Module 3: Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg

Bibliographic Citation: Van Allsburg, Chris. Jumanji. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1981.

Plot Summary:

Peter and Judy'a parents go out one evening and leave the kids home alone.  Since the kids are bored, they decide to go to a park.  At the park, the kids find a board game, Jumanji., and they take it home to play.  As soon as they start playing the game the kids realize they are in for an adventure.  The game is not just a board game, every move they make really does happen in their home.  Next thing the kids know, it is raining and they have monkeys in the kitchen, along with other animals in the house.  The kids continue to play because they need to finish the game and get rid of the mess before their parents get home.  Luckily, the game ends and the animals dissapear and the house is back to normal.  Peter and Judy run back to the park and make sure to leave the board game there. 

My Impressions of the Book:

There are so many great things about this book, but the part I like the most are the illustrations.  Even though the illustrations are in black and white, they are still beautiful illustrations.  The plot is great as well, the book keeps the reader interested in finding out what's going to happen next.  The animals that showed up page after page added suspense to the story and I kept thinking of what would happen if the parents showed up.   

Review(s) About the Book & My Thoughts:

Barnes & Nobles Editorial Reviews

Children's Literature

Thickly shadowed pencil drawings add mystery and intrigue to the tale of two children who enter a jungle adventure board game. Energized and perilous, the book is a journey into the remarkable imagination of Van Allsburg. Like the Robin Williams movie based on this book, the story is a masterpiece of fantasy.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Jumanji/Chris-Van-Allsburg/e/9780395304488/?itm=2&USRI=jumanji

Barnes & Nobles Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The game under the tree looked like a hundred others Peters and Judy had at home. But they were bored and restless and, looking for something interesting to do, thought they'd give Jumanji a try. Little did they know when they unfolded its ordinary-looking playing board that they were about to be plunged into the most exciting and bizare adventure of their lives.
In his second book for children, Chris Van Allsburg again explores the ever-shifting line between fantasy and reality with this story about a game that comes startingly to life.
His marvelous drawings beautifully convey a mix of the everyday and the extraordinary, as a quiet house is taken over by an exotic jungle.

"Mr. Van Allsburg's illustrations have a beautiful simplicity of design, balance, texture, and a subtle intelligence beyond the call of illustration."

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Jumanji/Chris-Van-Allsburg/e/9780395304488/?itm=2&USRI=jumanji

Use in Library Setting:

I would use this book to teach students about famous illustrators and awards given.  This could be tied to an art lesson where kids/ teens get to draw their own scene for the book.