A relative newcomer to the field of children's books, Wisniewski was awarded the 1997 Caldecott Medal for Golem . One of the predominant themes in Wisniewski's work is the triumph of an individual faced with overwhelming odds, whether the individual is battling the forces of nature, the evil of his fellow man, or the power of fate. Invite students to discuss how the protagonists in each story deal with their particular situation and how they emerge from their trials as stronger, wiser individuals. Wisniewski employs the traditional folktale style to tell his original stories. The main purpose of a folktale is to tell an entertaining story, but folktales often contain messages about mercy and kindness or the triumph of the small and powerless over greater forces.
Action shows inevitable conflict and moves to a quick resolution.
Wisniewski has said that when he is working on an idea for a story, he first considers what the moral will be, and then develops an entertaining story that demonstrates the moral. THE ART David Wisniewski creates his distinctive and highly detailed illustrations using cut-paper. His technique is an outgrowth of the years he spent cutting silhouettes for shadow puppets. After receiving editorial approval of preliminary pencil and then colored sketches, Wisniewski traces the sketches onto colored paper and then cuts out the intricate pieces with an exacto knife. Each picture is assembled piece by piece and given depth through layering with foam core.