Flotsam

Bibliography:

Wiesner, David. 2006. Flotsam. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN: 0618194576

Summary:

A boy is spending the day with his family on the beach. While he’s playing with a crab, a wave washes up a camera next to him. He finds a roll of film inside and gets it developed at a one-hour photo place. When the pictures come back, he is astounded. The following pages show the extraordinary pictures the camera took while underwater, as well as pictures of the other kids who have found the camera washed up on their beach. Finally, he takes a picture of himself and throws the camera back in the water so it can continue its journey.

Analysis:

This is a wordless picture book, but it doesn’t need words. The illustrations tell the story perfectly, and there is a clear story. It’s beautifully illustrated in watercolor, and there is enough detail to keep a patient reader busy for a long time. Some pages are one big picture, meant to capture a scene. Other pages are a series of smaller frames meant to convey action, such as the boy finding the camera, showing his parents, and discovering the film.

The fantastical pictures he finds reveal an ocean we haven’t seen before – miniature aliens, starfish with islands on their backs, and mechanical fish. The author/illustrator enjoys playing with perspective, first showing the reader an extreme close-up of an image and then zooming out, or vice versa. This creative story is circular, since the boy returns the camera to the water for the next child to find.

Reviews/Awards:

The book won the Caldecott Medal in 2007 for excellence in illustration

"From arguably the most inventive and cerebral visual storyteller in children's literature comes a wordless invitation . . . not to be resisted." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"New details swim into focus with every rereading of this immensely satisfying excursion." —Publisher's Weekly, starred review

Connections:
*Read David Wiesner’s other picture books, especially Tuesday.
*Kids will enjoy making up their own stories about the underwater pictures.
*Older readers can try works illustrated by Brian Selznick, who uses a similar style of perspective and action in his drawings.