Wordless Picture Books

Children's picture books that let the illustrations do the talking.
Updated September 19, 2022
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Imagine!
Colo?n, Rau?l
An ALA Notable Book A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids A Bookpage Best Book "This fine book provides not only exposure to art...but also an example of a boy--a boy of color, a boy in America--with a passion for fine art." --The New York...
Inside outside
Ramstein, Anne-Margot
From the creators of Before After comes another striking book of opposites, this time exploring the concepts of within and without with bright, bold graphics. Safe inside its shell, a baby bird prepares to brave the world. A spelunker descends into a wide and glittering...
Journey
Becker, Aaron, 1974-
A 2014 Caldecott Honor Book Follow a girl on an elaborate flight of fancy in a wondrously illustrated, wordless picture book about self-determination -- and unexpected friendship. A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it escapes into a...
Lion & the mouse
Pinkney, Jerry.
Winner of the Caldecott Medal This New York Times bestselling and award-winning fable of compassion and kindness, as reimagined by legendary artist Jerry Pinkney, is an essential addition to any bookshelf of children's classics.
One yellow ribbon
Jocelyn, Marthe
One yellow ribbon unties itself from a child's hair and transforms into a winter scarf, a farmer's field and a lion's mane, among many other magical things, in this delightful board book by celebrated paper artist Marthe Jocelyn. Jocelyn's paper collages in this wordless search-and-find...
Once upon a banana
Armstrong, Jennifer, 1961-
Such a little banana causing such a big pile of trouble! How could it be? First the grocer, then the painter, next the bicycle messenger, and then -- oh, no -- not the baby in the carriage! An entire town turned upside down, all by a banana peel! Caldecott Medal-winning artist David...
Little fox in the forest
Graegin, Stephanie
Fans of Aaron Becker's Caldecott Honor winner Journey will love this utterly enchanting wordless picture book in which two friends follow a young fox deep into the woods and discover a wondrous and magical world. When a young girl brings her beloved stuffed fox to the...
Pancakes for breakfast
DePaola, Tomie, 1934-2020.
Tomie dePaola's classic wordless picture book is just as fun as a serving of pancakes for breakfast! Missing ingredients and mischievous pets create one humorous complication after another for a little old lady determined to make pancakes for breakfast. Fans of such favorites...
Sidewalk flowers
Lawson, JonArno
Winner of the Governor General's Literary Award for Children's Illustrated Book A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year In this wordless picture book, a little girl collects wildflowers while her distracted father pays her little attention. Each flower becomes...
Professional crocodile
Zoboli, Giovanna
Mr. Crocodile loves his job. Every morning he gets up with an alarm. He brushes his teeth. He chooses the right tie to match his outfit, eats a quick slice of toast, and heads off to work on a crowded train. But what exactly is his job? The answer may surprise you! Readers will want to pore over...
Pool
Yi, Chi-hyo?n (Illustrator)
A New York Times Notable Book of the Year A NPR.org Best Book of the Year Gold Medal Winner - Society of Illustrators' Original Art Show, 2015 What happens when two shy children meet at a very crowded pool? Dive in to find out!...
Wallpaper
Lam, Thao
New from the creator of Skunk on a Stringcomes Wallpaper, a wordless picture book in Thao Lam's signature paper collage style. It tells the story of a young girl whose family moves into a new house. Outside, she can hear other kids playing, but she's too shy to say hello. So she picks...
Where's Walrus
Savage, Stephen, 1965-
A happy-go-lucky Walrus escapes the zoo in search of adventure in this wordless instant classic.Bored with life at the zoo, an adventurous walrus escapes to the outside world. With the zookeeper in hot pursuit, Walrus cleverly tries on all sorts of hats to disguise himself. Will a yellow hardhat...
While you are sleeping
Ruiz Johnson, Mariana
While you are sleeping, does the rest of the world sleep, too? Not everyone. In this dreamy book, which won the 2015 Silent Book Contest at the prestigious Bologna Children's Book Fair, Mariana Ruiz Johnson conjures up the ordinary yet extraordinary world outside the window...
Flora and the flamingo
Idle, Molly Schaar.
In this magical Caldecott Honor-winning picture book, Flora and her graceful flamingo friend wordlessly explore the trials and joys of friendship through an elaborate synchronized dance. Every little ballerina dreams of her turn as a dancing diva. Endearing Flora in...
Wolf in the snow
Cordell, Matthew, 1975-
Winner of the 2018 Caldecott Medal A girl is lost in a snowstorm. A wolf cub is lost, too. How will they find their way home? Paintings rich with feeling tell this satisfying story of friendship and trust. Wolf in the Snow is a book set on a wintry...
I got it!
Wiesner, David
Three-time Caldecott winner and bestseller David Wiesner works his visual magic in this near-wordless account of the most suspenseful, nerve-wracking few seconds in a baseball game. David Wiesner brings his trademark artistry and rich imagination to the iconic American...
Blue rider
Vale?rio, Geraldo, 1970-
"[A] dazzling vision of the way art transcends the everyday." -- Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW On a gray and crowded city sidewalk, a child discovers a book. That evening, the child begins to read and is immediately carried beyond the repetitive sameness of an urban skyscape...
Carpenter
Barros, Bruna
A book to read with your eyes and your heart . . . "A young boy abandons his beloved electronics when an old-fashioned yellow-jointed tape measure causes his imagination to run wild, inThe Carpenter, a wordless expression of the simple joys found in exploration and...
Float
Miyares, Daniel
A boy's small paper boat--and his large imagination--fill the pages of this wordless picture book, a modern-day classic from the creator of Pardon Me! that includes endpaper instructions for building a boat of your own. A little boy takes a boat made of newspaper out for a...
Another
Robinson, Christian
An NPR Favorite Book of 2019 A New York Times Best Children's Book of 2019 An NYPL Best Book of 2019 A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2019 A School Library Journal Best Picture Book of 2019 A BookPage...
Aquarium
Alonso, Cynthia
A girl ventures to the water's edge, dreaming of a new friend. And, just like that, a beguiling red fish leaps into her life. But is friendship a sea these two can navigate together? From debut Argentinian author-illustrator Cynthia Alonso comes a wordless picture book about the timeless beauty of...
Skunk on a string
Lam, Thao.
The highly anticipated wordless picture book from debut author and collage artist Thao Lam "Wordless... colorful... hilarious."Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW In Skunk on a String, we meet a skunk who has been tied to the tail of a balloon. Try as he...
Four hungry kittens
McCully, Emily Arnold.
From a Caldecott Medal-winning author comes this wordless story in which four small kittens share adventures while their mother is away hunting food. The kittens go exploring, where their mischief-making leads to a run in with a hungry hawk! Full-color illustrations.
Hunters of the great forest
Nolan, Dennis, 1945-
On a warm night, a band of hunters sets out on a journey. As they travel over hills, through thickets of trees, and around mountains, nothing will keep them from their ultimate goal. What that goal is may surprise you. Dennis Nolan's remarkable, imaginative illustrations lead the way...
Typewriter
Thomson, Bill, 1963-
Using just nine words, the award-winning creator of Chalk takes readers on another unforgettable journey. When three children discover a typewriter on a carousel, they are transported on an adventure of their own creation--complete with a giant beach ball and a threatening crab. Stunning,...
Fish
Walsh, Liam Francis
A boy and his dog embark on a fishing journey. Their first catch of the day: a big fat letter F. Their second? A slippery I. After an epic journey beneath the lake's surface, they find what they came for-- a FISH, along with some unanticipated menace from a few other letters.

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