A review by graypeape
Eric by Shaun Tan

5.0

Oh my gosh, this is such a lovely book! A family is excited to meet the foreign exchange student that's coming to stay with them, but once they meet Eric, they find he's not what they were expecting. He chooses to sleep in the pantry rather than the guest room they fixed up especially for him, he doesn't speak much, and seems to be mostly interested in small things he finds on the ground, leaving the family puzzled, chalking up his odd behavior to cultural differences. When Eric leaves abruptly, they wonder if they've done something wrong- then they find the gift Eric left, still with them years later. A sweet story of the impact people can have on each other's lives, even after time has passed. And the art! So very lovely, in soft sepia/gray tones that really highlight the warm ending. Gorgeous.