 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Flotsam
- Genre: Picture Book
Common Sense Media says
Caldecott winner features magical watercolors.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this wordless, beautiful book with captivating illustrations won the 2007 Caldecott Medal. Kids of all ages will appreciate the story on its various levels.
What's the story?
While digging for crabs, a wave sweeps the boy off his feet and deposits an underwater camera on the sand in front of him. After he recovers, he has the film developed and is captivated by what he finds. Ultimately, he tosses the camera back into the sea, where it's carried away by various creatures until it again washes ashore for a new child to find.
Is it any good?
With no text to interfere, this book's expressive, sensitively painted watercolors tell the story as words never could. And the magic of the boy's imaginative, somewhat surreal photos is intriguing and will amaze the reader.
David Wiesner is a talented, clever, prolific artist with a self-avowed passion for what he calls "wordless storytelling." He manages to pack his pages with details variously framed and set up like a comic book, yet masterfully placed to create the rhythm of a classic tale. Of all Wiesner's books, Flotsam in particular reflects his fascination with what comes before and after a picture.
Captivating. There's so much to explore on each page.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the things the boy finds in the ocean and the adventures he has. What kinds of things does he see?
Have you had any adventures like his at the beach?
Can you tell what's going on in each picture? Can you make up your own stories behind it?
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| Illustrator: | David Wiesner |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Picture Book |
| Publisher: | Clarion Books |
| Publication date: | September 4, 2006 |
| Number of pages: | 40 |
| Hardcover price: | $17.00 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 4 - 7 |
| Read aloud: | 4 |
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