Wordless/Almost Wordless Picture Books

Updated September 7, 2024
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
Rainstorm
Lehman, Barbara
Paper Book
It can be lonely sometimes on a rainy day in a big house with no one else around and there's only the quiet to keep you company. But if you find a key, a mysterious key, that leads you to an unexpected place . . . chances are your afternoon is about to get a lot more interesting.
Pancakes for breakfast
DePaola, Tomie
Paper Book
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...
Have you seen my duckling?
Tafuri, Nancy.
Paper Book
In this classic and bestselling Caldecott Honor winner, a mother duck loses her duckling--and finds it, with the help of sharp-eyed young readers.  "As fresh as spring."--The Horn Book "Children will return to this one again and again . . . a reassuring story of youthful...
Field trip to the moon
Hare, John, (Children's book illustrator)
Paper Book
It's field trip day, and students are excited to travel on their yellow spaceship bus from their space station to the moon in this wordless picture book. An ALA Notable Children's Book A Golden Duck Notable Picture Book Climb aboard the spaceship bus for a...
I walk with Vanessa
Kerascoët
Paper Book
Named by Parents Magazine as the "Best Book that Champions Kindness"! This simple yet powerful picture book--from a New York Times bestselling husband-and-wife team--tells the story of one girl who inspires a community to stand up to bullying. Inspired by...
While you are sleeping
Ruiz Johnson, Mariana
Paper Book
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...
Little fox in the forest
Graegin, Stephanie
Paper Book
Fans of Aaron Becker's Caldecott Honor winner Journeywill 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...
Hocus Pocus takes the train
Desrosiers, Sylvie
Paper Book
As this hilarious and virtually wordless graphic novel begins, Hocus Pocus, a rabbit who lives inside a magician's hat, is about to board a train when he's surprised to spy another rabbit nearby. Though he's disappointed when he realizes it's actually only a stuffed rabbit (which clever young...
Last night
Yum, Hyewon.
Paper Book
A little girl doesn't like her dinner and is sent to her room. She seeks comfort from her friend Bear and falls asleep. So begins a fantastic dream voyage deep into the forest, where the girl and her friend dance and play all night. And in the morning, mother and child make up. With...
I got it!
Wiesner, David
Paper Book
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...
Do you want to be my friend?
Carle, Eric.
Paper Book
A classic friendship story from the beloved Eric Carle, creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This is a simple and nearly wordless picture book for children to explore in a variety of ways. Shared with little ones, the bright pictures showing a small gray mouse's search for the perfect...
Owly & Wormy, friends all aflutter!
Runton, Andy.
Paper Book
Owly and Wormy want some butterflies. But when they come home from the nursery with a plant that will attract some fluttering friends, all that show up are fat, green bug things. Bug things are NOT butterflies! But, they are nice and fun and good at sleep outs under the stars and always up for a...
Blue rider
Valério, Geraldo
Paper Book
"[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...
Door
Yi, Chi-hy?n (Illustrator)
Paper Book
A New York Times Editors' Choice Book! "This remarkable wordless picture book bursts with buoyant energy as a boy finds the key to a long-unopened door and makes his way from drabness to a joyful, magical land." --The New York Times Book Review What's...
Near, far
Borando, Silvia
Paper Book
From up close and far away, things can look so different. Can you guess what animals you're looking at as they zoom in, then zoom back out? No words are needed in this striking and colorful exploration of animal shapes. Bold graphic forms create a playful exercise in visual...
Skunk on a string
Lam, Thao
Paper Book
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...
The white book
Borando, Silvia
Paper Book
No words are needed--and unexpected things can happen--when a boy, some bold paint, an active imagination, and a white wall come together. Roller in hand, a boy starts to paint a blank wall. First it's a plain coat of pink. Then six birds emerge, perched on a branch. . . . Wait,...
The farmer and the clown
Frazee, Marla
Paper Book
Whimsical and touching images tell the story of an unexpected friendship and the revelations it inspires in this moving, wordless picture book from two-time Caldecott Honor medalist Marla Frazee. A baby clown is separated from his family when he accidentally bounces off their...
Flashlight
Boyd, Lizi
Paper Book
Named an NPR Best Book of the Year and Junior Library Guild Selection, this wordless storybook with stunning illustrations aims to lighten the fear of the dark and the noises that come with it. "Flashlight allows readers to experience the...
Gem
Hobbie, Holly.
Paper Book
Look carefully. There may be a gem in your garden. For nearly four decades, watercolorist Holly Hobbie has drawn inspiration from the wonders of nature. During one especially hard winter, she found herself imagining the story of a determined toad's spring...
The chicken thief
Rodriguez, Béatrice.
Paper Book
In this wordless story that is both funny and sweet, a fox steals a hen away from her home. Bear, rabbit, and rooster give chase, but in a twist on the usual children's story, this fox is not a villain. Rather, he tenderly holds hen as he runs into the night. A funny and life-affirming...
Wonder bear
Nyeu, Tao
Paper Book
Two kids plant mysterious seeds (all that's pictured on the envelope is a blue top hat), and up grows a remarkable flowering vine, out of which emerges an even more remarkable big white bear. On his head is the top hat'a hat that allows him to work all kinds of magic that day. He pulls monkey after...
The other side
Banyai, Istvan
Paper Book
InThe Other Side, artist, designer, provocateur Istvan Banyai takes readers on another exceptional visual journey. In graphically stunning illustrations that feature many clever twists in point of view, familiar scenes turn and turn again to show us the back, the front, the top, the bottom,...
Wallpaper
Lam, Thao
Paper Book
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...
Pip & Pup
Yelchin, Eugene
Paper Book
An adorable baby chick and puppy become barnyard friends in this wordless picture book from Newbery Honor author Eugene Yelchin. Across the barnyard, Pip the chick spots a new friend to play with--Pup! But Pup isn't sure he likes how Pip plays--too rough. These two friends will...
Imagine!
Colón, Raúl
Paper Book
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...
Draw the line
Otoshi, Kathryn
Paper Book
Draw the Line is a powerful picture book about forgiveness from Kathryn Otoshi, author of the bestselling book One. When two boys draw their own lines and realize they can connect them together--magic happens! But a misstep causes their lines...
The carpenter
Barros, Bruna
Paper Book
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...
Red again
Lehman, Barbara
Paper Book
When a young boy discovers an abandoned book on the side of the road, it opens a window to another world just as real as his own. But what happens when the two worlds collide? This imaginative companion to the Caldecott Honor-winning The Red Book works in a continuous loop, showing us that...
Return
Becker, Aaron
Paper Book
Welcome the much-anticipated finale of Caldecott Honoree Aaron Becker's wordless trilogy--a spectacular, emotionally satisfying story that brings its adventurer home. Failing to get the attention of her busy father, a lonely girl turns back to a fantastic world for friendship and...
Pool
Lee, JiHyeon.
Paper Book
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!...
Sidewalk flowers
Lawson, JonArno
Paper Book
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...
Hunters of the great forest
Nolan, Dennis
Paper Book
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...
Out of the blue
Jay, Alison
Paper Book
"A book that eschews words for imagination-stimulating pictures: a storm-wrecked, seashore adventure between a girl and a boy" - The Guardian This evocative wordless book about the mysteries of the sea invites readers to tell the story in their own words, which stimulates...
The girl and the bicycle
Pett, Mark
Paper Book
From the creator of The Boy and the Airplane, a touching wordless picture book about a little girl, a shiny bicycle, and the meaning of persistence--with an unexpected payoff. A little girl sees a shiny new bicycle in the shop window. She hurries home to see if she has...
Draw!
Colón, Raúl.
Paper Book
"A wordless picture book celebrates the power of art and imagination." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Young artists will love this book, as will all children who know the joy of exploring their own imaginations." --School Library Journal (starred...
Inside outside
Boyd, Lizi
Paper Book
What is happening outside today? Peek through the window to find out. What is happening inside? Peek again! Whimsical die-cuts throughout lead to charming and surprising reveals with every turn of the page. Filled with fun details (can you find the two mice playing throughout?), this deceptively...
Journey
Becker, Aaron
Paper Book
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...
Quest
Becker, Aaron
Paper Book
Aaron Becker, creator of Journey, a Caldecott Honor book, presents the next chapter in his stunning wordless fantasy. A king emerges from a hidden door in a city park, startling two children sheltering from the rain. No sooner does he push a map and some strange objects...
Bluebird
Staake, Bob
Paper Book
In his most beautiful and moving work to date, Bob Staake explores the universal themes of loneliness, bullying, and the importance of friendship. In this emotional picture book, readers will be captivated as they follow the journey of a bluebird as he develops a friendship with a young boy and...
The secret box
Lehman, Barbara.
Paper Book
Times change. Cities may grow large. Summers may come and go. And people might grow old, but the one thing that always remains the same is the desire for adventure. Barbara Lehman takes readers on a timeless trip to a world of secret messages...
Where's Walrus?
Savage, Stephen
Paper Book
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...
Cool cat
Hogrogian, Nonny.
Paper Book
Cool Cat's neighborhood isn't so cool. It's barren and brown, littered with rusty cans and broken bottles. No problem. With an old paint box, a troop of helpful animals, and lots of imagination, Cool Cat turns the world around him into a Rousseau-style masterpiece. An enchanting story of...
South
McDonnell, Patrick
Paper Book
When a little bird awakens to find that all of his friends and family have gone south for the winter, it takes a surprising friendship with Mooch the cat to help him find his way. This is a wordless and profoundly moving story--by the creator of the beloved comic strip Mutts--that explores...
Museum trip
Lehman, Barbara.
Paper Book
Museums: filled with mysterious, magical art and curiosities? Or secrets? And what might happen if a boy suddenly became part of one of the mind-bending exhibits? Join the fun in Museum Trip, by Barbara Lehman, the author-illustrator of the Caldecott Honor-winning The Red Book.
Flotsam
Wiesner, David
Paper Book
In this extraordinary Caldecott Medal winner and New York Times bestseller by David Wiesner, a beach day is the springboard to a wildly imaginative exploration of fantastical mysteries of the deep--and of human connections through time. A young boy comes to the beach eager to...
Sector 7
Wiesner, David.
Paper Book
The Caldecott Honor-winning adventure of a young boy and a mischievous cloud in a funny, touching story about art, friendship, and the weather by three-time Caldecott Medalist David Wiesner. Only the person who gave us Tuesday could have devised this fantastic Caldecott...
Rosie's walk
Hutchins, Pat
Paper Book
The snowman
Briggs, Raymond.
Paper Book
Illus. in full color. A wordless story. The pictures have "the hazy softness of air in snow. A little boy rushes out into the wintry day to build a snowman, which comes alive in his dreams that night. The experience is one that neither he nor young 'readers' will ever regret or forget."--(starred)...
Flora and the peacocks
Idle, Molly Schaar
Paper Book
The darling, dancing Flora is back, and this time she's found two new friends: a pair of peacocks! But amidst the fanning feathers and mirrored movements, Flora realizes that the push and pull between three friends can be a delicate dance. Will this trio find a way to get back in step? In the third...
Turn on the night
Valério, Geraldo
Paper Book
A wordless book that celebrates a child's imaginative freedom. A little girl falls asleep and in her dream becomes a huge gray wolf, like the one in her bedtime story. Out the window she leaps, and a marvelous nighttime adventure unfolds. She visits the rooster in his coop, and invites him...
Float
Miyares, Daniel
Paper Book
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...
The whisper
Zagarenski, Pamela
Paper Book
Step inside the pages of a little girl's magical book as she discovers the profound and inspiring notion that we each bring something different to the same story. Two-time Caldecott Honor artist Pamela Zagarenski debuts as an author in this tender picture book about the joy of reading.
Flora and the penguin
Idle, Molly Schaar
Paper Book
In this frosty follow-up to Flora and the Flamingo, Flora forms an unexpected friendship with a penguin as they dance above and below the ice. Twirling, leaping, spinning and gliding, on skates and flippers, the duo mirror each other's graceful ice dance. But when Flora gives the penguin the...
Flora and the flamingo
Idle, Molly Schaar.
Paper Book
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....
The boy and the airplane
Pett, Mark.
Paper Book
When a little boy's prized toy airplane lands on a rooftop, he makes several rescue attempts before devising an unexpected solution. Rendered in sepia tones and exemplifying a touching message, this wordless story is gracefully open to interpretation, containing a seed of wisdom for...
Daisy gets lost
Raschka, Christopher.
Paper Book
"A must for Daisy fans everywhere," declares School Library Journal in a starred review. With the same emotional intensity that he brought to his New York Times bestselling, New York Times Best Illustrated, and Caldecott Medal-winning picture book A Ball for...
Bear despair
Dorémus, Gaëtan
Paper Book
Don't ever take a bear's teddy bear, no matter how cute you think it is. If you do, you'll be in for trouble. Big trouble. For a bear whose teddy has been stolen isn't simply heartbroken, but determined to get it back. So determined that he might just gobble up more than honey to do so!...
A ball for Daisy
Raschka, Christopher.
Paper Book
Winner of the 2012 Randolph Caldecott Medal This New York Times Bestseller and New York Times Best Illustrated Book relates a story about love and loss as only Chris Rashcka can tell it. Any child who has ever had a beloved toy break will relate to Daisy's anguish...
The red book
Lehman, Barbara.
Paper Book
This Caldecott Honor-winning book about a book is a delightful, wordless tale about the power of stories, perfect for fans of Brendan Wenzel and David Weisner. A red book is lying in the snow in the city. When you open it, you find a new kind of adventure. You will be...
Every little kindness
Bartolj, Marta
Paper Book
An Ezra Jack Keats Illustrator Honor Winner Follow the trail of good deeds in this beautiful wordless picture book to learn how small acts of kindness can make all the difference! When one act of kindness sparks another, anything is...
Wolf in the snow
Cordell, Matthew
Paper Book
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...
Spot, the cat
Cole, Henry
Paper Book
Simple and stunning images tell the story of a cat named Spot as he weaves his way in and out of a city in this wordless picture book from award-winning author-illustrator Henry Cole. Through this gorgeous visual narrative, Henry Cole shows us a day in the life of a cat named...

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.