Graphic Novel # 2

Author: Shaun Tan
Title: The Arrival
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Date: 2006

Age level: Elementary (3-4) Upper (5-6)

Summary:
In this wordless graphic novel, you follow the story of a man and his life in a strange new place. Follow his encounters with new people and his new life, waiting for the arrival.

Strengths:
The details of these pictures are so good, even the slight change of color in one of them can signify so much. The pictures really tell a great story. It is a story for anyone from third grade and up, because there is so much you can interpret from it. It can be a simple story, yet it can be made into much, much more. The way that all the elements work together in the book is great and leaves room for so much interpretation- it could be linked to history or to the future. It is very well done.

Concerns:
Most of the story flows from picture to picture, but sometimes there is a jump. You can’t tell if something is happening in the present or if it is a flashback, so it can be a little confusing.

Classroom use/Other comments:
It would be great to have children write their own text to go along with the story. Have them each create their own scenarios of what is happening in the pictures.