The Polar Express
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| Author | Chris Van Allsburg |
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| Illustrator | Chris Van Allsburg |
| Country | United States |
| Genre(s) | Children's picture book |
| Publisher | Houghton Mifflin |
| Publication date | 1985 |
| Media type | |
| ISBN | (ISBN 978-0395389492) |
- For the film, see The Polar Express (film).
The Polar Express is a 1985 children's book (ISBN 0-86264-143-8) written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg, a former professor at the Rhode Island School of Design. It was adapted as a feature film in 2004.
The book is now widely considered to be a classic Christmas story for young children. It was praised for its detailed illustrations and calm, relaxing storyline. In 1986 it was awarded the Caldecott Medal for children's literature. It is published in both soft and hard-copies.
[edit] Plot summary
It tells the story of a young boy on Christmas Eve who is beginning to lose his belief in Santa Claus. A magical train called the Polar Express pulls up in front of his house and he is invited to journey to the North Pole. As he reaches the North Pole, the boy is handpicked by Santa Claus to receive the first present of Christmas. He chooses a bright silver bell from Santa's sleigh which makes a beautiful sound. On the way home, he loses the bell. On Christmas morning, he finds it wrapped under the tree behind all of the other gifts. As the years go by, people around him notice that they can no longer hear the beautiful sound, even his sister. But there are those who still can, those who still truly believe.
| Preceded by Saint George and the Dragon |
Caldecott Medal recipient 1985 |
Succeeded by Hey, Al |
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| Novels: |
Jumanji (1981) • Ben's Dream (1982) • The Wreck of the Zephyr (1982) • Two Bad Ants (1988) • Just a Dream (1990) • The Widow's Broom (1992) • The Sweetest Fig (1993) • Bad Day at Riverbend (1995) • Zathura (2002) • Probuditi! (2006) |
| Picture books: |
The Garden of Abdul Gasazi (1979) • The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (1984) • The Polar Express (1985) • The Stranger (1986) • The Z Was Zapped (1987) • The Wretched Stone (1991) • |
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