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Shaun Tan Talks About His Creative Process for ‘Rules of Summer’

“I routinely draw lots of little vignettes in small sketchbooks, like loose bones in search of some connective tissue that might lead to a narrative, and in this case that narrative proved very hard to find. I just had lots of scenes of two characters, modeled more or less on myself and my older brother as kids, getting caught in all manner of odd situations. Eventually it occurred to me to forget about story altogether – why not? In fact, one thing I love about picture books is an ability to depart from linear narrative, and particularly from explanation.” (Picturebook Makers)

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