Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book)

Author - David Wiesner ... [Goo?] [Posters]

This Hardcover Book item from Clarion Books was reviewed on 31-Jul-2008.

Search ISBN:0618194576 offer from Abebooks or used books from Alibris. Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book) Reference Book. Classifications : Fiction Marine Life Animals Children's Books Subjects Books Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror Literature Children's Books Subjects Books General Literature C . Click the following link to view the cover of Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book).

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1) Hardcover Book Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book) by Clarion Books. David Wiesner is the Stephen King of illustrated children´s books: off-kilter, weird, and supernatural. However, Wiesner underlies all he draws with humor, joy, spunk. He has won the Caldecott Gold Medal three times, for
Tuesday,
The Three Pigs,
and "Flotsam."

This is what is written on the front book flap: "Flotsam: Something that floats. If it floats in the ocean, it may wash up on the beach, where someone may find it and be astonished, and share the discovery with someone else--as David Wiesner shares it with you." And that, my friends, pretty well summarizes "Flotsam" as far as story line goes. However, to appreciate Wiesner´s storytelling talent through art, you must "read" the book.

First page after the end paper and before the title page is a distinctive picture of a boy beachcombing. The double title page shows findings from a beachcombing expedition. The next page begins the story with a close-up of a hermit crab in front of a huge eyeball belonging to the boy. He´s looking, looking, and a huge wave sweeps him over. When it washes back out, there sits a camera with seaweed and tiny barnacles all over it. It´s a Melville Underwater Camera.

He finds a roll of film in it and takes it to the one-hour photo shop on the beach. What he sees when the film is developed astonishes not only the boy but the viewer as well. It is a picture of phantasmogorical figures of the sea. But the most astonishing is the one of a girl holding a photograph of a boy holding a photograph of a girl holding a photo...He gets a magnifying glass and sees more figures and photos. He gets a microscope and sees more and more and more until it is just a boy in 19th century garb waving to the camera.

He takes a photo of himself holding the photograph he had developed and then tosses the camera back into the sea. At the end another little girl finds the camera...

Children LOVE the bizarre elements of the story. It tickles their fancy and stimulates their imagination. This is a must book for every child, kindergarten age and up, including mothers and fathers. I have my own copy, as well as Wiesner´s other two Caldecott winners. They are a joy to "read."


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2) Hardcover Book Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book) by Clarion Books. Great book, but no words in it. I would have preferred words for my granddaughter to see along with the beautiful pictures. This is truly a picture book!¤

3) Hardcover Book Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book) by Clarion Books. I stumbled across this book at the library. The first time I opened it up I was a bit surprised to not see any words and my 2 yr old was not interested in it either. But after I studied the beautiful illustrations, the story unfolded before me. The next time I read it to my daughter and told her the story the way I interpreted it. She likes it now and even helps tell me the story.

The people who gave this book a low rating have no imagination.

I liked the book so much I decided to buy a copy to keep at home...library renewals only last a short time (hee hee!).¤

4) Hardcover Book Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book) by Clarion Books. When I first saw this book, I was blown away by its ambitious art. From the opening of the page, the readers are treated with beautiful illustration of all the things you might find at the beach.

Every brush stroke was ever so carefully applied even to the minute detail as if Mr. Wiesner wanted to create a masterpiece. I´m glad there is no text because that might be a distraction from his every so fine-tuned illustrations; picture does speak for it self.

I´ve read his other book, `The Three Pigs´, this book raises the level of illustrations by a couple (which is an understatement) notch, and that book was something to behold.

This book truly is an achievement; a well deserved Caldecott Medal winner.
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5) Hardcover Book Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book) by Clarion Books. I love the books of David Wiesner, they are imaginative and fun. He has amazing talent. Even as an adult I enjoy looking back through his books, just to admire the gorgeous scenes. It´s a classic for any children´s book collection.¤

6) Hardcover Book Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book) by Clarion Books. A bright, science-minded boy goes to the beach equipped to collect and examine flotsam--anything floating that has been washed ashore. Bottles, lost toys, small objects of every description are among his usual finds. But there´s no way he could have prepared for one particular discovery: a barnacle-encrusted underwater camera, with its own secrets to share . . . and to keep.

In each of his amazing picture books, David Wiesner has revealed the magical possibilities of some ordinary thing or happening--a frog on a lily pad, a trip to the Empire State Building, a well-known nursery tale. This time, a day at the beach is the springboard into a wildly imaginative exploration of the mysteries of the deep, and of the qualities that enable us to witness these wonders and delight in them.¤

Page Updated: Robert N. Goolsby, 28-Aug-2008, 06181945769780618194575, 260-280-760-880-330-491-8

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