I've never read a graphic novel, and I'm thrilled to have read this one first.

Shaun Tan's 'The Arrival' is completely graphic, wordless. It is the story of a young father whom leaves his wife and daughter to take a long journey to a wholly different country so that he can support them. The imagery is rich and tender, truly amazing. To emphasize the entirely confusing world that immigrants enter, the graphics are completely foreign, unintelligible, overwhelming. It is easy to identify with the immigrant's predicament, and to root for him to find a place, friends, a home.

I cannot recommend this work of art highly enough.

I would especially hope that those who reduce immigration politics to simplistic chatter, would read this novel and put themselves into the main character's hat and shoes, and think carefully about what they might do if faced with a similar choice.