Customer Reviews

Zathura

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

On the last page of award winning author and illustrator, Chris Van Allsburg's classic, Jumanji, Danny and Walter Budwing are seen running home from the park carrying a board game. Readers are left wondering what will happen to them. Will they play the game? Well, after twenty years Mr Van Allsburg finally answers that question with his latest picture book, Zathura. Danny opens the box and finds not just the Jumanji board, but another game board at the bottom of the box. "It showed flying saucers, rockets, and planets in outer space with a path of colored squares leading from Earth to a purple planet called Zathura and back to Earth. Danny put a token on Earth, then rolled the dice..." Sound familiar? Unfortunately, that's the problem with this book. There's nothing really new here. Mr Van Allsburg has transplanted his story from the jungle to outer space. His text is a bit flat and lacks drama and excitement. It's the intricate and marvelously detailed, black and white artwork that dazzles and makes this book worth a look, and youngsters will want to linger and explore each intriguing illustration before turning the page. Perfect for kids 4-8, Zathura works better as a stand alone for those who haven't read Jumanji, than as a sequel, and many Jumanji fans looking for a new and entertaining adventure, may be disappointed by the rehash of the original.

I'm a huge fan of Chris Van Allsburg's stories, and illustrations. As a child, my mother would read me Jumanji fairly often, so I bought it after watching the movie with my kids. When purchasing Jumanji, I saw that Van Allsburg had written this sequel - Zathura, and had to buy it too, although I was unsure how he could make another unique story from the same idea. I shouldn't have doubted.

Finding an alternate game inside the Jumanji box, Danny and Walter Budwing are sucked into a space adventure and have to work together, which is against their nature at the beginning of the book, to get back home. While the story is nice, it ends too abruptly, and could have easily been written into a better, longer, story, which I'm sure my kids would still sit through with rapt attention.

If you like Jumanji, and always wondered what happened to Danny and Walter, then I would recommend this book, even though it's not Van Allsburg's best work.

Introduced to van Allsburg's work while in design school, I immediately fell in love with his drawing style and unique perspective. I often buy his books as much for the drawings as for the story. Unfortunately, this book falls WAYshort. The drawings are painfully out of perspective - lines don't go to a common horizon line, the younger brother's head is grossly distorted, sometimes hands just don't make sense.
As for the story, this book lacks the real adventure, wonder and excitement of Jumanji. The couple of space creatures are bumbling and not a real threat. There are no great scenes like monkeys in the kitchen or rhinos charging through. My advice is to save your money. If this wasn't a gift, I would return it.

I never thought I'd say this about a Chris Van Allsburg book, but I'm disappointed. I think this is a rip-off of Jumanji, plain and simple. I am a teacher who often uses Van Allsburg's work with my students. I still remember my first reading of Jumanji! I was thrilled with the art, as well as the story and the surprise ending. I had similar reactions to most all of his other books. Zathura's art is substandard Van Allsburg (though still better than many children's book artists!). The story goes nowhere and the ending is weak. I'm sad that my favorite children's book writer seems (even after 20 years) to have gone the way of many successful adult book writers--put something out even if there is nothing new to say.

This "rip-off" of Jumanji is actually a sequel to the famous book about a board game coming to life. The problem with this book, besides that it is unimaginative, is that somehow the pencil artwork looks grainy. It lacks the depth and warmth of the original.

At long last, 20 years after Jumanji, Chris Van Allsburg's new picture book, the sequel, Zathura, picks up where we left off, with Walter and Danny Budwing opening the long thin mysterious game box containing the amazing and dangerous game called Jumanji. Much to our surprise the box contains more than just the Jumanji game. Danny and Walter are the kind of kids who don't finish their puzzles and don't read the directions before starting a new game. Just like its predecessor, Zathura takes us on a wild ride at break-neck speed and the boys are just one step away from disaster in every second of this suspenseful tale. Van Allsburg's artwork is his characteristic black and white, surreal, humourous and detailed wizardry. The action is edge-of-the-seat and sure to thrill young readers and story listeners in equal measure with Jumanji's jungle adventure as the brothers try to come to terms with the alien environment of the purple planet Zathura. Don't miss this one. It's out of this world!

Once again Chris Van Allsburg draws the reader into a magical world that only he can create. Destined to be a classic. This is a MUST for the Jumanji and Van Allsburg fan. His books can be read again and again with enhanced enjoyment over time. Don't miss this book!

"Zathura" is a great book for some people, but a scary book for others. How can a game come true? If you believe in magic, the book will seem more real. If you read this book after "Jumanji", it will be even better. I would give ten stars if I could! Chris Van Allsburg creates some great books! If I had a chance to meet him I wouldn't miss the chance! -Nathalia, Grade 4, Nantucket, MA

Being the action packed sequel to Jumanji, Zarthura follows the same feel as its predecessor, with even a title mention to the board game Jumanji mentioned in the book.
Two feuding, young brothers, Walter and Danny, encounter a board game, Jumanji in the woods as they are wrestling around. Not until they get home do they realize there is another more "adult" game tucked inside. Danny, the younger of the two, unknowingly starts a chain of space travel events by rolling the dice. Eventually, normalcy is restored when Walter rolls the dice and is sucked through a black hole back in time before the game is found. A distinct theme of slowing down and appreciating your family is found. Allsburg uses his distinct artwork once again in this book.
I was disappointed with the book. While it was a good book, and a cool idea, I felt like it was too much like Jumanji to really enjoy. The artwork had the same feel. The story line was similar. It was just too much alike for me to like.

Rarely is a sequel equal to the first book. This is an exception! A thoroughly great adventure!