The Red Tree (Shaun Tan)

The Red Tree (2001), written and illustrated by Shaun Tan, is a picture book that presents a fragmented journey through a dark world. The illustrations are surreal. The text is sparse and matches the dark illustrations.

The story is based on images inspired by the experience of depression. The main character is a lonely red-headed girl. A red leaf from a red tree follows the girl through her day; it states how she feels and depicts her worries. Almost unnoticed in each picture is a small red leaf (symbolising hope). At the end, the little girl stands smiling at a beautiful red-leafed tree growing in her bedroom.

This book is one of many picture books by Tan, who also addresses issues such as immigration and cultural differences.