Harris Burdick
The Mystery...
In 1984, Chris Van Allsburg, author of Jumanji, The Polar Express, and Zathura, visited a man by the name of Peter Wenders. Mr. Wenders was a book publisher. He told Mr. Van Allsburg of a visit he had received some 30 years earlier by a man named Harris Burdick...
Download Quicktime (right click and "Save Target As")
View Transcript
"Solving" the Mysteries
Chris Van Allsburg and Peter Wenders published the drawings Harris Burdick left behind that fateful night in 1954. They hoped by publishing the pictures, information would soon surface about the mysterious Harris Burdick. However, many years have passed, and Mr. Burdick remains as elusive as ever. Many authors, young and old, have attempted to solve the mysteries of the drawings Mr. Burdick left behind by writing their own stories for them. Many of these stories have been submitted to writing contests or have been published on the internet. Perhaps if a writer of exceptional talent and ability writes a story that is close enough to the original story Mr. Burdick wrote, he will resurface and let the world know what is truly behind these fascinating drawings. Could that writer be you?
Preparing to Write Your Story
Look very carefully at each of the pictures Harris Burdick left behind. Read the captions and the few lines of text that go with each drawing. Then decide which of the drawings is most interesting to you. Then write a story that goes along with the drawing.
Click here or click the "Writing" link at the top of the page. On this page you will find helpful hints on writing your story. Don't forget to check out the links on the right hand side of the page that include examples of student stories from around North America. Author Stephen King was even inspired to write a story about one of Mr. Burdick's drawings - be sure to check that story out, too!
