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Title: This book is far too dark for a 3 year old
Review: I think this book is more appropriate for a troubled teenager, than a 3 - 8 year old. I found the pictures extremely depressing and gloomy, and the story way beyond what most 3 year olds would be able to grasp. Originally I bought this book as I was given tickets to see the production of "The Red Tree" at the Out of the Box Early Childhood Festival in Brisbane (Australia). I wanted to read it to my son before we went to the show but I ended up wondering why I had wasted my money. I have since come to realise that Shaun Tan's style is very individual - the type you either love or hate. Children have to grow up fast enough as it is without exposing them to such a depressing book. After we saw the live production of the Red Tree, my son walked around the house with his head hung down in the manner of the little girl from the book. His four year old mind had no hope of grasping the complexities in this story.
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