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135 reviews for:

The Red Tree

Shaun Tan

4.5 AVERAGE

mkreads's review

5.0
emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Beautiful illustrations and a wonderfully elegant presentation of what it means to be full of angst and fear in this mad world we live in.  

rernst_fvrl's review

5.0

This book is so utterly relatable. We have all had those bad days. For some it hits a lot harder, but often you can find the silver lining or in this case, red tree to get through the bad. Perfect for all ages. The images are stunning as usual.
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sunflower3dd71's review

5.0
emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

One of the most beautiful created picture books i've seen for both children and adults.

This isn't just a children's book! Almost had me in tears.

Wow vilken bilderbok!! Denna var helt fantastisk och jag skulle mer än gärna inkorporera den i min framtida undervisning! Den berörde psykisk ohälsa och oroskänslor hos barn på ett mycket respektfullt sätt. Texten var talande men bilderna gjorde verkligen boken levande. Det var en bilderbok som även vuxna kan få ut något av att läsa.

cmiller0401's review

4.0

Does a good job of describing depression through artwork that is surreal, clever, and right on target. On one page there are some messages in Finnish--around the girl's neck, "kuka sinä olet?" (who are you?), and on a sign in the background "mitä sinä täällä teet?" (what are you doing here?).

beatitude's review

5.0

Shaun Tan is a genius in the field of picture books. The Red Tree is a moving depiction of depression, despair and hope that bears more resemblance to the best kind of poetry than it does to a work of prose. Tan's books transcend age - they are not really 'for children' or 'for adults', but speak to everyone, and The Red Tree is no exception. It really is beautiful, and I know I'll be poring over it many more times before I reluctantly return it to the library.

mrsamandajenner's review

5.0

Quite possibly the most beautiful picture book I've read, not just for the illustrations but the simplicity of the message which was just what I needed to read right now.

ozshark's review

5.0

Another brilliant, thought-provoking book by Shaun Tan. This deals with depression and contains a lot of the internal struggles that people face every day, but it still manages to be uplifting. It has Shaun's typical detailed imagery, along with very little text. I am currently exploring it with Year 5 & 6 students and it is amazing how much they are able to infer from the pictures - even the cover. One student this morning had a take on the cover that hadn't occurred to me before, and yet fit so well with the overall themes and tone of the book. I won't say more, as the joy of this book is in providing your own interpretation and asking why certain details are included.

Update: Every time I re-read this book, I am astounded by the depth within it & the details that students can draw out of it. One of the very best picture books for older students.

Pensum i litteratur og lesing på bibliotekslinja. 4.25 stjerner. Kort, men dyp historie som får deg til å tenke med flotte tegninger. Anbefales!