The Mysteries of Harris Burdick
by Chris Van Allsburg
Picture-Books, Mystery, Fantasy, Fiction, Art, Writing
Fourteen black-and-white drawings, each accompanied by a title and a caption, entice readers to make up his or her own story. A fictional editor’s note tells of an encounter with an author and illustrator named Harris Burdick, who provided the images and captions as samples, each from a different picture book he had written. He left with a promise to deliver the complete manuscripts if the editor chose to buy the books. Burdick was never seen again, and the samples are all that remain of his supposed books. Readers are challenged to imagine their own stories based on the images in the book.
Recommendations from Common Sense Media
Age Recommendation: 9+
What Parents Need to Know:
Parents need to know that only a mysterious title and an ambiguous caption accompany each mesmerizing illustration, leaving readers to complete the unfinished tales.
Positive Messages: n/a
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Violence & Scariness: n/a
A man threatens to strike a hidden form that may be a living thing. Some drawings have an air of vague menace. People–often children–are depicted as participants in strange occurrences.
Sex, Romance & Nudity: n/a
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Language: n/a
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Products & Purchases: n/a
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking: n/a
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