Beattie's Book Blog - unofficial homepage of the New Zealand book community

Thursday, June 05, 2008

TWO OUTSTANDING, BUT VERY DIFFERENT CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS

Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan
Roadworks by Sally Sutton, illustrations by Brian Lovelock

TALES FROM OUTER SUBURBIA
Shaun Tan – Allen & Unwin A$35 NZ$39.99

Shaun Tan is a genius, one of those comparatively rare talented illustrators who can also write well. In this new book, described as a children's book, as was his earlier highly rated and awarded picture book, The Arrival, (read the Bookman’s review of that book‘ here, one of my very earliest posts to this blog in October 2006), one suspects that this new title will be an even bigger hit with adults than with kids. It is certainly a highly sophisticated piece of work, and I must say I found it both entertaining and challenging. To describe this book as brilliant is not in any way an exaggeration.
And what a gorgeous thing it is – a sturdy hardback with appealing endpapers and filled with gorgeous and detailed art. It is a treasure that I’m thrilled to own.

ROADWORKS
Sally Sutton, illustrations by Brian Lovelock,
Walker Books, Australia - NZ$29.99

Written by NZ author Sally Sutton (below right) this is another title in the fledgling Walker Books Australia local publishing programme and it is a little cracker. Unashamedly aimed at

littlies, pre-schoolers, (and certain to be loved by the boys!), it is a short but entertaining read aloud story, poetic in style, with the most appealing illustrationsb Aucklander Brian Lovelock. A sure fire winner. One I would love to have published myself.