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12th out of 115 books
—
63 voters
The Lost Thing
by
Shaun Tan
A boy scavenges the beach for his bottle top collection when he discovers a lost �thing”; a large, freakish creature that looks like a cross between a crab and a pot-bellied stove. Thus begins a witty and strange narrative set in a creepy, futuristic environment. Shaun Tan’s artwork, collages comprised of such unusual elements as old textbook pages, oil paint, gears, and t...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
November 30th 2004
by Simply Read Books
(first published 2000)
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Oct 22, 2007
Becky
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
3rd grade and up
Shelves:
favoriteillustrations
I'm only giving it 4 stars because it wasn't *quite* as magical as The Red Tree. The main character finds a Lost Thing on the beach. It's huge and red and looks kind of like a giant coffee pot with tentacle-y feet. No one wants it; where does it belong? And who is responsible now that it has been Found?
This is another engrossing picture book for older readers, with endless details to be appreciated in the collage illustrations, from bits of text ("No office desk is complete without a good spool...more
This is another engrossing picture book for older readers, with endless details to be appreciated in the collage illustrations, from bits of text ("No office desk is complete without a good spool...more
he sounds so Singaporean. KUDOS for a Chinese in Oz! Beautifully illustrated, this book is wonderful.
A short history from www.shauntan.net:
Shaun Tan was born in 1974 and grew up in the northern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia. In school he became known as the “good drawer” which partly compensated for always being the shortest kid in every class. He graduated from the University of WA in 1995 with joint honours in Fine Arts and English Literature, and currently works full time as a freelance...more
A short history from www.shauntan.net:
Shaun Tan was born in 1974 and grew up in the northern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia. In school he became known as the “good drawer” which partly compensated for always being the shortest kid in every class. He graduated from the University of WA in 1995 with joint honours in Fine Arts and English Literature, and currently works full time as a freelance...more
One day a boy, our narrator, finds a thing that has “a sad, lost sort of look.” The boy attempts to take the thing home, but his mom and dad won’t let him keep it. He finds an ad in the paper for the “Federal Department of Odds and Ends” and embarks on a journey to find the thing a place where it can belong. The pages of this book have a blue-print background and college-style color images, with text passages in hand-writing on notebook paper that appear to be pasted in with the pictures. The im...more
The Lost Thing is one of three books included in Tan’s omnibus titled Lost & Found. In a faceless metropolis filled with brutalist architecture and steampunk machinery, a young bottlecap-collecting enthusiast befriends a wayward bio-mechanical being. Several times taller than a man, with a pair of large grasping appendages, it walks on six tentacular legs and has an unknown number of other tentacles which emerge from doors on the deep red potbelly-stove-like shell surrounding its body. Altho...more
Well I must admit I didn't realize this book existed until it won an Oscar for Best Animated Short film. The book was first published in 2000. It is told from the perspective of a boy and reads like a story of what he did on the holidays. While collecting bottle tops for his collection he comes across a large red thing that definitely looks lost. He tries to find where it belongs but most people really can't be bothered helping, even his parents loss interest in helping when he brings it home. H...more
A children's book with a rather excessive amount of design. The Lost Thing is a bit like a children's story if the layout and typeface were created by undergraduate art majors. That is to say that it's a very simple story - appropriate for children - but completely over-designed and too complicated visually for children to appreciate. Small face type is present in the background of every page, requiring that the reader have maturity, ability and patience enough to read all the background materia...more
The Lost Thing
The artwork of Shawn Tan is great. Whatever illustrations the story needed he was able to provide with intricate detail. Visually, the book is a pleasure to just leaf through. I would recommend the artwork alone. The narrative is a bit more challenging. This is a difficult thing to review because there are actually three non related stories that deserve a review of their own. I happen to have a 10yr. old that was happy to help out as well.
The Red Tree: A rather dismal story of a g...more
The artwork of Shawn Tan is great. Whatever illustrations the story needed he was able to provide with intricate detail. Visually, the book is a pleasure to just leaf through. I would recommend the artwork alone. The narrative is a bit more challenging. This is a difficult thing to review because there are actually three non related stories that deserve a review of their own. I happen to have a 10yr. old that was happy to help out as well.
The Red Tree: A rather dismal story of a g...more
"I dunno, man," Pete concludes. "It's pretty weird. Maybe it doesn't belong to anyone. Maybe it doesn't come from anywhere. Some things are like that ... just plain lost."
After reading this book, it has that mystery feeling to it. And I'm constantly going back to Pete's word trying to make sense of the lost thing. As Shaun explained, "we theory a judgment of a ‘lost thing’ is utterly philosophical, yet not in any specific way, and we consider this is a thing that others have responded to, as man...more
After reading this book, it has that mystery feeling to it. And I'm constantly going back to Pete's word trying to make sense of the lost thing. As Shaun explained, "we theory a judgment of a ‘lost thing’ is utterly philosophical, yet not in any specific way, and we consider this is a thing that others have responded to, as man...more
I read this straight through in the Oxford Street Bookshop (took less than five minutes), and only did the 'you're not crying in the shop!' thing once, which is good going for a Shaun Tan.
Then I went and bought it, and spent a total of an hour pouring over all the hundreds of tiny details on the train. So beautiful, and utterly wrenching.
He writes of kids' magic: all the things you see before the grown up world trains you out of seeing what's really there.
Then I went and bought it, and spent a total of an hour pouring over all the hundreds of tiny details on the train. So beautiful, and utterly wrenching.
He writes of kids' magic: all the things you see before the grown up world trains you out of seeing what's really there.
Have you ever wondered what to do with something you find that nobody claims? Or where your lost items end up? The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan explores the ideas of finding friendship in extraordinary situations and discovering where we, as individuals, realise our place in the world.
The book follows a man recounting a memorable story of when he helped a ‘lost thing’ find its way home. Other people do not seem to notice the ‘lost thing’, and as nobody knows where it has come from their task is very...more
The book follows a man recounting a memorable story of when he helped a ‘lost thing’ find its way home. Other people do not seem to notice the ‘lost thing’, and as nobody knows where it has come from their task is very...more
Thanks for the recommend, Becky!
What great illustrations! A unique perspective, wonderfully charming nonchalance from the narrator, and an overall sense of adventure and mystery.
I would definitely pair this with one of my other favorite picture books: The Tin Forest by Helen Ward. Both have fairy tale-esque illustrations and an underlying theme of things that need to find a new usefulness.
What great illustrations! A unique perspective, wonderfully charming nonchalance from the narrator, and an overall sense of adventure and mystery.
I would definitely pair this with one of my other favorite picture books: The Tin Forest by Helen Ward. Both have fairy tale-esque illustrations and an underlying theme of things that need to find a new usefulness.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I normally wouldn't review a children's book (save for a few exceptions, anything by Dahl, The Little Prince, Gaiman's children's books, etc.), but I'm a big fan of Tan, and The Lost Thing is another winner. His drawing style is so distinct that despite not being able to see the author's name on the outside of the book right away, I knew exactly who that author was. And I got excited to read another of his books. The Arrival was entirely textless, but one of the most poignant stories I've "read"...more
I loved it! Amazing illustrations, and I totally caught the Hopper swipe. Loved the acknowledgement of it even more. Tan is one of my favorite illustrators and storytellers. If you're not familiar with his work, I recommend starting with "The Red Tree" and "The Rabbits" first. Rich, layered illustrations and sweet, existential text make this a treasure book.
Well, I’ve loved the other books I’ve read by this author-illustrator, and he recently won an Oscar for a film adaptation of this book (an Academy Award winning animation short I’ve not seen, yet) so I was sufficiently curious to get and read a copy of the book. And, yes, I want to see the film; I can see it being an excellent short.
It’s probably not fair that I compare all Tan’s books with the brilliant The Arrival or even The Red Tree; those books are so amazing. This one is terrific too. Mela...more
It’s probably not fair that I compare all Tan’s books with the brilliant The Arrival or even The Red Tree; those books are so amazing. This one is terrific too. Mela...more
5 likes · like · see review
Tan's story of a boy who finds a lost thing while looking to add to his bottle top collection is amazing, complete with lush graphics that make you want to spend hours looking at each page. A great story for kids, and incredible graphics for adults with lots of sly humor in the illustrations.
Tan's painting style is remiscent of Edwary Hopper--slightly more cartoonish and with a futuristic and slightly unsettling aura, as if the apocalypse is around the corner. The background images and collages are just as rich as the main paintings, especially the bottlecap collection!
I really dig Tan's illustrations. His prose in this fell just a bit flat for me, but it hardly matters as there is just so much to look at. Odd and quirky beings peer out of every corner. This would be delightful to read with a young, sharp-eyed person on one's lap.
shaun tan is an inspiration. a collage artist with emotion and wit. dark and light come peiced together in these children's books that reach me over and over again. i couldn't have dreamed a better time to discover these books...not even at age 7. the time is now.
This is a wonderful book about lots of things, dependning on how you read it.. Part of Shaun Tan's magic. To me, it captures the essence of being different and not fitting in, the profound sense of not belonging, isolation and sadness that goes with that and feeling invisible. Unless/ until someone notices you and takes an interest.. Then it addresses issues of finding one's place in the world, working on the idea that there is, ultimately , somewhere for even 'lost things' where they can be hap...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Starting with the endpapers, this book is visually fascinating. Rows and rows of bottle caps covered with mathematical and technological sketches confront the reader who opens the cover. They're so real that you'd like to pick one up to see what's on the other side. The background of all of the following pages looks as if Tan cut up and reconstructed some old math and physics texts. Even if you're not at all technologically minded, the drawings and words on the yellowed pages make you want to st...more
It's hard to rate a children's book. It's not as if there are a lot of pages or complicated plots. I got this book from the library because Shaun Tan recently won an Oscar and has been nominated and extolled for his art for many books. The art is interesting and beautiful but the story is just so-so.
However, if the rating were based on my son's complete fascination with the pictures and his joy at having a "big boy" book, then perhaps the rating would be five stars. He flips the pages over and...more
However, if the rating were based on my son's complete fascination with the pictures and his joy at having a "big boy" book, then perhaps the rating would be five stars. He flips the pages over and...more
1 like · like · see review
Published in 2005 by Simply Read Books.
Interest Level: 4-6th Grade
This picture book is about a single, strange, lost thing that is taken in by a boy and eventually finds its place. The illustrations do not follow a conventional picture book format and the ordinary is marked by objects that do not fit. The endpapers and backgrounds of each page are of special interest because of how they set the story, tone, and scenes. This is a fantastical story about belonging that allows for the imagination t...more
Interest Level: 4-6th Grade
This picture book is about a single, strange, lost thing that is taken in by a boy and eventually finds its place. The illustrations do not follow a conventional picture book format and the ordinary is marked by objects that do not fit. The endpapers and backgrounds of each page are of special interest because of how they set the story, tone, and scenes. This is a fantastical story about belonging that allows for the imagination t...more
I'd actually give this 4.5 stars for the graphic element - Shaun Tan's style is really a wonder to behold, it's fresh and unique. But the storyline is - well - somewhat odd and disconcerting (and I like odd, disconcerting stories usually!), so it dropped down in enjoyment rating for me. The only purpose it seemed to have was to support what was drawn as opposed to illustrate the story that was happening and I felt that, in a book form, it would have been a stronger impact if it had been the othe...more
Jul 21, 2010
Lindsey
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
award-winners,
fantasy-sci-fi,
esl,
dystopia,
picture-books,
read-alouds,
books-i-want-to-own
I loved this book. The illustrations are a weird combination of dark/depressing and funny/ironic. It is a dark, mechanical world. Very dystopian, but the characters do normal and very dorky things that make it funny. The text by itself would seem ordinary, which is part of the magic of this book, because it fools the reader into thinking they will see something familiar in the illustration. Of course there is nothing boring or cliche about the illustrations. In fact, it is completely unpredictab...more
While looking for bottle caps on a beach, a boy discovers an odd large object no one else seems to notice. He spends a day with it looking for the place it belongs, or, at least, a place where it will fit. The surreal illustrations of an odd industrial world, done in brown and red-brown tones, and the hand written captions are pasted on a background of Tan's father's old thermodynamics text and other materials.
This is perfectly splendid - a book to pore over and wonder about, and a precursor of...more
This is perfectly splendid - a book to pore over and wonder about, and a precursor of...more
This story begins with a boy who is looking for bottle-tops for his collection when he noticed the lost thing on the beach.‘I must have stared at it for a while. I mean, it had a really weird look about it – a sad, lost sort of look. Nobody else seemed to notice it was there’.
It became apparent that no one was coming to take the thing home.
The boy decided he had to take the thing home so it wouldn’t be alone. His parents didn’t notice at first despite his size as they were ‘too busy discussing c...more
It became apparent that no one was coming to take the thing home.
The boy decided he had to take the thing home so it wouldn’t be alone. His parents didn’t notice at first despite his size as they were ‘too busy discussing c...more
Shaun Tan, The Lost Thing (Simply Read Books, 2004)
Ironically, while I've been a huge fan of Shaun Tan's for a few years, now I didn't get round to reading his first book until after a sort film adapted from it won the Best Animated Short Oscar for 2010. I haven't sene it yet, but if a film adapted from this can win an Academy Award, I can't wait to see what someone with a strong vision can do with The Arrival. The Lost Thing is good, and it's full of the rich background detail and odd, surreal...more
Ironically, while I've been a huge fan of Shaun Tan's for a few years, now I didn't get round to reading his first book until after a sort film adapted from it won the Best Animated Short Oscar for 2010. I haven't sene it yet, but if a film adapted from this can win an Academy Award, I can't wait to see what someone with a strong vision can do with The Arrival. The Lost Thing is good, and it's full of the rich background detail and odd, surreal...more
A boy on the beach is searching for a bottle cap for his collection when he notices a huge, pot-bellied-stove looking creature that doesn’t seem to belong to anyone, and no one else seems to see. When he takes it home even his parents don’t notice it until the boy points it out to them. Immediately, the boy is told he can not keep it, but finding where the creature belongs proves to be a difficult task.
Filled with the weird and wonderful drawings I have come to expect from Shaun Tan, the story o...more
Filled with the weird and wonderful drawings I have come to expect from Shaun Tan, the story o...more
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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 Liter...more
More about Shaun Tan...
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“So you want to hear a story? Well, I used to know a whole lot of pretty interesting ones. Some of them so funny you'd laugh yourself unconscious, others so terrible you'd never want to repeat them. But I can't remember any of those. So I'll just tell you about the time I found that lost thing....”
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16 people liked it
“The Federal Department of Odds and Ends: sweepus underum carpetae.”
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9 people liked it
More quotes…
Jan 19, 2012 11:21pm