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The Wreck of the Zephyr by Chris Van Allsburg
The Wreck of the Zephyr is a postmodern, surreal 1983 picture book by American writer and illustrator Chris Van Allsburg. You’ve probably heard of Jumanji and The Polar Express, which have been adapted for film. The Garden of Abdul Gasazi was his first. The Stranger features a season personified. The Widow’s Broom is a creepy-ass…
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Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg Picture Book Analysis
“Queen of the Falls” is a picture book written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg. Some years ago, Van Allsburg gave a TED talk on this book and the history behind it. This post will focus on the storytelling techniques.
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Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg Picture Book Analysis
Jumanji is a 1981 picture book written and illustrated by American storyteller Chris Van Allsburg. You may be familiar with the 1995 film adaptation starring Robin Williams.
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The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg Analysis
The Stranger (1986) is the seventh picture book written and illustrated by popular American storyteller Chris Van Allsburg.
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The Garden of Abdul Gasazi by Chris Van Allsburg
The Garden of Abdul Gasazi (1979) was the first picture book by American author/illustrator Chris Van Allsburg, who himself admits astonishment at the book’s immediate success. This was helped by reviews in America-wide publications. Such attention has always been unusual for children’s stories, and perhaps says something about how this story appeals to all ages.…
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The Widow’s Broom by Chris Van Allsburg Picturebook Analysis
“The Widow’s Broom” is a 1992 picture book by American author illustrator Chris Van Allsburg. Like many of Van Allsburg’s books, this one remains popular with teachers, partly because this is a storyteller who requires the reader to do a little work. Students can practise their inference skills in class. Like all good stories which…
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Just A Dream By Chris Van Allsburg Analysis
Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg (1990) is a picture book with an environmental message typical of its era. As part of the corpus of children’s literature with environmental messages, the 1990s offered many excellent children’s book examples of the now-outdated ‘personal responsibility’ message. Around this time children received the ‘good people recycle’ message.…
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Back For Christmas by John Collier Analysis
As soon as I read “Back For Christmas” by John Collier (1939) I thought of Roald Dahl. Sure enough, I google both names in a single search and learn that, for Dahl, among many other male writers, Collier is listed as a heavy influence. Credit where credit is due, though: Roald Dahl’s two most famous…
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Pigeons In Art and Storytelling
I couldn’t tell you the name of most birds in the world. In fact, I know just a tiny proportion of them. But everyone knows the pigeon. Pigeons proliferate in our cities. Why? Long story short because humans brought them there, just like they brought rabbits to Australia and so on. Pigeons in cities thrive.…
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Two Hundred Rabbits (1968) by Lonzo Anderson and Adrienne Adams Picturebook Analysis
“Two Hundred Rabbits” is a 1968 picture book written by Lonzo Anderson and illustrated by Adrienne Adams, who were married.
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Tales From Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan Analysis
The common thread between stories in this compendium: All stories are set in the same, off-kilter suburb. Some of the stories have no words, and might consist only of a single frame of narrative art. Creative Arts teachers find this really useful in the classroom.
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A Case of Eavesdropping by Algernon Blackwood Short Story Analysis
A Case of Eavesdropping” is a ghost story by Algernon Blackwood first published in December 1900 in Pall Mall Magazine.
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Smooth, Simplified Surfaces In Art And Illustration
How to describe this art style? I have an almost synesthesic response to it. The hard, clean shapes fall somewhere between chalk and cheese — they are both. I want to bite into them somehow.
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Houses In The Snow
A collection of hygge houses surrounded by snow.
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Views Of Rivers From The Middle Of The Rivers
Where do artists stand when they do these paintings? (On a bridge, perhaps, or waist-deep in water.)