A picture is worth a thousand words.
Wordless books are a great step towards early literacy and an excellent way to motivate the imagination of young storytellers. Using the clues povided in the illustrations, both the caregiver and the child can participate in reading the story. This helps with strengthening reading concepts, building narrative skills and developing vocabulary.
Read a wordless book today! This list includes wordless and mostly wordless stories to share.
Owl Bat Bat Owl by
Can two very different families find their space in the world together? A wonderful wordless picture book offers stylish art, humor, and charm. A mother owl and her three little owlets live happily on their branch. That is, until the bat family moves in. The newfound neighbors (owls up top, bats hanging below) can't help but feel a little wary of one another. But babies are curious little creatures, and that curiosity, along with a wild, stormy night, might just bring these two families together.
Do You Want to Be My Friend? by
A mouse searches the animal kingdom for companionship--and finds an unexpected respondent.
Window by
Chronicles the events and changes in a young boy's life and in his environment, from babyhood to grownup, through wordless scenes observed from the window of his room.
The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher by
The Grey Lady loves strawberries. But so does the Strawberry Snatcher, and unfortunately for the Grey Lady he is not far away and getting closer all the time. Past flower shops and bakeries he stalks her, silently, steadily, biding his time. He pursues her by foot along haunting red-brick paths, and then by skateboard into the mysterious depths of a swamp both beautiful and terrifying. Closer and closer he gets, and yet the Grey Lady escapes him, in fantastic and marvelously improbable ways, until, in the heart of the forest the Strawberry Snatcher discovers instead -- blackberries In this wordless allegory, author-illustrator Molly Bang has created a visual feast full of surprise and wonder. Her lively tale skillfully blends fantasy, suspense, and humor, and the magnificent illustrations are a treat for young and old alike.
The Red String by
This delightful book for children aged 3 and up traces the adventures of a piece of red string as it winds its way around the world. Without a word of text, The Red String playfully conveys the variety of things a red string can get into--and out of--as it finds its way back to the open drawer where its journey began. This book is another copublication between the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Children's Library Press of Venice, California.
The Snowman by
Illus. in full color. A wordless story. The pictures have "the hazy softness of air in snow. A little boy rushes out into the wintry day to build a snowman, which comes alive in his dreams that night. The experience is one that neither he nor young 'readers' will ever regret or forget."--(starred) Booklist.
A Circle of Friends by
When a boy anonymously shares his snack with a homeless man, he begins a cycle of good will.
Good Dog, Carl by
This is a tale of timeless appeal--the original "Carl" book. Its pictures are so vivid and alive that hardly a word is needed to tell the story. An infant is left in the care of a dog while Mother is out. The two get into all sorts of mischief, but trusty Carl puts everything in order in time for Mother's return. Full color.
Carl's Birthday by
Happy birthday, Carl! But can Mom surprise him? No way. As hard as Mom tries, Madeleine and her canine babysitter extraordinaire are hot on her trail, tasting the party punch, peeking at presents, and adding some of their own favorite decorations.
Carl Goes to Daycare by
Carl the rottweiler takes charge when things take an unexpected turn at the day care center he is visiting.
The Adventures of Polo by
Equipped with a backpack full of supplies, Polo sets off on a little boat - and on a series of delightful adventures that take him across (and under) the ocean, to an island and a frozen iceberg, to space and home again, with a world of magical encounters along the way. Polo's journey is packed with incident and expression; 80 pages of seamless, satisfying picture storytelling are perfectly targeted to the youngest reader. Unique, dynamic, and playful, The Adventures of Polo calls to mind the worlds of film animation, comics, and classic books from Harold and the Purple Crayon to The Snowman - and has style, appeal, and substance all its very own.
The Red Book by
This book is about a book. A magical red book without any words. When you turn the pages you'll experience a new kind of adventure through the power of story. Winning a Caldecott Honor for its illustrations of rare detail and surprise, The Red Book crosses oceans and continents to deliver one girl into a new world of possibility, where a friend she's never met is waiting. And as with the best of books, at the conclusion of the story, the journey is not over.
Why? by
A frog sits peacefully on a rock in a meadow, smelling a flower. Suddenly, an umbrella-wielding mouse digs his way out of the ground and for no apparent reason attacks, stealing the frog's flower. The frog gives chase, seizing the mouse's umbrella. All too soon, the hostilities escalate into a full-fledged war. This cautionary tale, though wordless, speaks volumes about the absurdity of aggression and the inevitable consequences of violence. Full color.
Flotsam by
A bright, science-minded boy goes to the beach equipped to collect and examine flotsam--anything floating that has been washed ashore. Bottles, lost toys, small objects of every description are among his usual finds. But there's no way he could have prepared for one particular discovery: a barnacle-encrusted underwater camera, with its own secrets to share . . . and to keep. In each of his amazing picture books, David Wiesner has revealed the magical possibilities of some ordinary thing or happening--a frog on a lily pad, a trip to the Empire State Building, a well-known nursery tale. This time, a day at the beach is the springboard into a wildly imaginative exploration of the mysteries of the deep, and of the qualities that enable us to witness these wonders and delight in them.
The Lion and the Mouse by
In award-winning artist Jerry Pinkney's wordless adaptation of one of Aesop's most beloved fables, an unlikely pair learn that no act of kindness is ever wasted. After a ferocious lion spares a cowering mouse that he'd planned to eat, the mouse later comes to his rescue, freeing him from a poacher's trap. With vivid depictions of the landscape of the African Serengeti and expressively-drawn characters, Pinkney makes this a truly special retelling, and his stunning pictures speak volumes.
Home by
A family. A house. A neighborhood. A place to play. A place to feel safe. Little by little, baby Tracy grows. She and her neighbors begin to rescue their street. Together, children and adults plant grass and trees and bushes in the empty spaces. They paint murals over old graffiti. They stop the cars. Everything begins to blossom. In Jeannie Baker's striking, natural collages, an urban community reclaims its land. A drab city street becomes a living, thriving neighborhood -- a place to call home.
