Shaun Tan,
Tales of Outer Suburbia
Tundra Books, 2008

Rating: A*

Tales from Outer Suburbia states that it is a collection of illustrated short stories about "the mysteries that lurk below the surface of suburban life".

I reviewed this future book from "final pages" manuscript. What I can say about it is that the fifteen short stories contained therein were interesting and well-written in a humorous style. These include the story of Eric the foreign exchange student who would reside only in the kitchen, and "Broken Toys," about an alien who lived as a street person.

At first glance, the format of the stories and their illustrations would appear to be for younger readers as they are colourfully illustrated in child-appealing drawings. But the subject matter and the depth of the writer’s introspection into such issues as homelessness, poverty and isolation make Tales from Outer Suburbia more appropriate for older readers. The author’s diction and style are sophistocated for older readers as well.

This book would make a good read-aloud book for younger readers and an interesting read for proficient older readers. I would very much like to see the completed copy to make concluding remarks about the size of the print and the binding of the book. In its present form it is difficult to follow story lines as pages are loose and I am assuming the print has been condensed. Until I saw the book in its completed format, I would be reluctant to recommend its purchase.

Thematic Links: Humour; Short Stories

Gail Lennon
Vol. 14, number 1
October 2008

*Rating System:
E - Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
G - Good, even great at times, generally useful!
A - Average, all right, has its applications.
P - Problematic, puzzling, poorly presented.