The Stranger, Chris Van Allsburg, 1986

Last semester I got turned on to Chris Van Allsburg books, and this is one of the favorites I've discovered so far. The story is about a farmer who takes in an injured man, and the man's identity remains a mystery throughout the book (sort of). The fun is putting together an argument about who he is and why he's where he is. The illustrations are photo realistic, warm and telling, complementing the finer nuances of the text. A classroom of sharp listeners should enjoy building and defending their interpretations about the main character.