He creates three-dimensional models of objects he can't observe in real life, such as flying pigs and lizards standing upright, to add authenticity to his drawings.

Caldecott Medal Committee Chair Janice Del Negro has said of Flotsam, "Telling tales through imagery is what storytellers have done through the ages. Flotsam has won the 2007 Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children.He went on to become a student at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he was able to commit himself to the full-time study of art and to explore further his passion for visual storytelling.

Children go on to read and reflect on the book, making predictions and retelling orally and in writing. Three of the picture books he both wrote and illustrated became instant classics when they won the prestigious Caldecott Medal: Tuesday in 1992, The Three Pigs in 2002, and Flotsam in 2007, making him only the second person in the award's long history to have won three times. One thing I found hard to explain was developing photographs in today's world but we loved the book anyway.This is a three-week Writing Root for Flotsam by David Wiesner in which children dicsover a range of ‘Flotsam’ items (either after a visit to the seaside, or that have appeared in the classroom). However, at that moment a wave hits washing all the photos away, but regardless the boy tosses the camera back into the ocean to start the cycle over again. This book had such an impact on my 6 year old - when we first ‘read’ it together he actually cried at the ending. Children and parents will like this book because it is a good book and it is interesting - by Cameron age 9. They consist of a robot fish, an octopus reading, a pufferfish being used as a hot air balloon, turtles with cities on their backs, tiny visiting aliens, and giant starfish with islands on their backs.