Module 10: Tales from Outer Suburbia

Bibliography: Tan, S. (2008). Tales from Outer Suburbia. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

Summary: This novel contains several fictional stories that cover the strange and unusual happenings of suburban life.  The stories cover everything from a giant water buffalo who gives obscure directions to an unusual holiday in which people sacrifice precious objects to a blind reindeer. One particular story covers the journey of a giant paper ball formed from scraps of forgotten or discarded poetry. Surrealistic images accompany each story and appear in a variety of formats – from hand-drawn to collage.

Impressions: Readers who delight in the strange and unusual will enjoy this novel.  Tan’s stories weave a magical effect and bring imagination to life.  The surrealistic images that accompany all his stores serve to enhance this effect.  The language used, with few exceptions, is suited to young adults which are the books intended audience.  Though all the stories were interesting, I found “Distant Rain” the most interesting.  This particular story explains how some works of poetry escape the destruction that often befalls them and eventually form a giant paper ball that takes on a life of its own.  The giant ball falls apart in the end and the various pieces fall all over the neighborhood and instill a variety of emotions in the residents. 

Reviews:

“Starred Review* After teaching the graphic format a thing or two about its own potential for elegance with The Arrival (2007), Tan follows up with this array of 15 extraordinary illustrated tales. But here is an achievement in diametric opposition to his silent masterpiece, as Tan combines spare words and weirdly dazzling images—in styles ranging from painting to doodles to collage—to create a unity that holds complexities of emotion seldom found in even the most mature works. The story of a water buffalo who sits in a vacant lot mysteriously pointing children “in the right direction” is whimsical but also ominous. The centerpiece, “Grandpa’s Story,” recalling a ceremonial marriage journey and the unnameable perils faced therein, captures a tone of aching melancholy and longing, but also, ultimately, a sense of deep, deep happiness. And the eerie “Stick Figures” is both a poignant and rather disturbing narrative that plays out in the washed-out daylight of suburban streets where curious, tortured creatures wait at the ends of pathways and behind bus stops. The thoughtful and engaged reader will take from these stories an experience as deep and profound as with anything he or she has ever read.”  – Jesse Karp (Booklist)

-          Karp, J. (2008). Tales from Outer Suburbia Review. Booklist (Vol. 105, No. 7). Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~Y80Bt9:2

“Far from the simple life, Tan's suburbia is full of exotic characters and strange situations. Made up of fifteen short stories, Tales from Outer Suburbia explores various issues related to the rise of the suburbs. Several stories deal with the consequences of consumerism. There is even a how-to guide on creating a lovable pet from discarded electronics. Another tale describes two children who travel across town searching for the end of the concrete sprawl. At last they come to the end of the road and find nothing exists beyond the sheer drop-off. Other memorable stories range from cold war fall-out, a neighborhood full of idle "backyard missiles" which have found diverse practical uses over the years, to tracing the fate of discarded poems. Throughout Tan's masterful blend of visual and written art, the reader is taken on a nostalgic journey. Every inch of the book is carefully designed, alternating between various mediums-paint, pencil, and colleague-to bring the ideas to life. The stories each stand on their own, while also uniting to complete a holistic vision of modern suburbia. Tales from Outer Suburbia is ideal for use in the classroom as it can be studied and analyzed either lightly or in great depth depending on the students' individual levels. One reading is not enough, and readers will continue to glean more each time they visit "Outer Suburbia." – Alison Canar (Children’s Book and Play Review)

-          Canar, A. (2009). Tales from Outer Suburbia Review.  Children’s Book and Play Review (Vol. 29, No. 6). Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~Y80Bt9:2

Suggestions for Use in a Library:

Librarians can use this book as a starting point for a discussion about strange and unusual things that occur in reality.  Children can share stories about unusual events that have happened in their own lives.