Chris Van Allsburg

Chris Van Allsburg is a prominent American illustrator and author of numerous children’s books, including The Garden of Abdul Gasazi and the Caldecott-prize-winning Jumanji and The Polar Express.  Van Allsburg was awarded the Catholic Library Association’s prestigious Regina Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Children’s Literature.  He earned a degree in the arts in 1972 from the University of Michigan and an MFA from Rhode Island School of Design.