The Mysteries of Harris Burdick Writing Contest

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The Mysteries of Harris Burdick Writing Contest

• Presented by
• Vicki Martinez

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Who is Harris Burdick?

• Heres a short explanation given by Chris Van
  Allsburg. I first saw the drawings in this book
  a year ago, in the home of a man named Peter
  Wenders. Though Mr. Wenders is retired now, he
  once worked for a childrens book publisher,
  choosing the stories and pictures that would be
  turned into books.

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continued

• Thirty years ago a man called at Peter
  Wenders office, introducing himself as Harris
  Burdick. Mr. Burdick explained that he had writen
  fourteen stories and had drawn many pictures for
  each one. Hed brought with him just one drawing
  from each story, to see if Wenders liked his work.

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• Peter Wenders was fascinated by the drawings. He
  told Burdick he would like to read the stories
  that went with them as soon as possible. The
  artist agreed to bring the stories the next
  morning. He left fourteen drawings with Wenders.
  But he did not return the next day. Or the day
  after that. Harris Burdick was never heard from
  again.

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• Over the years, Wenders tried to find out who
  Burdick was and what had happened to him, but he
  discovered nothing. To this day Harris Burdick
  Remains a complete mystery.
• Chris Van Allsburg

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The Writing Contest-

• Unleash Imaginations and Help Solve the
  Mysteries of Harris Burdick!
• To celebrate the opening of the Harris Burdick
  Web site, Houghton Mifflin Company is hosting a
  Harris Burdick Writing Contest.
• The illustrations in Chris Van Allsburgs The
  Mysteries of Harris Burdick have long inspired
  children to write their own stories. Now they can
  submit their stories for the chance to win
  autographed Chris Van Allsburg books and more!
• Winning stories will be posted at
  www.chrisvanallsburg.com and www.themysteriesofhar
  risburdick.com.
• Houghton Mifflin Website

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• Submit yourBurdick-inspiredstoriesThough
  January 15, 2008 marks the end of the contest,
  Houghton Mifflin Co. will continue to accept
  stories after that date. The editors there will
  post them on this site and will occasionally
  choose lucky writers to receive signed copies of
  The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.
• Houghton Mifflin Website

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Submit your story to this address

• http//www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/features/harri
  sburdick/submit_story.html

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Harris Burdick Website for full details

• http//www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/features/harri
  sburdick/introduction.html

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Another Place, Another Time

• If there was an answer,
• hed find it here.

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Questions to askteacherweb.com/AL/Wright/ChrisVa
nAllsburg/h5.stm

• Another Place, Another Time
• If there was an answer, he'd find it there. Who
  are the four people in the picture? Which one is
  the he who will find it?
• What is he looking for?
• How did they get in the sailing railroad cart?
• Is this the beginning, the middle, or the end of
  the story?
• What is the place you can see in the distance?

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Chris Van Allsburg

• Home website
• http//www.chrisvanallsburg.com/home.html

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Chris Van Allsburg

• Teacher Resource Site
• http//falcon.jmu.edu/ramseyil/allsburg.htm
• The Polar Express
• http//www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/features/thepo
  larexpress/

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Chris Van Allsburg Interview

• http//www.basd.net/teacherlinks/langarts/vanallsb
  urg/vanallsburg.htm
• Chris Van Allsburg biography
• http//www.chrisvanallsburg.com/biography.html