It Fell from the Sky (Hardcover)
September/October 2021 Kids Indie Next List
“The Fan brothers tell the story of a mysterious object landing and becoming a centerpiece in a P.T. Barnum-style, ticketed museum of wonders. Except...those attending the exhibits are insects.”
— Lisa Yee Swope, Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, NC
Staff Reviews
When a mysterious object falls from the sky, all of the insects are baffled by its appearance and enchanted by its beauty, but “the crafty Spider” convinces everyone that it has been his all along. He creates WonderVille so he can cash in, charging an ever increasing fee to see it. The Fan Brother’s art is gorgeous and gloriously detailed (look at those hats!), using only a little bit of color to highlight the wondrously mundane object.
— Timothy, Wild Rumpus
From the creators of the critically acclaimed The Night Gardener and Ocean Meets Sky comes a whimsical and elegantly illustrated picture book about community, art, the importance of giving back—and the wonder that fell from the sky.
It fell from the sky on a Thursday.
None of the insects know where it came from, or what it is. Some say it’s an egg. Others, a gumdrop. But whatever it is, it fell near Spider’s house, so he’s convinced it belongs to him.
Spider builds a wonderous display so that insects from far and wide can come look at the marvel. Spider has their best interests at heart. So what if he has to charge a small fee? So what if the lines are long? So what if no one can even see the wonder anymore?
But what will Spider do after everyone stops showing up?
It fell from the sky on a Thursday.
None of the insects know where it came from, or what it is. Some say it’s an egg. Others, a gumdrop. But whatever it is, it fell near Spider’s house, so he’s convinced it belongs to him.
Spider builds a wonderous display so that insects from far and wide can come look at the marvel. Spider has their best interests at heart. So what if he has to charge a small fee? So what if the lines are long? So what if no one can even see the wonder anymore?
But what will Spider do after everyone stops showing up?
Terry Fan received his formal art training at Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, Canada. His work is a blend of traditional and contemporary techniques, using ink or graphite mixed with digital. He spends his days (and nights) creating magical paintings, portraits, and prints. Terry is the cocreator of The Night Gardener, It Fell from the Sky, and Lizzy and the Cloud. Born in Illinois, he now lives in Toronto. Visit him online TheFanBrothers.com.
Eric Fan is an artist and writer who lives in Toronto, Canada. Born in Hawaii and raised in Toronto, he attended the Ontario College of Art and Design, where he studied illustration, sculpture, and film. He has a passion for vintage bikes, clockwork contraptions, and impossible dreams. Eric is the cocreator of The Night Gardener, It Fell from the Sky, and Lizzy and the Cloud. Visit him online TheFanBrothers.com.
Terry Fan received his formal art training at Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, Canada. His work is a blend of traditional and contemporary techniques, using ink or graphite mixed with digital. He spends his days (and nights) creating magical paintings, portraits, and prints. Terry is the cocreator of The Night Gardener, It Fell from the Sky, and Lizzy and the Cloud. Born in Illinois, he now lives in Toronto. Visit him online TheFanBrothers.com.
Eric Fan is an artist and writer who lives in Toronto, Canada. Born in Hawaii and raised in Toronto, he attended the Ontario College of Art and Design, where he studied illustration, sculpture, and film. He has a passion for vintage bikes, clockwork contraptions, and impossible dreams. Eric is the cocreator of The Night Gardener, It Fell from the Sky, and Lizzy and the Cloud. Visit him online TheFanBrothers.com.
Eric Fan is an artist and writer who lives in Toronto, Canada. Born in Hawaii and raised in Toronto, he attended the Ontario College of Art and Design, where he studied illustration, sculpture, and film. He has a passion for vintage bikes, clockwork contraptions, and impossible dreams. Eric is the cocreator of The Night Gardener, It Fell from the Sky, and Lizzy and the Cloud. Visit him online TheFanBrothers.com.
Terry Fan received his formal art training at Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, Canada. His work is a blend of traditional and contemporary techniques, using ink or graphite mixed with digital. He spends his days (and nights) creating magical paintings, portraits, and prints. Terry is the cocreator of The Night Gardener, It Fell from the Sky, and Lizzy and the Cloud. Born in Illinois, he now lives in Toronto. Visit him online TheFanBrothers.com.
Eric Fan is an artist and writer who lives in Toronto, Canada. Born in Hawaii and raised in Toronto, he attended the Ontario College of Art and Design, where he studied illustration, sculpture, and film. He has a passion for vintage bikes, clockwork contraptions, and impossible dreams. Eric is the cocreator of The Night Gardener, It Fell from the Sky, and Lizzy and the Cloud. Visit him online TheFanBrothers.com.
[A] wonderfully illustrated fable about the consequences of greed...largely black-and-white spreads by the Fan Brothers (The Antlered Ship), rendered digitally and in graphite, offer mesmerizing crispness and definition. The varied textures captured, from delicate dandelion heads to the glow of fireflies and the glossy reflective surface of the marble itself, give readers an entrée into the insects’ miniature world, and the sense that they are privy to its secrets and movements as the insects learn how to make wonder available to all.
— Publishers Weekly
The Fans’ marvelous illustrations sparkle with nuance, from lofting dandelion seeds to the Spider’s dew-dropped web...well-nigh Wondrous.
— Kirkus Reviews
* "A whimsical story of what happens when an everyday item is suddenly seen through new eyes."
— School Library Journal, starred review
"The Fans create a satisfying vintage feel with their playfully formal diction and detailed and graphite and digital illustrations, which mix realism and whimsy...each exquisitely detailed spread invites a longer, closer look, and the restrained palette's grayscale and color contrast recalls the film The Wizard of Oz. Only the items "from the sky" and the leaf currency are in color, suggesting their otherworldly quality and allure. Fans of David Wiesner should especially love this immersive miniature world where marbles are marvels and community spirit triumphs over filthy leaves--er, lucre."
— Shelf Awareness
* "The Fan brothers’ spectacularly detailed graphite work is as sumptuous and painstakingly rendered as always, and they use both shadow and light and limited pops of stunning color to enhance their storytelling in a remarkable way...[t]he story is elegantly told with clear anti-consumerist, anti-greed messaging, and while the spider is a bit alarming-looking, much can be forgiven for its dapper bow tie."
— Booklist, starred review
— Publishers Weekly
The Fans’ marvelous illustrations sparkle with nuance, from lofting dandelion seeds to the Spider’s dew-dropped web...well-nigh Wondrous.
— Kirkus Reviews
* "A whimsical story of what happens when an everyday item is suddenly seen through new eyes."
— School Library Journal, starred review
"The Fans create a satisfying vintage feel with their playfully formal diction and detailed and graphite and digital illustrations, which mix realism and whimsy...each exquisitely detailed spread invites a longer, closer look, and the restrained palette's grayscale and color contrast recalls the film The Wizard of Oz. Only the items "from the sky" and the leaf currency are in color, suggesting their otherworldly quality and allure. Fans of David Wiesner should especially love this immersive miniature world where marbles are marvels and community spirit triumphs over filthy leaves--er, lucre."
— Shelf Awareness
* "The Fan brothers’ spectacularly detailed graphite work is as sumptuous and painstakingly rendered as always, and they use both shadow and light and limited pops of stunning color to enhance their storytelling in a remarkable way...[t]he story is elegantly told with clear anti-consumerist, anti-greed messaging, and while the spider is a bit alarming-looking, much can be forgiven for its dapper bow tie."
— Booklist, starred review