Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan

Tales From Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan 2008 96 pgs. 3.75/5 As you know by now, if you read this blog, I'm a huge fan of Shaun Tan's beautiful artwork and his fantastic storytelling. He returns with another fantastic book with Tales from Outer Suburbia. This is a quick little read, though it could certainly be enjoyed over many days. It's a collection of (very) short stories that are well told through Tan's creativity and fantastical art work. All of the stories center around a theme of the suburbs. But each story tells it's own little tale and has it's own little message. Some are just fun reads, but others carry a deeper meaning to them. I've noticed in Tan's work that he tackles the subject of immigration and being a stranger in a strange land quite frequently as seen in The Arrival. The same is true of this book. A 5 year old would love these stories, but so would their parents. Tan addresses the subject of immigration, war, peace, the environment, etc. in this short collection. His artwork is nothing short of stunning as usual. There was one story in particular that literally took my breath away when I turned the page and saw this beautiful drawing that he produced. His art has a way of doing that. The Red Tree is another prime example of this. He conveys so much emotion through his art, draws the reader in whether words accompany his stories are not. This is one that I wish I owned instead of having borrowed it from the library! It's one that I certainly think would be well loved on any family's shelf. Other Views and Opinions: Reading Rants! Stainless Steel Droppings Bending Bookshelf She Reads Books readerbuzz Peeking Between The Pages A Striped Armchair