Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg (1981) became a famous story. It’s a frightening story in which the black and white drawings create just enough distance from reality to also make it fun. Van Allsburg isn’t looking to scare readers; he’s into mystery and surprise. Judy and brother Peter find a board game in the park. They take it home to play while their parents are out. The messages on the squares of this game translate into real life scenarios, beginning with the attack by a lion. It’s an ingenious plot made perfect by Van Allsburg’s thoughtful illustrations. This book received the Caldecott Medal. In a YouTube video of a talk Van Allsburg gives for Politics & Prose, he recalls being genuinely surprised by the award. Here is a true artist who worked to express his own ideas. He was one of the lucky ones who also received popular acclaim.
