Chris Van Allsburg

Chris Van Allsburg is an American illustrator and writer of childrens books. He has won two Caldecott Medals for U.S. picture book illustration, for Jumanji and The Polar Express , both of which he also wrote both were later adapted as successful motion pictures. He was also a Caldecott runnerup in 1980 for The Garden of Abdul Gasazi. For his contribution as a childrens illustrator he was 1986 U.S. nominee for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international recognition for creators of childrens books. He received the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Michigan in April 2012.

Van Allsburg was born in East Grand Rapids, Michigan, the second child of Richard and Doris Christianen Van Allsburg. Van Allsburgs older sister was born in 1949. When Chris was born, his family lived in an old farm house. His family then moved to a new house at the edge of Grand Rapids when Chris was three years old. His new house was located close enough to his elementary school that he could walk there for class. His family later moved again to East Grand Rapids. He attended middle school and high school at East Grand Rapids. Van Allsburg attended the College of Architecture and Design at the University of Michigan, which at that time included the art school. He majored in sculpture, learning bronze casting, wood carving, resin molding, and other techniques. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1972 and continued his education at the Rhode Island School of Design , graduating with a masters degree in sculpture in 1975. After graduation, Van Allsburg set up a sculpture stu

Source: Wikipedia