The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Tan, Shaun. The Arrival.
Arthur A. Levine Books. 2006.
ISBN 9780439895293
$19.99. Hardcover. 128 pages.

Readers Annotation
This wordless, graphic novel tells the immigration story of one man, and his strange and beautiful journey in a new and exciting world.

Plot Summary
In this immigration story told entirely through softly toned images,  the protagonist (a man) decides to immigrate to a new country. Leaving his wife and child behind he makes a long journey by boat.  He measures the days by the clouds, whose shapes seem to evoke symbols and shapes of faces, and even a fetus.  When he arrives he is processed and given his papers.  He can't read the papers he is given, the symbols are not in his language.  Bravely he forges onward to find a place to stay.  He has to draw pictures in a small tablet to be understood.  The city is large and filled with people of all cultures. Everything is strange. His new home is a small apartment in a large building.  His apartment even comes with its own pet.  The little creature helps the man locate the things he needs, even new friends.  Each new friend he meets tells him the story of his or her own immigration to the new land.  Most of his new friends stories are of oppressive governments, or wars from which they escaped to their new homes.  The man looks for work to save to bring his family to the new country. The man writes to his family, when he receives a letter telling him they are arriving he rushes to meet them. Reunited the family settles into their new life together. The final images show the man’s young daughter helping another immigrant.

Critical Evaluation
Under the cloud of tentacles a family decides to take refuge in a far country. The country is almost magical in its grandeur. Tan creates a vast world that appeals to the eyes like a feast. Each image is carefully constructed to unite with the whole. The most enjoyable pages are those where newfound friends explain the inner-workings of this country. I especially enjoyed the illustrations of the man learning which foods to eat. This part of the story is balanced against the memory sequences of his friends and their personal journeys. There are some disturbing images of war and tyranny, but these add to the overall effect, demonstrating the reason behind immigration. This work is multicultural and inclusive of all ages, races and genders. The book is both beautiful and compelling. It merits rereading often. This books is also good for the young adult reluctant reader, who may find a depth of understanding not experienced with the written word alone.  The book I have read that is closest in style is The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick.  Selznick's book won the Caldecott Award in 2007.  In Hugo Cabret much of the story is told in black and white drawings.  For a visual learner like myself the stories told by Tan and Selznick evoke emotions that words alone do not convey.  

Information about the author
Shaun Tan was born in 1974, and grew up in Perth, Western Australia. You can find out more about him on his website at http://www.shauntan.net/. He has won numerous awards for his work including a 2008 ALA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults.

Genre
Fantasy

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
None

Challenge defense ideas
There are no apparent challenge issues associated with this book. In the case that a challenge comes up, there are some things that you can do to start. You could read the book and become familiar with the content. Refer to the library collection development policy, and get reviews from reputable sources and teens that have read the book. You can find out more about this book on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Arrival-Shaun-Tan/dp/0439895294/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss how the author is able to tell the story without words.
2. Choose some passages to “read-aloud.”

Reading Level/Age
Young Adult. Ages 13 and up.

Why I included this title
This book was chosen as a 2008 ALA 2008 Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults.