Wordless Wednesday - Flotsam by David Wiesner

Not that I can be wordless because when sharing books, I always seem to have too much to say, but books can be wordless.

In David Wiesner's Caldecott Medal Flotsam the only words are name brands and store signs. The story is told using amazing illustrations. I'm sure other illustrators hate having a book published the same year Wiesner does as he has won three Caldecott medals and three of his other books have won the Caldecott honor. He is a well deserved winner. I own four of his eight books and have added the four I don't have to my Christmas wish list.

In Flotsam published in 2006, a boy who is interested in all things of the sea is busily studying what he finds with a magnifying glass and a microscope. At one point the waves tumble over him, and an old camera is washed ashore. What is found when he takes the film to a one hour photo place is simply magical. The microscope comes into play and the adventure continues.

I have used Wiesner's books in my classroom as creative writing prompts or as journal entry prompts. His illustrations tickle the imagination and many differing and fun stories are created as a result of his art and my students' creative thinking.

Wordless picture books are a great way to help children gain an appreciation for the beauty of books, and they have many applications in a classroom. My son who is recovering from seizures, loves David Wiesner's books, and I love that his work helps my son continue his love of reading without having the words get in the way when his brain is fatigued.

Read to a child today, even if the reading involves no words.

Here is the book trailer from his website:

You can read more about David Wiesner here.

Two More Days to Enter the Giveaway!

Click here to Christmas shop at Usborne books. All hostess gifts will go toward purchasing books for the NICU babies at McKay Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah to help them become lifelong readers. Make sure when you click on the link that it says, eShow: NICU Babies.

On Friday, December 4, I will draw a winner to receive Usborne's Mosaic Picture Sticker Book a book for your child (or you) to create fun pictures with over 4,000 stickers. This book retails for $10.99. 

"How do I get entries in the drawing?" you ask. 

• Follow my blog.
• Leave a comment on my blog.
• Share a link to my blog on Facebook, and let me know in the comments that you did so. 
• For each $10 you order from the NICU book party, you get another entry. Remember that the money you spend, goes to buy gifts for your own children and your order will be shipped directly to you. The NICU babies get the generous hostess gifts, and Usborne is very generous. 
• Book your own Usborne Party with Catherine Johnson - she does Facebook parties and they are a lot of fun. Leave a message on this blog, and I will have her contact you. 
• Invite a friend to follow my blog. Make sure they let me know that you sent them by posting in the comments. 

As you can see, you can get a lot of entries to win this fun book. I will draw the winner in one week at 8:00 p.m. Mountain Time (Utah) on Friday, December 4th.