In 1984, author and illustrator Chris Van Allsburg brought 14 drawings, so the story goes, to a children's book publisher by a man named Harris Burdick, along with titles and captions. Burdick promised to return the next morning with the stories to go along with the drawings ... but he never did. The pictures were published in Mysteries of Harris Burdick, "in the hope that ... children will be inspired by them" to write their own stories. As it turns out, 14 great authors were also inspired by the illustrations. The collections have been released in Allsburg's book, The Chronicles of Harris Burdick. Allsburg will visit the Tacoma Public Library Main Branch at 7 p.m. to discuss and sign the book.

[Tacoma Public Library Main Branch Olympic Room, 7 p.m., free, 1102 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma, 253.591.5666]