Chris Van Allsburg was born June 18, 1949 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He received a B.F.A from the University of Michigan, and his M.F.A from Rhode Island School of Design in 1974, where he would later teach. Van Allsburg began writing and illustrating children's books in the 1970s, publishing The Garden of Abdul Gasazi in 1979. The book was awarded a Caldecott Honor and two of Van Allsburg's later books, Jumanji and The Polar Express would win the Caldecott Award in 1982 and 1986 respectively, a unique accomplishment for an author/illustrator and recognition of Van Allsburg's achievements in the field of picture books for children. Throughout his work, he uses imaginative situations and "linguistic puzzles" to tantalize his readers and his pictures are often "visual riddles" with puns and allusions that readers must decipher and interpret using Van Allsburg's text as a guide. His books usually have only a brief and sparse text but the interaction of words and pictures create striking images. Van Allsburg's characters, like those in folk and fairy tales, are often one-dimensional and there is little character development with simple action yet the stories are far from simplistic. The plots frequently revolve around a journey or quest, have a strong sense of adventure, and leave both characters and readers pondering their subtle lessons such as reading directions. staying alert, and keeping yourself open to your imagination and the world's possibilities. His surreal yet solid illustrations with their dreamlike quality and exactness are what sets Van Allsburg's picture books apart. They draw readers in with their dazzling sense of perspective and interaction with text and open vast horizons of possibility, and the reader is left to decide how much is real and how much can be.