Background Information for Teachers
 
The Artist/Author
 
Chris Van Allsburg was born on June 18, 1949, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As a child, he enjoyed doing the things a normal kid would do such as playing sports, building models and enjoying the out of doors. Raised in the suburbs, Van Allsburg had easy access to open fields and the dirt roads near his neighborhood. As many children of that time period, he rode his bike to school and to the nearby creeks where he could catch tadpoles. His early reading experiences included the Dick, Jane, and Spot books and he became an enthusiastic fan of comic books. Drawing provided a past-time activity for him, but as he grew older, art became less important than athletics. However, as high school graduation neared, he again began to concentrate on art and was accepted to the University of Michigan School of Art & Design.
 
His focus turned to sculpture, and upon acquiring a Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Michigan, he entered the Rhode Island School of Design. Here, he earned a Masters of Fine Art. For the next several years, he made his living as an artist as well as teaching at the School of Design. Eventually, his interest in art included drawing as well as sculpture since he had taught illustration at the School of Design. His wife, an elementary teacher, prompted him to consider illustrating by introducing him to children's picture books. Van Allsburg defined his work in illustration, first just in black and white, and in text, by choosing prose instead of verse. He has written and self-illustrated fourteen children's books and illustrated three other books written by Mark Helprin.  Mr. Van Allsburg lives in Providence, Rhode Island.
Source: Something About the Author, Vol. 105. The Gale Group. pp 213-219.
 
The Art
 
The artwork for this lesson is just one image from the entire collection of Chris Van Allsburg children's books. The book The Polar Express ,  a full-color production, presents a first person account of a little boy who sets off on a mysterious train for the North Pole. There he meets Santa Claus and is given a reindeer bell from Santa's sleigh. "When I started The Polar Express, . . . I thought I was writing about a train trip, but the story was actually about faith and the desire to believe in something."
 
The focus image for this lesson is the cover art and second double page illustration of the book. As one reviewer expressed, "Darkened colors, soft edges, and the glow of illuminated snow flurries create a dreamlike adventure that is haunting even as it entertains." The enchanting use of shadows, sharp and yet gentle, present a surreal image that invokes a launching point for mystery, adventure, and the unknown. The viewer's eyes are drawn to the power of the steam engine and the reader can almost hear the hissing of the steam. Then the text of the story focuses one's attention to the young boy as he steps into the train and eagerly the page is turned to reveal the next portion of the journey. Van Allsburg has said, "I feel, not a sense of power, but a sense of connectedness, I guess. Just to be able to make those books . . . and to know kids are going to take them out and actually have an experience, not identical with the one I had...but they're going to be in a way, captives of my mind and their imagination."
 
Source: Something About the Author, Vol. 105. The Gale Group, pp 213-219.
 
Vocabulary
 
Conductor - a railroad worker in charge of a train and its crew. On a passenger train, the conductor may collect tickets and act as a guide on a trip.

Express - traveling fast and making few stops.

Polar - of or near the North or South Pole.
 
Body of the Lesson/Instruction
 
Display the reproduction and the book of The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg and give some information about the artist (especially that he started out as a sculptor). Focus on the print first, asking students to describe what they see. Explain that the image is one from the book and read the book aloud as students continue to focus on the print. Define vocabulary words as needed. Provide students with the reading and have them read it before you resume questioning. Ask them to write down any questionsthat arise when they are reading.
 
Questions to Consider

• What was the original purpose of this image? (as an illustration in a book)
  
• Does that make it more or less valuable as a work of art (ask for reasons)
  
• When viewing the image on the poster, what was the first thing you noticed? (this may vary from student to student – ask for their reasons)
  
• Why do you think this one image was chosen from the book to make into a poster? (it's a major feature in the story, it's on the cover)
  
• What might the locomotive represent? (power)
  
• What feelings or thoughts do you have when viewing the image? (cold, mystery, loneliness, fear, puzzlement, curious, other responses)
  
• Why do you think Mr. Van Allsburg used such dark colors? (to show that it is at night, in the winter, to create a mood)
  
• How did the artist use light and dark values to convey emotion and meaning?
  
• Can you tell what time is depicted in the book? Does it look like the present day or the past? What culture does it represent? Where does the action take place? What are some reasons that support your answers?
  
• Why did Mr. Van Allsburg write and illustrate this book? How might it be different if it were written or illustrated by another person? Does it change a book in any way if it is written and illustrated by two different people?
  
• How is the reproduction different than the book? Why is it different? Which is more valuable? Which do you prefer and why?
  
• Are there any clues in the images that would support the idea that the artist was first a sculptor? (modeling of forms, extreme light and dark contrasts)
  
• Respond to student questions.
   

Summary and Closure
 
Ask students to write a short review comparing the book and the print, as if they were writing as a critic for a newspaper. Tell them they can use one short quote from the reading as part of their writing. When complete, ask students to volunteer to read some of their reviews aloud. Save student work for later display.
 
Assessment
 
See assessment rubric at the end of the unit overview.
 
Extensions/Interdisciplinary Connections

• Have students write a one to two page essay on what they might see or hear or learn on a train trip from their home town to another city in their state.
  
• If time allows, have the students view a portion of the movie Jumanji and compare it to Chris Van Allsburg's book Jumanji.
  
• Post student writing on the school's web site along with an explanation of the lesson.