Zathura (Hardcover)
Acclaimed author Chris Van Allsburg’s daring companion to his Caldecott Medal–winning Jumanji. This tale of intergalactic adventure and sibling rivalry features a beautifully refreshed cover.
In a story that picks up where Jumanji leaves off, older brother Walter warns his pesky little brother, Danny, not to bring home a mysterious board game they find at the park. But when Danny’s curiosity gets the better of him, the brothers have to battle homicidal robots, Zyborg pirates, and giant meteors in their living room!
Will the feuding brothers learn to work together before it’s too late? Full-spread illustrations depict the shimmering, surreal events of the story. Readers will be holding their breath with each new threat the boys face in this satisfying enigmatic picture book from a master creator.
Like Jumanji, Zathura is also the inspiration of a popular major motion picture.
Author:
Chris Van Allsburg
Illustrator:
Chris Van Allsburg
Edition:
Hardcover
Language:
English
Print Length:
32 Pages
ISBN:
0618253963
Item Weight:
1.08 lbs
Item Dimensions:
0.36" x 12.14" x 9.3"
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.
Editorial Reviews:
Kindergarten-Grade 5-For more than 20 years, readers of Jumanji (Houghton, 1981) have had to wonder what happened when the Budwing brothers opened the box that Peter and Judy had frantically discarded in the park. The wait is over, but the wonder continues in this masterfully executed sequel. Walter's physical torture of his younger brother and Danny's annoying behaviors are classic sibling stuff, but savvy readers will recognize that this lack of camaraderie does not bode well here. The simple jungle board does not appeal to Walter, however, so it is not until another game board is uncovered at the bottom of the box that the action begins. This time, the children face the challenges of space, time, and dimension as they read the game cards: "The polarity on your gravity belt is reversed" and "Your gyroscope is malfunctioning." Their journey to the planet Zathura allows Van Allsburg to depict Walter plastered against the living-room ceiling or being swallowed by a black hole. As ringed planets and spaceships swirl past the windows, the boys find their way to teamwork and even affection. Van Allsburg's choice of highly textured paper adds interest and character; the patterned wallpapers are especially effective as homey counterpoints to the surreal story. The creamy background provides warmth and contrast to the black-and-gray sketches, so convincing in conveying depth of field. One can't help but anticipate the encore. - School Library Journal
On the twentieth anniversary of Jumanji, Van Allsburg picks up right where his Caldecott Medal book left off, with a similarly terrifying adventure set this time in outer space. Danny and Walter Budwing, last seen on the final page of Jumanji, find the magical game box in the park. They discover a second game board inside, decorated with space images. Once home, they begin to play, and like Jumanji 's Peter and Judy, they are instantly catapulted into the game's parallel universe, which this time involves meteor showers, pirate aliens, violent robots, wild shifts in gravity, and a black hole that finally loops the brothers back to the park, before the chaos began. Despite the new setting, there are few differences between this book and its predecessor; the exquisite surreal black-and-white illustrations once again show neat domesticity blown apart by magic. And like Jumanji, this book creates a delicious tension between the action in the words and the frozen scenes of impending disaster. Here, though, there's another layer: the brothers' rivalry. At the beginning, Walter thinks younger Danny is just an annoying "little fungus"; by the end, Walter is protective and loving: "Me and you, together." Jumanji fans and newcomers alike will delight in this continuation of the story, which ends openly, leaving plenty of room for the game to wreak more havoc in the future. - Booklist
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