The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg (1984, Illustrated, Reinforced Hardcover)

The pictures in Harris Burdick are painstaking in detail, as is typical of Van Allsburg's style. Each one, although only loosely connected, paints an eerie picture of life in this dream-like world. The captions help explain the surreal illustrations, but the best part is what they don't say. Kids with strong stomachs and few fears can let their imaginations soar as they create the stories behind the pictures. Since some of the themes may be scary for the younger set, this is definitely a picture book for older children. I've used it as part of a mystery unit with an eighth grade class, and they loved writing stories to go along with the pictures. This is great for a classroom collection, and it's a lot of fun to have in the family library.

I use this book for my fifth graders for a creative writing project. Students can choose a picture from the book and write a great story!