

His illustrations are spectacular and labyrinthian, and his stories bridge the gap between fantasy and reality.

The Garden of Abdul Gasazi, like all of Van Allsburg’s books, is a delight to read. In the first of Chris Van Allsburg’s award-winning children’s books, a boy chases a white, bulls-eyed bull terrier named Fritz through the pages of Abdul Gasazi’s garden. Massive spoiler alert for a ton of Van Allsburg books! So, what is the great Van Allsburg mystery character? Here’s a secret hiding in plain sight and how to have a little fun with your kids hunting for this hidden character. He’s also the author of Jumanji before the Rock and Jack Black did whatever they did in those movies.

In case you forgot, Van Allsburg is the guy who did The Polar Express before Tom Hanks crashed it. Purchase Jumanji or any of the other source books or guest novels at Ink to Film's bookshop: Ink to Home Base: inktofilm.You’re used to Easter eggs in Marvel movies, Star Wars, Pixar movies, and even the ending of Wonder Woman 1984, but did you know that there’s a weird mystery running through nearly all of Chris Van Allsburg’s popular children’s picture books? Once you dig into this mystery, you and your kids will not be able to stop noticing it as you read through the entirety of Van Allsburg’s impressive oeuvre. Purchase Jumanji or any of the other source books or guest novels at Ink to Film's bookshop: Ink to Home Base: Intro/Outro Music: “Run” by Ross Bugden: Luke Elliott

They finish off by casting their votes on which was better: the book or the movie! In episode 267, Luke & James revisit a staple of their childhood, explore what 90s cinema teaches about manhood, talk about the legacy of Robin Williams, and explore the wild implications of a pair of time-travelling adults. Chris Van Allsburg is a successful author of multiple children’s books, but it was Joe Johnston’s adaptation of JUMANJI that kicked off the franchise we know today.
