Jumanji: Chris Van Allsburg

This beautifully illustrated book is the story of two children, Peter and Judy, who find a board game outside and decide to take it home and play it. Once they start the game, it doesn’t end until someone wins. The two children must play through lions appearing, lost men, monkey’s stealing food and a volcano eruption that are all caused by the spaces they land on on the board. The children finally finish the game, just as it looks like a lost cause. Upon winning, the house returns to normal, their parents arrive, and the story ends with two other children taking the game off to play it. This story can be used in the classroom as a read aloud, a story about character motivation, or even as a slight warning about curiosity and reading directions before participating in something.