Eric

by Shaun Tan

"Years ago we had a foreign exchange student come to live with us. We found it very difficult to pronounce his name correctly, but he didn't mind. He told us to just call him 'Eric'."

As charming as he is curious, by the end of his stay this intriguing house guest will capture your heart. This story is from Shaun Tan's award-winning collection Tales from Outer Suburbia.

Genres: Picture Books, Graphic Novels, Childrens, Fantasy, Fiction, Short Stories, Art

48 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

Shaun Tan (born 1974) is the illustrator and author of award-winning children's books. After freelancing for some years from a studio at Mt. Lawley, Tan relocated to Melbourne, Victoria, in 2007. Tan was the Illustrator in Residence at the University of Melbourne's Department of Language Literacy and Arts Education for two weeks through an annual Fellowship offered by the May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust. 2009 World Fantasy Award for Best Artist. In 2011, he won his first Oscar in the category Best Short Animated Film for his work The Lost Thing.

Reviews

[Dream.M]

خیلی راضی ام که ۱۴۰۲ رو با این کتاب کودک تموم میکنم.
زهرا یک نقل قول از صمد بهرنگی برام فرستاد که اینجا میذارمش. خلاصه کتاب دقیق تر از این نمیتونه باشه :
به گمانم ذهنیتی که آدمها از خود برای هم به یادگار می‌گذارند ، از همه چیز بیشتر اهمیت دارد  وگرنه همه آمده اند که یک روز بروند.

[Melki]

Eric is a foreign exchange student, and not at all what anyone expected.



For one thing, he prefers to sleep and study in the pantry rather than the guest room.



And, it's kind of hard to figure out what he likes as he doesn't say much. Mum keeps saying that it must be a cultural thing. But, one can't help wondering . . . is Eric happy?



This one is a wonderful treat for Tan fans, with an absolutely lovely reveal at the end. I LOVED meeting Eric!

[Maede]

نقاشی‌هاش یک‌ گرمای خاصی داره. اما انگار کم‌ بود؟

۱۴۰۳/۱/۲

[Maggie Stiefvater]

Technically this little volume is part of Tales of Outer Suburbia, if memory serves, but if you can find it in this little hardback version, it is very agreeable. It works on so many levels — I read it to my kids, who are 8 & 9, and we giggle and talk about metaphor.

[Sara]

اینم گوگولی بود، نه به اندازه قبلی ولی به اندازه کافی.
سراغ تمام آثار این نویسنده خواهم آمد.

[افلا]

«سپاس برای روزهای خوش»
برای خودکشی یادداشت مناسبیه. 🤝

[oliviasbooks]

It's the first thing we show any new visitors to our house. "Look what our foreign exchange student left for us," we tell them. "It must be a cultural thing," says Mum.
I solemnly promise: Should a Thumbelina-sized Eric (His real name is too difficult to pronounce for us) ever decide to stay at my place as a foreign exchange student, I am going to refrain from buckling him into a car seat, where he would be blocked from seeing the world (Easy, since I don't own a car). I will coo about each bonbon wrapper and bottle cap he chooses to pick up, visit him daily in the pantry (I don't have a pantry; but maybe he can stay in the cupboard that houses our pasta, the Nutella and the Knäcke) to see how he is faring and switch my long, dangling earrings for silver hoops so he can accompany me "Jenks-style" to enjoy his "cultural thing" and to sprinkle his almost unbearable, black-and-white cuteness across my life.

[Mel (Epic Reading)]

A reprint of an illustrated children’s book from about a decade ago. It’s simple but very cute. Younger kids may not quite ‘get it’ but an easy explanation from an adult will help.

Eric, a random creature, is called a foreign exchange student in this story. He’s a bit odd, quiet, and culturally different. Or so Mom tells our child writer. Each time Eric does not react as expected it is written off as a ‘cultural thing’. At first this might seem insensitive but by the end it’s clearly a compliment.

Our creature doesn’t admire or adore the big things they are shown. Instead they pick-up on little things like: buttons, wrappers, stamps, bottle caps. Ordinary objects that most of us would consider garbage when found on the ground randomly. Lucky for us Eric shows us that these items are all unique, and can have a life past their original use.

A subtle but impactful story. Be sure to read it with your kiddo(s) together the first time to ensure they understand and appreciate what is being said.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

[Ghazaal B.]

من خیلی اتفاقی دیدم این کتاب رو بدون اینکه بدونم نویسنده‌اش اسکار گرفته و بدون اینکه آگاه باشم از قبل چندتا از کتاب‌هاش رو تو-رید کردم. :)
کتاب به زیبایی تمام بیگانگی و تفاوت رو تصویر کرده بود و در انتها تصویری نمایش میده که نفس من بند اومد با دیدنش.
معتقدم کتاب، کتاب کودک نیست ولی از زیباییش چیزی کم نمیشه.

[Amir]

همین حالا خواندمش. یادگاری دیشب بهنوش بود از آخرین روز پردیس، و یکی از بهترین‌هایی بود که خوانده‌ام. چه تنیدگی درست و بجایی هم داشت متن و تصویرسازی‌اش.‏

[Kowsar Bagheri]

اگه کسی ازتون پرسید «تا حالا کسی رو دیدی که با کتاب کودک گریه کنه؟» می‌تونید منو بهش معرفی کنید. :))
+چقدر قشنگ بود. کاش امانت نبود و واسه خودم بود هر روز می‌خوندمش.

[Moira]

So fucking adorable and well-done, it will renew your faith in humankind and make you think the world isn't heading for disaster after all. The final panel is indeed worth a thousand words. Surreal but warm, enigmatic yet touching, this book is fantastic. You can read it online here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/galle...

[Lata]

A foreign exchange student comes to live the narrator's family. Eric is odd, and curious about all sorts of things. One day he leaves suddenly, with the family gradually realizing Eric won't be back. But they discover Eric left them a beautiful surprise.

Shaun Tan's illustrations are gorgeous, and skirt the line between quirky and creepy. In this short story, it's quirky and gently amusing.

[Mohammad Reza]

"It must be a cultural thing".

[David]

Eric is a very introverted and shy exchange student. He likes the small details and likes to study a lot in a quiet and secluded location at his host's home. It is not until after he leaves, that it becomes understood that he was indeed happy.

This short book reminded me of the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain. She explains how happy introverted people really can be just sitting at a party doing people-watching. Or in a library.

Subtle, excellent art.

4.5 and I'll round up as I'm liking everything I find from Shaun Tan

[Hilary]

Lovely illustrations, beautifully drawn in sepia with clever use of colour at the end. A short tale of a visitor who's host family does not feel they connect with him. This book was in the 'picture books for older children' section of our library but I think it's suitable for any age.

[Sophie Freeman]

Eric symbolises different cultures, with his presence in the house showing the infiltration of different cultures, views, interests and knowledge.

The story follows the child’s confusion and curiosity surrounding these differences with the mother depicted as uninterested and close minded.

The at the end of the story shows the family larder full of little pretty flowers and a note left by Eric showing how much brighter and varied our lives can be when we are open and accepting to new cultures.

[Soňa]

Shaun Tan je môj obľúbenec 😊 jednoducho krásny alebo krásne jednoduchý príbeh.

[Rana Heshmati]

باعث میشه تهش لبخند بزنی.

[Philip]

As he did so beautifully in The Arrival, Shaun Tan once again focuses on the misunderstood "other" - outcasts, creatures, immigrants; whether human, animal or fantasy - although this time aiming at a younger audience.

“Years ago we had a foreign exchange student come to live with us. We found it very difficult to pronounce his name correctly, but he didn’t mind. He told us to just call him ‘Eric’.”

A simple, lovely story to share with a young child about the pleasures and sometime difficulties of playing host to and trying to understand someone who's most definitely "not from here."

[Sarvenaz]

"but sometimes I wondered if Eric was happy; he was so polite that I'm not sure he would have told us if something bothered him."

جدا از اینکه خیلی گوگولی بود و به این خوشگلی نیاز داشتم، دنبال این موضوع هم بودم
حتما به بعضی همکلاسیام پیشنهاد میکنمش =-))

[Laura]

This wonder-upon-wonder book is a true gem!

Little Eric is adorable and mysterious and full of curiosity. He’s brought to life in shades of black and white and quiet, sweet charm. I loved how he emphasized and exhibited the little things in life. This story showed how the smallest things could say so much.

A Tan tale always provides me with questions and quirkiness. And I love him for it! He keeps me guessing. Eric is a gift to readers of all ages that can be interpreted and loved in so many different ways.

Hope you check it out!

[Nouru-éddine]

This little sweet story is about accepting the other cultures, interests, perspectives, knowledge, lifestyles and languages.
We don't have to speak the same language, but we can love each other and accept each other as we are.

This story is about paying attention to small things. Everything in this world matters:



And finally it would be a great life journey if we enjoyed every single moment and appreciated it.


***

I wish I had a roommate like Eric!

***

[Miss Bookiverse]

This is such a cute book, and only a little smaller than a postcard. The drawings are adorable and beautiful. At first I was afraid the storyline would fall flat and disappoint me but then I turned the last page and I went all "aaaawwwww", perfect conclusion to the book.

[Sharon L]

This is a precious little gem, with so many hidden meanings and great messages that you can't help but love it.

a perfect little book for​ someone you care about and want to give them a reason to smile :)

[Mahshad Sabri]

من به هیچ وجه قبول ندارم که شان تن برای کودکان کتاب مینویسه، اصلا.
کتاب سیکاداش که باعث شد بعد از مدتی جوری گریه کنم که خودم به وحشت بیوفتم. این یکی هم دست کمی نداشت. اریک به خصوص با اون گل و گیاهای شب‌تابی که کاشته بود من رو یاد فضای کارهای میازاکی انداخت.
تازه فهمیدم گویا تن از خانواده‌ای مهاجر میاد، غریب بودن آثارش به همین علته. سیکادا و اریک هر دو درون‌مایه‌‌ای از مهاجر و مهاجرت در خودشون دارن. کتاب بعدی که ازش خواهم خوند هم همین درون‌مایه رو داره.
کلا مهاجرت+نقاشی‌های کیوت یا هر فضاسازی که من رو یاد انیمه‌ها بندازه+مورد تبعیض واقع شدن کاراکتر اصلی داستان+بار سنگین احساسی نقاشی‌ها= فرمول مناسب برای چلوندن کیسه‌های اشکی خوانندگان رقیق‌القبی مثل من هستش.

[SJ]

ADORABLE.

[Gita]

آدم یک‌سری کتاب‌ها را چندبار می‌خوانَد و من اریک را سه‌بار خواندم. دفعه‌ی اول، کف زمینِ پردیس کتاب بود. دنبال کتابی می‌گشتم تا به شین هدیه بدهم که از دوستش جدا شده بود. آن را به عنوان سوغات بردم تهران. گمانم خود شین هیچ‌وقت کتاب را نخواند و دوستش هم نداشت. به‌هرحال آن ماجرا باعث شد من یک‌بار دیگر قصه‌ی اریکِ غریبه را بشنوم؛ این بار قبل از خواب، وقتی توی بغل الف بودم و همان‌طور که جملات را می‌خواند، روی صفحات مکث می‌کرد تا نقاشی‌هایش را ببینیم.
دفعه‌ی سوم همین امشب بود. نشستم کف اتاق خودم، کنار نامه‌ها و یک کیف صورتی پر از خاطرات. وقتی کتاب رسید به جملاتِ 《با وجود این، وقتی اریک این‌طوری خانه‌مان را ترک کرد، همه‌مان تعجب کردیم: جدایی غافلگیرکننده‌ای بود در بامداد، با دست تکان دادن و بدرودی مودبانه. از این کارش فهمیدیم که دیگر هرگز برنمی‌گردد.》، من هق‌هق گریه می‌کردم.

[Veronika Pizano]

Shaun Tan je zaručená kvalita. Okrem krásnych ilustrácií dáva do príbeh veľkú hĺbku, ktorú an prvýkrát pochopia asi len dospelí, deti ju skôr precítia. Eric si všíma veci, ktoré považujeme za samozrejmé, alebo nám ani nenapadne sa nad nimi zamyslieť.

[Ceren]

LİEF >:(