Flotsam

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

Flotsam by David Wiesner is a 2007 Caldecott Award winner.

Flotsam is a wordless picture book. The story begins when a boy is exploring the beach and a wave washes off a strange underwater camera.
The boy develops the film and begins looking at the strange pictures that this camera has taken. The pictues are of underwater creatures and how they live. All of a sudden, the boy sees a picture that surprises him tremendously...
Other kids holding pictures of kids holding pictures! The boy uses his magnifying glass to see more details in the picture. As he looks at the details of this strange photo, now with a microscope, he discovers that other children from decades ago were part of this adventure. The boy meditates about his discovery, takes a picture of himself holding the fascinating photo and  tosses everything back in the water. The camera travels in the ocean until it washes off on a beach again and a girl picks it up. The cycle begins again.

Personal Reaction:

This book has outstanding illustrations that take the reader to the boy's adventure with the underwater camera and the photos that it had. Every illustration has many details that add to the setting and mood of the story line. The jacket illustrations are carefully placed and the message on the front jacket explains what Flotsam is and a short story about the book. The colorful drawings and the boy's expressions, give the story more depth and meaning. This is my new favorite wordless book!