Sector 7: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner (Caldecott Honor Book)

David Wiesner is best described as a light-hearted Chris Van Allsburg. In his books there tends to be a very real and deep fascination with both the sky and breaking away from convention. For example, his book "Tuesday" examines the repercussions of frogs flying at night. "The Three Pigs", by contrast, takes a familiar story and loosens it up considerably. With "Sector 7", a wordless tale of a boy and his cloud, Wiesner tells a tale of changing the status quo. It's sometimes very difficult to find noteworthy wordless picture books out there but Wiesner appears to have an excellent grasp on this rarely appreciated genre. When a boy goes on a school field trip to the Empire State Building, he little suspects what a thrilling adventure he's about to have. Initially, he's disappointed. At the top of the tower the world is engulfed in a thick fog. Yet out of this fog, an unlikely friend appears. A little cloud, nicking the boy's hat and scarf for fun, quickly befriends the awed child and invites him up up up into the sky. Riding on the cloud's back, the boy nears the processing station for Sector 7 (a sector that covers the general New York area with some space given to the Atlantic Ocean as well). Boy and cloud pass through Receiving and enter the Assignment Station. While there, they hear the complaints of other clouds. The assignments are fine, but they're so dull. Just the usual puffy fluffiness we see all the time in the sky. With a little imagination, the boy convinces the clouds to try out new forms. It seems they're particularly adept at the shapes of tropical fish. Of course, the people in charge of the Sector 7 plant aren't pleased with the clouds' new shapes. Yet after the boy has gone home, it's clear that his influence is being carried on by people who like the idea of doing things a little differently. Mr. Wiesner's the master of the clever little detail. As parents and children go through this book (its wordless quality makes it an ideal gift for anyone, regardless of age or nationality) they find themselves discovering new little details with every read. Did you catch the reason why the boy draws fish from the last shot in the book? How about the ways in which the clouds wordlessly describe their boredom with previous assignments? When I think of watercolors, I don't tend to think of highly accentuated details. Just the same, Wiesner has tamed this highly adaptable medium to his own particular wants and needs. He cleverly lets the boy's personal cloud continue to wear the kid's bright red cap throughout the book so that the reader can tell it apart from other cloudlings. And there is no doubt left in the reader's mind that the Sector 7 processing plant is truly New Yorkian. Resembling a kind of cross between a train station and an immaculate subway stop, this is a cosmopolitan factory if ever there was one. If you've never read a Wiesner to your child and aren't entirely certain where to start, it's hard

David Weisner is an absolute treasure. We bought Sector 7 and enjoyed "reading" this outstanding picture book. The artwork is beautiful, and incredibly rich. I've read it to my son several times and am still finding more details.It's nice to discuss each picture with my son. I believe that we're developing some valuable communication skills.We also enjoy Free Falling and June 29th 1999 from David Weisner. Don't let your children grow up without introducing them to these treasures!

I really loved this book as an adult, and what makes it even better is that my son is nuts about it as well. Because there are no words, he can tell the story to me. I think books like this teach children to look at the details and to study facial expressions. This book is Brilliant!

This is a wildly inventive and complex story, well served by Wiesner's artistic skill and coherence. From the textured, "cloudy" endpapers, through the carefully framed drawings celebrating the design of the Empire State Building, to the glorious burst of unframed beauty in the clouds, every detail carries part of this exciting adventure. (It is my own belief, by the way, that the clouds, having seen the boy's drawings on the bus window, come get him , in particular, to draw new designs for them. His visit to Sector 7 is no accident!) The repeated and varied use of frames, the intense architectural sensibility, and the freshness of the boy's bright red cap, scarf and gloves pull the reader into the story at a dizzying pace that feels like flying. Feel free to share it with children if you're in a generous frame of mind -- but keep it for yourself!

This is yet another great book by author/illustrator David Wiesner. This is a story about a boy who goes on a field trip to the Empire State Building. As a result of complete cloud cover the boy makes friends with a unique character, a cloud. The cloud takes the boy to "Sector 7" where all clouds are made by boring, uninspired beings. The boys spices things up by creating factastic shapes for the clouds. The boy is kicked out of Sector 7 by those beings who do not appreciate his artistic ability. After the boy is gone the clouds revolt and what follows is a delight for the eyes! This almost wordless picture book stretches the imagination and keeps you guessing page after page about what you will see next.