Jumanji is recognised as a picture book classic, deserving of a place on every child’s bookshelf, and it’s great to see this new 30th anniversary edition. Judy and Peter’s parents leave them alone in the house while they go out. Left to their own devices the children head to the park where they discover a mysterious jungle adventure board game, Jumanji: it’s marked ‘fun for some but not for all. PS. Read instructions carefully’. Landing on the wrong squares releases wild animals into the house, as well as a monsoon storm and volcanic eruption. Van Allsburg’s fine pencil illustrations have an almost architectural beauty, yet are full of movement and danger. Because Judy and Peter do read the instructions carefully, all ends well, though we’re not sure how future owners will do. Wonderful for all. Andrea Reece
A 30th anniversary gift edition to celebrate Jumanji's 1982 Caldecott Award! Over thirty years ago, Peter and Judy first found the game—Jumanji—with the instructions that once the game is started, it must be finished or it will go on forever—and it was then, with this same wonderment, readers found Jumanji, too. Since its original publication, Jumanji has been honored with many awards, including the Caldecott Medal, and in 1996, the surreal story was adapted to fit the big screen for the first time.
Chris van Allsburg lives in Providence, Rhode Island and lectures at the Rhode Island School of Design. He is a sculptor and artist, who first won the Caldecott Medal for Jumanji and then won it again for Polar Express.
