The Singing Bones

Reviewed by: Brooke Faulkner - McArthur Public Library, Biddeford, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2017

Review

A stunning photograph presentation of sculptures by visionary artist/illustrator Shaun Tan paired with very short excerpts from fairy tales collected by the Grimm Brothers, this fascinating work features a foreword by Neil Gaiman and an introduction by Jack Zipes. A note in the end matter lists the primary materials involved in the sculpture as papier mache, air-drying clay and paint - seemingly deceptively simple media for the remarkably textured and varied finished pieces featured in the collection. Managing to convey a mood both playful and eerie, sweet and menacing, Tan's artwork is full of movement and captures the essential mood of of the tales it is exploring.

Readers need not be familiar with the particular fairy tales excerpted throughout, though a short synopsis of each is included at the end, as well as a brief afterword by Tan about the process by which he created the sculptures.

This would pair well with novels that are fairy tale reworkings or as an inspirational work for an art class, but will also draw in teens and adults who are just interested in browsing its pages.

Overall Book Score: excellent