The Stranger (Chris Van Allsburg book)

"The Stranger" is a children's picture book written in 1986 by the American author Chris Van Allsburg. It tells a story of a stranger with no memory of who he is or where he's from. He recuperates in the home of a farmer and his family during the fall season.

Plot summary

One fall day, while Farmer Bailey is riding down the road in his truck, he runs over something---or someone. At first, he thinks he hits a deer, but when he gets out to see what he hit, he finds that he has accidentally run over a man. The man tries to flee, but loses his balance and falls down. Farmer Bailey takes him to his house, where he and his wife, Mrs. Bailey, discover the stranger cannot talk.

The Baileys call a doctor to examine him. Although the stranger isn't seriously hurt, he can't remember who he is or where he's from. The doctor advises the Baileys to give the stranger shelter until he's fully recuperated. They do, and he fits in well with the family, and even helps about the farm. Mr. Bailey enjoys having the stranger as his guest, he also notices how peculiar the weather has been. It still feels like summer on his farm, and the summer warmth makes his pumpkins grow bigger than normal. The stranger too notices this outside to wave their friend goodbye, but he's disappeared. With the stranger's departure, fall has come to the Bailey's farm and the trees are now all red and orange. Etched in frost of the farmhouse windows is the old phrase, "See you next fall." Now the question is, who is the Stranger and will he actually come back next fall?.

Trivia

Fritz, the bull terrier, does appear in "The Stranger". Look closely at the bottom left corner of the picture with the Stranger looking out across the field of sheep to see the trees changing color on the next hill. Fritz is disguised as one of the sheep.