Shaun Tan books in order
Australian illustrator, writer, and animated filmmaker
- Born
- 1974
- Country
- Australia
- Books
- 14
Shaun Tan has published 1 novel, 3 short story collections and 10 children's books, beginning with The Lost Thing (2000). The best-known is The Arrival (2006). The latest is Tales from the Inner City (2018).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Shaun Tan
Start here
The Arrival
Shaun Tan's most-read book.
Newest
Tales from the Inner City
Published 2018.
Standalone novels in order
Sketches from a Nameless Land: The Art of the Arrival by Tan, Shaun (2012) Hardcover (2001)
Short story collections in order
Tales From Outer Suburbia (2008)
Lost & Found (2011)
Tales from the Inner City (2018)
Children's books in order
The Rabbits (1999)
The Lost Thing (2000)
Rules of Summer (2001)
The Red Tree (2001)
The Arrival (2006)
The Haunted Playground (2007)
Eric (2010)
The Bird King (2013)
The Singing Bones (2016)
Cicada (2019)
Film and TV adaptations
- The Lost Thing (2010)Film · from The Lost Thing
About Shaun Tan
Shaun Tan is an Australian artist, writer, and filmmaker. He is known for his graphic novel The Arrival (2006), which won several awards, and for his 2010 animated short film adaptation of the 2000 picture book he wrote and illustrated, The Lost Thing, for which he won an Academy Award. He has also written and illustrated many other books, including Tales From Outer Suburbia (2008) and The Red Tree (2001). Many of his works have won awards, including in the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards and the Western Australian Premier's Book Awards, and many have been adapted for screen and stage.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Shaun Tan FAQ
- How many books has Shaun Tan written?
- Shaun Tan has published 1 novel, 3 short story collections and 10 children's books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Shaun Tan's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Arrival.
- What is Shaun Tan's latest book?
- Tales from the Inner City (2018).
- What is Shaun Tan's most famous book?
- The Arrival (2006) is Shaun Tan's most widely read book.
- Which Shaun Tan books have been adapted?
- 1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including The Lost Thing (film, 2010).
Authors like Shaun Tan
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.