WHAT DO WORDLESS BOOKS HAVE TO SAY?

Wordless picture books remind us to listen with our eyes.  They speak in their silence, unfolding imaginative tales -- with captivating illustrations that communicate everything from quiet experiences to exciting adventures.  Wordless books help children learn to focus on the sequence of events, as they notice the details of the pictures, allowing them to use their imaginations to help tell the story.

Here are some excellent "stories without words" that I'm sure your kids (ages 3 and up) will enjoy...most can be found at your local library.

I'll lead off with this beautiful offering that won the 2010 Caldecott Medal: The Lion and the Mouse, by Jerry Pinkney.  Pinkney's gorgeous illustrations bring to life one of Aesop's most well known fables.

A Circle of Friends by Giora Carmi. When a boy anonymously shares his snack with a homeless man, he begins a cycle of good will.


Good Dog, Carl (series) by Alexandra Day. This fun wordless story is about Carl the responsible Rottweiler, and the adventures he shares while "babysitting" his infant mistress.



Rainstorm by Barbara Lehman. Bored and lonely in his big house during a rainstorm, a boy finds a key that leads him on an adventurous journey.

Wave by Suzy Lee. We recall the sense of wonder that the ocean inspires through a little girl's day at the beach.

One Frog Too Many (series) by Mercer Meyer. A boy's pet frog thinks that the new little frog the boy gets for his birthday is one frog too many.

Flotsam by David Wiesner (Caldecott 2007). A boy finds a camera at the beach and the film inside reveals fascinating underwater pictures as well as children around the world, so the boy takes his own picture and returns the camera to the sea where it will journey to another child.


Tuesday by David Wiesner (Caldecott Medal 1992). In this ingenious and imaginative nearly wordless picture book, frogs in a pond lift off with their lily pads and fly to a nearby town.


For an even more comprehensive list WORDLESS PICTURE BOOKS, grouped by theme, CLICK HERE.