Eric

A foreign exchange student comes to live with a family. They have trouble pronouncing his name correctly, but he tells them to just call him “Eric.” Eric surprises the family by spending most of his time sleeping and studying in their kitchen pantry, although he has his own room. They don’t know if their guest is enjoying his stay or if he is uncomfortable. He is so polite and very hard to read. Mum says, “It must be a cultural thing.” Then Eric suddenly departs one morning, but not before leaving behind a surprise in the pantry.

This new edition of Shaun Tan’s Eric introduces young readers to the mysterious house guest who does not say very much to his host family. The story reflects a child’s confusion about the differences between cultures and the struggle to connect with someone different from ourselves. Tan’s haunting sepia-tone illustrations of tiny Eric focus on the small details that pique his curiosity. The final pages end with a pop of color, leaving readers with a sense of awe.