Once again he meets others who have gone through hardships just as he has done.Ĭhapter five shows the passing of time and the longing to have his family with him again and finally their arrival too.

The fourth chapter shows his experiences in looking for work. He makes connections and starts to feel more comfortable in his new land. They help him to understand some of the things which are strange to him. He meets another couple of immigrants who have arrived for different reasons. The third chapter tells of his experiences trying to get around the new city. Take notice of what he does when he settles in to his rooms. Everything is alien to him and we can feel how out of place and overwhelmed he is feeling. The second chapter tells of the father's journey and arrival in a new and foreign country. It would be a good way to see the images more clearly and consolidate the first part in the story. After reading chapter 1, watch the first video below which is a student's response to the images used in that chapter with music. A family is separated when the father leaves first to journey to a new land (the destination is deliberately unknown). The first chapter tells a story of migration. This lesson can be continued as you wish back in the classroom. This could take some time and you may not finish this in the library today.

Use the visualiser to read through the story in pictures. In the library today you will only scratch the surface of this truly amazing work of art. He uses visual elements to convey feelings of the characters and the mood of the story. Shaun Tan is a brilliant author, using the medium of art to tell the story. It often requires many readings to really grasp all that is happening and you will often discover new things every time you read it.

Why might people say this?Ī graphic novel is often a very rich and layered text with many interpretations, depending on who is 'reading' the text. Some people say that a graphic novel is a book that is for everyone. Is there only one interpretation of a graphic novel? What are the elements of a graphic novel? You may have seen it in our library before.ĭiscuss with the students what they think is a graphic novel? We are going to start with an amazing, awarding winning, graphic novel by Shaun Tan. Some of these will be picture books and others will be novels. This term we are going to explore the themes of migration and refugees through literature.

The arrival tan shaun