Enter the World of Chris Van Allsburg

By Stephanie Loer

For the last four weeks we have been receiving great questions to ask Chris. Because we received so many, it was impossible for Chris to answer every one. We hope you enjoy the interview, and we hope your question was answered. Once again--thanks to all the students, teachers, and fans who submitted such many great questions!

S.L.
Where do you get the ideas for your pictures and stories?

C. VA.
At first, I see pictures of a story in my mind. Then creating the story comes from asking questions of myself. I guess you might call it the "what if -- and what then" approach to writing and illustration.

Polar Express started with the idea of a train standing alone in the woods. Then, I began asking questions: What if a boy gets on the train? What does he do? Where does he go? After the boy got on, I tried different destinations out in my mind. What about north? Who lives in the north? Then ideas of Christmas, Santa Claus, and faith began to take shape.

S.L.
How long does it take you to write and illustrate a book?

C. VA.
I begin thinking about the idea. Then I come up with the pictures and the story -- in my mind. The next step is putting the illustrations and story down on paper. At that point, it becomes intense work -- all day, every day, even on weekends. From the time I come up with the idea, do the book, and deliver it to the printers, it takes about seven months.

S.L.
Would you like to create books for adults?

C. VA.
I do create books for adults. My books are picture books, so they are thought of as books for children. But when I make them, I think of the books for everybody -- for all ages.

On the other hand, if I were asked would I like to write novels -- without pictures -- for adults, my answer would be no. I'm very happy doing picture books for people who enjoy them.

S.L.
What do you think makes a good story?

C. VA.
A good story must contain a psychological, emotional, or moral premise. I never set out to establish this when I begin a story, but it's always there when I end.

For example: The Polar Express became a story about faith. Jumanji is a cautionary tale, but it also shows kids that when they are frightened, they can persevere and find a solution. The Garden of Abdul Gasazi compares illusion to real magic. And Two Bad Ants says something about being faithful to your own nature.

Also, good stories -- particularly in picture books -- should make readers wonder about the outcome of the story. Ideally, in a picture book, the pictures and narrative work together to engage the imagination of the reader.

I have always been interested in plots. By plots, I mean what goes on in the story and how a sequence of events has an impact on the lives of the characters. I want my stories, my plots, to unfold as pieces of a puzzle and on the last page I want all the pieces to fit quite definitively together.

Today, many picture books do not have plots. The story is only a simple description of events.

In a good picture book there should be events that are visually arresting; the pictures should call attention to what is happening. For me, as a picture book artist, I first consider scenes that are visually captivating and my challenge is to weave a story around those pictures.

S.L.
Where did you get the idea for Jumanji?

C. VA.
When I was teaching a class at Rhode Island School of Design, I asked my students to find pictures of house interiors, then find pictures of wild animals and, finally, to do a drawing to convince the viewer that the animals were part of the interior space.

I did the assignment along with my students. And it was clear to me the pictures had power. So I began to think of a story to go with them.

Again, I asked questions of myself. What if two bored children discover a board game? What then? What if the board game came to life? What then?

S.L.
Did you like the movie Jumanji?

C. VA.
It's probably not the movie I would have made from the same source material. My own imagination leads me toward things that are more mysterious or peculiar and less kinetic and action-packed.

The movie wraps another story around my original tale and adds more characters. This had to be done to make the story longer and complex enough to hold the audience's attention. But although there are changes, the movie remains true to my original ideas.

S.L.
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

C. VA.
I really had no idea. But I am very happy I turned out to be an artist.

S.L.
How would you describe the artistic style in your books?

C. VA
The technique I use is called representational or figurative. But the style I'm trying to create is different. Think of it this way; although the pictures look quite representational -- like everyday, ordinary things -- underlying this orderly look of the drawings there is a somewhat mysterious or puzzling quality.

In other words, the style I use allows me to make a drawing that has a little mystery to it, even if the actual things I am drawing are not strange or mysterious.

To get this effect, I rely on certain artistic strategies. I use perspective, light and point of view to give the drawing a kind of portentous quality.

S.L.
If you were to do a sequel, what books would you select?

C. VA.
I don't think I ever want to do a sequel. There are always great new ideas to work with -- so why try to refashion an old idea?

But, I realize that some of the books have the potential for a sequel, because of the way the plot was established within the story. There are many things left unresolved in some of my books. But I did not do that intentionally; it's just the way the story evolved. For example: no one knows what will happen to the two children who find the board game at the end of Jumanji. That's why a lot of kids write sequels to that story.

My own interests might draw me to The Widow's Broom, because the widow and the broom could have some more adventures. Also, Two Bad Ants might get in trouble again in a different room. Or Alan could go back to Gasazi and get into more trouble with the magician.

So, I guess if I ever do run out of ideas -- there's lots of material to fall back on. But I doubt if that will ever happen.

Jumanji
1981

At home, the children spread the game out on a card table. It looked very much like the games they already had. There was a board that unfolded, revealing a path of colored squares. The squares had messages written on them. The path started in the deepest jungle and ended up in Jumanji, a city of golden buildings and towers.

(When you land on a square in Jumanji, whatever is written on that square begins to happen in real life)

Judy picked up the dice, rolled an eight, and moved her piece. "Monkeys steal food, miss one turn," she read. From the kitchen came the sounds of banging pots and falling jars. The children ran in to see a dozen monkeys tearing the room apart...

The Polar Express
1985

On Christmas eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets. I breathed slowly and silently. I was listening for a sound--a sound a friend had told me I'd never hear--the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh.

"There's no Santa," my friend had insisted, but I knew he was wrong.

Late that night I did hear sounds, though not of ringing bells. From outside came the sounds of hissing steam and squeaking metal. I looked through my window and saw a train standing perfectly still in front of my house...

I put on my slippers and robe. I tiptoed downstairs and out the door.

"All aboard," the conductor cried out. I ran up to him.

"Well," he said, "are you coming?"

"Where?" I asked.

"Why, to the North Pole of course," was his answer. "This is the Polar Express." I took his outstretched hand and he pulled me aboard...