Theme: Jumanji is a cautionary tale. It also teaches children that despite a frightening situation they can come to a solution.
Combination of the literary elements into an overall statement: Judy and Peter are bored after being left home alone while their parents attend an opera. Searching for something to occupy their time, they venture outside to play. Escaping a playful attack from his sister, Peter hides behind a tree where he finds a box labeled, “Jumanji, A Jungle Adventure Game.” Still seeking entertainment, the children take the game home to give it a try. A seemingly harmless and ordinary game, Jumanji’s instructions warn: “Once a game of Jumanji is started it will not be over until one player reaches the Golden City.” Thinking nothing of the instructions, Peter casually goes first – only to find himself under attack of a real lion. He barely manages to escape by locking the lion in his bedroom. As each player rolls the dice, and moves their game piece further through the board they find themselves in another predicament. Monkey’s raid the kitchen, a monsoon begins in the living room, a lost jungle-guide, rhinoceros and snake invasions, even an erupting volcano. Finally, Judy reaches the Golden City, and the game is done. As mysteriously as all of the fantastic things had appeared, they disappear. Without saying a word, Judy and Peter box the game back up and run to drop it back where it was found. After returning home with Judy and Peter’s parents, the Budwig’s tell the children of their sons’ lack of commitment and refusal to read directions. Looking out the window, Judy and Peter see the boys as they discover the Jumanji box.
Artistic Elements
Media and technique: Jumanji is done in gray tones with something called Conte dust and Conte pencil. The lack of color and lack of feeling in the background of the images is a sharp contrast to the extraordinary events that take place within the illustrations.
Style of Art: Surrealism – The pictures are extensions of the fantastic tale told in the text. They portray incredible events taking place in what appears to be a typical household among apparently realistic children. Each illustration is brimming with detail.
Composition: Most of the pictures are at eye level, so the reader feels like he or she is in the house along with the characters. Early in the book, shortly after the children have started to play the game, Judy’s roll of the dice results in monkey’s raiding the kitchen. In the illustration you can see both the expression on the monkeys’ faces and Judy’s face. The perspective is from an angle behind the kitchen table and below the action in the picture. The reader feels the sense of surprise and urgency in the picture – as if he/she were really hiding from the sudden monkey invasion.
Placement on page: Each of the illustrations is placed in the same manner. The focus of the story line appears at the center of the illustration. As the explanation of the game is being given in the text, there is a subsequent illustration depicting the children starting to play. The winding path of the board game is in the center of the illustration, making the warning of the game not ending “until one player reaches the Golden City” appear to be quite an exhausting journey.
Line, shape, texture, color and design: Great texture and detail are given to some objects while others remain dull and plain. The children and the resulting events of the game, the animals, volcano smoke, etc., are given great detail while many of the objects in the background remain dull and flat. You can nearly see every hair on Judy and Peter’s heads, in the lion’s mane, on the monkeys. The children appear almost molded. The shapes are very realistic and representational. The use of black lines on white and white lines on black draw attention to sources of light in the illustrations. The variations of perspective give depth to each illustration.
Analysis and Critique
Literary and artistic effectiveness: This picture book is well written, with a mysterious and engaging plot. The illustrations reinforce the excitement of each event as the game unfolds. The reader is curious as to what predicament will plague the children next, and if and when the children might reach the end of the game. With the simplicity of the story and the amazing illustrations, Van Allsburg has created a picture book that would appeal to people of all ages.
Social relevancy: Jumanji warns children to be cautious in their adventures and to always read directions. It can also help children to see that despite hectic situations they can find resolve. This would be relevant in realizing that their can be a solution to any of a number of outrageous situations that an individual or the American public as a whole might face. It can teach children that they can be responsible and capable of taking care of themselves once they are old enough to be left home alone.
Overt and/or hidden messages: I disliked the fact that Judy and Peter are depicted as fairly young children, yet are left home alone for a lengthy amount of time. Though this might be reassuring for a child who is old/mature enough to be left home alone, this might scare other children who are not yet ready.
Age appropriateness: Based on vocabulary and illustration, I would share this book with children as young as early elementary school. Although, at an early elementary age I would make it apparent that children do not have to be left home alone.
Creativity
Ask students what they would do if they play Jumanji and were in the same situations that Judy and Peter were in? If their house were overrun by monkeys? Flooded with water? You could bring in photographs of the animals depicted in the story.
