Find a book
Donate
book cover

The Lost Thing

by Shaun Tan

Interest age: 9+
Reading age: 9+

Published by Hodder Children's Books, 2010

  • Fantasy
  • Graphic novels
  • Picture books
  • Disability
  • Dyslexia
  • Learning disability

About this book

While walking on the beach collecting bottle tops, a boy finds a strange, sad-looking, but friendly, 'thing'. The lost thing (a huge abstract and red object with six legs and many windows and doors) and the boy spend a pleasant time together. Since no one seems to claim ownership of the thing, the boy decides to take it home, but eventually hands it over to a special place where many unclaimed items are left.

This is a highly original picture book for older readers with stunning illustrations, evocative of well-known surrealist and abstract paintings.

About the author

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. Shaun began drawing and painting images for science fiction and horror stories in small-press magazines as a teenager, and has since become best known for illustrated books that deal with social, political and historical subjects through surreal, dream-like imagery.

Books such as The Rabbits, The Red Tree, The Lost Thing and the acclaimed wordless novel The Arrival have been widely translated throughout Europe, Asia and South America, and enjoyed by readers of all ages. Shaun has also worked as a theatre designer, and worked as a concept artist for the films Horton Hears a Who and Pixar's WALL-E.

More books like this

Explore our Bookfinder
Share this page Twitter Facebook LinkedIn