By Shaun Tan
Arthur A. Levine / Levine Querido, 2026
140 pages
978-1-64614-698-7
Ages 8-12
Shaun Tan’s brilliance as an artist and storyteller is on full display in this illustrated work of fiction. Hometown has a straightforward construct: a visual tour of a girl’s hometown as she sees it. But while the meaning of home and belonging might be universal, this place is utterly unique and unforgettable. The human narrator, who enjoys her life but occasionally “wonder[s] if things could be a bit more interesting,” introduces her family, friends, pets, hobbies, school, and secret place. The illustrations (some in panels, others in full-page spreads) of each stop on the tour show marvelously strange, unearthly creatures and environs. “Grandma” is a celestial amoeba; the girl’s “ride” is a multi-horned runner with a cactus tail. When a hole opens in the sky and an unfamiliar being—an Earthly space traveler—lands in her hometown, the girl and her friends watch as it is eaten, and then promptly spit out, by a many-eyed and -tentacled monster. The visiting creature is the same size and shape as the girl and takes great interest in her. Unimpressed by the girl’s kind hospitality, however, the creature reveals the purpose of his visit: to bring her back to a world of humans, where she belongs. Stunned, the girl consults her friends and family and eventually plans to depart with the stranger. When the dust settles, though, it’s clear that this girl knows herself and her hometown better than anyone. This highly discussable allegory is a visual feast. ©2026 Cooperative Children’s Book Center