A review by karenrenka
The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: 14 Amazing Authors Tell the Tales by Chris Van Allsburg

4.0

Originally published on Books Beside My Bed

The mysterious drawings of Harris Burdick have fascinated me since I first saw them in elementary school. I choose to believe in the tale and love the extended mystery. In this anthology 14 authors take a stab at writing a story based on the pictures and caption. Famous authors, such as Walter Dean Myers, Lois Lowery, and Stephen King make an appearance.

I think my favorite three were The Harp by Linda Sue Park, Missing in Venice by Gregory Maguire, and The Third Floor Bedroom by Kate DiCamillo. The Harp is a straight up magical tale about two bickering sisters who get caught up in a magic spell. Missing in Venice is about a boy whose adult care takers are after his inheritance. The Third Floor Bedroom is told through the letters of a sick girl who is writing to her brother. Each story has an element of the fantastic and most have a slight creepy vibe.

When I was younger I wrote a story about giant cockroaches that invaded a family's cottage. These pictures have inspired writers of all ages to pen some fantastic stories. I am glad to see some of them in print.