathura: A Space Adventure. Danny decides to start playing Zathura. His first turn gives him a card that says, "Meteor shower, take evasive action."
Right away, a shower of meteors begins to hit their house! Danny and Walter soon realize something amazing has happened. The game has sent their entire house into outer space. The brothers understand they must finish the game to return home.
Challenges in Space
As they play, Walter loses his gravity and starts floating away. Danny quickly saves him from drifting off into space. When it's Walter's turn again, a broken robot appears and chases him through the house.
On Danny's next turn, their house gets close to a planet called Tsouris 3. This makes Danny become shorter and wider! Soon after, a ship from creatures called Zorgons arrives. The Zorgons try to board their house. Luckily, the broken robot chases the Zorgons away.
The Game's End and a New Beginning
Walter takes his turn and gets pulled into a black hole. This sends him back in time! Walter finds himself back in the park with Danny. Danny is just about to pick up the Jumanji game. But Walter stops him and throws Jumanji away. Instead, Walter suggests they play catch together.
Going through these dangerous space adventures together changes the brothers. They learn to help each other and become much closer friends.
Zathura as a Movie
The book Zathura was turned into a movie in 2005. It was called Zathura: A Space Adventure. The film was directed by Jon Favreau. Critics generally liked the movie, giving it good reviews. However, it did not earn a lot of money at the box office.
