THE STRANGER

by Chris Van Allsburg ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1986

Another enigmatic fantasy from a two-time Caldecott winner. Farmer Bailey accidentally runs down a leather-clad man who does not speak and seems to have amnesia. Borrowing clothes, the stranger helps with end-of-summer chores. He has an affinity for wild things, especially migrating birds. Time passes, but summer, surprisingly, lingers. The stranger blows on a leaf--memory stirs as it turns red; he dons his leather garb and disappears, leaving a message on the now-frosty pane: ""See you next fall."" Jack Frost, probably; perhaps also an allegory about succor, apparent witlessness, inappropriate taming of nature, or talents; more important, a vehicle for Van Alisburg's always-mesmerizing full-color illustrations. This time his sculptural forms inhabit a pastoral New England landscape, illuminated by rays of the late afternoon sun. Less of a tour de force in three-dimensional design than Polar Express, with its broad, darkly dramatic compositions, but this will still be welcomed by the artist's many fans.

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1986

ISBN: 0395423317

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1986

Categories: CHILDREN'S