Customer Reviews

Sector 7 (Caldecott Honor Book)

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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!

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 to go wrong with "Sector 7". Understandably, many see this as their favorite Wiesner book. And while on paper I state that "The Three Pigs" is his magnum opus, I confess that "Sector 7" may be the one I love the most. A sweet and ultimately satisfying little book.

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 an absolutely beautiful book, with a wonderful message about non-conformity and the power of imagination. The illustrations are wonderful, too. The whole book has a very dreamy, magical quality, but at the same time, also a very clear and interesting story line. I pick up new details in the characters' expressions every time I read it. I think I will be buying this book as a gift for children and adults for many years to come. I recently went away to visit relatives in a foreign country, and this book, with a magnificent story but no words (no need for words), was an excellent gift idea for the kids. I've taken out a few of Wiesner's other books from the library and so far, this is my favourite by far. I have already bought three copies to give as gifts. I never manage to keep one for myself, because I always find someone I want to give one to. Within a few years, I think everyone I know will have a copy! I highly recommend it.

Of all the children's books I have read, this one stands out as my all time favorite. I love to write, and treasure the words in good stories, but Sector 7 needs no words to be understood. All you have to do is read the pictures, and let your imagination do the rest.

A little boy with artistic talent draws in the fog on the window of the schoolbus that is taking his class on a field trip to the Empire State Building. When the children arrive, they rush to the top only to find that it is completely cloudy. There is zero visibility, nothing but clouds. This makes it easy for one friendly cloud to make friends with the boy, and whisk him away to Sector 7, a cloud factory in the sky. The clouds are bored with their round and blobby shapes, so the boy puts his talent to work to draw plans for new cloud shapes. The clouds begin to reinvent themselves into interesting new forms. It doesn't take long before the powers that be take notice, and search for the culprit. The boy is immediately caught and sent back to join his class. You'd think it would end there, but his precocious little cloud friends has other plans. The ending of this book is delightful, as the boy begins to see the difference he made take hold in the sky. My favorite illustration is the boy asleep at the end. Even I , as an adult, think that sleeping on a cloud would be heavenly.

This book is magical for children and adults alike. If you are familiar with David Wiesner's work or not, Sector 7 is a special treat.

This book is wordless and so shall you be when you finish it. I'm an EQ coach and help people develop their right-brains - so starved in today's world. This magnificent adventure of a book will take you back and it will take you forward and leave you suspended where you've never been before. Pretend you bought it for your child or grandchild, and dive in -- or rather float away. It's marvelous!

My 5 year old loves this book and wants to read it a couple of times a week. He always asks new questions as he points out things he hadn't discovered last time. Even telling this story (since there are no words) changes each time as you(as the reader) will surely discover more things as well.

I love how this book can be used by a large variety of ages. the story is so creative and fun, but can be made complicated for older kids. Because it's a picture book, it can be as simple or elaborate as you want it to be. Kids really have fun helping tell the story without feeling like the have to read.