Terry Fan Books In Order

Publication Order of Picture Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Terry Fan
Terry Fan is a picture book illustrator and author. One part of a creative team, along with Eric, his brother, and known collectively as The Fan Brothers. Their well received debut picture book “The Night Gardener” got starred reviews in Kirkus and Publisher’s Weekly, and was Amazon’s Best Book of the Year, ages 6-8 in 2016.

Terry spends his days (as well as his nights) creating magical prints, paintings, and portraits.

Terry received his formal art training at the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto. Before he was even able to talk, he was doodling airplanes on the walls.

“The Darkest Dark” is a stand alone picture book and was released in 2016. Inspired by the childhood of Chris Hadfield (a real life astronaut) and brought to life by Eric and Terry Fan’s evocative and lush illustrations, this book will encourage readers to dream about the impossible.

Chris loves planets and rockets and pretending he is a brave astronaut, exploring the whole universe. Just one problem, however, Chris doesn’t feel so brave at night. He is scared of the dark.

However when he watches the groundbreaking moon landing on television, he realizes that space is the darkest dark there is, and the dark is exciting and beautiful, particularly when you have your big dreams to keep you company.

“The Night Gardener” is a stand alone picture book and was released in 2016. One day, William finds that the tree just outside of his window has been sculpted into this wise owl.

In the days that follow, more topiaries show up, with each one being more beautiful than the one before. Before long, William’s gray little town is filled with life and color. And even though the mysterious night gardener vanishes just as suddenly as he appeared, William (and his entire town) are permanently changed.

“Ocean Meets Sky” is a stand alone picture book and was released in 2018. Finn lives near the ocean and the ocean lives near him. Each and every time he looks out of his window, it is a constant reminder of all those stories his grandpa told to him about the place where the ocean meets the sky. Where jellyfish and whales soar and castles and birds float.

Finn’s grandpa is gone now, however Finn knows the perfect way to honor him. He will build a ship of his own and sail off to find this magical place himself. And once he arrives, possibly, he will find something that he didn’t even know he was looking for.

“Ocean Meets Sky” was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Picture Books in 2018.

“The Barnabus Project” is a stand alone picture book and was released in 2020. In the world built for Perfect Pets, Barnabus is a Failed Project, half elephant and half mouse, is kept out of sight until his dreams of freedom lead him and the rest of his misfit buddies on this perilous adventure.

Deep underground, down beneath Perfect Pets, where kids can buy these genetically “perfect” creatures, there’s this secret lab. Barnabus and his buddies live in this lab, however none of them are perfect. They’re all Failed Projects. Barnabus has never been outside of his little bell jar, but dreams about one day seeing the world above ground which his buddy Pip the cockroach has told him all about: a world with green trees and hills, and these buildings which reach all the way up into the sky, lit with their own stars.

However Barnabus might have to reach the outside world a lot sooner than he figured, since the Green Rubber Suits are soon going to recycle all of the Failed Projects. And Barnabus does not want to be made into a fluffer pet with much bigger eyes. He only wants to be himself. So he figures it’s time for him and the others to escape. With his small trunk and a lot of courage and cooperation, he sets off to find freedom, and some place where he and his buddies are able to finally get accepted for why they really are.

This poignant, magical, and suspenseful tale about following your dreams and finding out where you really belong is going to pull readers into a lushly detailed and surreal world in which perfection actually means being true to yourself and your friends.

This is a cathartic morality story about freeing yourself from the tyranny of wanting to be perfect.

“It Fell From the Sky” is a stand alone picture book and was released in 2021. A picture book about art, community, the importance of giving back, as well as the wonder that fell from the sky.

It fell from the sky on a Thursday. None of the insects even know where it came from, or even what the heck it is. Some say that it’s an egg. Others, a gumdrop. Whatever it is though, it fell near Spider’s house, so he’s certain that it belongs to him.

Spider builds this wondrous display in order for insects from both far and wide can come and look at this marvel. Spider has got their best interests at heart, so what if he must charge a tiny fee? So what if nobody’s even able to see the wonder anymore? And so what if the lines are long? However what is Spider going to do after everybody quits showing up to see it?

“Lizzy and the Cloud” is a stand alone picture book and was released in 2022. The story about a young girl that cares for her pet cloud while it grows.

It is just a little out of fashion to buy a pet cloud, however Lizzy does not mind. She is not looking for a fancy one or a big one, only one that is just right for her. And she finds exactly that in Milo.

Before long, she is watering Milo right on schedule, taking Milo out on walks with her family, and seeing Milo continue to grow. However what happens when her pet cloud gets to be too big for her to handle?