Wordless picture books are so much more than exercises in identification! A child can open a wordless book and narrate the events, imagine plot development and develop visual literacy skills. These books for kids are powerful tools to foster a love of storytelling and are perfect for story time.
Build your wordless picture book library with these five books that are big on action and low on words.
Blanket Saves the Day
This wordless story of resilience and imagination follows Josie who loves her comfort blanket. Josie brings her special blanket everywhere, but when her grandmother washes it, it looks so different! Luckily the next day, when she needs her blanket, it turns up right in the nick of time.
The bright graphic novel style illustrations will draw in kids as they follow Josie learning about how, even when things change, friends (and blankies) are still there for you.
Kunoichi Bunny
This mostly wordless pick follows Saya and her bunny Kunoichi as they spend the day with their dad. Kunoichi shows that small actions can have a big impact and will spark the imagination of every reader who knows the magic of stuffed animals.
“An everyday superhero story. This inviting book effectively encourages visual literacy for the youngest audience.” —School Library Journal
Once, a Bird
This wordless picture book is a lyrical contemplation of our interconnectedness with the natural world. From inside an apartment building neighbors watch a bird making a nest, finding hope in her song and the continued rhythms of nature.
★ “This sweet, understated story is wordless—a perfect way to tell it, as it requires youngsters to relate to the illustrations in a unique, profoundly personal way.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Gretel and Hansel
This wordless retelling of the fairytale “Hansel and Gretel” follows a friendly women decorating her candy home when two children take advantage of her kindness.
“Fans will enjoy decoding the bold, color-block images of sweets, and spotting humorous details…in this fractured escapade involving just des(s)erts.” —Publishers Weekly
The Three Bears and Goldilocks
In this retelling of the fairytale “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” a little girl who commits a crime is arrested for breaking and entering. Told without words, readers of all ages will delight in this hilarious and vibrant twist on the classic.
🏆 Winner of the Alcuin Book Design Award for Children’s Books.