The Best Wordless Picture Books
As a mother and a Speech Pathologist, one of my favorite types of books to read with my children is wordless picture books. I wanted to make a list of my favorite books to save you the trouble. These are books that I still read with my children even as they grow older.
I love looking through the pictures and listening to my children interpret/ “read” the story. It is such an amazing way to develop language skills, vocabulary, and imagination. I love them so much that I selected my favorites for our reading readiness post for 3 year-olds.
The best part of wordless picture books is that the stories are never the same twice and grow with your child. What may begin as a simple story can turn into something completely different as your child develops new skills and gets older.
Some of the books I included below are funny, while others are simple with brilliant illustrations. A few examine complex issues, all without words (or very minimal words).
I hope you love this list of books with no words as much as I loved putting them together.
The Best Wordless Picture Books
Each colorful block below represents the best book in a subgenre of wordless picture books. Click on the arrow to reveal my “best” pick in any category. You’ll also be able to use a page jump to see more books in that section.
The Best Wordless Picture Book for Younger Kids
Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathman- Click here to read about the book and see more books in this section
The Best Wordless Picture Books for Kids
Chalk by Bill Thompson- Click here to read about the book and see more books in this section
The Best Wordless Picture Books for Older Kids
Journey by Aaron Becker – Click here to read about the book and see more books in this section
Best Picture Books About Animals
Frog Goes to Dinner by Mercer Meyer- Click here to read about the book and see more books in this section
*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
Wordless Picture Books for Younger Kids
Good Night, Gorilla
Author: Peggy Rathmann
Illustrator: Peggy Rathmann
Year: 1996
Genre: Board Book
Age: 1 – 3
Plot
This book is hilarious and a favorite in our house to this day. The sweet animals and the completely clueless zookeeper are laugh-out-loud funny. One of my oldest son’s first words was “armadillo” which says something about how amusing this book is.
Why Jackie loves it
This wordless picture book is perfect for making up new stories. It’s a creative exercise in storytelling that will delight over and over.
Find this book in: Zoo Books / Bedtime Stories for Kids / Best Books for 1-year-Olds / Wordless Picture Books / Animal Children’s Books
Plot
The pictures depict a tale of a little boy who goes to check on his snowman one night. When he sees his snowman outside in the cold, he decides to invite him in. What happens next is a magical adventure you and your child will adore.
Why Kirsten loves it
If you are looking for kids’ winter books, this is a gorgeous wordless story. I loved to let my boys “read” this one to me.
Find this book in: Children’s Books about Winter / Best Christmas Books for Toddlers / Wordless Picture Books
Flora and the Flamingo
Author: Molly Idle
Illustrator: Molly Idle
Year: 2013
Genre: Picture Book
Age: 1 – 4
More info: Caldecott Honor winner
Plot
I love the fact that this book has no words because it allows you and your child to make up the story together. Flora and the Flamingo dance together.
Your child can not only flip the pictures and dance with Flora. When you are done, you can put on some music and dance with your little one.
Why Jackie loves it
This is one of my favorite interactive picture books. As wordless picture book, it also helps with language development.
Find this book in: Best Books for 2-Year-Olds / Wordless Picture Books / Baby Girl’s First Library / Interactive Books For Kids
Wordless Picture Books for Kids
Chalk
Author: Bill Thomson
Illustrator: Bill Thomson
Year: 2010
Genre: Wordless Picture Book
Age: 2 – 6
Plot
Three children discover a magical bag of chalk on a rainy day. As they begin to draw, magic happens and their creations come to life.
Why Jackie loves it
This wordless picture book will delight adults too. It’s the perfect playground book for a lovely day. Pack it in your activity bag, read it with your kids and let them draw their own chalk creations.
Find this book in: Playground Books / Best Books for 5-year-olds / Wordless Picture Books
Spencer’s New Pet
Author: Jessie Sima
Illustrator: Jessie Sima
Year: 2019
Genre: Picture Book
Age: 8 – 4
Plot
This delightful picture book tells the story of a child mime and his balloon dog pet. They go on all sorts of adventures together, until one day something surprising happens.
Why Kirsten loves it
The surprise at the end of this book had my kids in shock! It’s so funny and cute, and the fact that it’s a wordless picture book about a mime is so tongue-in-cheek, I can’t help but love it.
Museum Trip by Barbara Lehman
Author: Barbara Lehman
Illustrator: Barbara Lehman
Year: 2017
Genre: Wordless Picture Book
Age: 4 – 7
Plot
This gorgeously illustrated story tells the tale of a boy on a field trip to a museum. But what happens when he becomes part of the exhibit?
Why Kirsten loves it
I love letting my boys read this to me before we head to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It just sets the scene for them to use their imaginations during our visit.
Wordless Picture Books for Older Children
JourneyÂ
Author: Aaron Becker
Illustrator: Aaron Becker
Year: 2013
Genre: Wordless Picture Book
Age: 3 – 6
More info: Caldecott Honor Winner, Journey Trilogy #1
Plot
When a little girl draws a door on her bedroom wall, she doesn’t expect to enter a magical land. Using her red marker, she creates a world filled with wonders and sets off on an adventure.
Why Kirsten loves it
This story reminds me of a grown-kid version of Harold and the purple crayon. Instead of simplistic drawings, readers are treated to elaborate illustrations to be poured over for hours.
Find this book in: Imagination Books / Best Books for 4-year-olds / Wordless Picture Books
Sector 7
Author: David Wiesner
Illustrator: David Wiesner
Year: 1999
Genre: Wordless Picture Book
Age: 4+
More info: Caldecott Honor Award Winner
Plot
Only the person who gave us Tuesday could have devised this fantastic Caldecott Honor-winning tale, which begins with a school trip to the Empire State Building.
A boy makes friends with a mischievous little cloud, who whisks him away to the Cloud Dispatch Center for Sector 7 (the region that includes New York City). The clouds are bored with their everyday shapes, so the boy obligingly starts to sketch some new ones.
Why Jackie loves it
This is one of the wordless picture books that is appropriate for older kids as well because of the complexity of the plot. Wiesner makes some of the best wordless picture books- I have loved all of his books.
Find this book in: The Best Wordless Picture Books
Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad
Author: Henry Cole
Illustrator: Henry Cole
Year: 2012
Genre: Wordless Picture Book
Age: 8+
Plot
When a farm girl discovers a runaway slave hiding in the barn, she is scared and knows that she has to make a choice of whether or not to help him.
These powerful illustrations follow the girl and boy as they follow the North Star to freedom
Trigger Warnings
Slavery
Why Kirsten loves it
This is one of the wordless picture books I think is appropriate for older children because of the powerful story it tells. While this is a book with no words, the story is not diminished in any way!
I Walk with Vanessa
Author: Karascoët
Illustrator: Karascoët
Year: 2018
Genre: Wordless Picture Book
Age: 3 – 8
More info:
Plot
After a little girl watches her new classmate get bullied, she enacts a plan to welcome Vanessa and show her kindness. This wordless picture book allows children to explore bullying in their own voice and teaches kindness.
Why Kirsten loves it
This wordless picture book brought tears to my eyes the first time I read it. My son’s second-grade teacher used this in her curriculum last year too. This is not only an amazing back-to-school book but it’s also a great book to teach about kindness.
Find this book in: Books about Feelings / Wordless Picture Books / Back to School Books / Best Books for 5-year-olds
Wordless Picture Books Featuring Animals
Frog Goes to Dinner
Author: Mercer Meyer
Illustrator: Mercer Meyer
Year: 2003
Genre: Wordless Picture Book
Age: 3+
More info: Part of: A Boy, a Dog, and a Frog (6 books)
Plot
A Boy, a Dog, and a Frog is the first book in this series and also helped to create the wordless picture book genre.
This hilarious story is laugh-out-loud funny. The boy wants to bring his frog out for dinner, but he is not allowed. When the frog hides in the boy’s pocket, chaos ensues. This book with no words will have you laughing out loud.
Why Jackie loves it
The illustrations in this book are fantastic. What I love about this book are the facial expressions of the characters in the book. From the parents to the waiter, and finally the boy, the facial expressions alone make this book a wonderful addition to the library. I love to use these and ask kids: “How is he feeling?”
Find this book in: The Best Wordless Picture Books
Flotsam
Author: David Wiesner
Illustrator: David Wiesner
Year: 2006
Genre: Picture Books
Age: 3 – 7
More info: Caldecott Medal Winner
Plot
A bright, science-minded boy goes to the beach equipped to collect and examine flotsam–anything floating that has been washed ashore. When he discovers an old underwater camera and gets the pictures developed, he is shocked by what he finds.
Why Jackie loves it
David Wiesner is one of my favorite writers of wordless picture books ever.
Find this book in: Ocean Books for Kids / Best Books for 4-year-olds / Wordless Picture Books
The Lion and the Mouse
Author: Jerry Pinkney
Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney
Year: 2009
Genre: Picture Book
Age: 2 – 5
More info: Caldecott Award Winner
Plot
This gorgeous picture book illustrated the classic story of the lion and the mouse with vivid colors and soft paint strokes.
Why Kirsten loves it
It’s no wonder this book won a Caldecott; each picture is more stunning than the last.
Wordless Books Kids’ Library Essentials
For more Kids’ Library Must-Haves, head to our YouTube channel.
Helpful Tips
Reading wordless picture books is a perfect opportunity to help your child grow their language skills. Here are some ways to enrich your reading time
- Take time to point to parts of the picture as you make up the story. Use lots of descriptions. You can also use words like first, next, then, or after.
- Having trouble with descriptions? Think about the size, color, or shape of something and that is a perfect description. You don’t have to be fancy!
- Ask questions! If your child is speaking they can answer verbally. If not, give them questions that allow them to point. For example: “Where is the dog?” or “This is blue, can you find something else on the page that is blue?”.
- Once your child is familiar with the story, have them tell you the story. This is a great opportunity to mirror what they say and help them with their storytelling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are wordless picture books important?
Wordless picture books are important because they give the child a chance to use their imagination and invent a story using their own words.
How to use wordless picture books
You can use wordless books in a few different ways:
1. Read the story and ask the child to read it back
2. Show the pictures and have the child tell the story
3. Show the pictures and ask questions about what they see in the picture
4. Use them to play I spy
Related Content
Epilogue
Am I missing your favorite wordless picture book? Let me know! How do you use wordless picture books?We LOVE to support independent bookstores. You can shop our entire list of Wordless Picture Books on bookshop.org
