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Chris Van Allsburg

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Artist

The Resume

    (June 18, 1949- )
    Born in East Grand Rapids, Michigan
    Illustrator and author of children's books
    Wrote and illustrated 'The Garden of Abdul Gasazi' (1979), 'Jumanji' (1981), 'The Wreck of the Zephyr' (1983), 'The Mysteries of Harris Burdick' (1984), 'The Polar Express' (1985), 'The Stranger' (1986), 'The Z Was Zapped' (1987), 'Two Bad Ants' (1988), 'The Wretched Stone' (1991), 'The Widow's Broom' (1992), 'The Sweetest Fig' (1993), 'Zathura' (2002), 'Probuditi!' (2006) and 'Queen of the Falls' (2011)
    Inducted into the Society of Illustrators' Hall of Fame (2010)

Why he might be annoying:

    He said that among the things he would draw while growing up were 'very detailed plans for tornado shelters.'
    When he decided to apply for the art and design school at the University of Michigan, the admissions officer pointed out that he had no high school credits in any art class. He lied that his skills were too advanced for the school's courses and that he instead took private lessons on the weekends.
    He convinced his brother-in-law Dave to get a bull terrier as a pet, mainly because he wanted to include one in his first book and needed a live model.
    He plays the recorder with his nose.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was originally a sculptor until his wife showed some drawings he had done to a children's book editor.
    The editor at Houghton Mifflin looked at one of his drawings and said, 'If he can get this much storytelling content into one piece of art, I know he can create a children's book.'
    He includes a bull terrier in almost all of his books as a tribute to Dave and Dave's dog.
    He won the Caldecott Medal for 'most distinguished American picture book for children' for 'Jumanji' and 'The Polar Express.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 11 Votes: 27.27% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 29 Votes: 27.59% Annoying