Bad Day at Riverbend

By Chris Van Allsburg

A surrealistic journey into the wild west--and readers' imaginations--from two-time Caldecott winner Chris Van Allsburg, creator of Jumanji and The Polar Express. Now available in a special paperback edition.

Riverbend was a quiet little town, the kind of place where one day was just like all the rest and nothing ever happened. Occasionally the stagecoach rolled through, but it never stopped, because no one ever came to Riverbend and no one ever left.

The day the shiny, greasy slime appeared, making marks of many colors throughout the town, Sheriff Ned Hardy knew something was terribly wrong. Something had to be done, and Sheriff Hardy aimed to do it.

This suspenseful story full of mystery, wonder, and bravery encourages readers to ask questions and ponder the realities of the world within books--and the world at their fingertips.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0063570335
• ISBN13: 9780063570337
• Release Date: September 2026
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Age Range: 4 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2