What do you think?
Rate this book
Jumanji #1
Jumanji
The game under the tree looked like a hundred others Peters and Judy had at home...
But they were bored, restless and looking for something interesting to do... so they thought they'd give Jumanji a try. Little did they know when they unfolded its ordinary-looking playing board that they were about to be plunged into the most exciting and bizarre adventure of their lives.
In his second book for children, Chris Van Allsburg again explores the ever-shifting line between fantasy and reality with this story about a game that comes startlingly to life. His marvelous drawings beautifully convey a mix of the everyday and the extraordinary, as a quiet house is taken over by an exotic jungle.
Chris Van Allsburg (1949-) is an American illustrator & author born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has won two Caldecott Medals for U.S. picture book illustration, among other awards, for 'Jumanji' (1981) and 'The Polar Express' (1985), both of which he also wrote. These two books were later adapted as successful motion pictures.
But they were bored, restless and looking for something interesting to do... so they thought they'd give Jumanji a try. Little did they know when they unfolded its ordinary-looking playing board that they were about to be plunged into the most exciting and bizarre adventure of their lives.
In his second book for children, Chris Van Allsburg again explores the ever-shifting line between fantasy and reality with this story about a game that comes startlingly to life. His marvelous drawings beautifully convey a mix of the everyday and the extraordinary, as a quiet house is taken over by an exotic jungle.
Chris Van Allsburg (1949-) is an American illustrator & author born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has won two Caldecott Medals for U.S. picture book illustration, among other awards, for 'Jumanji' (1981) and 'The Polar Express' (1985), both of which he also wrote. These two books were later adapted as successful motion pictures.
31 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1981
150 people are currently reading
14353 people want to read
About the author
Chris Van Allsburg
56 books1,127 followersChris was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on June 18, 1949, the second child of Doris Christiansen Van Allsburg and Richard Van Allsburg. His sister Karen was born in 1947.
Chris’s paternal grandfather, Peter, owned and operated a creamery, a place where milk was turned into butter, cream, cottage cheese, and ice cream. It was named East End Creamery and after they bottled the milk (and made the other products) they delivered it to homes all around Grand Rapids in yellow and blue trucks.
When Chris was born, his family lived in an old farm house next door to the large brick creamery building. It was a very old house that, like the little house in Virginia Lee Burton’s story, had once looked over farmland. But by 1949, the house was surrounded by buildings and other houses. Chris’s father ran the dairy with Chris’s three uncles after his grandfather Peter retired.
When Chris was three years old, his family moved to a new house at the edge of Grand Rapids that was part of a development; a kind of planned neighborhood, that was still being built.
There remained many open fields and streams and ponds where a boy could catch minnows and frogs, or see a firefly at night. It was about a mile and a half to Breton Downs School, which Chris walked to every day and attended until 6th grade, when the Van Allsburg family moved again.
The next house they lived in was an old brick Tudor Style house in East Grand Rapids. It was a street that looked like the street on the cover of The Polar Express. The houses were all set back the same distance from the street. Between the street and the sidewalk grew enormous Elm trees whose branches reached up and touched the branches of the trees on the other side of the street. Chris moved to this street with his mom, dad, sister, and two Siamese cats. One named Fafner and the other name Eloise.
Chris went to junior and senior high school in East Grand Rapids. He didn’t take art classes during this time. His interests and talents seemed to be more in the area of math and science.
Chris’s paternal grandfather, Peter, owned and operated a creamery, a place where milk was turned into butter, cream, cottage cheese, and ice cream. It was named East End Creamery and after they bottled the milk (and made the other products) they delivered it to homes all around Grand Rapids in yellow and blue trucks.
When Chris was born, his family lived in an old farm house next door to the large brick creamery building. It was a very old house that, like the little house in Virginia Lee Burton’s story, had once looked over farmland. But by 1949, the house was surrounded by buildings and other houses. Chris’s father ran the dairy with Chris’s three uncles after his grandfather Peter retired.
When Chris was three years old, his family moved to a new house at the edge of Grand Rapids that was part of a development; a kind of planned neighborhood, that was still being built.
There remained many open fields and streams and ponds where a boy could catch minnows and frogs, or see a firefly at night. It was about a mile and a half to Breton Downs School, which Chris walked to every day and attended until 6th grade, when the Van Allsburg family moved again.
The next house they lived in was an old brick Tudor Style house in East Grand Rapids. It was a street that looked like the street on the cover of The Polar Express. The houses were all set back the same distance from the street. Between the street and the sidewalk grew enormous Elm trees whose branches reached up and touched the branches of the trees on the other side of the street. Chris moved to this street with his mom, dad, sister, and two Siamese cats. One named Fafner and the other name Eloise.
Chris went to junior and senior high school in East Grand Rapids. He didn’t take art classes during this time. His interests and talents seemed to be more in the area of math and science.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,076 reviews
November 25, 2024
I love the 1995 film of Jumanji. It's a great story with fantastic special effects for the time. It's an exciting fantasy, full of surprises, wonder and magic, with two engaging children Peter and Judy, and many magnificent wild animals, threatening and amusing by turn. What is there not to like? But the 1981 book on which it is based ...
Chris Van Allsburg has written a kind of template for this fabulous adventure. It is a disappointingly brief and shallow read. None of the characters is fully fleshed out, and none of the situations truly engrossing or fully realised. And perhaps the worst part about this picture book is the illustrations. They are just so murky and dull.
Why on earth he chose to use a dirty monochrome is beyond me. Tones of neither sepia, nor grey, but a sort of greenish tinge fill the book. Yes, the author can draw, but it is all shadows. When I first started the book, I thought "A-ha! I know the convention here! As soon as our heroes escape into the magical world, we'll have a burst of brilliant colour!" But no. It just never happened. The book remained dreary throughout. Why?
So yes, we have the bare bones of what emerged in a film as an exciting and imaginative story, about a child's escape from the world into a magical Jungle Adventure board game. We follow Peter's progress and development into a responsible courageous person - except that we don't, really.
A bit of a puzzle then. Someone obviously saw potential here. But I wouldn't recommend this picture book to anyone. Chris Van Allsburg has made other adaptations of his story. Perhaps they are better. They would need to be. The two stars awarded are for the story's initial imaginative conception and possibilities. I feel it's quite a generous rating, all things considered.
Chris Van Allsburg has written a kind of template for this fabulous adventure. It is a disappointingly brief and shallow read. None of the characters is fully fleshed out, and none of the situations truly engrossing or fully realised. And perhaps the worst part about this picture book is the illustrations. They are just so murky and dull.
Why on earth he chose to use a dirty monochrome is beyond me. Tones of neither sepia, nor grey, but a sort of greenish tinge fill the book. Yes, the author can draw, but it is all shadows. When I first started the book, I thought "A-ha! I know the convention here! As soon as our heroes escape into the magical world, we'll have a burst of brilliant colour!" But no. It just never happened. The book remained dreary throughout. Why?
So yes, we have the bare bones of what emerged in a film as an exciting and imaginative story, about a child's escape from the world into a magical Jungle Adventure board game. We follow Peter's progress and development into a responsible courageous person - except that we don't, really.
A bit of a puzzle then. Someone obviously saw potential here. But I wouldn't recommend this picture book to anyone. Chris Van Allsburg has made other adaptations of his story. Perhaps they are better. They would need to be. The two stars awarded are for the story's initial imaginative conception and possibilities. I feel it's quite a generous rating, all things considered.
October 14, 2022
What a great adventure! I love the movies and not sure why it took me this long to read this book. The illustration is nice even in black and white, but I just love the audiobook. The drums, do you remember the drums? 🪘🦏🐒 It's too bad this was so short, only 17 minutes long.
September 13, 2017
What an entertaining story! I first read this as a child, then I watched the movie with Robin Williams and fell in love all over again. But it was in my sophomore year at college when I was taking a course on "Reading in the Elementary School," and had to pull together a portfolio of books, that I chose this Caldecott medal winner. It's very creative and helps teach so many different lessons to children. A must treasure for all children with a great imagination or those who need one! Yes.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
January 12, 2023
Love the movie, love Robin Williams, and now love the book. The book was a rampage of adventure. The movie added creative expression, visual stimulation, plot points and Robin Williams. But the book was still exciting and worth the read.
November 6, 2016
This is another case of I-saw-the-movie-was-there-a-book? and I'm grateful for these little gems.
Peter and Judy (brother and sister, unlike the movie version) are two slightly bored children who find a board game outside their house. They bring it in and start playing it, only to have a huge surprise.
I highly recommend this for the kids. It has a cool game, dangerous animals and a happy ending. Also, it's short enough that you'll keep their attention until the very end.
October 14, 2022
A fun, creative adventure that stimulates imagination and exploration. I like the illustrations but they really would have popped in color. I guess that's just another aspect where my imagination can come into play!
May 9, 2020
De las pequeñas ideas pueden emerger grandes sorpresas y resultados.
Este libro es ideal para quienes acostumbran leer un cuento a sus hijos antes de dormir, aunque también es recomendado para los más pequeños que están empezando a relacionarse con los libros y las historias. Jumanji, es un texto corto y sencillo con ilustraciones que llaman la atención, que ayuda a promover la imaginación en los niños, así como su curiosidad por lo desconocido.
Lo leí, porque quería conocer cómo era la idea original con la que se adaptó la película de 1995, protagonizada por Robin Williams. Sí, tiene muchas diferencias con respecto a la película, como la forma del tablero, las fichas, la rapidez con la que juegan Judy y Peter, el modo como encuentran el juego, etc., pero eso no significa que la historia sea mala. Obviamente, la adaptación es mejor que la historia original, pero eso se debe a que este libro es un cuento hecho para niños, mientras que la película está mucho mejor desarrollada y fue creada para todo el público. Sin embargo, para honrar y valorar el trabajo hecho por el verdadero autor de la historia, es bueno leer este tipo de libros.
La reflexión que me queda al final de esta lectura, es que es increíble que de una idea tan pequeña, pueda surgir algo tan famoso y recordado por todos nosotros como lo es Jumanji.
Este libro es ideal para quienes acostumbran leer un cuento a sus hijos antes de dormir, aunque también es recomendado para los más pequeños que están empezando a relacionarse con los libros y las historias. Jumanji, es un texto corto y sencillo con ilustraciones que llaman la atención, que ayuda a promover la imaginación en los niños, así como su curiosidad por lo desconocido.
Lo leí, porque quería conocer cómo era la idea original con la que se adaptó la película de 1995, protagonizada por Robin Williams. Sí, tiene muchas diferencias con respecto a la película, como la forma del tablero, las fichas, la rapidez con la que juegan Judy y Peter, el modo como encuentran el juego, etc., pero eso no significa que la historia sea mala. Obviamente, la adaptación es mejor que la historia original, pero eso se debe a que este libro es un cuento hecho para niños, mientras que la película está mucho mejor desarrollada y fue creada para todo el público. Sin embargo, para honrar y valorar el trabajo hecho por el verdadero autor de la historia, es bueno leer este tipo de libros.
La reflexión que me queda al final de esta lectura, es que es increíble que de una idea tan pequeña, pueda surgir algo tan famoso y recordado por todos nosotros como lo es Jumanji.
February 20, 2022
Entertaining, classic children's book, December 2, 2017
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Jumanji (Kindle Edition)
NOTE: some of the reviews posted on Amazon are for the movie version of the book, not the original.
Our nine year old and I read this together using two kindles. She really enjoyed it, particularly making the animal sounds as I read. She says that it is a good book but not as good as the movie. I also like the movie better (1995 Robin Williams version). We recommend reading the book first so that children are not anticipating things from the movie which do not occur in the book. That way the movie grows the book rather than the book diminishing the movie.
Her comments: My dad let me make the screams of the children, the animal sounds and the jump like the lion. It was really fun but it scared the cat. I make the best screams.
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Jumanji (Kindle Edition)
NOTE: some of the reviews posted on Amazon are for the movie version of the book, not the original.
Our nine year old and I read this together using two kindles. She really enjoyed it, particularly making the animal sounds as I read. She says that it is a good book but not as good as the movie. I also like the movie better (1995 Robin Williams version). We recommend reading the book first so that children are not anticipating things from the movie which do not occur in the book. That way the movie grows the book rather than the book diminishing the movie.
Her comments: My dad let me make the screams of the children, the animal sounds and the jump like the lion. It was really fun but it scared the cat. I make the best screams.
March 11, 2018
This story is filled with imagination, I mean what a great concept. I will say I saw the movie first. I enjoy this story and I wonder why he made the art in black and white. I think making it in hyper color would have really kicked it off and been like Pop, or the original Wizard of Oz where the color makes everything more. The black and white just didn't fit for me. I question that choice.
This book is exciting. The kids were engaged and on edge asking what was going to happen. It was intense. They loved it. This book holds up well. I find it very entertaining.
This book is exciting. The kids were engaged and on edge asking what was going to happen. It was intense. They loved it. This book holds up well. I find it very entertaining.
January 25, 2023
¡¡¡Cómo puede ser que recién hoy me enteré que JUMANJI tenía libro!!! Este hombre escribió varias historias que fueron llevadas al cine. Gracias a Goodreads, descubrí que la continuación de este libro es... ZATHURA (sabía que ambas historias tenían elementos repetidos, lastima que no está en español).
RESEÑA COMPLETA EN MI BLOG: https://lavidadeungamerprincipiante.b...
PD: no saben cómo estoy fanboyleando. Un viaje directo a mi infancia.
RESEÑA COMPLETA EN MI BLOG: https://lavidadeungamerprincipiante.b...
PD: no saben cómo estoy fanboyleando. Un viaje directo a mi infancia.
August 7, 2019
Two children find a board game and take it home, it looks a bit boring but when they start playing they find it's more than they bargained for. I really liked the idea but it was so short and could have had much more detail put into to the storyline and the characters. I haven't seen the film but I expect it put a lot more in and was successful for that. The black and white illustrations were nice enough.
Read on open library
Read on open library
March 23, 2018
While I have at least to a certain point enjoyed Chris Van Allsburg's Jumanji, to and for me, the presented narrative, the storyline as a whole does seem rather frustratingly incomplete and actually more like an outline (as though some, if not actually most of the necessary story details are missing). And while I did (and do) appreciate the rich and detailed accompanying illustrations, I most definitely and desperately wanted (and needed) more information, more fleshed out characters and scenarios.
Now I do realise that some might well and with even some justification point out that the illustrations actually somewhat augment the sparseness of Van Allsburg's featured written text. However and that being said, I think some of my own issues with Jumanji are probably precisely because I have always been an exceedingly textual (read printed word oriented) reader, that while a visual learner, I usually tend to think in words and NOT in pictures. I do enjoy illustrations in books, but seem to regard these as more of a supplement and an addition, a decorative trim so to speak rather than the main or even a main focus (which is probably also why I do not really enjoy wordless picture books and graphic novels all that much either). And with Jumanji, there is just not enough text, not enough of a printed narrative, not enough "oomph" to even remotely satisfy me personally (I finished the book and was basically thinking "Is that it?").
And now finally, I also must wonder a bit if having seen the movie before reading Jumanji might have made me expect a longer and more involved, more nuanced plot. However, I do believe that even if I had not seen the movie, I still would have found the narrative of Jumanji somewhat majorly incomplete and rather sadly lacking in substance, with simply not enough printed information and certainly not really that sense of danger a jungle adventure like the one described in the story and by the illustrations demonstrates or hints at (and while I do appreciate Chris Van Allsburg's illustrations, and enjoy their rich detail, I strongly belive that they would have been much much better and more evocative, more lively, with a bit of colour, but I tend to think that with most of van Allsburg's work, as I find his illustrative style as a whole much too dark and gloomy for my aesthetic tastes).
Now I do realise that some might well and with even some justification point out that the illustrations actually somewhat augment the sparseness of Van Allsburg's featured written text. However and that being said, I think some of my own issues with Jumanji are probably precisely because I have always been an exceedingly textual (read printed word oriented) reader, that while a visual learner, I usually tend to think in words and NOT in pictures. I do enjoy illustrations in books, but seem to regard these as more of a supplement and an addition, a decorative trim so to speak rather than the main or even a main focus (which is probably also why I do not really enjoy wordless picture books and graphic novels all that much either). And with Jumanji, there is just not enough text, not enough of a printed narrative, not enough "oomph" to even remotely satisfy me personally (I finished the book and was basically thinking "Is that it?").
And now finally, I also must wonder a bit if having seen the movie before reading Jumanji might have made me expect a longer and more involved, more nuanced plot. However, I do believe that even if I had not seen the movie, I still would have found the narrative of Jumanji somewhat majorly incomplete and rather sadly lacking in substance, with simply not enough printed information and certainly not really that sense of danger a jungle adventure like the one described in the story and by the illustrations demonstrates or hints at (and while I do appreciate Chris Van Allsburg's illustrations, and enjoy their rich detail, I strongly belive that they would have been much much better and more evocative, more lively, with a bit of colour, but I tend to think that with most of van Allsburg's work, as I find his illustrative style as a whole much too dark and gloomy for my aesthetic tastes).
July 11, 2019
2 Cuando el libro NO es mejor que la película STARS
Pop Sugar Reading Challenge 2016 A book from the library.
Hace un par de días estaba sentada en el piso de la biblioteca, en el área infantil buscando libros para mi hija, justo cuando un libro salvaje llamo mi atención.
Como alguien que creció en los 90's la película Jumanji me marco y se convirtió en una de mis favoritas.
Así que cuando vi el libro (del que no tenia idea venia la película) inmediatamente lo puse en mi montón de libros para llevar.
Mucha, demasiada fue mi decepción, al encontrarme un libro con pequeñas partes de la historia de la película.
El libro solo se basa en los 2 hermanos jugando el juego.
Imaginen la película sin ninguna de sus escenas favoritas (como la del cazador, o los murciélagos, el drama con el padre) y sin sus personajes favoritos (No Robin Williams, No policía), eso es este libro.
Y tampoco lo puedo excusar diciendo que es una versión para niños pequeños, porque la verdad tampoco funciona como libro infantil. Las ilustraciones son demasiados sombrías, es una especie de libro de terror-fantasía, que aunque es corto te aburre.
Lo único positivo que me dejo este libro, es que ahora cuando uno de esos odioso lectoresque casi no existen por supuesto me diga EL LIBRO SIEMPRE ES MEJOR QUE LA PELICULA, bueno pues ahora ya tengo un ejemplo y argumento sustentable para refutarles esa frase tan desesperante.
Pop Sugar Reading Challenge 2016 A book from the library.
Hace un par de días estaba sentada en el piso de la biblioteca, en el área infantil buscando libros para mi hija, justo cuando un libro salvaje llamo mi atención.
Como alguien que creció en los 90's la película Jumanji me marco y se convirtió en una de mis favoritas.
Así que cuando vi el libro (del que no tenia idea venia la película) inmediatamente lo puse en mi montón de libros para llevar.
Mucha, demasiada fue mi decepción, al encontrarme un libro con pequeñas partes de la historia de la película.
El libro solo se basa en los 2 hermanos jugando el juego.
Imaginen la película sin ninguna de sus escenas favoritas (como la del cazador, o los murciélagos, el drama con el padre) y sin sus personajes favoritos (No Robin Williams, No policía), eso es este libro.
Y tampoco lo puedo excusar diciendo que es una versión para niños pequeños, porque la verdad tampoco funciona como libro infantil. Las ilustraciones son demasiados sombrías, es una especie de libro de terror-fantasía, que aunque es corto te aburre.
Lo único positivo que me dejo este libro, es que ahora cuando uno de esos odioso lectores
October 17, 2016
My granddaughter and I read this today; we both loved it. Different than the movie, but excellent itself. I think this has become a new favorite for her.
September 16, 2018
I read this to my great niece this weekend. It was her library book from school. She loved it! She loved the illustrations too! Great fun!
June 11, 2025
As a Jumanji lover I really wanted to read the books. The amazing film from the 90s originates from a children's book. Per se not bad, though it was less fun than a full length version such as the film adaption. Since it was a children's book it was quite short and didn't have much detail compared to the film, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.
Usually when I say I liked the film better than the book it would mean I didn't like the book version, but it isn't like this in this case. I did like the book, but I can see how it only really reached a greater audience thanks to the film which made the whole idea more detailed and longer. The book was too short to call it a masterpiece, but without the book the film wouldn't have existed, so I still appreciate it.
(Also, I loved how the pictures weren't coloured as it gave me the perfect vibes while reading!)
StoryGraph review
Usually when I say I liked the film better than the book it would mean I didn't like the book version, but it isn't like this in this case. I did like the book, but I can see how it only really reached a greater audience thanks to the film which made the whole idea more detailed and longer. The book was too short to call it a masterpiece, but without the book the film wouldn't have existed, so I still appreciate it.
(Also, I loved how the pictures weren't coloured as it gave me the perfect vibes while reading!)
StoryGraph review
October 20, 2012
“Jumanji” is a Caldecott Award- winning book by Chris Van Allsburg and is the most popular children’s book out of all of his books. In this story, two children, Peter and Judy, discover a strange looking board game and they soon realize that this board game is more dangerous then they thought. “Jumanji” is clearly one of the most inventive and intense children’s book that will surely make children read it for a long time.
Chris Van Allsburg is excellent at illustrating and writing this classic children’s story. Chris Van Allsburg makes the story intense and exciting at the same time when he makes the animals come to life and terrorize the children. I like the idea that Chris Van Allsburg uses a child’s fear about games coming to life as a story arc for this story because I enjoy anything that is often surreal and “Jumanji” is certainly a surreal book to read since it involves a game making everything come to life. Chris Van Allsburg’s illustrations are beautiful and intense, especially of the images of the animals wrecking havoc on the children’s house. The image that probably stood out the most was the image of the lion on the piano as you can only see the lion’s mouth full of sharp teeth as its eyes are shadowed, which brings out the mysteriousness of that scene as the lion looks like it just magically appeared on the piano (which is exactly what happened).
Parents should know that there are some scary scenes in this book mainly involving the animals terrorizing the children. The scene that will probably scare most children would be the scene where the lion is sitting on the piano and starts chasing Peter around the house. Young children would be scared about the lion chasing Peter and they might worry about whether or not Peter can escape from the lion’s clutches. Also, the overall atmosphere of this book will scare young children as it involves a game making everything come to life and children might be frightened about the idea that their board games might make everything come to life, such as those “Clue” games. Parents might want to assure their children that everything that happens in this book is all made up and that such things would never happen to them. Parents might also want to discuss the difference between reality and fantasy with their children before they read them this book.
“Jumanji” is probably one of Chris Van Allsburg’s best children’s books since it has everything that a child would want in a book- drama, fantasy, thriller, and mystery. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves adventure and excitement in a children’s book. This book would be suitable for children ages six and up since younger children might not understand the fantasy elements in this book and therefore, will become frighten by the scenes where the animals terrorize the children.
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
Chris Van Allsburg is excellent at illustrating and writing this classic children’s story. Chris Van Allsburg makes the story intense and exciting at the same time when he makes the animals come to life and terrorize the children. I like the idea that Chris Van Allsburg uses a child’s fear about games coming to life as a story arc for this story because I enjoy anything that is often surreal and “Jumanji” is certainly a surreal book to read since it involves a game making everything come to life. Chris Van Allsburg’s illustrations are beautiful and intense, especially of the images of the animals wrecking havoc on the children’s house. The image that probably stood out the most was the image of the lion on the piano as you can only see the lion’s mouth full of sharp teeth as its eyes are shadowed, which brings out the mysteriousness of that scene as the lion looks like it just magically appeared on the piano (which is exactly what happened).
Parents should know that there are some scary scenes in this book mainly involving the animals terrorizing the children. The scene that will probably scare most children would be the scene where the lion is sitting on the piano and starts chasing Peter around the house. Young children would be scared about the lion chasing Peter and they might worry about whether or not Peter can escape from the lion’s clutches. Also, the overall atmosphere of this book will scare young children as it involves a game making everything come to life and children might be frightened about the idea that their board games might make everything come to life, such as those “Clue” games. Parents might want to assure their children that everything that happens in this book is all made up and that such things would never happen to them. Parents might also want to discuss the difference between reality and fantasy with their children before they read them this book.
“Jumanji” is probably one of Chris Van Allsburg’s best children’s books since it has everything that a child would want in a book- drama, fantasy, thriller, and mystery. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves adventure and excitement in a children’s book. This book would be suitable for children ages six and up since younger children might not understand the fantasy elements in this book and therefore, will become frighten by the scenes where the animals terrorize the children.
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
April 25, 2021
4.25 Stars — Such an epic and fun memory of this magical tale. Reaffirmed by the 90’s classic starring Robin Williams. For me, the book had this slightly more linear approach which to me still feels more apt for the intended audience.
The Illustrations in this book are off the map, literally transporting the readers mind to this world of chaotic fun and epic morally grounding adventures!
The Illustrations in this book are off the map, literally transporting the readers mind to this world of chaotic fun and epic morally grounding adventures!
July 19, 2015
2015 Reading Challenge #03: A book that became a movie.
Si ya viste la película y amas Jumanji, no leas este libro. Repito, no leas este libro. No dañes la ilusión.
Fin del comunicado.
Si ya viste la película y amas Jumanji, no leas este libro. Repito, no leas este libro. No dañes la ilusión.
Fin del comunicado.
May 31, 2015
This book was in my space this morning.... came up in conversation
A favorite in our house with my younger daughter especially! So, it's special to me too!!
A favorite in our house with my younger daughter especially! So, it's special to me too!!
November 2, 2024
Chef’s kiss
December 12, 2018
As far as illustrations go, Jumanji doesn't lag behind any book that previously won the Caldecott Medal. Chris Van Allsburg's eerie use of shadowing is fantastic, deserving of the highest honor available to picture book illustrators. My first experience with Jumanji was when my teacher read it to our class in first grade, and the story has stayed with me ever since.
Readers who expect Jumanji to rival the 1995 movie will likely feel let down. The movie is an entire re-imagining of the story, filled with great screenwriting and acting, captivating drama and thrilling action. As good as the book is, it's not of the same magnitude as the film, and will probably suffer in comparison. Regardless, Chris Van Allsburg does a spectacular job bringing Jumanji to life in this book.
Readers who expect Jumanji to rival the 1995 movie will likely feel let down. The movie is an entire re-imagining of the story, filled with great screenwriting and acting, captivating drama and thrilling action. As good as the book is, it's not of the same magnitude as the film, and will probably suffer in comparison. Regardless, Chris Van Allsburg does a spectacular job bringing Jumanji to life in this book.
February 8, 2019
fun short story, enjoyed every bit of it 😘
October 7, 2024
Bastante fome pero los niños se van a reír
March 15, 2009
When I first reviewed Jumanji Toby responded that it was too bad that the movie ruined the beautiful surrealism of the book and drawings. Her comments made me take another look at this book. Instead of re-reading it to myself I decided to read it out loud with my 3rd graders. I have to admit that this class as a whole has ants in their pants and never sits still. Sometimes a couple of them will get up and walk around the reading circle as I'm reading.
I started out our story time by showing them the cover of the book and asking them if they had ever heard of this story. As expected, most of them had heard of it because of the movie, but only a few had actually seen the movie. I mentioned to them that this book was a little different than the other books I've read them, and I asked them to really look at the pictures because they looked so realistic.
I began the story and I surprised myself by finding a voice that I hadn't expected. Suddenly my expression became a combination of mystery and child-like surprise. Literally from page one, my students were absolutely enthralled with this story and sitting on the edge of their seats. When I got to the page when Judy and Peter conjure up the lion and Judy whispers to Peter to turn around, I whispered so quietly I could barely hear myself. I could feel my students hanging on my words; they reserved any reaction until I whispered, "Peter, turn around very slowly," and then they all gave out a muffled (library) scream. I found this to be a very interesting and exciting experience since they had been looking at the picture of the lion on top of the piano for the entire time I was reading that page. It was so clear that they were experiencing the words and picture at the same time as I read them because the words were driving the story. That's a pretty powerful thing in this visual world we live in.
My third graders were so engrossed in this story, and so nervous about the outcome of the game that it was an absolute blast to read to them. They yelled out when the two little boys who never read directions ran off with the game. When I was done reading, they actually clapped and immediately began talking about the book. I have to admit that it was a magical moment for me....or maybe a surreal moment. It's not often that I get applause for reading to them, and it's not often that they sit absolutely still as they did today. As soon as I released them to go find the books they were going to check out, four students stayed back and told me how much they liked the story. It was wonderful to have a mini-book discussion with them.
So I have to change my original impression of this book. My mistake in reading it for the first 3 times was that I didn't read it out loud. I read it silently to myself. In the world of children's literature, some books must be read out loud to make them come alive. This is one of those books. I'm a complete convert--I love this book! Everything about it is quality, and I'll be reading it to my other 3rd grade class....and my second grade classes....and maybe my 4th grade classes. But why stop there? I have 5th - 8th graders who might enjoy it, too!
I'm leaving my original review here so that I can remember what I initially said and look at how my opinion has changed with the simple addition of my students listening intently. This book has immediately gone up to one of my favorites.
Original Review:
The drawings are beautiful, but the story is really boring. Perhaps I have the vision of Robin Williams running through a mansion wearing leaves and fighting off a computer-generated lion to warp my perception of this book.
I started out our story time by showing them the cover of the book and asking them if they had ever heard of this story. As expected, most of them had heard of it because of the movie, but only a few had actually seen the movie. I mentioned to them that this book was a little different than the other books I've read them, and I asked them to really look at the pictures because they looked so realistic.
I began the story and I surprised myself by finding a voice that I hadn't expected. Suddenly my expression became a combination of mystery and child-like surprise. Literally from page one, my students were absolutely enthralled with this story and sitting on the edge of their seats. When I got to the page when Judy and Peter conjure up the lion and Judy whispers to Peter to turn around, I whispered so quietly I could barely hear myself. I could feel my students hanging on my words; they reserved any reaction until I whispered, "Peter, turn around very slowly," and then they all gave out a muffled (library) scream. I found this to be a very interesting and exciting experience since they had been looking at the picture of the lion on top of the piano for the entire time I was reading that page. It was so clear that they were experiencing the words and picture at the same time as I read them because the words were driving the story. That's a pretty powerful thing in this visual world we live in.
My third graders were so engrossed in this story, and so nervous about the outcome of the game that it was an absolute blast to read to them. They yelled out when the two little boys who never read directions ran off with the game. When I was done reading, they actually clapped and immediately began talking about the book. I have to admit that it was a magical moment for me....or maybe a surreal moment. It's not often that I get applause for reading to them, and it's not often that they sit absolutely still as they did today. As soon as I released them to go find the books they were going to check out, four students stayed back and told me how much they liked the story. It was wonderful to have a mini-book discussion with them.
So I have to change my original impression of this book. My mistake in reading it for the first 3 times was that I didn't read it out loud. I read it silently to myself. In the world of children's literature, some books must be read out loud to make them come alive. This is one of those books. I'm a complete convert--I love this book! Everything about it is quality, and I'll be reading it to my other 3rd grade class....and my second grade classes....and maybe my 4th grade classes. But why stop there? I have 5th - 8th graders who might enjoy it, too!
I'm leaving my original review here so that I can remember what I initially said and look at how my opinion has changed with the simple addition of my students listening intently. This book has immediately gone up to one of my favorites.
Original Review:
The drawings are beautiful, but the story is really boring. Perhaps I have the vision of Robin Williams running through a mansion wearing leaves and fighting off a computer-generated lion to warp my perception of this book.
December 17, 2018
I had no idea this was a book first! Gotta admit, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the film but I’m a little sad that this book wasn’t a part of my childhood. The “childish” writing was a little underwhelming (but understandable) and I can really appreciate the drawings which is why I still gave this such a high rating. Plus, it’s Jumanji.
March 28, 2020
Since this book is almost as old as I am, I thought maybe I might have read it at some point. I know I saw the movie, but I don't remember much. The book is understated, yet kind of magical, and definitely worth taking a look at (especially if you're a fan of Van Allsburg's work).
Judy and Peter are (somewhat conveniently) left at home without a babysitter while their parents go to the opera. They're bored, so they head over to the park, where they find a mysterious box that contains a game called Jumanji. They take it home and play it. But once you start a game of Jumanji, you must finish it. It says so in the instructions. So Judy and Peter face an afternoon of adventures as they attempt to reach the end of the game.
The story is so simple (despite the rather large amount of text) that I'm guessing that the movie was padded quite a bit (I really don't remember!). But what is here is understated and fairly well written. Van Allsburg's monochrome illustrations are lovely, as usual... although they do look a bit dated (given that the book is almost 40 years old, though, that's understandable).
I can see why this has stood the test of time. Younger readers might prefer the movie, as the action in this one is over pretty quickly and the book is rather short. But it's still worth a read.
Quotable moment:
Judy and Peter are (somewhat conveniently) left at home without a babysitter while their parents go to the opera. They're bored, so they head over to the park, where they find a mysterious box that contains a game called Jumanji. They take it home and play it. But once you start a game of Jumanji, you must finish it. It says so in the instructions. So Judy and Peter face an afternoon of adventures as they attempt to reach the end of the game.
The story is so simple (despite the rather large amount of text) that I'm guessing that the movie was padded quite a bit (I really don't remember!). But what is here is understated and fairly well written. Van Allsburg's monochrome illustrations are lovely, as usual... although they do look a bit dated (given that the book is almost 40 years old, though, that's understandable).
I can see why this has stood the test of time. Younger readers might prefer the movie, as the action in this one is over pretty quickly and the book is rather short. But it's still worth a read.
Quotable moment:
November 24, 2009
I love the choice of the black and white illustrations of this book. Although Van Allsburg is known for this style of illustration in his books, I think he really uses it to his advantage in Jumanji. For example, note the shading from page to page. The second page, where the children leave the house and encounter the board game, the shading is much darker and provides a more ominous feeling that page before Peter and Judy say goodbye to their parents.
When the lion appears on the piano, not only does his body cast a shadow on the page but the lamp, an everyday object in the living room, casts a large dark shadow as well. This works to take the mundane setting that the children were in before and fuse it with the new conflicts from the game. We see this contrast again with the monkeys in the kitchen, next to a bowl of fruit and spilled sugar on the table. We see this again with the python intricately winding himself around the ordinary objects on the mantle, like the clock and vases.
Again with the shadowing, we see the page lighten up after the game has been won and Judy and Peter stand before their parents and their guests. Yet the shading darkens again with the next page as reader foreshadow the fate of Mrs. Budwing's sons when they pick up the game from the park.
This surrealistic art works very well with the message of this book. The realistic drawings, accompanied by the unrealistic images, really hit the mark for this story.
When the lion appears on the piano, not only does his body cast a shadow on the page but the lamp, an everyday object in the living room, casts a large dark shadow as well. This works to take the mundane setting that the children were in before and fuse it with the new conflicts from the game. We see this contrast again with the monkeys in the kitchen, next to a bowl of fruit and spilled sugar on the table. We see this again with the python intricately winding himself around the ordinary objects on the mantle, like the clock and vases.
Again with the shadowing, we see the page lighten up after the game has been won and Judy and Peter stand before their parents and their guests. Yet the shading darkens again with the next page as reader foreshadow the fate of Mrs. Budwing's sons when they pick up the game from the park.
This surrealistic art works very well with the message of this book. The realistic drawings, accompanied by the unrealistic images, really hit the mark for this story.
February 19, 2019
To me, this one is a classic. Upon a recent reread, I realized the detailed illustrations have stood the test of time.
Peter and Judy's story of what happens when they find a random board game one afternoon will have you on the edge of your seat. There are real-life lions, monkeys, monsoons and more. Can they survive the jungle world of Jumanji?
Peter and Judy's story of what happens when they find a random board game one afternoon will have you on the edge of your seat. There are real-life lions, monkeys, monsoons and more. Can they survive the jungle world of Jumanji?
March 6, 2019
Oi with the black and white Chris! I just like color, especially in children's books. We really enjoyed this story and the Robin Williams' movie. I like that this story subtly slips in the lesson of reading the directions before jumping into something!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,076 reviews