Flotsam by David Wiesner

Wiesner, D. (2006). Flotsam. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

Flotsam was written by David Wiesner in 2006 and received the Caldecott Medal in 2007. The illustrations are absolutely breathtaking in this wordless picture book. They tell an intriguing story about a magical camera that travels around the world capturing surreal images of undersea life. A young boy finds the camera on a beach and discovers this fantastical water world after he develops the photos from the camera. Upon further investigation, the boy realizes this magical camera has been taking amazing images of ocean life for dozens of past generations. At the end of the story, the reader is taken to a new beach with a new child and realizes that the magical camera will continue its work well into the future. This is a fascinating picture book and it’s almost hard to believe that the story is told entirely through illustrations alone! It is no wonder how it was awarded the Caldecott Medal. This book is appropriate for children of all ages. In lower elementary grades, the book can be used as a catalyst for story writing. In upper elementary grades, students can use the book to infer story elements and make predictions. Also to extend comprehension, a teacher could ask inferential questions such as “why does the author show the pictures within pictures?” or “how does the reader know that this camera has taken pictures in the past?” I truly loved this picture book!! It is beautifully illustrated and tells an wonderfully imaginative story.

(Image from www.hmhbooks.com/wiesner)