Book Review: Jumanji

A couple of children left at home alone venture out and find a game. They think this board game will be boring, but it proves to be much more adventure than they planned on or even thought about. As the play, they encounter lions, monkeys, snakes, and all manner of insects.

When it begins to get dangerous they try to stop the game, but find that they can’t stop it no matter what they do. The house is destroyed in the process of the game, but once the game is over everything is back to normal. Or is it? Are things the same, or did something change within the children? Was it all just their imagination?

At the end of the story they try to hide the game so it can’t be found, but the game has plans of its own. In another place and culture, the game “finds” yet another set of children whose lives will be interrupted by this game called Jumunji.

Within the story, dialogue flows well. There is a direct focus on the children Judy and Peter as the primary characters in the story, though the parents are constantly referred to, and worried about as the children get deeper into the game. It reflects every child’s nightmare. I was irresponsible and the house is a mess? What will mom and dad think or do? Boy will we be in big trouble.

Chris Van Allsburg did his own illustrations for Jumanji. The illustrations are in black and white, and do not overpower the story. I think this is a strength of the black and white illustrations here. Perhaps these incredible works done in color would have taken away from the…