Wonderfully Wordless Picture Books
by Janssen Bradshaw
It took me years to embrace wordless picture books. As a voracious reader, I tended to focus more on the text than the art, and struggled to get into books that didn’t include any words.
But as a librarian and now as a parent, I’ve really come to love and appreciate them.
They’re perfect for reluctant readers who can enjoy a book and build positive literary experiences without the stress of reading words. They also give children a chance to focus on the art and observe all the amazing details the illustrator has included. They’re great for active reading — you can point things out together, make sounds, and act out the plot. And they work with your schedule; you decide how long or short to make the story.
These are my favorite wordless picture books.
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Stormy
Available from:When a woman discovers a bedraggled puppy under a park bench, she tries to befriend it, with no luck. She returns day after day, and the dog gradually becomes more comfortable with her. Still, it takes a storm to convince the puppy that the woman offers safety, protection, and friendship. Dog lovers will want to read this book on repeat!
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Good Night, Gorilla
Available from:As a zookeeper makes the evening rounds, a gorilla quietly slips the keys from his belt. He goes from cage to cage, letting all the animals roam free in the zoo. With its humorous artwork, this nearly wordless picture book will have readers of all ages grinning from ear to ear.
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The Boy & the Book
Available from:A menacing young boy enters the library, looking for his next victim, and all the books run for cover. Unfortunately, a blue book isn’t fast enough, and the boy nabs it, only to mishandle it, crumple its pages, and bang its corners. The next day, the blue book faces the destructive boy again, but this time, wins him over with its story. This giggle-worthy book teaches children about the love of reading and treating books with respect.
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Journey
Available from:From the moment this one was published, it was getting Caldecott buzz (and then went on to snag a Caldecott Honor). Imagine you could draw a door on your wall and then step out into a magical world. We read this book dozens of times when we first checked it out from the library, and neither my daughter nor I ever got tired of it. I also love the other two books in the trilogy, Quest and Return.
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Noah’s Ark
Available from:This won the Caldecott medal years ago and has definitely withstood the test of time. The details are just so masterful — from Noah building the Ark, to feeding the animals day after day, to the exuberance as everyone finally gets off the Ark and explores the world again. If you have an animal lover in the house, this is a no-brainer.
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The Boy and the Elephant
Available from:This gorgeously illustrated picture book needs no words to deliver its message about conservation, imagination, and friendship. A lonely young boy befriends an “elephant” in the overgrown lot next to his home. When builders arrive, ready to demolish the foliage, the boy comes up with a plan to save his green haven from destruction.
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The Snowman
Available from:The Snowman follows a little boy and his snowman — which comes alive in his dreams that night — as they explore the wonders of the world. Immediately hailed as a modern classic, it begs for multiple reads.
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Home in a Lunchbox
Available from:This nearly wordless picture book is about a little girl who moves from Hong Kong to the United States. She doesn’t speak English and finds communicating and fitting in with her new classmates difficult. But when she opens her lunchbox to find a familiar meal, she feels more at home. The lush illustrations earned this book a Caldecott Honor!
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Time Flies
Available from:Eric Rohmann’s debut, which won a Caldecott when it was initially published in 1994, is a timeless picture book that explores the concept of birds evolving from dinosaurs. A gorgeous combination of science and striking illustrations, I predict this one staying a fan favorite for years to come.
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The Last Zookeeper
Available from:In this futuristic retelling of the biblical story of Noah’s Ark, Caldecott Honor-winning creator Aaron Becker delivers a beautiful and hopeful outlook. In a post-apocalyptic world, the Earth has flooded, leaving nothing but ruins. A compassionate robot named NOA builds a boat, rescues stranded zoo animals, and searches for a new home. The stunning artwork and heartfelt storyline will keep readers of all ages coming back for multiple rereads.
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Bluebird
Available from:Bob Staake is a prolific children’s book author — and New Yorker cover artist, to boot — but he’s said Bluebird is the book he was meant to write. The wordless story of a friendship between a young boy and a bird is packed with emotion and raises important questions about loneliness and the bonds that save us.
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A Ball for Daisy
Available from:You can’t go wrong with A Ball for Daisy, a Caldecott Medal-winner about a sweet dog that’s heartbroken over the loss of her favorite toy. Children will relate to Daisy’s keen disappointment — and surge of joy — as captured through Raschka’s unique illustrations.
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The Book From Far Away
Available from:A young boy looks up from his book to see an alien family emerging from their spaceship. Although he is cautious at first, it doesn’t take long before the boy and the alien child become friends and exchange books. This gorgeously illustrated picture book is perfect for kids who love stories about aliens, reading, and friendship.
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Mirror
Available from:In Baker’s Mirror, two boys — one in Australia and one in Morrocco — go about their day. While beautifully constructed three-dimensional collages show two very different lives and cultures, finding the underlying commonalities between them will resonate most with readers. Truly, words are extraneous when you’ve got such shared wonder in the world.
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The Light Inside
Available from:Celebrate Halloween year-round with this quirky picture book about a jack-o’-lantern who loses its favorite toy. The jack-o’-lantern chases after its toy in what becomes an epic nighttime adventure filled with monsters, witches, and unexpected friendship.
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2025.