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Flotsam

When an old, underwater camera washes up on a beach, the scientifically-minded boy who finds it discovers there is film inside. When he has the pictures developed, they reveal an extraordinarily unscientific perspective on life beneath the sea: a robotic fish; the cozy, lived-in look of an octopus family’s living room; a spaceship full of little green tourists, and other remarkable scenes. The last photo is of a child, who is holding the photo of a child, who is holding the photo of a child. Using his microscope, the boy finally amplifies the picture seventy times, discovering that the original image contains no fewer then ten others, all photographs of children standing on beaches. The last few photos are in black-and-white. This helps marks the clear passage of time across the decades in the photographs, just as other details show that the children are standing on beaches around the world, from cold northern climates to warm sunny shores. David Wiesner once again lets the pictures tell the story—this time literally—in another masterful wordless picture book that will send readers’ imaginations soaring. ©2006 Cooperative Children's Book Center

Illustrated by David Wiesner

CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 5-9
Age Range: PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7) Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format: Picture book
Subjects: Imagination/Imaginary Play Surrealism Wordless Books

Publisher: Clarion
Publish Year: 2006
Pages: 40
ISBN: 0618194576

CCBC Location: Picture Book, Wiesner

Flotsam