The multi-layered illustrations are glorious... this is a strange, thought-provoking and enlightening book. (Irish Independent)
Pure magic... told with minimal text and the beautiful surreal imagery of Tan's paintings. I would be quite happy to give this book ten stars out of five if that were allowed. Simply unmissable for readers who seek out unique and thought provoking books. When the children outgrow this, I will be keeping it for myself. * * * * * (Bookbag)
A mesmerising addition to Shaun Tan's eclectic array of thoughtful and surreal picture books... breathtaking. (WRD Magazine)
Shaun Tan has earned the reputation as the creator of picture books that defy easy interpretation... enigmatic verbal and visual clues to construct narratives... lovingly detailed painterly illustration... starkly realistic and elusively surreal. (Irish Times)
Shaun Tan continues to push out the boundaries of the picturebook medium... whichever way you look at it, this is an extraordinary picturebook, an aesthetic abject, with much to enjoy, respond to, think and talk about. (School Librarian)
Visually fascinating. (The New York Times)
Tan's mesmerizing, gorgeous art is as beautiful and entrancing as ever. (Booklist)
Superb artwork that elicits both a cerebral and emotional response and that, when coupled with the text, invites readers to plumb the mysterious depths of the human experience. (The Horn Book)
Thrilling... one startling image after another. (Wall Street Journal)
Evocative, enthralling and with absolutely astounding artwork so good readers will wish that ike summer, it would last forever. (Kirkus)
Combining humour and surreal fantasy, Shaun Tan pictures a summer in the lives of two boys. Each spread tells of an event and the lesson learned. By turns, these events become darker and more sinister as the boys push their games further and further.
Other titles by Astrid Lindgren and Academy Award winner, Shaun Tan include: The Red Tree, The Lost Thing, Tales from Outer Suburbia and the acclaimed wordless novel The Arrival.
Read more about Shaun Tan at http://www.shauntan.net/