Rules Of Summer

Rules Of Summer

Never be late for a parade. Never forget the password. Never ruin a perfect plan. It's all about the rules. But what if the rules feel completely arbitrary? What if your older brother is the only one who gets to make them up all summer long? And what if he's the only one who can save you when the darkness of winter comes rushing in? As usual, master artist and storyteller Shaun Tan shows us the strange truth of ordinary things -- rules, relationships, despair, and hope -- as only he can. From School Library Journal Gr 1-4-Right from the endpapers featuring an ominously shadowed street on which two boys stand in silhouette-one clearly older whispering into the younger child's ear-readers are clued into a familiar sibling dynamic: big brother sets the rules; little brother is always one step behind, doing his best to follow along. It's too bad for little brother that the rules are nearly impossible to anticipate: "Never leave a red sock on the clothesline" is accompanied by the image of the terrified boys hiding from a house-sized red rabbit on the hunt for the crimson article. Some rules seem designed to teach ("Never eat the last olive at a party"), while others simply reinforce the power dynamic ("Never ask for a reason"). Tan's oil paintings, with their masterful layering of color and impressionistic plays on light and shadow, toy with the ordinary and the surreal. At its heart, this is a story about sibling relationships, and Tan artfully captures the frustration, sadness, and joy of what it means to be brothers. The sophistication of the visual narrative paired with the simplicity of the text invites multiple readings and opportunities for discussion. Sumptuous and sincere-this title is a winner.-Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal From Booklist Tan (The Bird King, 2013) continues to wow readers with his expansive, surreal images. Here, a series of loosely linked pictures suggest a fantastical summer shared by two brothers. Each full-page painting is paired with a one-sentence rule related to the accompanying scene. For instance, ?Never leave a red sock on the clothesline? appears next to an image of the two boys crouching against a wall while a seriously giant red rabbit glares at the single sock drying in the sun. How the boys arrived in such a situation is unclear, but speculating is half the fun. ?Never leave the back door open? precedes a painting of the two brothers overlooking a living room brimming with an otherworldly forest. Though the rules are occasionally confounding and don?t lend themselves to a clear narrative, and the paintings are tinged with a growing sense of menace that might frighten young readers, Tan?s mesmerizing, gorgeous art is as beautiful and entrancing as ever and will likely have wide appeal well outside the usual picture-book audience, especially among imaginative teen artists. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Tan is a New York Times best-seller, and it?s no surprise. His genre-spanning work has attracted a loyal and well-deserved fan base. Grades 5-12. --Sarah Hunter Review Praise for Rules of Summer An NPR Greatest Read A Publishers Weekly Best Book A School Library Journal Best Book A Kirkus Reviews Best Book A Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book " Visually fascinating." -- New York Times * "As always, the swirl of emotion that Tan's artwork kicks up lingers long after the book is closed." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review * " Sumptuous and sincere -- this title is a winner." -- School Library Journal, starred review Praise for The Arrival A New York Times Best Illustrated Book An ALA Top Ten Great Graphic Novel for Teens A Publishers Weekly Best Book "Mesmerizing... Such visual eloquence can only motivate readers to seek out any future graphic novels from Shaun Tan, regardless of where they might be shelved." -- New York Times Book Review "Astonishing." -- The Washington Post * "Filled with both subtlety and grandeur, the book is a unique work that not only fulfills but also expands