L. F. Wade (Children's Literature)
Shaun Tan depicts the experience of immigration in 124 pages of wordless illustration. The sepia toned illustrations guide the reader through a journey divided into six parts. The images depict the story of an immigrating family from the father's departure; his passage by boat to a new land; learning to negotiate a new city; finding a job; and sending for his family to join him. The absence of words and the use of an untranslatable ‘language’ forces the reader to interpret the story and allows him to experience the same problems as the family. Along the way, Tan uses dragons, nameless creatures, and even bizarre fruit to underline the experience of a stranger in a strange land. Illustrations range from double-spread epics to tiled one- and one-half inch insets evoking the feeling of a yearbook or scrapbook. In the author's note Tan lists his inspiration as images from historical documents, movies, and paintings. The portraits found on the end pages were inspired by photos from Ellis Island and depict some disturbing images of war, including skeletons. Teachers and parents will find this a useful tool for delving into the challenges facing immigrants. 2006, Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic, $19.99. Ages All.

Wendy M. Smith-D’Arezzo (Children's Literature)
Told entirely in pictures, Tan’s story shows a man’s journey to a new land, his new experiences, and the people he meets. We follow this unnamed and unknown man from the packing of a family picture, accompany him on his good-bye walk through an unnamed city, and join him on the boat ride to his new home. Upon his arrival, there are many things that are familiar to him and to the reader, but there are plenty of new experiences for both: the weird looking animal that clearly becomes his pet, the box that transports him from place to place in the city, and the structure of the written language. Each of his new friends also has a story to tell; some have come to the new land with their families, and some have come alone; some come to try new things, and others come because of violence in their homeland; some arrive with many resources, and some, like our main man, come with almost nothing. The pictures are drawn with a sepia overtone, giving them the feel of ancient photographs. Small and large pictures are intermingled skillfully, giving the reader details as well as close up views of important events or people. This is a book that can be used with all age levels, although some of the violence depicted would work better with older elementary and middle school readers. It would be a welcome addition to any classroom that is studying immigration. 2007, Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, $19.99. Ages 8 up.

Adrienne Rankin (Children's Literature)
Through a series of impeccable pencil illustrations, author/illustrator Shaun Tan wordlessly depicts a father’s journey from an endangered homeland to an unknown, technologically advanced city. Leaving his wife and daughter behind, he boards a ship that takes him on a tedious--and hauntingly portrayed--journey across the sea. The man slowly finds his place in this mystifying new land through interactions with other immigrants, each with a struggle-filled history to share. He also befriends a small, amiable creature in his apartment that helps him find his way. After attempting jobs as a flyer distributor and mailman, the migrant finds stable employment at a factory; through this position, he earns enough money to bring his family to join him. Designed in a futuristic/vintage blend, Tan’s fantastical world epitomizes the confusion and alienation most immigrants feel when they enter a new country. Tan uses vintage framing techniques in a photo-album format to separate poignant flashbacks from the key narrative; text would only devalue the complexity and depth of these sepia images. In fact, this picture book is too advanced for young children. It would be most appreciated as part of a social studies or literature curriculum in grades four and above. 2006, Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic Incorporated, $19.99. Ages 12 to 18.

Gregory Bryan (CM Magazine, October 26, 2007 (Vol. XIV, No. 5))
Shaun Tan's book is, simply, spectacular. There are not enough superlatives to describe this innovative, evocative, challenging book. I have been waiting to get my hands on a copy for some time, and I was not disappointed. The Arrival is a stunning, groundbreaking wordless picture book/graphic novel. Although unpaged, The Arrival is 128 pages in length. Each of the countless monochromatic illustrations lends further layers of detail and intrigue to the book. Most of the illustrations have a sepia tinge to them, deliberately reminiscent of an old photograph. The Arrival is, after all, presented as if it is a battered old photograph album. Each of the book's illustrations appears as if a photograph pasted into the album. The sequence of "photographs" relays the story of a migrant's journey to a new land and the struggles that he encounters upon arrival—finding accommodation, locating sources of food, securing employment and, ultimately, his endeavours to bring his family to the new land. In these regards, it is the story that millions of immigrants have lived and, indeed, continue to live. What migrants do not typically encounter, however, are the bizarre, outer space like creatures that Tan litters throughout the book. Having said that, however, these discombobulating, mythical fantasy beings are clearly included as representative of the unnerving things that migrants do encounter upon arrival in a new land. Tan, himself the son of a migrant father who relocated from Malaysia to Australia, wants readers to live the migrant experience through his book. What environmental print does appear in the illustrations is not in English—indeed, I assume, not in any known language. Things like the maps, signs, books and passport information that the arrival encounters are all in an unknown language. This places the reader in the discomforting position of feeling that they might be missing something. Further, the mix of realistic, detailed, life-like images with their mythical, bizarre, additions further speaks to the immigrant experience. Just when things seem familiar, and comprehensible, one encounters something unexpected that devours whatever confidence might have blossomed for the migrant or, here, the reader. These things said, it would take a mature reader to appreciate fully the mastery of Shaun Tan's work. It was with this in mind that I finally settled upon my grade six and up (ages 11 and up) designation for the book. I do, however, suspect this book can be enjoyed on many levels, and it is possible that even young readers can gain much enjoyment from the book. It is, after all, a wordless book. In keeping with the theme of the book, The Arrival definitely takes us where we in children's literature have never gone before. Shaun Tan is a genius of the highest order. He is at the forefront of his field and with people like him thinking in such uniquely imaginative ways, there is no boundary to what the future of children's literature potentially holds. The Arrival is attractively presented with hard cover and thick paper. At $24.99, I think the book is well priced. Indeed, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the retail price was not higher. The range of illustrations in The Arrival is another of the many attractive book features. Some single illustrations are full, double-paged spreads. Elsewhere, a double-paged spread contains as many as 60 different images. In some places, we get many different perspectives from which to view the same location. The illustrations zoom in or withdraw from the scene. I do not claim to understand all that there is to understand in The Arrival. In fact, I believe that there is much in between the covers that is not meant to be understood. This represents and reflects the incomprehensible experiences and challenges that immigrants encounter. Given the multicultural make-up of Canadian society, this is an important book for Canadians. The Arrival provides opportunities for us to reflect upon our migrant experiences, or those of our forebears. The Arrival also potentially endows us with a greater empathy for those around us. I also cannot guarantee that all readers will enjoy The Arrival. On some levels, I am not sure that it is necessarily a book to be enjoyed. What it is, however, is a fascinating book. I believe that this is one for all households with an interest in literature for children. Highly Recommended. Rating: **** /4. Grades 6 and up. 2007, Scholastic (Distributed in Canada by Scholastic Canada), 128 pp., hardcover, $24.99. Ages 11 up.

CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices 2008)
A riveting wordless book follows a young man as he journeys from home to a new land. In a place where he is the outsider and everything is strange to him, he struggles to communicate, to make a living, and to connect with others. He does this while missing the family he left behind and longing for the day they can be reunited. Artist Shaun Tan’s story of the immigrant experience may not sound either unusual or extraordinary, but it is both. The new land in which the young man arrives is otherworldly—full of flying airships, strange buildings, and odd creatures, in addition to many, many people with customs and language he can’t understand. Whom can he trust? How will he survive? With his strange new world, Tan has created a powerful yet wholly accessible visual metaphor that conveys the complete sense of displacement and confusion that is part of the immigrant experience. His images—black-and-white and sepia-toned—are marvelous at setting tone and mood, whether conveying the sense of threat and urgency that led the young man, and others with whom he finally makes friends, to flee their homes; the chaos and sensory overload that comes with arrival in the new world; or the lightness—and even moments of levity—when friendships are formed and reunions take place. The Arrival has appeal for fans of graphic novels and fantasy alike, while offering rich possibilities for classroom use. CCBC Category: Fiction for Young Adults. 2007, Arthur A. Levine Books / Scholastic, Inc., 128 pages, $19.99. Age 11 and older.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2007 (Vol. 75, No. 17))
An astonishing wordless graphic novel blends historical imagery with science-fiction elements to depict—brilliantly—the journey of an immigrant man from his terror-beset land of origin to a new, more peaceful home. Sepia-toned panels and turn-of-the-last-century dress and architecture seem to place readers in familiar territory—but fantastical images, including monumental cities, various bizarre forms of air transport and distinctly alien animals serve to unsettle both protagonist and readers, plunging the latter into the unsettling and often terrifying experience of being alone in a new land. Perhaps the most ingenious touch is the use of a newly created alien alphabet printed everywhere—on signs, official papers, maps, etc.—which renders the literate entirely helpless. Frightening this new land may be, but there are friends everywhere, from the other immigrants who help the protagonist and tell their own tales of escape from oppression, war and fear to the whimsical beastie who attaches itself to him as his pet. Small panels move the story along; full- and double-page spreads provide dazzling panoramas. It's an unashamed paean to the immigrant's spirit, tenacity and guts, perfectly crafted for maximum effect. 2007, Levine/Scholastic, 128p, $19.99. Category: Graphic novel. Ages 10 up. Starred Review. © 2007 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Jennifer Sweeney (KLIATT Review, September 2007 (Vol. 41, No. 5))
In this exquisite tale of imaginatively mastered fantasy, a father, faced with monsters in his homeland, immigrates to a new land to try to carve out a better life for his family. Tearfully leaving his wife and daughter in their uncertain home, he finds himself in a faraway place with many other immigrants, unable to easily read the new language or decipher the foreign customs. In his strange new home, he manages to secure a residence and--after a number of failed attempts--a job, finding solace in a quirky little creature that attaches itself to him like a pet and in meeting other immigrants and learning their stories. Eventually, the man overcomes adversity, and can bring his family to this new world--a world both of strangeness and safety. This spectacular wordless graphic novel may seem deceptively simple and childlike, though inside lays a conceptually rich and innovative story. The fantastical setting is a wonder for the eye, full of extremely odd and whimsical (and at times disturbing) beings and settings, bringing the reader along with the protagonist in discerning his new environment. Tan’s sepia-toned illustrations are fastidious and striking, conveying a complex and thought provoking story that demands multiple readings and would stimulate classroom discussion. If a library is to buy but one graphic novel this year, this is an excellent candidate; an absolute must-have for all school and public collections. Category: Graphic Novels. KLIATT Codes: JSA*--Exceptional book, recommended for junior and senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2007, Scholastic, Arthur A. Levine, 128p., $19.99. Ages 12 to adult.

Rachel Liesau (Kutztown Book Review, Spring 2008)
A book with no words but a powerful story about arriving in a new land and trying to find your way around when the world seems so confusing. I loved the artwork so much in this book. The style reminded me a lot of the movie, Mirrormask, as did many of the creatures. But overall this story was amazing. It follows the story of one man leaving his home and family, and immigrating to a new and “better” place. The man can’t read the signs, just as we can’t because the symbols are of no alphabet that we know. Through the man’s journeys, we meet and learn about several people’s own journeys and struggles that they have gone through. And although there are no words in this book, there is such a triumphant story to go with it. As a warning, there are some graphic images dealing with war and death, so if a student is sensitive towards that be careful. Category: Graphic. 2006, Arthur A. Levine Books, $19.99. Ages 9 to 14.

Kristin Fletcher-Spear (Library Media Connection, November/December 2007)
This wordless graphic novel is the story of a man who leaves his wife and daughter to immigrate to a foreign country. The panels follow the man on his boat journey as he learns to survive and make a new life in a bizarrely foreign place where he can barely speak or read the language. He slowly meets other immigrants and he hears their stories. By the end, the man has brought his family to him and they have assimilated into society. The artwork is ornate with detail. Tan has created a whimsical, fantastical world that will be so foreign to the reader that they will understand what the man is experiencing. Wordless graphic novels can be a hard sell sometimes, but Tan has successfully told this elaborate story. Tweens and older readers will enjoy perusing the detail of this foreign world. This will be a great piece to use in classroom discussions on the immigrant experience. As the first graphic novel ever shortlisted for the Children's Book of the Year award by the Children's Book Council of Australia, this quality graphic novel may not receive large circulations, but still should be in all library collections. Highly Recommended. 2007, Arthur A. Levine (Scholastic, Inc.), 128pp., $19.99 hc. Ages 10 up.

Deborah Stevenson (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, January 2008 (Vol. 61, No. 5).)
With sorrow and hope, a man packs up a few treasured belongings and leaves his beloved wife and daughter, crossing the ocean to find a new life in a strange and overwhelming country of possibility, seeking to earn enough money there to send for his family to join him. It’s an oft-told story, so well worn that both adults and youngsters can grow a little numb to its poignancy. In this wordless Australian import, Shaun Tan not only makes the old immigration story new again, he also ingeniously puts the reader in the immigrant’s position to give the experience an immediacy one would have thought impossible to obtain from a fictional exploration.A plot summary of The Arrival would follow the familiar lines. Our protagonist leaves behind a troubled city and embarks on a long ocean voyage. At the other end, he undergoes baffling entrance procedures and finds himself in bewildering alien territory. He manages to obtain himself a lonely set of rooms, brightened slightly by a friendly pet; his attempts to get work are less successful, initially (hired to put up posters, he glues them upside down, since he can’t read them), but finally he settles into quality-control work on an assembly line. As he strives to learn the ways of his new home, he’s cheered by friendly encounters with residents who tell him their own stories of sad departures and timid early days in this city; after his earnings bring his wife and daughter to join him and they too become part of this startling country, his daughter carries on the tradition of assisting the newcomers when she becomes the helper of another puzzled new arrival. Tan turns this classic story into an imaginative as well as a visual tour de force by making the elements of the immigrant’s new country as strange, fantastical, and incomprehensible to the reader as to the new arrival. The new world is actually full of words, but they’re printed in an invented foreign lettering that neither the immigrant nor the reader can understand. Our protagonist’s companionable pet resembles a pale cat-sized whale with feet and ears; the city is covered with mysterious symbols and strangely shaped architecture over which fishy-looking birds soar; he’s stumped by a marketplace filled with tentacled, spiny vegetables (it’s a particularly skillful touch that the beauteous marvels tend to have sharp and pointy elements that make them elicit wariness as well as wonder). While the immigrant wears vaguely European clothing, city denizens generally sport garb of various fictional styles, so the occasional individual in familiar clothing offers a shock of desperate recognition felt keenly by the reader as well as the protagonist. The book is breathtaking not only in its imaginative interpretation of specifics (the Statue of Liberty equivalent is a pair of huge figures, one marked by his suitcase as a traveler, grasping hands in fellowship) but also in its creative depiction of the general experience (a spread containing a grid of sixty different views of the clouds in the sky conveys the tedium and sameness of the days on board ship during the ocean crossing). Stylistically, the illustrations are orderly squares in realistic, softly drawn tones of gray or sepia, color choices that ground the fantasy and emphasize the historical nature of the tale, as do the touches of faux-aging in the scrapbook-like framing and photograph-styled sections; a scribbled child’s drawing on the final page enhances the unspoken notion that this is a well-thumbed family history. It’s a peculiar literary paradox that telling it exactly how it is is not always the best way to convey how it was. Tan’s fictional newfound land is overwhelmingly glamorous, alien, and plausible, conveying culture shock in a way that straightforward historical chronicles simply can’t manage. This could electrify a curriculum, provoke conversation if shared within a family, or simply bring a reader a startling new way of seeing a familiar story. A note explains Tan’s influences, which range from Ellis Island artifacts to Australian immigrant history Review Code: R* -- Recommended. A book of special distinction. (c) Copyright 2006, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2007, Levine/Scholastic, 128p., $19.99. Grades 6 up.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2008)
Seeking a better life for his family, a man travels to a strange, unfamiliar country. It's the triumph of this lavish, somber, wordless book that readers are kept in sympathetic step with the immigrant hero. Meticulously composed panels propel the action while larger pictures display majestic cityscapes. Subtle shifts from gray to brown to gold underline the story's themes. Category: Picture Books. 2007, Scholastic/Levine, 128pp, 19.99. Ages 4 to 9. Rating: 1: Outstanding, noteworthy in style, content, and/or illustration.

Joe Sutliff Sanders (VOYA, August 2007 (Vol. 30, No 3))
A father must leave his family in a devastated land with only a slim hope that he will be able to gain employment in a bizarre and beautiful city across the sea. Stunning, powerful, gripping, moving-Tan's book is meticulously thought out and perfectly wrought, making use of both high-brow surrealism and extensive research into photographic records of immigrant stories. The story alternately displays Tan's heartfelt understanding of the dislocated existence of immigrants and his robustly imagined fantasy setting. The oversized book moves effortlessly from sepia-toned, quasi-photographic panels of heartbreak to double-page spreads of startling depth and creativity. The crafting is perfect, as panel sequences communicate action wordlessly, using, for example, a long series of cloudscapes to explain the tedious passage of time. But this cunning, careful artwork does not preclude the persistent throb of human warmth. Repeatedly the story tells of determination, of survival in hopeless times, of unexpected kindnesses, and always, always of love. Especially touching is Tan's imaginary population. In the bizarre cityscape he has imagined, every single person is an immigrant. In this world, the natives are the immigrants. Considering the terror that fuels debates about immigration throughout the western world, Tan's message is pointed and utterly relevant, not just to teens struggling with their own feelings of alienation, but to all humankind. It is an absolutely marvelous book. VOYA CODES: 5Q 3P J S G (Hard to imagine it being any better written; Will appeal with pushing; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Graphic Novel Format). 2007, Scholastic, 128p., $19.99. Ages 12 to 18.