Wordless picture books: Image books with no text
Sharing wordless books is a great way to improve essential literacy skills like listening, vocabulary, comprehension, and understanding how stories are structured.
Children adore them because they can spend hours poring over the illustrations and creating their own story in their own words.
In addition to ELL schools, wordless books can be used for struggling readers.
The following are some examples of classic wordless picture books:
1. 10 Minutes Till Bedtime
When a family of hamsters — a mother and father with nine children and a boy, all dressed in numbered striped jerseys — arrives at One Hoppin' Location, the countdown to bedtime is about to begin.
By: Peggy Rathmann
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 3-6
Reading Level: Beginning Reader
2. A Ball for Daisy
The author/trademark illustrator's drawings bring to life how a tiny white dog with black ears loses his orange ball to another hound but instead finds friendship.
By: Chris Raschka
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 3-6
Reading Level: Beginning Reader
3. A Boy, a Dog, and a Frog
A boy and his dog's story attempting to capture a frog is told in this wordless novel. They return home empty-handed, only to discover that the frog has pursued them!
By: Mercer Mayer
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 0-3
Reading Level: Pre-Reader
4. Anno's Journey
Anno rides through the streets and countryside of Northern Europe in this story.
Each hamlet, farmyard, circus, and town square are told in visually rich and sometimes surprising detail in this wordless picture book.
As he takes an imaginary tour of England, the author presents geography and science by concentrating on adults and children at work and play, literature, architecture, composers, and painters.
By: Mitsumaso Anno
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 6-9
Reading Level: Beginning Reader
5. Beaver Is Lost
A beaver embarks on an adventure on a log that floats away from his home and into the capital. Before returning home, the beaver has several plausible adventures.
In a nearly wordless novel, the action is portrayed by well-placed, realistic illustrations.
By: Elisha Cooper
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 3-6
Reading Level: Beginning Reader
6. Chalk
Join three children as they discover a magical piece of chalk, which sets in motion an exciting sequence of events as they try to figure out "what happens next."
It will be a good companion piece to Crockett Johnson's Harold and the Purple Crayon.
By: Bill Thomson
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Age Level: 6-9
Reading Level: Beginning Reader
7. Wolf in the Snow
Amid a snowstorm, a young girl becomes disoriented.
A wolf cub is also missing.
What would they do if they can't find their way home?
This rewarding, wordless tale of friendship and confidence is told through paintings that are rich in emotion.
By: Matthew Cordell
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 3-6
Reading Level: Beginning Reader
