the polar express book by chris van allsburg

It's something they want their own kids to have,' says Sally Bulthuis, co-owner of Pooh's Corner, a children's bookstore in Grand Rapids. 'A lot of parents today had it read to them as kids. 10, and there will be seven new 'Polar Express'-themed books tied to it. The Houghton Mifflin book has sold more than 6 million copies and now has been turned into a feature film starring Tom Hanks. Since first published in 1985, 'The Polar Express' has brought similar happiness and joy to millions of youngsters - and their parents. I wasn't consciously writing about these feelings and beliefs, but I ended up writing about a time that did bring me a lot of happiness and joy.'

'It was about my own feelings when I was 8 or 9. 'The Polar Express' wasn't just about a trip, he says. He, too, came to the realization that if you don't believe in the jolly red guy, you end up losing more than you've gained. Van Allsburg also says he recalls grappling with doubts that Santa was real. And the quiet, snow-covered streets that swirl past the window after the boy boards a giant steam train to take him to the North Pole certainly were inspired by the Grand Rapids, Mich., neighborhood in which Van Allsburg lived as a child. Still, the bedroom from which the boy peers out to see if Santa Claus is on his way could be the very same room where Van Allsburg spent many Christmas Eves wondering the very same thing. 'My haircut was a bit more of a brush cut,' he says.

NEW YORK - A wide-eyed boy in a cozy blue robe and proper yellow pajamas has his hope and faith tested in the book 'The Polar Express.'īut Chris Van Allsburg, who wrote and illustrated the children's classic almost 20 years ago, insists he did not base the adventurous child on himself.

The polar express book by chris van allsburg