Rating: 
Summary: The *best* book for creative writers
Review: My sixth grade teacher used this book for a creative writing assignment. We were supposed to pick one of the pages and write a story based on Chris Van Allsburg's wonderful illustrations.Chris Van Allsburg, known to me as the author/illustrator of Jumanji and The Polar Express, outdoes himself in this book. It is a book to get the mind thinking, especially for children. Each illustration has a caption that is supposed to get the mind thinking. A child cannot read this book without formulating a story, perhaps unconsciously, in his mind. Chris Van Allsburg is a wonderful artist. Each illustration, done in only simple black and white, is so breathtaking that I could stare at them time and again and be amazed at the detail, the realness. The sentence-long captions that go along with each picture even today cause me to dream up a story. It is a terrific book to get a child interested in writing. :)
Rating:
Summary: This Book Sent Me on a Quest!
Review: This book is probably one of the most intriguing books that I have ever seen. I was first introduced to it in the fourth grade and my entire class fell in love with it. Everytime we went to the library our class would beg to see it. Unfortunately I forgot the title and years passed. By this time I had reached college I couldn't even remember the author. I was constantly searching for the book because I wanted to use it with my students during my student teaching, finally one day I happened across a copy of it and it was as if a quest had finally been completed. I have since used it with two different classes during my student teaching and each of them loved it, with students begging to have the opportunity to write stories based on the pictures. I highly recommend this book, the reader will be spellbound just as my schoolmates and I were 13 years ago.
Rating:
Summary: Been looking for this book for years!
Review: One of my elementary school teachers introduced me to this book years ago. I think I was only in fifth or sixth grade. Being someone who loves to write, I was captivated immediately by the illustrations and the single sentence from the beginning of the stories that went along with them. I lost track of this book, until last semester when I saw it in my college book store. At the time I didn't have enough cash on hand to buy it, and by the time I went back the book was gone. Sadly for me, I had also forgotten the title and author! Thanks to a friend, I finally found this book again, and I cannot wait to get my own copy to share with my elementary students!
Rating:
Summary: The BEST
Review: For accelerating the imagination of a child, this book works like a magic potion. I am 18 now, and love it as much as I did the first time I read it, at about age 7. Its drawings are magical, and I think the real draw in VanAllsburg's work is that it's a little eerie, too. There are mysteries here (hence the title), and my favorite thing about these fragments is that they are presented as just that-- fragments of a story. They make for excellent creative exercises for children, making up the stories around the pictures and bits of narrative. If you are a parent looking for books for your children, BUY THIS. And even if you are looking for books for yourself, take a look. Relive the magic of your childhood, because this book is begging you to.
Rating:
Summary: you'll want to read it & look at it over and over!!
Review: My seventh grade language arts teacher has used this book as an important tool in our writing skills and encourages us to write about a paragraph for each caption one a day. I think this book is extremely interesting and you could spend hours just thinking of stories to write about or tell to others. I think this book would be great for little kids;it would keep them busy for a long time. It's good for adults, too.
Rating:
Summary: Not Just for Kids
Review: I was actually introduced to this book as a 17 year old in a creative writing class. It's incredible. The pictures are gorgeous, typical Chris Van Allsburg stuff. It's great for creative exercises for kids and adults. I think the whole class had a great time making up stories to fit the pictures, I know I did, and high school students are certainly not the most willing suspenders of their cynicism, amd disbelief. This is the kind of kids book you like so much, and that is so beautifully done that you're reluctant to actually let the kids touch it.
Rating:
Summary: Remembered fondly from childhood
Review: I am 21 years old and could not be more excited to find this book again! My uncle read to me and my cousins all the time when we were children. This book along with The Polar Express, The Wreck of the Zephyr, and Jumanji became one of our favorites! I had no idea until now that they were all the same author. The Mysteries of Harris Burdick was especially fascinating. Because only pictures with captions are provided we gazed at this book for hours, imagining all the possibilities. I strongly urge parents to buy this book and others by Van Allsburg. I feel that they all encourage reading, and this book in particular encourages the imagination. Though I haven't seen or read his books in years, I still remember them as if I read them yesterday.
Rating:
Summary: The portfolio edition is a must-have for any writing teacher
Review: A colleague introduced me to the portfolio edition, and it is one of the best finds I have added to my writing program. What makes this edition better than the traditionally-bound book is that you can post each of the 12" x 16" drawings around the classroom and use them as picture prompts for writing. I have my students use the captions as the first line of their stories. So far, this collection has been a hit with every class I've taught. You won't be disappointed!
Rating:
Summary: Very thought provoking
Review: Since I am a huge fan of Chris Van Allsburg's illustrations, I have to admit that I bought The Mysteris of Harris Burdick for myself, under the guise that my kids would benefit, but they really have gotten a lot from this book. My 3 and 6 yr olds pull this book out any time they are too bored, and make up amazing stories for the images inside. My children get enough enjoyment out of it that I also bought a copy for my oldest daughter's kindergarten class, that I volunteer in frequently. My daughter's teacher thought The Mysteries of Harris Burdick may be a bit "disturbing" for some of the kids, but he put it on the shelf anyway, and I have not heard of any complaints from the kids, or parents.
Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable!
Review: Someone brought this book into my work and I happened to flip through it. I am 18 years old, and I was so excited about this book that I decided to buy it! The pictures are visually captivating, and when you read the mysterious captions it can spark ANYONE'S imagination! I keep going back and looking at the pages and finding other scenarios and ideas forming in my mind. It's a never-ending toy! :)
| 
