Shaun Tan

I have finally sat down with this book and followed it to the end, here in the big octagonal reading room at the Mountain View library. Such a moving compilation of immigrant stories and impressions, full of the perseverance of so many generations as they escape poverty and war to forge new lives in an utterly strange place. I felt the smallness of each individual in the face of a grand, daunting, and mysterious world. At the same time, each enounter leads to a new relationship, a new story, show more and a feeling of kinship as the man realizes how many have gone before him and generously wish to encourage him forward. So much discussion possible about the migrant experience with this work. It is also heartwarming to read the author's acknowledgements at the end — referring even to specific images that inspired him. The Arrival is filled with loneliness, yet it becomes a story of the links among us. show less

Amazing illustrations and fanciful stories that make you look at what you think you know but with everything skewed. Gentle digs at what we take for granted and how it gets incorporated into the "new" normal so we no longer think about it as being strange or frightening. Makes me think of how we accept the terrible shootings at schools and how we seem to accept them as the new normal. But also stories of hope and grace which are available to us if we really look at things in a in a new way, show more and if we don't lose our sense of wonder at the beauty of the world. show less

Thanks to Jen Campbell over on BookTube I was turned onto the magic that is Shaun Tan. Thus far, I've only read one of his books but I already know I'm going to have to READ ALL THE THINGS. (Note: I've just picked up two more and put another one on hold.) Until that day, however, here's a review of Tales from Outer Suburbia. :-)

You guys know how much I love all things creepy and dark. You also know that 2016 has turned out to be the year of the graphic novel for me. So it's no wonder that show more Shaun Tan is right up my alley. Tales from Outer Suburbia is a collection of short stories and illustrations of a typical suburban neighborhood turned on its head. Think The Burbs meets Home and you're in the right neighborhood. (Didn't even plan that little pun out. You're welcome.) It was his art style that caught my attention but his writing is really haunting and beautiful. It's also super snarky with political undertones. His "style" is a mixture of fine line drawing in pencil, bold paints, watercolor, and just plain unique which is why I feel like he can't really be pigeonholed into one genre. From the inside cover to the very last page this book is full to bursting with creepy, weird, and beautiful art with short stories to match. Some of the pages have no words at all which I've learned is one of his fortes so get excited for that in the near future. XD If you're a fan of Grimm's Fairy Tales or Neil Gaiman then this would very likely appeal to you. This was a definite 10/10 for me. show less

These are lovely magical stories and illustrations of animals interacting with people in cities, Shaun Tan is the master of the unexpected and a brilliant artist.

The cover is a boy holding a moon fish. One fishes for these extraordinary creatures by sitting on the top of a tall building in the moonlight, holding fishing lines attached to balloons. Unfortunately, moon fish are not meant to live in our world.

My very favorite was the story of the bears which lawyered up and sued humans for show more torture, property theft and imprisonment. When there was no defense for the charges, the humans ... well

Highly recommended, but I’m not sure what category I’d put it into – illustrated stories, I suppose. My library has this listed as another YA book, but so many of the stories spoke to my adult heart. show less