Overview and Outcomes:

This is a three-week Writing Root which uses The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg. Children begin by exploring the illustrations – left in a mysterious suitcase in the classroom – and creating mystery setting descriptions, using a variety of grammatical and authorial tools.  They go on to create action, character and dialogue in their middle-sections and endings. Children will explore many of the illustrations in this text. In the final part of the Writing Root, children write their own fantasy stories, based upon the illustration Mr. Linden’s Library. They will finally edit and publish their stories in a class collection for others to read. Afterwards, children will receive a letter from a mysterious H.B. thanking them for creating stories for these illustrations. 

Synopsis of Text:

"His disappearance is not the only mystery left behind. What were the stories that went with these drawings? There are some clues..." 

Who is Harris Burdick? Where did he disappear to? And how was he going to finish his stories?

Chris Van Allsburg presents a series of loosely related drawings each accompanied by a title and a caption which the reader may use to make up his or her own story.

Text Rationale:

This book is a treat for the imagination which throws up more questions than answers and will encourage children to infer at a deep level.  The collection of mysterious images, each with an accompanying caption, provides the perfect stimulation for children’s own story-telling and application of language.  Chris Van Allsburg is two-time recipient of the prestigious Caldecott Medal and this book will be a starting point for children’s explorations into his other works such as Jumanji and The Polar Express.  

Links and themes:

Mysteries, wordless books, exploration, imagination

Date written: February 2013

Updated: March 2023