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The Mysteries Of Harris Burdick Hardcover – Picture Book, September 24, 1984
Chris Van Allsburg (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
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When author-illustrator extraordinaire Harris Burdick goes missing, all he’s left behind are a series of images with accompanying captions, ideas for separate picture books.
But what can a picture of a nun quietly sitting in a chair floating in a cathedral have to do with a caption that says, “THE SEVEN CHAIRS: The fifth one ended up in France?”
Enticed to come up with their own endings, readers will marvel at the mystery behind these lasting drawings and the charm of an everchanging narrative.
Caldecott medal winner Chris Van Allsburg’s call for readers to write their own stories will enthrall young minds again and again.
- Print length32 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade levelPreschool - 3
- Lexile measureAD540L
- Dimensions9 x 0.42 x 10.75 inches
- PublisherHoughton Mifflin
- Publication dateSeptember 24, 1984
- ISBN-100395353939
- ISBN-13978-0395353936
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The Polar Express | Jumanji | The Garden of Abdul Gasazi | The Stranger | Zathura | |
Read More Books by Chris Van Allsburg | Take a ride aboard the Polar Express in this award-winning, classic holiday story, perfect for every child’s library. | Over thirty years ago, Peter and Judy first found the game—Jumanji—with the instructions that once the game is started, it must be finished or it will go on forever—and it was then, with this same wonderment, readers found Jumanji, too. | In this extraordinary, unusual, and unique picture book, Chris Van Allsburg explores both the real and surreal worlds with incredible deftness. | The enigmatic origins of the stranger that Farmer Bailey hits with his truck and brings home to recuperate seem to have a mysterious relation to the weather. Could he be Jack Frost? | The story of the boy and his obsession to become the world’s greatest sailor, and a storm that carried them to a place where boats sail on the wind, instead of on the water. |
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The Widow's Broom | The Sweetest Fig | Just a Dream | Zathura | The Mysteries of Harris Burdick | |
The enchanting story of a widow who finds herself in possession of an extraordinary broom after a witch falls into her garden. | Once again Chris Van Allsburg explores the mysterious territory between fantasy and reality in an uncanny tale that will intrigue readers of all ages. | Young Walter litters and refuses to sort trash for recycling until he dreams of an overcrowded and polluted future which terrifies him into taking care of the earth. | The companion to Jumanji—a tale of intergalactic adventure and sibling rivalry where a roll the dice transports two brothers to the mythical land of Zathura. | Chris Van Allsburg challenges young readers to use their creativity and imagination in this one-of-a-kind book that asks readers to finish the story. |
Editorial Reviews
Review
"Layered in mystery, this extraordinary book will stun imaginative readers of all ages." School Library Journal, Starred —
About the Author
Chris Van Allsburg is the winner of two Caldecott Medals, for Jumanji and The Polar Express, as well as the recipient of a Caldecott Honor Book for The Garden of Abdul Gasazi. The author and illustrator of numerous picture books for children, he has also been awarded the Regina Medal for lifetime achievement in children’s literature. In 1982, Jumanji was nominated for a National Book Award and in 1996, it was made into a popular feature film. Chris Van Allsburg is a former instructor at the Rhode Island School of Design. Visit him at chrisvanallsburg.com.
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Product details
- Publisher : Houghton Mifflin; 1st edition (September 24, 1984)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 32 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0395353939
- ISBN-13 : 978-0395353936
- Reading age : 4 - 7 years
- Lexile measure : AD540L
- Grade level : Preschool - 3
- Item Weight : 14.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 9 x 0.42 x 10.75 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #38,036 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Chris Van Allsburg is the winner of two Caldecott Medals, for Jumanji and The Polar Express, as well as the recipient of a Caldecott Honor Book for The Garden of Abdul Gasazi. The author and illustrator of numerous picture books for children, he has also been awarded the Regina Medal for lifetime achievement in children's literature. In 1982, Jumanji won the National Book Award and in 1996, it was made into a popular feature film. Chris Van Allsburg was formerly an instructor at the Rhode Island School of Design. He lives in Rhode Island with his wife and two children.
Customer reviews
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Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2018
Top reviews from the United States
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Each page shows a beautiful black and white picture depicting some sort of mysterious occurrence. Instead of having each linked to each other, every picture tells its own story and has with it only one sentence, which adds to the mystery of the images. Not only does this make it a great tool for English Language Learners and visual learners, but the content of the artwork has been very engaging for my students and their creative writing.
This is one of those unique books that can be truly interactive. Beyond just writing prompts, it’s great for discussion and story telling. I've even seen it used up in high school leveled English classes to encourage creativity from students.
This book is a collection of Images, with the back story being that an author had showed up to a publishing house with a portfolio of Images each based upon stories that he had written. After a promising first meeting the author (Harris Burdick) said to come back the next day with his stories, and the rest of images. He never returned. The collection are the only images and the titles of the books that may or may not have ever existed.
This book is a great source of inspiration when the creative juices are not quite flowing, and is a perfect source of inspiration.
discover this book was in keeping with Van Allsburg's earlier work, with a twist. I must say it required a couple of readings, cover to cover, at first. Each illustration compelled the reader to study it and puzzle over the caption. What exactly was this book about? How did one story connect to the next? The answers did not come readily. Who was this Harris Burdick? What was it about the illustrations that kept drawing me back? Was it the mysterious orbs in the young boys room, the bump under the rug, the ocean liner pushing into the canal? "Another Place, Another Time," said it best, "If there was an answer, he'd find it there." Clear as...? Not sure, but the entertainment value remains. Read this book, then read it again.
Come to your own conclusions.
"The Mysteries of Harris Burdick" is no exception. Here are 14 unrelated pictures with 14 unrelated titles and attention grabbing sentences. One shows a pirate ship, another a house rocketing off into space, and still another a woman falling asleep reading a book that has suddenly become alive.
A recent edition has come out with short stories attached by the author as well as other writers like Louis Sachar and Stephen King, but I think the portfolio edition should satisfy all your inspirational story crafting needs. This book is great grist for the mind mill. It will have you thinking and guessing what next long after the final page is turned.
So whether you're a creative writer or a teacher at any level of writing or even art (I know all my teachers and friends just couldn't get enough of this) you'll want to check this book out. Also, be sure to buy the portfolio edition which includes an extra 15th drawing tying it to one of the others in the collection.
Again, great stories come from the molten core of the imagination, and great pictures to supplement them and get the mind going are always welcome.
Happy writing and good luck!
Top reviews from other countries

I'm a supply teacher and this book has already become an essential part of my supply bag. The pictures, titles and captions inspire wonderful speaking and listening,imaginative thought and sensitive art work. My pupils love working with this book and so do I. If I had one class full time I think we could base and entire half-terms' literacy, art, DT and music on this book and never get bored.
Children today often find it difficult to relax and use their imaginations (too much tv, too many computer games, too worried about wrong answers)but this book inspires them.



