What order should I read Chris Van Allsburg's books in?

Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Jumanji.

What is Chris Van Allsburg's most famous book?

Jumanji (1981) is Chris Van Allsburg's most widely read book.

Which Chris Van Allsburg books have been adapted?

3 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Jumanji (film, 1995), The Polar Express (film, 2004) and Zathura (as Zathura: A Space Adventure, film, 2005).

Chris Van Allsburg books in order

American children's writer and illustrator

Born: 1949
Country: United States
Books: 18

Chris Van Allsburg has published 3 novels, 1 novella, 1 short story collection and 13 children's books, beginning with The Garden of Abdul Gasazi (1979). The best-known is Jumanji (1981). The latest is Queen of the Falls (2011).

Updated September 2026

Where to start with Chris Van Allsburg

Start here
Jumanji
Chris Van Allsburg's most-read book.
Newest
Queen of the Falls
Published 2011.

Standalone novels in order

The Polar Express (1985)
Adapted for film
Buy
The Widow's Broom (1992)
Buy
The Sweetest Fig (Oct 1993)
Buy

Novellas in order

Queen of the Falls (2011)
40 pages
Buy

Short story collections in order

The Wreck of the Zephyr (1983)
Buy

Children's books in order

The Garden of Abdul Gasazi (1979)
★ 4.6 (10 ratings)
Buy
Ben's Dream (1980)
Buy
Jumanji (1981)
★ 3.5 (15 ratings)Adapted for film
Buy
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (1984)
Buy
The Stranger (1986)
Buy
The Z Was Zapped (1987)
56 pages
Buy
Two Bad Ants (1988)
★ 4.4 (7 ratings)
Buy
Just a Dream (1990)
48 pages
Buy
The Wretched Stone (1991)
Buy
Bad Day at Riverbend (1995)
Buy
Zathura (2002)
Adapted for film
Buy
All Aboard the Polar Express (2004)
Buy
Probuditi! (2006)
Buy

Film and TV adaptations

Jumanji (1995)Film · from Jumanji
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)Film · from Jumanji
Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)Film · from Jumanji
The Polar Express (2004)Film · from The Polar Express
Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)Film · from Zathura

About Chris Van Allsburg

Chris Van Allsburg is an American writer and illustrator of children's books. He has won two Caldecott Medals for U.S. picture book illustration, for Jumanji (1981) and The Polar Express (1985), both of which he also wrote, and were later adapted as successful motion pictures. He was also a Caldecott runner-up in 1980 for The Garden of Abdul Gasazi. For his contribution as a children's illustrator, he was a 1986 U.S. nominee for the biennial International Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international recognition for creators of children's books. He received the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Michigan in April 2012.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Chris Van Allsburg FAQ

How many books has Chris Van Allsburg written?: Chris Van Allsburg has published 3 novels, 1 novella, 1 short story collection and 13 children's books that we list, as of September 2026.
What order should I read Chris Van Allsburg's books in?: Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Jumanji.
What is Chris Van Allsburg's latest book?: Queen of the Falls (2011).
What is Chris Van Allsburg's most famous book?: Jumanji (1981) is Chris Van Allsburg's most widely read book.
Which Chris Van Allsburg books have been adapted?: 3 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Jumanji (film, 1995), The Polar Express (film, 2004) and Zathura (as Zathura: A Space Adventure, film, 2005).