Wiesner, David. 2006. FLOTSAM. New York
Plot Summary
In this intriguing wordless picture book, David Wiesner takes his audience on a ocean adventure through the eyes of an underwater camera. The main character of the book, an adventure seeking scientific minded boy, finds an underwater camera washed up on the shore. After taking the film from the camera to be developed the boy discovers a magical world of photography, which causes one to wonder, “What may really be in the ocean?” When a picture of a girl holding a photo of a boy, whom is holding a photo of another girl, and so on and so on as another child appears, the curious boy gets out a microscope and discovers the camera has been found by generations of children. Each child contributed a photo of themselves while holding the photo of the previous child. The boy takes his own photo then throws the camera back in the ocean leaving the reader to believe that another oceanic adventure is to come. This magical, mysterious book leaves its readers to take their imagination to the limit!
Plot Summary
In this intriguing wordless picture book, David Wiesner takes his audience on a ocean adventure through the eyes of an underwater camera. The main character of the book, an adventure seeking scientific minded boy, finds an underwater camera washed up on the shore. After taking the film from the camera to be developed the boy discovers a magical world of photography, which causes one to wonder, “What may really be in the ocean?” When a picture of a girl holding a photo of a boy, whom is holding a photo of another girl, and so on and so on as another child appears, the curious boy gets out a microscope and discovers the camera has been found by generations of children. Each child contributed a photo of themselves while holding the photo of the previous child. The boy takes his own photo then throws the camera back in the ocean leaving the reader to believe that another oceanic adventure is to come. This magical, mysterious book leaves its readers to take their imagination to the limit!
Critical Analysis
Wiesner magnificently captures the attention of his readers in Flotsam through detailed, brightly painted beach and ocean scenes. Every page has beautiful detail filled illustrations magnificently brought to the reader through water colors by Wiesner. Readers young to old will find themselves eagerly awaiting the next page. The main character, a scientific minded, very curious boy, will take you on an ocean adventure. By living vicariously through the boy all readers will find themselves wondering if the scenes portrayed really happen under the ocean.
The story is set on a beach during a family outing. Children and adults will enjoy allowing their imagination to take over as they experience the fantasy joys of the undersea creatures and the world the creatures see. The book also offers a realistic side to adventure on the beach when the boy finds an underwater camera washed up on the shore. Finding a mysterious camera would peek curiosity in most everyone. Let your imagination go as you enjoy every magiacal detail in Flotsam.
Awards WonWinner of the 2007 Randolph Caldecott Medal
A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of 2006
A Booklist Editor's Choice 2006
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2006
A Horn Book Fanfare Title
A Child magazine Best Book of the Year
A Parenting magazine Book of the Year
A Nick Jr. Best Children's Book of 2006
A Book Sense Children's Pick, Autumn 2006
A Washington Post Top 10 Picture Book of the Year
A Parents' Choice Award Winner
A 2006 National Parenting Publications Gold Award Winner
New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading & Sharing
Chicago Public Library, Best Books of the Year
An Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award Winner 2007
Review Excerpts
"Wiesner offers another exceptional, wordless picture book that finds wild magic in quiet, everyday settings." Booklist, ALA, Starred Review
"New details swim into focus with every rereading of this immensely satisfying excursion." Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"A mind-bending journey of imagination." School Library Journal, Starred Review
"In Wiesner's much-honored style, the paintings are cinematic, coolly restrained and deliberate...An invitation not to be resisted." Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"Wiesner's detailed watercolors make the absurd wonderfully believable...and children will surely love 'Flotsam' from start to finish." New York Times Book Review Notable Book
"The meticulous and rich detail of Wiesner's watercolors makes the fantasy involving and convincing." Horn Book
"Wiesner continues to show children that things aren't always what they seem. Would the Caldecott committee consider a three-peat?" Bookpage
"Wiesner returns with his traditional wordless-narrative format for another fantastical outing." Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Connections"New details swim into focus with every rereading of this immensely satisfying excursion." Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"A mind-bending journey of imagination." School Library Journal, Starred Review
"In Wiesner's much-honored style, the paintings are cinematic, coolly restrained and deliberate...An invitation not to be resisted." Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"Wiesner's detailed watercolors make the absurd wonderfully believable...and children will surely love 'Flotsam' from start to finish." New York Times Book Review Notable Book
"The meticulous and rich detail of Wiesner's watercolors makes the fantasy involving and convincing." Horn Book
"Wiesner continues to show children that things aren't always what they seem. Would the Caldecott committee consider a three-peat?" Bookpage
"Wiesner returns with his traditional wordless-narrative format for another fantastical outing." Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
*Use Flotsam to aid in writing. Show children that writing is like a movie or a collection of pictures in your brain and that good writers make the pictures come to life in words. Provide students with a copy of the book Flotsam and ask them to write the story in their own words. Teachers could grade students based on their ability to; be creative, develop a summary stating the beginning middle and end, or the students’ use specific vocabulary such as flotsam.
*Teachers could use the book of Flotsam to access students on their ability to provide the story elements and the parts of story. Teachers could develop a chart for students to name the charters, setting, plot, beginning, middle, end, book title, and author’s name.
*Flotsam could be used to discuss the difference between fact and fantasy. Sometimes children only recognize fact in non-fiction books with photographs in the place of illustrations. Flotsam has realistic illustrations with fact and fantasy portrayed in them.
(Book images from www.amazon.com)
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