Late on Christmas Eve, after the town has gone to sleep, a boy boards a mysterious train that waits for him: the Polar Express bound for the North Pole. When he arrives there, Santa offers him any gift he desires. The boy modestly asks for one bell from the reindeer's harness. It turns out to be a very special gift, for only believers in Santa can hear it ring. Chris van Allsburg has created a magical Christmas classic for which he was awarded the most prestigious award in the USA - the Caldecott Medal. The author refuses to allow a paperback edition and as a result the hardback has sold over 3 million copies in the USA alone.