Wordless Books

Wordless Books are a great way to capture a story in a unique way! Check out this list generated by our Youth Services Librarians for the Scotch Plains Public Library's annual summer reading challenge.

Updated April 17, 2023
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Gold
Alexander, Jed
This wordless picture book plays with our assumptions about family. What do we think we see as we turn the pages and how is the ending not at all what we expected? This fractured retelling of the Goldilocks fairy tale provides a perfect format for thinking about story-telling and how...
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...
The 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...
The tree and the river
Becker, Aaron
A spectacular time-lapse portrait of humankind--and our impact on the natural world--from a Caldecott Honor-winning master of the wordless form In an alternate past--or possible future--a mighty tree stands on the banks of a winding river, bearing silent witness to the flow of...

Like this book? Check out Becker's other wordless titles: Journey, Quest, and Return.

Spot, the cat
Cole, Henry
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...

Follow Spot in Spot & Dot.

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...

Check out Draw!, another wordless book by Raul Colon.

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...
Field trip to the ocean deep
Hare, John, (Children's book illustrator)
Come join the fun as students take a submarine bus on a field trip to explore the ocean deep, in this wordless picture book from the creator of Field Trip to the Moon! Students dressed in deep sea helmets travel to the ocean deep in a yellow school-bus submarine. When they...

Enjoy this trip? Follow along in Field Trip to the Moon and Field Trip to Volcano Island.

Hello
Ikegami, Aiko
Some stories don't need words to make their meaning clear--and some friendships can transcend barriers. A wordless picture book shows that the power of friendship and communicating can span across the galaxies.
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...
A day for sandcastles
Lawson, JonArno
A dazzling wordless picture book celebrates creative problem-solving, teamwork, and the sun-splashed wonder of a day at the beach. The creators of the acclaimed Over the Shop evoke a perfect summer beach day--and themes of creativity, cooperation, flexibility, and...
Draw the line
Otoshi, Kathryn
Draw the Lineis a powerful picture book about forgiveness from Kathryn Otoshi, author of the bestselling bookOne. When two boys draw their own lines and realize they can connect them together--magic happens! But a misstep causes their lines to...
The 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.
Dog on a digger
Prendergast, Kate
Two perennial favorites -- canines and heavy machinery -- come together in a charming wordless book sure to please readers of all ages. Dog likes to ride along while his human companion works the big excavator at the construction site. But today, when they stop at the snack bar...
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...
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...
Dandelion's dream
Tanaka, Yoko, (Artist)
What if a dandelion became a real lion? With enchanting, ethereal art, this wordless story shares a world where reality can be transfigured by imagination. In a meadow filled with dandelion buds just about to flower, one dandelion blooms into a real lion. Roots and...
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...
Pip & Pup
Yelchin, Eugene
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...

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