Zathura - by Chris Van Allsburg (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

On the twentieth anniversary of Jumanji, Van Allsburg picks up right where his Caldecott Medal book left off, with similarly terrifying adventure set this time in outer space. - Booklist, ALA, Starred Review

"Van Allsburg illustrates the surreal events in a grainy charcoal-black that seems to shimmer on a rough, cream-colored ground...Zathura, like Jumanji, is a satisfying enigma." - Publishers Weekly

"Van Allsburg is a terrific illustrator, and his images here, including one where the boys open their front door and are greeted with a breathtaking views of the cosmos, are memorable." - New York Times Book Review

"The angles of view, are, as always, wonderfully dramatic..." - Kirkus Reviews

"The shadowy black-and-white tones of Van Allsburg's illustration recall 1950's science-fiction films..." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"One can't help but anticipating the encore." - School Library Journal