The author and illustrator of the popular children’s picture books Jumanji and The Polar Express—both of which were adapted into successful major motion pictures—Chris Van Allsburg is the winner of two Caldecott Medals, the National Book Award, and the Regina Medal for lifetime achievement in children’s literature. A reviewer for the New York Times Book Review describes his work as featuring “a beautiful simplicity of design, balance, texture, and a subtle intelligence beyond the call of illustration.” Van Allsburg’s new book follows a retired 62-year-old charm school teacher as she endeavors to be the first person to go over Niagra Falls in a wooden barrel.