Title: Lost and Found
Author: Shaun Tan [website] [facebook]
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher (via Amazon Vine)
Parental Advisory: war, political messaging
Teachable Moments: colonization, individuality, acceptance, philanthropy, selflessness, social responsibility

“Sometimes you just don’t know what you are supposed to do or who you are meant to be.”

Summary:
A collection of three jaw-dropping stories: The Red Tree, The Lost Thing, and The Rabbits, by New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Shaun Tan.
A girl finds a bright spot in a dark world. A boy leads a strange, lost creature home. And a group of peaceful creatures loses their home to cruel invaders. Three stories, written and illustrated by Shaun Tan, about how we lose and find what matters most to us.

Opinion:
Tan has once again amazed me with his artistry.  How one person can create such gorgeous artwork is difficult for me to comprehend.  Each page is intricately illustrated and shows incredible depth of emotion. Though the paper is flat the images are undeniably three dimensional.   To that end, it should surprise no one that Tan won an Oscar for his work on a film based on The Lost Thing.

Conveying a true sense of loneliness The Red Tree follows a young girl as she works through overwhelming negativity in her life in search of a more positive place.  As evidenced by the image below you can see she is thoughtful and quite self aware as she draws a hollow self-portrait.

In The Lost Thing, Tan has created an uncommon friendship.  A young boy intent on accepting the strange creature so out of place in the world.  he embraces their friendship and endeavors to help this unique creature to find it’s home in the world.

The most vivid of the three stories told is The Rabbits.  Bursting with color it is amazing to see how Tan has created so much beautiful imagery to portray  monstrous and horrific events.

Already having a way with creating unique creatures in his stories Tan doesn’t scrimp on the social messages.  Most notably so in The Rabbits.  Collaborating with author John Marsden, the duos clear message about war and colonization is profoundly resonant.  Though not preachy by any stretch it is clear that both would like the reader to walk away with stronger knowledge of world affairs.

As you can see, this is not just an enjoyable read but a book worthy of display.  Which it will be in my home, placed out in the open with The Arrival, right where everyone can look through and appreciate it.  If you can have only one graphic novel in your possession I strongly encourage you to make it a Shaun Tan.

* images found on Shaun Tan’s website