This year marks the 40th anniversary of Chris Van Allsburg's beloved children's book, "The Polar Express." He tells CBS News' Bradley Blackburn about how he came up with the classic Christmas tale at just 34 years old.

Chris Van Allsburg, author of "The Polar Express," marks the 40th anniversary of his beloved children's book, reflecting on its origins and lasting impact. Originally inspired by his own childhood imagination, Van Allsburg created the story and its distinctive illustrations, which later inspired a popular film adaptation and worldwide immersive train experiences.

The Polar Express continues to be celebrated by families across generations, with millions participating in themed train rides and parents sharing the book with their children. Van Allsburg notes the story's enduring magic, emphasizing its role in evoking the wonder of childhood and the spirit of Christmas.

Celebrating 40 years of Chris Van Allsburg's "The Polar Express"

For generations of families, the Polar Express is part of the magic of Christmas. This year, if you can believe it, marks the 40th anniversary of this classic children's book. We've all read it. Bradley Blackburn met the author, that's Chris Van Allsburg, to explore its enduring power. 3,000 miles from the North Pole in Massachusetts, we found a man with a beard who's a big part of Christmas. Chris Van Allsburg has white hair now, but he was just 34 when he created the Polar Express. A sculptor who stumbled into children's books, he had already found huge success with Jumanji. I decided for fun I would write some children's books, partly motivated by my wife, who was an elementary school art teacher. How did you have the idea to do a Christmas book? Well, it didn't start out as a Christmas book. For some reason, I was visited by this kind of image of a boy. When I say a boy, it was me. I was the boy, but it included me walking through a snowy forest and seeing through the forest a steam engine stopped with three cars. He remembered being a boy who had questions about Santa Claus and longed to meet him himself. You know, you have friends who start to suggest that that can't happen, you know. So he wrote the words and created illustrations about a train ride to the North Pole where a boy receives the first gift of Christmas. It's a thrilling and hypnotic sound. That's a good one. A bell from Santa's sleigh. It's something he can hear, and I guess I was trying to suggest that he's lucky because he can. In his studio, Van Allsburg showed us his art done in distinctive oil pastel. Oil pastels are a little bit like trying to draw a picture with lipstick. But he starts with sketches based on real models. Did you have models for the Polar Express? I did. Where did they come from? Neighborhood kids. Really? Yeah. His style inspired the animation for the 2004 Hollywood movie starring Tom Hanks. It's not just on screen. Greetings, Polar Express passengers! At real-life railroads like here in Whippany, New Jersey, Polar Express rides let kids step aboard into the story and even taste the hot chocolate. The company Rail Events is behind more than 50 productions worldwide, which sold almost 2 million golden tickets last year. The money helps keep historic trains running. Starting November 1st until December 31st, there is always a Polar Express running every minute at some point within the world. Cassidy Kivyakotska is artistic director and works on the holiday show year-round. What is it like putting a stage show into a rolling train? It's definitely unique. It's very exciting because the passengers are right there in front of you and you get to interact. You get a lot of audience interaction. Today many kids are reading the book with parents who have their own childhood memories of it, like the Quintero family from Pennsylvania. I remember reading the book myself and just the magic of it and now experiencing it with Isaac has just been super special. I grew up with this story. I'm now reading it to my own children. A lot of parents are doing that now. Yeah, yeah. Does that mean something to you? Oh, it does, absolutely. I think, since it's 40 years old, I'm certain I've done some three-generation books now. A journey that year after year returns us to the mystery and magic of being a child at Christmas. They are a character in the fairy tale, you know. It's not just something they're watching or reading, it's happening in my home. Do you still hear the bell? Oh, yeah. You know, it's metaphorical. A bell rings for a moment, but the Polar Express never stops. For CBS Mornings, I'm Bradley Blackburn.

Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Christmas Mass Wednesday evening where he described the celebration as a feast of "faith, charity and hope". He reminded the faithful that refusing to help the poor and vulnerable is comparable to rejecting God altogether.

Rome

Pope Leo reminds believers to help the poor in first Christmas mass

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signaled progress in a Ukraine-Russia peace plan, after he told journalists about a new draft that would include a free economic zone and demilitarization. Holly Williams has the latest.

Kyiv

Zelenskyy signals progress with Ukraine-Russia peace plan

Democrats and some Republicans are blasting the Justice Department over its handling of the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, which included major redactions.

Washington

U.S. lawmakers blast DOJ over Epstein files release

Bolsonaro is expected to undergo the procedure on 25 December.

Brasília

Brazil's ex-president Bolsonaro temporarily leaves prison for surgery

Two police officers have been killed in an explosion in Moscow, Russian investigators said on Wednesday. Their deaths come just two days after a car bomb killed a top general in the same area of the Russia capital.

Moscow

Three people killed in Moscow car explosion, Russian authorities say

European intelligence agencies say investigations into Russian interference now consume as much time as terrorist threats.

Paris

Pro-Russian hackers claim French postal service cyberattack

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country and the United States have reached a consensus on several critical issues aimed at bringing an end to the conflict with Russia — but sensitivities around territorial control in Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland and the management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remain unresolved.

Ukraine Invasion

U.S., Ukraine reach consensus on some key issues to end war with Russia

The latest Epstein file release alleges a connection between former prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell, including emails in which an individual identified as 'A' requested 'inappropriate friends.'

London

Latest Epstein release alleges new link to ex-prince Andrew

The US and Venezuela are in a war of words at the UN Security council following America's seizure of ships off Venezuela's coast. Venezuela's ambassador strongly condemned the U.S. actions, labeling them as extrajudicial executions and a military blockade intended to destabilize the country.

New York

U.S., Venezuela in war of words at UNSC over military strikes

Two people are dead after an explosion at a nursing home in Bristol, Pennsylvania, and several are still missing, Gov. Josh Shapiro said.

Bristol

Two dead, several missing after nursing home explosion in Pennsylvania

A Delaware state trooper was killed Tuesday during a shooting at a Wilmington DMV, the Delaware State Police said. The state's governor confirmed the shooter is also dead.

Wilmington

Delaware state trooper killed in DMV shooting, officials say

The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that President Trump cannot deploy the National Guard troops to Chicago as a legal challenge moves ahead.

Supreme Court blocks deployment of National Guard to Illinois

The Justice Department released a new trove of documents from its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including an email from a prosecutor indicating President Donald Trump had traveled aboard his private jet "many more times than previously has been reported."

Trump flew on Epstein jet 8 times according to newly released files

The Libyan army's chief of staff, Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, died in a plane crash after leaving Turkey's capital Ankara, the prime minister of Libya's internationally-recognized government said, adding that four others were on the jet as well.

Haymana

Libyan army's chief dies in plane crash in Turkey

Two men have been found guilty of plotting to kill hundreds in an Islamic State-inspired gun rampage against the Jewish community in England, a planned attack investigators say demonstrates the resurgent risk posed by the militant group.

Bolton

Two men found guilty of UK plot to kill Jews as IS fears grow

The FDA has approved the pill version of the weight loss drug Wegovy, the first oral medication of its kind. The new pills are expected to be available in a few weeks.

FDA approves Wegovy pill, first prescription pill for weight loss

French Parliament has approved the Stopgap Bill two days before Christmas. The budget bill now moves to French senate.

Parijs

French Parliament approves Stopgap Bill: Budget bill moves to senate

Russia fired more than 650 drones and three dozen missiles at Ukraine in a large-scale attack that began during the night and stretched into daylight hours Tuesday, officials said. At least three people were killed, including a 4-year-old child, two days before Christmas.

Kiev

Russia carries out massive drone attack on Ukraine's energy sector

The U.S. Department of Justice has released another batch of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including videos, emails and documents. CBS News' Scott MacFarlane reports.

U.S. Justice Department releases new trove of Epstein files

The leaders of Denmark and Greenland insisted that the United States won't take over Greenland and demanded respect for their territorial integrity after President Donald Trump ‍​announced ​the appointment of a ‌special envoy to the semi-autonomous territory.

Nuuk

Trump's appointment of envoy to Greenland sparks tension with Denmark

Australia's most populous state is set to pass tougher gun laws, ban the display of terrorist symbols and curb protests after the state parliament's lower house cleared a bill late on Monday (December 22) in an emergency sitting following the Bondi mass shooting.

Council of the City of Sydney

Australia's NSW to tighten gun, hate speech laws after Bondi attack

On Monday, President Trump announced a new class of Navy battleships he's calling the "Golden Fleet." The president said two vessels will be built in the short term, with plans to expand to up to 25.

Trump unveils plans for new fleet of advanced Navy battleships

China's foreign ministry on Monday (December 22) said the United States' seizure of another country's ships was a serious violation of international law, after the U.S. intercepted a China-bound oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast.

Beijing

China says U.S. ship seizures ‘serious violation' of international law

A Russian general was killed by an explosive device underneath his car in Moscow, according to Russian investigators, who say Ukraine's intelligence services may have orchestrated the attack. Ukraine has not commented.

Russian general killed in car explosion

The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, officials told Reuters on Sunday (December 21), in what would be the third operation in less than two weeks if successful.

Caracas

U.S. pursuing third oil tanker near Venezuela, officials say

At least 15 documents related to Jeffrey Epstein that were initially made public have been pulled from the Justice Department website. The agency says it will keep reviewing and redacting materials to "protect victims."

Epstein files pulled down to 'protect victims'

Nine people have died and at least ten others were wounded after a group of gunmen carried out a shooting at a South African pub during the early hours of Sunday, authorities said.

Bekkersdal

At least nine people killed in South Africa pub shooting

U.S. intelligence reports continue to warn that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not abandoned his aims of capturing all of Ukraine and reclaiming parts of Europe that belonged to the former Soviet empire, six sources familiar with U.S. intelligence said.

As peace talks go on, U.S. intel says Putin's war goals unchanged

A court in Pakistan has convicted and sentenced the imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 17 years in prison after finding them guilty of retaining and selling state gifts, including jewelry given by Saudi Arabia in 2021.

Islamabad

Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan convicted to 17 years in prison

The U.S. seized an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast on Saturday. It's the second time in two weeks that U.S. forces have carried out such an action. This comes after President Donald Trump announced a block of "sanctioned oil vessels" entering and exiting Venezuela.

Breakdown