Writer and illustrator Chris Van Allsburg’s more than 20 children’s books are celebrated for their “beautiful simplicity of design, balance, texture, and a subtle intelligence beyond the call of illustration” (New York Times). Two of his best known works, Jumanji and The Polar Express, won Caldecott Medals and were adapted into popular films. Van Allsburg’s first book, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi, was a Caldecott runner-up.  Often full of chaos, danger, and fantastical irony, his other works include Zathura, The Sweetest Fig, and Queen of the Falls. In The Misadventures of Sweetie Pie, a pet store hamster longs for a life of freedom, fresh air, and frolicking with squirrels.