Chris Van Allsburg tiene un don especial para convertir juegos de mesa en pesadillas existenciales. Mientras que Jumanji traía la jungla a la sala de estar, Zathura (cuyo título original es el mismo, pero en español se le añadió el subtítulo "Una Aventura Espacial") lleva una casa entera hacia el vacío interestelar. Publicado en 2002, el libro mantiene el mismo concepto: dos hermanos encuentran un viejo tablero mecánico, tiran los dados y, de repente, su hogar se convierte en una nave espacial a la deriva.

They soon realize their house has been uprooted and is drifting through deep space.

The story follows two bickering brothers, (played by a young Josh Hutcherson ) and Danny ( Jonah Bobo ). When Danny discovers a retro, tin-box board game in their basement, he winds the key, and the house is instantly catapulted into orbit around Saturn. To get back to Earth, they must finish the game, facing:

The bombardment lasted sixty seconds, though it felt like hours. When silence finally returned, the house was a ruin. The ceiling was Swiss cheese, open to the night sky. But it wasn't the night sky of their suburban street.