popsrocks's Full Review: Chris Van Allsburg - The Polar Express: Gift Set
I was watching TV the other night and I saw a trailer for a movie by the name of The Polar Express. I immediately recognized the art work, but did not remember the story. It must have been a "senior moment". I believe I am having more and more of them these days. The movie, starring Tom Hanks, is taken from the storyline and artwork of this book. It will be coming out some time in November. I can tell, after re-reading this book, that the film should be a Christmas Movie Hit. But this is a review about the book and not a movie. And though the book has Santa and Christmas in it, I believe it transcends those particular beliefs. This book is for all adults of any or no religion. Did I say for adults and not children? Let me move on.
A BIT ABOUT THE BOOKS LAYOUT
This book is about 10" x 12". This is important to me in that I like illustrated books that are large enough to display the art, yet not unwieldy for storage.
Each picture is displayed across the face of adjoining pages, one full page and 3/4 of the other. About 50-100 words of text on every other page are re-enforced by the illustration.
The text, dictated in the first person, is a story told by an adult talking about a childhood experience. There is no talking down to children in this book. In fact the book really is for adults even though children do enjoy the pictures. The story can lead to some misunderstanding by younger children ages 3-6. This story does need to be explained a bit to kids but they do like it. Older ones may ask some good questions but the close of the story is for a more mature mind. It is a concept that many children not yet understand, though a simple explanation may give a very young child all they need. Maybe I'm not giving the older children enough credit. It's my feeling that these kids are struggling with their own problems of trying to grow up and no longer be a child that keeps them from understanding its meaning. Now in saying my piece, this book was awarded the The Caldecott Medal. So maybe I am at odds with some. It is my thought that this is a wonderful book for adults that children might enjoy.
The STORY
I could be more specific about this short tale but it has a particular message to tell adults and it is important, I feel, that I do not give any more detailed information.
I can tell you that the author tells the make believe story about himself as a child who is waiting for Christmas. There is a discussion about the belief in Santa. Later that night he hears a train come up to his home. It's the Polar Express! The engineer invites him on a trip to the North Pole where he meets Santa. Santa offers him any gift in the world because he is getting the first present of Christmas. The child asks for a particular gift that most children would not ask for.
He is given the gift but somehow loses it on his way back home. The gift does appear later but there is something magical about it. At least it is to him.
The ILLUSTRATIONS
Though I believe the story could stand on its own, it's the illustrations that make this book a wonderful read. The author/artist uses the dark of night for his art. Everything is somewhat muted but he uses light, especially well in some pictures to highlight key characters. It is when he uses back lighting that the illustrations are very dramatic. His other lighting techniques are similar to that of artist Thomas Kinkade who many people are familiar with. I will say that this authors work is a bit darker though.
There were two illustrations that were of the inside of the train. These were brighter and a pleasure to study. One of these in particular is a picture of the little boy feeling dejected because he lost his gift. The illustration with all the other children around him trying to give him support and feeling empathy for him is simply one of the finest I have ever studied. It is a beautiful scene of lovely and adorable faces that show real emotion.
Though there are only a couple of illustrations where the artist has young people in the picture, he uses multi-ethnic children and the drawings are priceless.
In reading a bit about the author, it seems he sold most of the original illustrations for this book. He had no idea as to the success the book would have. He now wishes he had the originals so that all the reprints would be a generation closer to the original. The copying techniques of just twenty years ago are now far surpassed by todays technology. The pictures are still amazing!
I'll take this moment to mention that the picture used on Epinions of this book seems to be wrong. That art you see is nothing like what is in the book and there certainly aren't any balloons in this story. I asked a librarian her thoughts and I was told that the book I read, that has the illustration of the Polar Express Train on the cover, is indeed the only cover she has ever seen for it. The darkly-illustrated train's locomotive fills the cover with billowing smoke.
THE AUTHOR
Chris Van Allsburg was born in 1949 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He moved to Providence, Rhode Island to finish up school as a sculpture. He married an artist and through her influence he began to illustrate books.
He wrote the story Jumanji, (another book that made it to the movies), and The Polar Express of which both received the The Caldecott Medal. That is pretty impressive.
I already had my particular thoughts about who this book was written for when I found an interview of the author/artist. He was asked a question.
Would you like to create books for adults?
His answer; "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."
A LAST THOUGHT
I do believe it's a good book to have at home that can be read anytime of year regardless of the Christmas storyline. It's the true meaning of the book that is more important and the illustrations are first class. I also know that children of all ages will enjoy this story at different levels. I'm sure this will be true of the movie too.
All Aboard!!
This would make for a wonderful Christmas gift!
Update November 12;
I have just viewed the movie and I loved it!
Late one Christmas Eve after the town has gone to sleep, the boy boards the mysterious train that waits for him the Polar Express bound for the North ...More at Christianbook.com
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