Van Allsburg, Chris. Jumanji. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 1981. 32 pages. ISBN 0395304482
Awards: Caldecott Medal, 1982. Golden Archer Award, 1996. Boston Globe-Horn Book Award (Nominated), 1981. West Virginia Children’s Book Award, 1985. Washington Children’s Choice Book Award, 1984. Bluegrass Award, 1983.
Author and Illustrator Website: http://www.chrisvanallsburg.com/flash.html
Media: Black and white conte pencils and powder on paper.
Detailed Artwork Discussion: Realistic drawings turn Peter and Judy’s house into a jungle. Van Allsburg’s black and white pencil sketches have depth and a realism that makes it seem perfectly possible for a lion to be in a living room. The retro style of the drawings is understated and provides a terrific contrast to the fantastical storyline. Van Allsburg limits his color to grayscale and lets light and shadow, as well as patterns provide interest. He uses perspective to play up various aspects of the story. For example, the large jungle animals that appear in Jumanji are shown from upward angles that give the reader a sense of how imposed upon and frightened the characters in the story might feel.
Annotation: A brother and sister come across a board game in the park and opt to play it. Jumanji is no ordinary board game, though, and the children soon find their home filled with jungle animals.
Personal Reaction: Imagination is a wonderful source of play for children and Chris Van Allsburg taps into the power of letting your imagination run wild in his book, Jumanji. Van Allsburg pulls readers into a fantasy where lions and monkeys appear and siblings Peter and Judy are soon playing a board game for their lives . . . or are they? Van Allsburg is a skilled writer, taking readers ages 7 to 11 years old through a plot that feels so real that you forget it’s fantasy. Van Allsburg’s tone leaves the reader nervous for the characters as they take turns rolling the dice. Judy is the older sibling and quite pragmatic, urging her younger brother to take his turn quickly in order for the game to come to an end. The game does come to an end, but that’s not the end of the book. Van Allsburg finishes his story by having two boys who don’t read instructions well or finish things find the game. Jumanji is a bigger than life story that is a must read for anyone like me who has ever uttered the words, “I’m really bored,” (Van Allsburg, 1981).
