To pass the time - as my job allowed a decent amount of time passing to be done - I flipped through some of the books nearer to my station and happened upon one of my all-time favorite children's books, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.
It's a gorgeous book - typical of Chris van Alsburg's work - in which van Alsburg tells a brief introductory tale of a folio of drawings left with his publisher after a single meeting with the mysterious (and titular) Harris Burdick, with whom a second meeting was never managed. With each of the drawings, Mr Burdick had left only a single line of accompanying text.
In blatant and open copyright violation, I provide you the images and the text - faithfully reproduced here thanks to the copyright violation of the Halifax Regional School Board.
If you're looking to own these, I'd highly recommend the portfolio edition of the book with its gorgeous, oversized prints.
It was a perfect lift off.
She knew it was time to send them back. The caterpillars softly wiggled in her hand, spelling out "goodbye".
She lowered the knife, and it grew even brighter.
He swung his lantern three times, and slowly the schooner appeared.
His heart was pounding. He was sure he had seen the doorknob turn.
It all began when someone left the window open.
He had warned her about the book. Now it was too late.
So it's true, he thought. It's really true.
The fifth one ended up in France.
Even with her mighty engines in reverse, the ocean liner was pulled further and further into the canal.
If there was an answer, he'd find it there.
A tiny voice asked, "Is he the one?"
He threw with all might, but the third stone came skipping back.
Two weeks passed and it happened again.
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