Free Fall by David Wiesner | Teen Ink

Free Fall by David Wiesner

June 29, 2011
By the-ampersand PLATINUM, Ogdensbury, New York
the-ampersand PLATINUM, Ogdensbury, New York
32 articles 1 photo 106 comments

Free Fall by David Wiesner is a spectacular masterpiece of imagination, creativity, and cleverness. It is also, in fact, a book without words, a story entirely conveyed through pictures.

Wiesner starts off with a child and holds his audience as the boy travels through a realm of absurd happenings-- starting with a checkered bedspread that morphs into fields, which, in turn, converts to a real size chess game. Gradually scenery changes and escapades from sleepy dragons occur, as well as other adventures. The last page reveals our protagonist awake and peering at his surroundings in wonder. His room-- a bit messy-- holds certain features you may recognize as having, perhaps, played a role in the dream: after all, who is to know what is real and what is true in this perplexing story?

Wiesner’s artistic abilities are magnificent, with beautiful illustrations and a good use of color-- soft shades reflect the feel of a hazy dream, like when you wake up and it’s a fuzzy memory, a hand full of water that escapes through your fingers. Scenes reminiscent of Raphael, Escher, and Magritte make your mind flip with the use of juxtaposition and other curious twists of truth.

While this book is certainly not your traditional picture book and therefore, perhaps, hard for young children to follow, it is delightfully unique, an adventure throughout a realm of oxymorons. With an artist’s watercolors in place of a magician’s wand or a writer’s notebook, this book is just as pleasing as any literary novel.


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This article has 3 comments.


great book said...
on Sep. 5 2016 at 11:22 am
Its is a good book it captures your attention. young children would enjoy it

on Jan. 18 2012 at 8:18 pm
the-ampersand PLATINUM, Ogdensbury, New York
32 articles 1 photo 106 comments
:3 you should, it's amazing~ thank you!!

on Jan. 18 2012 at 7:40 pm
amandapanda716 BRONZE, Dexter, Michigan
2 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If you live to be one hundred,I want to be one hundred minus one day so I never have to live a day without you." -Winnie the Pooh

You've made this sound so good, I want to read it now!! :) thanks!