Tales of the strange

Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan

Fifteen short stories, all accompanied with illustrations, make up this unique book by the author of The Arrival. Strange things happen in Outer Suburbia. A foreign exchange student unlike any other leaves behind a very special thank you message. Grandpa tells of the odd wedding rituals of his youth. Then there is the other country that magically appears within the broken ceiling of one home. Come visit Outer Suburbia and read these tales of the surreal.

Likes:
As to be expected, some stories were better than others. I liked the fantasy aspect of the tales. Everything seems normal, but there are things that are just a bit different.

The illustrations really add depth to the tales.

Dislikes:
Some of the stories seemed a bit too disjointed, but that could just be due to personal taste.


Jellaby: Monster in the City by Kean Soo

Beginning where the previous book ended, the reader joins Portia and Jason as they attempt to find Jellaby’s door. Instead they find themselves involved in an even stranger adventure, as they come across an underground creature with a very bad temper. Will the three survive the trip to the big city of Toronto?

Likes:
This graphic novel is a wonderful continuation to a tale about friendship. I have adored the illustrations ever since I first saw Jellaby in one of the Flight editions. I hope that Soo continues to share stories of Jellaby, Portia and Jason and all of their adventures.

Dislikes:
More color in the illustrations. It’s been quite some time since I’ve read the first story, so I can’t recall if it was just as monochromatic as this one.