The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg

I'm a huge fan of Chris Van Allsburg's work and have always considered The Stranger to be one of my favorite books of his. In particular, I have always enjoyed the way the book is illustrated. Every picture is a very rich, colorful, warm illustration that is a bit atypical for Van Allsburg. The story itself is about a farmer, Mr. Bailey, who hits a stranger with his truck. Mr. Bailey then decides to drive the stranger back to his own house to care for him until he recovers. Mr. Bailey assumes the stranger is a hermit without a home. Like many of Van Allsburg's books, The Stranger has a very foreboding and creepy feel to it. For example, the stranger has memory loss and has no idea what his name is or where he is from. Also, when working in the field with the farmer, Mr. Bailey, the stranger never tires or breaks a sweat. These details help lend the book a very mysterious feeling. I really enjoy this book and would reccomend it to anyone. It's definetely one of my favorite books by Chris Van Allsburg.