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. This wordless book's vivid watercolour paintings have a crisp realism that anchors the elements of fantasy. Shifting perspectives, from close-ups to landscape views, and a layout incorporating broad spreads and boxed sequences, add drama and motion to the storytelling and echo the photographic theme. Filled with inventive details and delightful twists, each snapshot is a tale waiting to be told.
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Review
"Wiesner offers another exceptional, wordless picture book that finds wild magic in quiet, everyday settings." Booklist, ALA, Starred Review
"New details swim into focus with every rereading of this immensely satisfying excursion." Publishers Weekly, Starred
"A mind-bending journey of imagination." School Library Journal, Starred
"In Wiesner's much-honored style, the paintings are cinematic, coolly restrained and deliberate...An invitation not to be resisted." Kirkus Reviews, Starred
"Wiesner's detailed watercolors make the absurd wonderfully believable...and children will surely love 'Flotsam' from start to finish." New York Times Book Review Notable Book
"The meticulous and rich detail of Wiesner's watercolors makes the fantasy involving and convincing." Horn Book
"Wiesner continues to show children that things aren't always what they seem. Would the Caldecott committee consider a three-peat?" Bookpage
"Wiesner returns with his traditional wordless-narrative format for another fantastical outing." Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"New details swim into focus with every rereading of this immensely satisfying excursion." Publishers Weekly, Starred
"A mind-bending journey of imagination." School Library Journal, Starred
"In Wiesner's much-honored style, the paintings are cinematic, coolly restrained and deliberate...An invitation not to be resisted." Kirkus Reviews, Starred
"Wiesner's detailed watercolors make the absurd wonderfully believable...and children will surely love 'Flotsam' from start to finish." New York Times Book Review Notable Book
"The meticulous and rich detail of Wiesner's watercolors makes the fantasy involving and convincing." Horn Book
"Wiesner continues to show children that things aren't always what they seem. Would the Caldecott committee consider a three-peat?" Bookpage
"Wiesner returns with his traditional wordless-narrative format for another fantastical outing." Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Enigmatic.
A multi-sensory experience.
Without words this book is instantly absorbing you into another time, any time when you were on a beach as a child. Any child, any beach, anywhere. The oblivion of the adults to the power of their surroundings, fully equipped for events that they don't create as they recline in their deck chairs, lost in their summer reading and lost to the summer's day they are living. Are they living it at all?
You can smell the sea, feel the spray, almost touch the foam, sense that unique awful desolation that is a seaside resort in mid-summer. Nothing to do and all day to do it. The energy and wonder of the inquisitive solitary boy is breathtakingly revealed as his story of timeless discovery unfolds and he takes his place in the ebb and flow of life captured in a washed-up camera.
Words could never have conveyed Weisner's meaning so piercingly as the pictures in this enchanting book. Something very reminiscent of the film 'Blow up' about it, enhanced by the wordless wondering silence in which you read it.
Buy this book and remember what it means to be alive.
A multi-sensory experience.
Without words this book is instantly absorbing you into another time, any time when you were on a beach as a child. Any child, any beach, anywhere. The oblivion of the adults to the power of their surroundings, fully equipped for events that they don't create as they recline in their deck chairs, lost in their summer reading and lost to the summer's day they are living. Are they living it at all?
You can smell the sea, feel the spray, almost touch the foam, sense that unique awful desolation that is a seaside resort in mid-summer. Nothing to do and all day to do it. The energy and wonder of the inquisitive solitary boy is breathtakingly revealed as his story of timeless discovery unfolds and he takes his place in the ebb and flow of life captured in a washed-up camera.
Words could never have conveyed Weisner's meaning so piercingly as the pictures in this enchanting book. Something very reminiscent of the film 'Blow up' about it, enhanced by the wordless wondering silence in which you read it.
Buy this book and remember what it means to be alive.
24 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book will appeal to youngsters old enough to be interested in science and who know a little about magnifying glasses, cameras, microscopes, and how the tides work. David Wiesner leaves lots of room for imagination with this unexpected, wordless story.
The only words you'll find in the book are on the dust jacket (defining flotsam and telling about the "author") and on signs and packages in the illustrations. That leaves lots of room for the "reader's" imagination to work overtime.
If that weren't enough stimulation, Mr. Wiesner puts in some fanciful illustrations that might reflect a child's imagination at work. I can imagine having lots of fun at a sleepover as each child interprets what's going on in the book.
As the book opens, you see a large eye looking at a very funny crab. Then you see the big picture in a two-page spread as a blond-headed, blue-eyed youngster is holding a crab and studying the crab through a magnifying glass. In the background there are two parents reading, shovels, binoculars, a microscope in a plastic bag, snorkel gear, pails full of flotsam, and a small box with a tentacle sticking out. In the background are a sea shell and a huge sand castle. The boy then heads for the water line where he spots a different kind of crab.
When a big wave comes in, the boy is overturned and a most unexpected bit of flotsam appears . . . one that forms the base of the story.
The story was so unexpected and interesting that I've re-read it several times to think about further meanings. I'm sure you'll have the same joy as I did.
An imaginative youngster will have even more.
Take a peek!
The only words you'll find in the book are on the dust jacket (defining flotsam and telling about the "author") and on signs and packages in the illustrations. That leaves lots of room for the "reader's" imagination to work overtime.
If that weren't enough stimulation, Mr. Wiesner puts in some fanciful illustrations that might reflect a child's imagination at work. I can imagine having lots of fun at a sleepover as each child interprets what's going on in the book.
As the book opens, you see a large eye looking at a very funny crab. Then you see the big picture in a two-page spread as a blond-headed, blue-eyed youngster is holding a crab and studying the crab through a magnifying glass. In the background there are two parents reading, shovels, binoculars, a microscope in a plastic bag, snorkel gear, pails full of flotsam, and a small box with a tentacle sticking out. In the background are a sea shell and a huge sand castle. The boy then heads for the water line where he spots a different kind of crab.
When a big wave comes in, the boy is overturned and a most unexpected bit of flotsam appears . . . one that forms the base of the story.
The story was so unexpected and interesting that I've re-read it several times to think about further meanings. I'm sure you'll have the same joy as I did.
An imaginative youngster will have even more.
Take a peek!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This incredible book has left me speechless but it has quite a contrary effect on my son. Liberated from the restrictions of a story line, he is excited about the fact that it is a wordless book. He quickly processed the fascinating pictures and used his own words, observations and imagination to make up a story full of details and comments. I then gave the book to my daughter and enjoyed a different reaction and story. Inevitably, the kids asked me to take them to the beach so they might find the camera drawn in the book. "Kids, we already found the camera. It is this book." I told them, "and we will play it forward. But this time, we will not toss it back into the water. We will fly it with an airplane to reach our uncle living in Taiwan thousands miles away". Uncle is a very accomplished artist though he may not speak much English. With this book, it will not be a problem - and that is the beauty of wordless FLOTSAM. Have fun with the book!
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4.7 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Flotsam hardback
Fabulous book. Very inspiring for children and adults alike. There are no words, so YOU make up the story. Beautiful illustrations, too.
Published 1 month ago by Jay P
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating story with endless twists and turns.
Ideal for all ages - used this with a whole school for World Book Day. Every class had creative fun.
Published 2 months ago by tym
5.0 out of 5 stars
Flotsam ,by David Wiesner
An excellent book, well conceived and well drawn. There is something new to see every time you look at each page
Published 2 months ago by CTB Helps
5.0 out of 5 stars
Supported my daughters school topic . Magical book
Supported my daughters school topic . Magical book no words so great to create your own story .......... .. .
Published 2 months ago by Maz40
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful
No words in this book, just beautiful, vivid pictures telling a magical story. An old camera is washed up at the feet of a beach combing boy. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Katie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Flotsam
No words needed for this book! An imaginary trip that will surprise you! Strongly recommend it no matter what is your age
Published 4 months ago by Agathi K. Darlasi
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful!
The illustrations in this book are wonderful. The pictures just lead to so much discussion, the imagination is taken on an amazing journey. Read more
Published 5 months ago by sweetpea
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely enchanting
What wonderful illustrations, ideas and mostly, what an imagination. I have no hesitation in completely recommending this book. Read more
Published 8 months ago by kc
4.0 out of 5 stars
Flotsam - Flopsam
Fantastic, fabulous, sopectacular book BUT WHY CAN'T I DOWNLOAD A KINDLE VERION ON MY IPAD?!? WHY IS IT AVAILABLE ON ANDROID ONLY!?! WHY WHY WHY???
Published 13 months ago by JAM
5.0 out of 5 stars
fast service....
product arrived within a few days, no problems at all. Such a good book, looking forward to spending some time with my grand-daughter describing all of the wonderful goings-on in... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Drewus
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