Author Profile
Chris Van Dusen
20 Books
Chris Van Dusen is an acclaimed American children's book author and illustrator known for his vibrant, retro-style artwork and engaging storytelling. He has written and illustrated beloved picture books like 'The Circus Ship', while also serving as the primary illustrator for popular works by other authors. His notable illustrative collaborations include Kate DiCamillo's 'Tales from Deckawoo Drive' series and Mac Barnett's 'President Taft Is Stuck in the Bath'.
If I Built
If I Built a House
Chris Van Dusen
Architecture
Building
-
/5
Mr. Magee
A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee
Chris Van Dusen
Adventure
Animals
-
/5
Mr. Magee
Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee
Chris Van Dusen
Adventure
Animals
-
/5
If I Built
If I Built a School
Chris Van Dusen
Engineering
Fiction
-
/5
If I Built
If I Built a Town
Chris Van Dusen
Architecture
Cities
-
/5
Mr. Magee
Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee
Chris Van Dusen
Adventure
Animals
-
/5
If I Built
If I Built a Car
Chris Van Dusen
Cars
Engineering
-
/5
The Circus Ship
Chris Van Dusen
Action
Animals
-
/5
King Hugo's Huge Ego
Chris Van Dusen
Fairy Tales
Fiction
-
/5
Mercy Watson
Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig
Kate DiCamillo, Chris Van Dusen
Action
Animals
-
/5
Mercy Watson
A Piglet Named Mercy
Kate DiCamillo, Chris Van Dusen
Animals
Family
-
/5
Mercy Watson
Mercy Watson to the Rescue
Kate DiCamillo, Chris Van Dusen
Action
Animals
-
/5
Tales from Deckawoo Drive
Francine Poulet Meets the Ghost Raccoon: Volume Two
Kate DiCamillo, Chris Van Dusen
Action
Animals
-
/5
Tales from Deckawoo Drive
Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexpected Package: Volume Four
Kate DiCamillo, Chris Van Dusen
Emotions
Family
-
/5
Tales from Deckawoo Drive
Where Are You Going, Baby Lincoln?: Volume Three
Kate DiCamillo, Chris Van Dusen
Adventure
Family
-
/5
Tales from Deckawoo Drive
Stella Endicott and the Anything-Is-Possible Poem: Volume Five
Kate DiCamillo, Chris Van Dusen
Friendship
Humor
-
/5
Mercy Watson
Princess in Disguise
Kate DiCamillo, Chris Van Dusen
Animals
Holidays
-
/5
Mercy Watson
A Very Mercy Christmas
Kate DiCamillo, Chris Van Dusen
Animals
Friendship
-
/5
President Taft Is Stuck in the Bath
Chris Van Dusen, Mac Barnett
Fiction
History
-
/5
Tales from Deckawoo Drive
Franklin Endicott and the Third Key: Volume Six
Kate DiCamillo, Chris Van Dusen
Courage
Emotions
-
/5
If I Built
If I Built a House
By:
Chris Van Dusen
Forget about boring bedrooms and standard living rooms. Jack is back, and this time he is designing the most amazing home you have ever seen. Why settle for a regular house when you can build a fantasy mansion packed with non stop fun?
Get ready to slide down a gigantic tube directly from your bedroom to the kitchen. You can float in a zero gravity flying room, zoom around your own indoor racetrack, and even get ready in a fully automated car wash bathroom. Every single room is packed with wildly clever inventions and shiny retro gadgets.
The catchy, energetic rhymes and bright, colorful illustrations make exploring this dream house an absolute joy. This incredibly inventive story will have you grabbing a pencil and paper to draft your own spectacular architectural blueprints as soon as you finish reading.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
N/A
/5
Mr. Magee
A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee
By:
Chris Van Dusen
Pack your bags and head into the great outdoors with Mr. Magee and his cheerful little dog, Dee. They have driven their trusty camper up to the peaceful mountains for a quiet, relaxing vacation. Everything is perfectly set up for a lovely morning, until an unexpected visitor changes all their plans.
A clumsy, nearsighted bear mistakes their tow hitch for a sweet marshmallow treat, accidentally sending their camper rolling away. Suddenly, Mr. Magee and Dee are tumbling down a steep rocky mountain, heading straight for the edge of a massive rushing waterfall.
You will be holding your breath to see how this duo escapes such a slippery, dangerous situation. This wild outdoor adventure is packed with wonderfully bouncy rhymes, colorful pictures, and a thrilling problem that will keep you glued to the pages from start to finish.
6-8 Years
31 Pages
N/A
/5
Mr. Magee
Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee
By:
Chris Van Dusen
The snow is fresh, the air is crisp, and it is the perfect winter morning for a new adventure. Mr. Magee and his faithful dog, Dee, are bundled up and ready to hit the slopes. They are determined to learn how to ski, but mastering the snowy mountain is much harder than it looks.
Just as they start gliding down the hill, their peaceful lesson takes a wild and unexpected turn. A giant, curious moose steps right into their path, sending Magee and Dee flying high into the freezing air. Now they are dangling dangerously over a deep, snowy gorge, far away from safety.
You will have to read to find out how they will ever untangle themselves from this frosty mess. Full of exciting action, beautiful winter scenery, and funny mistakes, this snowy rescue story is a thrilling read.
6-8 Years
37 Pages
N/A
/5
If I Built
If I Built a School
By:
Chris Van Dusen
Get ready to rethink everything you know about going to class. Jack is completely redesigning his school, and it is going to be the most fabulous, spectacular place you have ever imagined. Say goodbye to plain desks and quiet hallways, and get ready for a totally new way to learn.
Imagine floating through the air on a hover desk or practicing your jumps in a giant trampoline basketball court. The cafeteria features a high tech robot chef ready to serve your favorite lunch, and field trips will take you all the way out to Mars. Jack has made sure that every single subject is an absolute blast.
The fast paced rhymes and wildly colorful pictures will make you wish you could enroll right away. This deeply creative story celebrates big ideas and shows just how incredibly fun learning can be.
6-8 Years
33 Pages
N/A
/5
If I Built
If I Built a Town
By:
Chris Van Dusen
Jack has some truly spectacular ideas for how to make his community the best place on earth! While taking a walk with Mayor McKay, Jack eagerly shares his over-the-top plans for building the ultimate town. Imagine a place where the zoo is filled with mythical beasts and Jurassic giants, the mail is delivered by super-fast hover vans, and a spectacular parade marches through the streets every single week. Best of all, helpful robots are everywhere, and everything in the town is completely free! You and your young reader will be swept away by Jack's infectious enthusiasm and boundless creativity. With its bouncy rhymes and incredibly detailed, retro-futuristic illustrations, this joyful read-aloud will inspire budding inventors to dream big. It is a wildly fun adventure that you will want to visit again and again.
6-8 Years
41 Pages
N/A
/5
Mr. Magee
Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee
By:
Chris Van Dusen
It is a beautiful, sunny morning, and Mr. Magee and his dog, Dee, are setting sail on the sparkling blue ocean. They have packed a delicious lunch and are looking forward to a quiet, relaxing day out on the water. But the sea is full of surprises, and their peaceful trip is about to get very wild.
A pod of massive, playful whales swims by, and one curious young whale makes a gigantic mistake. Suddenly, the little boat is lifted high up into the air, leaving Magee and Dee stuck in a very strange and dangerous place. They are trapped far above the water with no obvious way to get back down.
This brilliant rhyming adventure will pull you right into the middle of the splashy action. The bright, vivid illustrations bring the ocean to life, creating a thoroughly exciting rescue story.
6-8 Years
44 Pages
N/A
/5
If I Built
If I Built a Car
By:
Chris Van Dusen
Step into the driver seat and get ready for the ride of your life. Young Jack is not satisfied with the ordinary vehicles you see on the street every day. He has dreamed up the ultimate automobile, and he is ready to give you a grand tour of his spectacular invention.
Imagine a car with a sparkling pool, a built in snack bar, and a robot chauffeur named Robert. One minute you could be cruising high above the heavy traffic, and the next you could be diving deep underwater to explore the ocean floor. Jack has thought of absolutely everything to make driving the greatest adventure ever.
With bouncy, rhythmic words and bright, futuristic pictures, this story will spark your own creative ideas. It is a thrilling journey that shows exactly what happens when you let your imagination zoom completely out of control.
6-8 Years
42 Pages
N/A
/5
A quiet island in Maine is about to get some very unusual visitors. When a huge boat carrying a traveling circus crashes off the rocky coast, an entire menagerie of animals must swim to safety. The frightened tigers, monkeys, and elephants soon find themselves wandering into a small, sleepy town.
At first, the townspeople do not know what to make of these exotic creatures. But the animals quickly show their brave and helpful hearts, winning over everyone on the island. Just as they settle into their new home, the greedy circus owner arrives to demand his animals back.
Now, the villagers must work together to hide their new friends in the most clever and hilarious ways imaginable. This exciting tale of community and courage features bright, beautiful artwork and a hidden pictures challenge that will keep you searching every page.
6-8 Years
45 Pages
N/A
/5
King Hugo is a very small ruler with a massive problem. He thinks he is the absolute greatest king to ever live, and he never stops bragging about his own perfection. His endless boasting drives everyone crazy, but nobody dares to tell this mighty little monarch the truth.
Everything changes when the king crosses paths with a clever village woman who is secretly a powerful sorceress. To teach him a lesson, she casts a magical spell that causes Hugo's head to literally swell up like a balloon every single time he brags. As his ego grows, his head gets bigger and bigger, until it threatens to carry him completely away.
This hilariously funny fairy tale delivers big laughs and a perfect lesson about humility. The bouncy rhymes and wonderfully exaggerated pictures make this royal disaster an unforgettable and entertaining story.
6-8 Years
41 Pages
N/A
/5
Mercy Watson
Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig
Eugenia and Baby Lincoln are determined to live a quiet, gracious life. But living next door to a pig makes that very difficult! When the Lincolns plant a beautiful yard full of sweet-smelling pansies, the amiable Mercy Watson simply cannot resist. To Mercy, those flowers are not just pretty to look at—they are a delicious snack! When Eugenia discovers her prized flowers have suddenly gone missing, she knows exactly who is to blame. Furious, she decides it is finally time to take extreme measures and calls Animal Control! Soon, the intrepid animal control officer Francine Poulet is on the hunt, and the porcine wonder is on the lam. Can Mercy outwit the authorities and escape capture? Or has her love for tasty treats finally gone too far? Find out in this hilarious, tongue-in-snout adventure packed with wild chases, funny misunderstandings, and plenty of buttered toast.
6-8 Years
70 Pages
N/A
/5
Mercy Watson
A Piglet Named Mercy
Mr. and Mrs. Watson live very ordinary, predictable lives on Deckawoo Drive. Sometimes, their days feel just a little bit too ordinary, and they secretly wish something entirely different would happen. One day, their wish comes true when someone completely unpredictable finds her way to their front door! Meet Mercy, a tiny, adorable piglet who is about to turn the Watsons' quiet world upside down. From the moment she arrives, this little porcine wonder brings endless love, laughter, and a whole lot of chaos into their home. Perfect for young readers and longtime fans alike, this delightful origin story reveals exactly how everyone's favorite buttered-toast-loving pig first found her family. Get ready to celebrate the joy of a new arrival and discover how the Watsons' lives changed forever!
6-8 Years
33 Pages
N/A
/5
Mercy Watson
Mercy Watson to the Rescue
To Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Mercy is not just a pig—she is a porcine wonder! And to the portly, good-natured Mercy, the Watsons are an excellent source of hot, buttered toast. But Mercy's love for snuggling in bed with her owners leads to a massive problem. BOOM! CRACK! The bed suddenly begins to sink right through the floor! As the Watsons panic, Mercy escapes in a flash. Her owners are certain she is rushing to alert the fire department. But Mercy actually has a different emergency on her mind: a sudden, powerful craving for the neighbors' sugar cookies! Can this hungry pig accidentally save the day while searching for a midnight snack? Welcome to the hilarious world of Mercy Watson. This fast-paced, laugh-out-loud chapter book is packed with colorful illustrations, silly misunderstandings, and plenty of buttery toast.
6-8 Years
79 Pages
N/A
/5
Tales from Deckawoo Drive
Francine Poulet Meets the Ghost Raccoon
Volume Two
Francine Poulet is the greatest animal control officer in town. She has wrangled bears, outsmarted snakes, and captured all kinds of wild critters. Nothing scares her—until she comes face-to-face with a screaming, glowing raccoon that might just be a ghost! When this terrifying creature appears on Deckawoo Drive, Francine's legendary courage suddenly vanishes. She begins to question everything she knows about her job and her own bravery. Has the intrepid animal control officer finally met her match? To solve the mystery of the ghost raccoon, Francine must dig deep, face her fears, and prove that she is still the best at what she does. Filled with hilarious hijinks and fantastic illustrations, this exciting chapter book is perfect for young readers who love a good laugh and a spooky, animal-filled mystery.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
109 Pages
N/A
/5
Tales from Deckawoo Drive
Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexpected Package
Volume Four
Eugenia Lincoln is a highly practical person. She has absolutely no time for foolishness, frivolity, or whoop-de-whoops. So, when a mysterious package arrives at her door containing a shiny accordion, she is determined to get rid of it immediately. But getting rid of an accordion is much harder than it looks! Every plan Eugenia makes to sell, destroy, or give away the noisy instrument ends in total frustration. The accordion simply refuses to leave her alone. As she battles this troublesome package, Eugenia might just discover a secret she has been hiding even from herself: she has music in her heart. Join the quirky residents of Deckawoo Drive for a hilarious and heartwarming chapter book about embracing the unexpected, finding joy in silly things, and learning to play your own tune.
6-8 Years
96 Pages
N/A
/5
Tales from Deckawoo Drive
Where Are You Going, Baby Lincoln?
Volume Three
Baby Lincoln has spent her entire life listening to her bossy older sister, Eugenia. Eugenia tells Baby what to wear, what to eat, and exactly what to do, and Baby always politely agrees. But one day, Baby decides she has finally had enough! Inspired by a beautiful dream about shooting stars, she packs a small suitcase and sets off on a Necessary Journey. The catch? She has absolutely no idea where she is going! For the first time ever, Baby is traveling without her sister telling her what to do. As she boards a train and strikes out on her own, she meets a cast of colorful characters who help her see the world in a brand-new way. What will Baby discover about her own bravery? And will this impulsive adventure take her away from Eugenia for good? Join Baby Lincoln on a touching, funny, and empowering trip about finding your own voice and forging your own path.
9-12 Years
112 Pages
N/A
/5
Tales from Deckawoo Drive
Stella Endicott and the Anything-Is-Possible Poem
Volume Five
Stella Endicott absolutely loves her teacher, Miss Liliana, and she is thrilled when the class is assigned to write an original poem. Pouring her heart onto the page, Stella crafts a beautiful tribute to Mercy Watson, the butter-loving pig who lives next door. Her poem is full of curiosity, courage, and even a brilliant metaphor! But her irritating classmate, Horace Broom, is not impressed. He loudly insists that Stella's poem is full of lies, arguing that pigs certainly do not live in houses. Before long, their disagreement erupts into a full-blown shouting match, and Miss Liliana is forced to banish them both to the principal's office. Now, Stella and Horace are stuck together on what feels like the worst day ever. Can these two stubborn classmates find a way to turn this opposite-of-a-poem day around? Return to the lively world of Deckawoo Drive in this spirited story where anything is possible—even striking up a friendship with a boy you thought was nothing but an overblown balloon!
9-12 Years
96 Pages
N/A
/5
Mercy Watson
Princess in Disguise
When the Watsons decide to zip their beloved porcine wonder into a bright pink, form-fitting princess dress—complete with a sparkling tiara—they are absolutely certain that Mercy looks beautiful beyond compare. Mercy isn't so sure about the dress, but she is very interested in the sound of trick-or-TREATING! In her mind, Halloween means one thing: towering piles of warm, delicious buttered toast. But as Mercy sets out on her royal quest for snacks, the Lincoln sisters next door have no idea that their mischievous cat is about to crash the party. Soon, the entire neighborhood is swept up in a wild, hysterical Halloween parade! Hold on tight for some serious holiday havoc. Packed with tricky turns, unexpected treats, and high-speed hijinks, this laugh-out-loud adventure proves that a pig in a princess dress is always a recipe for disaster!
6-8 Years
70 Pages
N/A
/5
Mercy Watson
A Very Mercy Christmas
Stella Endicott is bursting with holiday spirit. The snow is falling, the air is crisp, and she feels like something truly miraculous is about to happen. She wants to go out into the night and sing Christmas carols! There is just one problem: nobody wants to join her. Her brother Frank is too worried about spontaneity, the Watsons are busy baking a precarious fruitcake, and her other neighbors are simply too busy. Undeterred, Stella steps out into the snowy evening alone. But she isn't alone for long! Soon, she is joined by an enthusiastic pig named Mercy, a curious cat, and a friendly horse. Together, this unlikely choir sets out to spread joy down Deckawoo Drive. Will their joyful noise bring the neighborhood together and create the miracle Stella was hoping for? This heartwarming holiday tale celebrates the quiet magic of the season, the joy of community, and the beauty of a well-buttered piece of toast.
9-12 Years
32 Pages
N/A
/5
George Washington crossed the Delaware. Abraham Lincoln saved the Union. But President William Howard Taft has a completely different kind of historical problem. He is stuck in a bathtub. Now it is up to his cabinet members to figure out how to pry the country's heaviest president out of his porcelain prison.
As the problem grows, so do the ridiculous suggestions from his team. From butter to brute force, everyone has a wild idea to get the president unstuck. You will laugh out loud at the hilarious attempts to solve this massive mess.
This incredibly funny story takes a surprising slice of presidential history and turns it into a wild adventure. The lively rhymes and bright, bouncy illustrations bring the past to life in a way that is anything but boring. It is the perfect read for anyone who loves history, a good giggle, and a really big splash.
6-8 Years
34 Pages
N/A
/5
Tales from Deckawoo Drive
Franklin Endicott and the Third Key
Volume Six
Frank Endicott is a professional worrier. He worries about everything from lions and black holes to submarines and armadillos, carefully listing his fears alphabetically in a notebook. Even the cheerful neighborhood pig, Mercy Watson, cannot distract him from his vivid nightmares. But Frank's worries take a very real turn when he accompanies his neighbor, Eugenia Lincoln, to a dark and dusty thrift shop to duplicate a key. The odd shop owner accidentally sends them home with a mysterious third key! Now, Frank is faced with a genuine mystery that sends his dread skyrocketing. What does the extra key open? Can he solve the puzzle without letting his fears completely take over? With a little help from his friends, some warm hot cocoa, and the comfort of classic stories read aloud, Frank might just find the bravery he needs. This endearing and funny tale is a perfect balm for anyone who struggles with the unknown.
9-12 Years
112 Pages
N/A
/5
