A review by bibliomich
Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Shaun Tan is a creative genius, and Tales from Outer Suburbia is a masterpiece. First of all, his illustrations are undeniably exquisite; I just love Tan's fantastical, surreal style. But his writing is, incredibly, just as strong. While I often think of the target demographic for picture books as younger children, Outer Suburbia is an excellent example of a "picture book" that would be appropriate for older students, or even adults. The stories are so thematically rich that I think upper middle-grade and high school students could have dynamic conversations about them. Tan satirizes the suburban experience, and asks the reader to reckon with some of the hilarious, mundane, harmful, and ridiculous aspects of the human experience.