Sector 7 by David Wiesner


Picture Book
Sector 7 by David Wiesner, published by Clarion Books 1999


In this wordless picture book by Caldecott winner, David Wiesner, a boy goes on a school field trip to the Empire State Building and finds himself on an unlikely adventure in the clouds. He meets a friendly cloud who takes him to wear clouds come from, the boy gets creative and shows the clouds how they could resemble underwater creatures instead.

Wordless picture books require a curious reader which is just what this book instills in the reader. Just like the boy, the reader will wonder what will happen next in this imaginative text, and will want to explore the beautiful illustrations. Wiesner won the Caldecott honor for his watercolor illustrations in Sector 7, and one can't help but see the resemblance between this and one of his Caldecott winning books, Flotsam, when looking at the reimagined clouds (I'm also reminded of his graphic novel Fish Girl). Although there is no words to guide the reader, the plot is clear and challenges the reader to think outside the box and create a more beautiful world with that imagination.

I've incorporated this book and other books into a wordless picture book display at my library. These books can be enjoyed no matter what language one speaks/reads, and can be enjoyed by those that don't yet know how to read. Wiesner's books are a treat, and there are so many fantastic wordless picture books out there for kids to tell their own stories about what's happening within their pages. In a more educational setting I think it could pair well with teaching the different types of clouds as there are some great examples of those before the clouds become more creative with their forms.

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