---
product_id: 70576315
title: "Cicada"
price: "€ 30.11"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.fi/products/70576315-cicada
store_origin: FI
region: Finland
---

# Cicada

**Price:** € 30.11
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Cicada
- **How much does it cost?** € 30.11 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.fi](https://www.desertcart.fi/products/70576315-cicada)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

desertcart.com: Cicada: 9781338298390: Tan, Shaun, Tan, Shaun: Books

Review: A mordant little fable about modern working life, or, Kafka for kids - While this is officially marketed as a children's book, I speak as someone who worked too many years in a cubicle & finally made his escape from it. And any adult who ever did the same will find that this all-too-accurate story strikes home with a vengeance! It certainly did with me. Of course, the art is darkly beautiful, as might be expected from the gift Shaun Tan. And the minimalist text works quite effectively, leading the protagonist (and the reader) into darker & darker territory … and then to a moving conclusion, with Cicada having achieved … well, I'll leave that to the reader to discover, as I don't want to spoil the surprising ending. Let me touch on the negative reviews, which find the story too grim & depressing for younger readers. I'd say that it's no different than the original fairy tales of yore, which were darker & more honest about life than what Disney & others have made of them since. And in any case, even if some of this goes over the heads of younger readers, many of their parents are actually living the same story; kids are perceptive enough to see & understand more than many adults are willing to admit. Finally, I can't see any of those younger readers being upset or depressed by the ending, particularly with Cicada's closing words. (Again, you'll have to see for yourself.) As my subject line notes, this almost reads like a Kafka story for kids. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. If anything, the story will evoke empathy & compassion in its younger readers. But worried parents might want to read it first & decide for themselves. As far as I'm concerned, highly recommended!
Review: WOW!!! - (this is not a children's book...it's not offensive to children, it just presents with a slightly darker concept than most children' book deal with.) Sean Tan's books are AMAZING. I only pray that he makes lots of money from them, and never has to do anything but create more stories and drawings. This little book tells the most amazing tale...I keep it on my coffee table and hand it to everyone who has to wait a few minutes for me. Every single person has loved it. And if you really want to be impressed - Get a copy of "The Arrival." Without a single written word other than the title, it will not only create a story of an immigrant's experience, it will cause you to FEEL like an immigrant yourself, as you are forced to understand the world you find yourself in - without the help of words! Having just read the negative reviews - I want to tell readers: This is not about suicide AT ALL!!! It's a book about transformation!!! (How did those readers not know that????)

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #169,871 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #80 in Magical Fantasy Fiction for Children (Books) #135 in Teen & Young Adult Magical Realism Fiction #300 in Children's Bug & Spider Books (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (544) |
| Dimensions  | 7.75 x 0.5 x 9.75 inches |
| Edition  | Illustrated |
| Grade level  | 7 and up |
| ISBN-10  | 1338298399 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-1338298390 |
| Item Weight  | 2.31 pounds |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 32 pages |
| Publication date  | January 29, 2019 |
| Publisher  | Arthur A. Levine Books |
| Reading age  | 12 years and up |

## Images

![Cicada - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/510z+QVrfCL.jpg)
![Cicada - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51NtNwl+iTL.jpg)
![Cicada - Image 3](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91y0dm8OWAL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A mordant little fable about modern working life, or, Kafka for kids
*by T***N on June 19, 2019*

While this is officially marketed as a children's book, I speak as someone who worked too many years in a cubicle & finally made his escape from it. And any adult who ever did the same will find that this all-too-accurate story strikes home with a vengeance! It certainly did with me. Of course, the art is darkly beautiful, as might be expected from the gift Shaun Tan. And the minimalist text works quite effectively, leading the protagonist (and the reader) into darker & darker territory … and then to a moving conclusion, with Cicada having achieved … well, I'll leave that to the reader to discover, as I don't want to spoil the surprising ending. Let me touch on the negative reviews, which find the story too grim & depressing for younger readers. I'd say that it's no different than the original fairy tales of yore, which were darker & more honest about life than what Disney & others have made of them since. And in any case, even if some of this goes over the heads of younger readers, many of their parents are actually living the same story; kids are perceptive enough to see & understand more than many adults are willing to admit. Finally, I can't see any of those younger readers being upset or depressed by the ending, particularly with Cicada's closing words. (Again, you'll have to see for yourself.) As my subject line notes, this almost reads like a Kafka story for kids. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. If anything, the story will evoke empathy & compassion in its younger readers. But worried parents might want to read it first & decide for themselves. As far as I'm concerned, highly recommended!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ WOW!!!
*by C***A on August 29, 2021*

(this is not a children's book...it's not offensive to children, it just presents with a slightly darker concept than most children' book deal with.) Sean Tan's books are AMAZING. I only pray that he makes lots of money from them, and never has to do anything but create more stories and drawings. This little book tells the most amazing tale...I keep it on my coffee table and hand it to everyone who has to wait a few minutes for me. Every single person has loved it. And if you really want to be impressed - Get a copy of "The Arrival." Without a single written word other than the title, it will not only create a story of an immigrant's experience, it will cause you to FEEL like an immigrant yourself, as you are forced to understand the world you find yourself in - without the help of words! Having just read the negative reviews - I want to tell readers: This is not about suicide AT ALL!!! It's a book about transformation!!! (How did those readers not know that????)

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Gift....
*by G***A on September 11, 2025*

The gift was for an adult who LOVES cicadas and they absolutely loved this!

## Frequently Bought Together

- Cicada
- The Arrival
- Tales from the Inner City

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*Product available on Desertcart Finland*
*Store origin: FI*
*Last updated: 2026-01-22*