Rules of summer / Shaun Tan.
Two boys explain the occasionally mysterious "rules" they learned over the summer, like never eat the last olive at a party, never ruin a perfect plan, and never give your keys to a stranger. This is a deceptively simple story about two boys, one older and one younger, and the kind of rules that might govern any relationship between close friends or siblings. Rules that are often so strange or arbitrary, they seem impossible to understand from the outside. Yet through each exquisite illustration of this nearly wordless narrative, we can enjoy wandering around an emotional landscape that is oddly familiar to us all. The author/illustrator draws upon his own personal experiences with a surreal snapshot of fishing adventures with his older brother, leaving a sock on the clothes line, and buildings inspired by Brunswick and greater Melbourne. As you venture deep into the story, these poetic images become darker, more mysterious and unsettling, drawing towards a redemptive ending that affirms the depth of true friendship, a bond that is equally wonderful and inexplicable.Moments of humour, surreal fantasy, and the sometimes devastating ways we interact with the people we love the most, are presented in the author's typical thought-provoking style.
Record details
- ISBN: 0545639123
- ISBN: 9780545639125
- Physical Description: 52 unnumbered pages : color illustrations ; 28 x 30 cm
- Edition: First American edition
- Publisher: New York, NY : Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2014.
- Copyright: ©2013
Search for related items by subject
- Subject:
- Conduct of life > Juvenile fiction.
Friendship > Juvenile fiction.
Summer > Juvenile fiction.
Friendships. - Genre:
- Fiction.
Available copies
- 28 of 32 copies available at NC Cardinal.
- 1 of 1 copy available at Onslow County Public Library. (Show)
Holds
- 0 current holds with 32 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Main Library | E TAN (Text) | 36015000169637 | Easy Fiction | Available | - |
| Albert Carlton - Cashiers Community Library | E TAN (Text) | 39493107614275 | Easy Reader | Available | - |
| Allen Library | E TAN (Text) | 38198000013449 | Easy Fiction | Available | - |
| Annie Hubbard McEachern Public Library | E TAN (Text) | 34510800142109 | Easy Fiction | Available | - |
| Canton Library | E Tan (Text) | 33115007427427 | Easy Fiction | Available | - |
| Coats Public Library | E Tan (Text) | 33633002205788 | Easy Fiction | Available | - |
| Cooleemee | E TAN (Text) | 39872001630265 | Easy Fiction | Available | - |
| Fletcher Branch | TAN (Text) | 33258007422301 | Easy Fiction | Available | - |
| Harnett County Main Library | E Tan (Text) | 33630003882086 | Easy Fiction | Checked out | 08/18/2026 |
| Hatteras Library | P TAN (Text) | 39488400417723 | Easy Fiction | Available | - |
Accessibility Features
Summary:
Two boys explain the occasionally mysterious "rules" they learned over the summer, like never eat the last olive at a party, never ruin a perfect plan, and never give your keys to a stranger. This is a deceptively simple story about two boys, one older and one younger, and the kind of rules that might govern any relationship between close friends or siblings. Rules that are often so strange or arbitrary, they seem impossible to understand from the outside. Yet through each exquisite illustration of this nearly wordless narrative, we can enjoy wandering around an emotional landscape that is oddly familiar to us all. The author/illustrator draws upon his own personal experiences with a surreal snapshot of fishing adventures with his older brother, leaving a sock on the clothes line, and buildings inspired by Brunswick and greater Melbourne. As you venture deep into the story, these poetic images become darker, more mysterious and unsettling, drawing towards a redemptive ending that affirms the depth of true friendship, a bond that is equally wonderful and inexplicable.Moments of humour, surreal fantasy, and the sometimes devastating ways we interact with the people we love the most, are presented in the author's typical thought-provoking style.
