Happy Book Birthday, It Fell From the Sky by The Fan Brothers!

 You have no idea how excited I was to see another book from the Fan Brothers. Their artistry and pacing has been amazing in their past two picture books, and I couldn't wait to see what they've brought out now. 

With this book, they've definitely won me over as a fan. In some ways, it reminds me of James and the Giant Peach, but it takes its own direction, making it an original and intriguing tale.

And now, I'm going to stop before I saw everything...because isn't that what a review is for?

IT FELL FROM THE SKY

by The Fan Brothers

Simon & Schuster 

Picture Book

56 pages

ages 4 to 8

From the creators of the critically acclaimed The Night Gardener and Ocean Meets Sky comes a whimsical and elegantly illustrated picture book about community, art, the importance of giving back—and the wonder that fell from the sky.

It fell from the sky on a Thursday.

None of the insects know where it came from, or what it is. Some say it’s an egg. Others, a gumdrop. But whatever it is, it fell near Spider’s house, so he’s convinced it belongs to him.

Spider builds a wonderous display so that insects from far and wide can come look at the marvel. Spider has their best interests at heart. So what if he has to charge a small fee? So what if the lines are long? So what if no one can even see the wonder anymore?

But what will Spider do after everyone stops showing up?

GOODREADS   /   AMAZON   /   B&N   /   BOOK DEPOSITORY   /   KOBO

MY TIDBITS

Vivid grays and whites create a capturing world and setting the perfect background for a wonder, which changes everything.

It fell from the sky, a glorious ball of color. None of the insects and other creatures living in the grass and weeds know what it is, but they know it's amazing. After various attempts to figure it out, the spiders steps up with an idea, which allows everyone to watch it in a wondrous setting...one that can be seen after paying a small entrance fee of a leaf. As things grow and grow, all seems spectacular, but then, disaster strikes.

To say that the illustrations are amazing is an understatement. The details of the grass world comes to life with vibrant exactness thanks to the defined grays and whites. Not only are these well done, but it allows the marvelous object, which fell from the sky, to truly capture the attention. This is as masterful play as it also demonstrates why and how the insects can find this item so miraculous. It stays at the center until it's not. It's a visual tale in and of itself.

But to say the tale isn't just as capturing would simply be wrong. Various creatures from the grass play with ideas of what the item could be. It's entertaining and curious to watch them marvel over an object listeners will recognize. As the spider comes in and changes everything, the story grabs and keeps listeners waiting to see how it all turns out. It's a capturing tale with a very good message and is sure to become a favorite. I'm definitely adding this one to my list of favorite picture books for 2021.

And here they are...

Terry Fan received his formal art training at Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, Canada. His work is a blend of traditional and contemporary techniques, using ink or graphite mixed with digital. He spends his days (and nights) creating magical paintings, portraits, and prints. Terry is the cocreator of The Night Gardener and It Fell from the Sky. Born in Illinois, he now lives in Toronto. Visit him online TheFanBrothers.com.

Eric Fan is an artist and writer who lives in Toronto, Canada. Born in Hawaii and raised in Toronto, he attended the Ontario College of Art and Design, where he studied illustration, sculpture, and film. He has a passion for vintage bikes, clockwork contraptions, and impossible dreams. Eric is the cocreator of The Night Gardener and It Fell from the Sky. Visit him online TheFanBrothers.com.

Review: Ocean Meets Sky by Terry Fan and Eric Fan

OCEAN MEETS SKY

Terry Fan and Eric Fan

Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

Picture Book

 ages 4 to 8

48 pages

“Young readers will be captivated.” —The Washington Post

From the creators of the gorgeous bestseller The Night Gardener, comes a stunning new picture book about a young boy who sets sail to find a place his grandfather told him about…the spot where the ocean meets the sky.

It’s a good day for sailing.

Finn lives by the sea and the sea lives by him. Every time he looks out his window it’s a constant reminder of the stories his grandfather told him about the place where the ocean meets the sky. Where whales and jellyfish soar and birds and castles float.

Finn’s grandfather is gone now but Finn knows the perfect way to honor him. He’ll build his own ship and sail out to find this magical place himself!

And when he arrives, maybe, just maybe, he’ll find something he didn’t know he was looking for. 

MY TIDBITS

This is simply a beautiful, imagination packed book which invites to dream and ride on fantasy's wings.

Finn lives by the ocean, and he misses his grandfather, who loved ships and sailing. On what would have been his grandfather's ninetieth birthday, Finn decides to honor him by building a boat of his own. The results aren't only a boat but an amazing trip not only to the high-seas but beyond.

Illustrations, dreams and words find the perfect blend in these pages, creating not only a lovely read but a piece of art. Starting out with an average boy remembering his grandfather, this story mounts into a magical journey. There's a touch of Asia in the pages and the beauty of the culture and myths (especially of the giant golden fish) hit like a gentle dusting.

Imagination takes flight in this book and, with the amazing illustration, invites to gaze and dream. There's something new to find in the details every time, making this a book to flip through time and again. It's great as a bedtime read, especially with the moon taking on a lovely role toward the end.

There are many things to love about this book, including the journey the boy makes to reach these dreams. First, there's a warming memory of his grandfather—he misses his grandfather but its the wonderful memories which stand on center stage. Then, the boy constructs his own ship, putting his feelings and imagination to work. When the fantasy kicks in, it's spellbinding and offers a message of hope and encouragement. This one will receive a special place on our shelves.


And here they are. . .

Eric Fan is an artist and writer who lives in Toronto, Canada. Born in Hawaii and raised in Toronto, he attended the Ontario College of Art and Design, where he studied illustration, sculpture, and film. He has a passion for vintage bikes, clockwork contraptions, and impossible dreams. See more of his work at Society6.com/opifan64 and on Facebook (Eric Fan Illustration).

Terry Fan received his formal art training at Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, Canada. His work is a blend of traditional and contemporary techniques, using ink or graphite mixed with digital. He spends his days (and nights) creating magical paintings, portraits, and prints. Born in Illinois, he now lives in Toronto. Visit him online at Krop.com?TerryFFan and Society6.com/igo2cairo and on Facebook (Terry Fan Illustration). 

Review: The Antlered Ship by Dashka Slater

THE ANTLERED SHIP

by Dashka Slater

Illustrated by Eric&Terry Fan

Beach Lane Books

Picture Book

ages 4 to 8

48 pages

An inquisitive fox sets off on a seafaring voyage with a crew of deer and pigeons in this enchanting tale of friendship and adventure.

Marco the fox has a lot of questions, like: how deep does the sun go when it sinks into the sea? And why do birds have such lizardy feet? But none of the other foxes share his curiosity. So when a magnificent ship adorned with antlers and with a deer for a captain arrives at the dock looking for a crew, Marco volunteers, hoping to find foxes who are as inquisitive as he is that can answer his questions. The crew finds adventure and intrigue on their journey. And, at last, Marco finds the answer to his most important question of all: What’s the best way to find a friend you can talk to?

MY TIDBITS

By opening the first page, the reader enters the salty world of high-sea adventure, where winds blow through the hair, waves rock every step and the answers to every question lay on the horizon.

Fox has many questions about the world, ones that the other foxes don't understand. When an antlered ship appears on the horizon, and the captain searches for a crew to sail to a faraway island, fox decides to join in on the adventure. And perhaps, he'll find the answer to his questions along the way.

Just picking this book up is already an invitation to enter something special. The book jacket doesn't only portray the perfect atmosphere of misty, ocean adventures, but the jacket itself is made with a slightly tougher and rougher paper. The inside of the book displays sea maps with foreign islands and sailing routes--perfect to set off young navigators' dreams. And that's exactly what the illustrations in this book are--a dream. Each one is an artwork in itself and lets the atmosphere come across. It's worth grabbing up this tale just to gaze through the pictures and be lost in world of water, ships and waves.

The tale itself hits the basic question of finding friends. Although fox has many existential questions, which hit upon the meaning of life and beyond, this book focuses on seeking out others who have the same interests as you, or at least, finding friends who are ready to stand at your side. Fox finds the answer to his basic questions, although these answers might be a bit above some younger listeners' heads, since it's never directly stated but rather implied like a passing fog.

As to the adventure, it will spark the interest of pirating and high-sea adventure fans. The crew isn't what one would expect, which is sure to catch young listeners' attention. There is a bit of tension when pirates appear, and the solution is quite clever. Unfortunately, this 'action' scene is done almost as fast as it starts. . .like the rest of the tale. The plot passes by a bit quick and would have benefited from a little more time and several more pages.

Still, peering through this book is like gazing into a fantastical dream. The illustrations are what makes this a tale to pick up and gaze at time and again.



And here they are. . .

The author. . .

Dashka Slater's four picture books have won widespread praise for their inventive language and vivid imagery. Baby Shoes was named one of the best children's books of 2006 by both Booklist and Nick Jr. magazines and was chosen for the Texas 2x2 list of best books for children age two to grade two. The Sea Serpent and Me was a Junior Library Guild Selection and a finalist for the Cybil and Chickadee Awards, as well as being named to the 2008 Librarians' Choice List of the best books for children and young adults Dangerously Ever After was named the 2013-14 Surrey Picture Book of the Year based on the votes of over 12,700 elementary school students. A recipient of a Creative Writing Fellowship for the National endowment for the Arts, slater is also an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in such publications as Newsweek, Salon, The New York Times Magazine, and Mother Jones. She is also the author of a novel for adults, The Wishing Box, which the Los Angeles Times named to its list of the year's best fiction in 2000.

The Illustrators. . .

Eric Fan is an artist and writer who lives in Toronto, Canada. Born in Hawaii and raised in Toronto, he attended the Ontario College of Art and design, where he studied illustration, sculpture, and film. He has a passion for vintage bikes, clockwork contraptions, and impossible dreams. The Night Gardener is his first children's book. See more of his work at Society6.com/opifan64 and on Facebook (Eric Fan Illustrations).

Terry Fan  received his formal art training at Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, Canada. His work is a blend of traditional and contemporary techniques, using ink or graphite mixed with digital. He spends his days (and nights) creating magical paintings, portraits, and prints. The Night Gardener is his first book. Born in Illinois, he now lives in Toronto. Visit him online at Krop.com/Terryffan and Society6.com/igo2cairo and on Facebook (Terry Fan Illustration).