Brainstorm Vol 78: Favorite Wordless Books

I love a good story, and I love the beauty of words put together just right. But there’s also something to be said for an artist who can convey a story complete with a whole slew of emotions with no words. So I also have a soft spot for wordless books. I get excited about their potential in engaging creativity. An 18 month old can totally enjoy a wordless story all by themselves and get a ton out of the experience. They are learning so many things about the way books and stories work in the process. And what do toddlers naturally do when “reading” to themselves? Start to put words to the pictures. Hand the same book to an 18 year old who thinks they can’t write a story, and see what kinds of words will flow from their pens to match the illustrations. And perhaps that’s one of the things I like the most about wordless books, they are ageless. They appeal to the little one who just likes the fact that there’s a kitty on the pages or to the adult who is marvelling at the illustrative genius of the author. And they have endless applications for activity extensions. Before I introduce some of my favorite wordless picture books, here’s some activity tie-ins/target audience ideas that will apply to all of them. Not that you should need a reason to enjoy a wordless book.

10 Favorite Wordless Books (in no particular order)

Activity Tie-ins/Target Readers:

• Speech Prompts for Therapy, Language Practice, or Public Speaking: Whether you’re trying to bring a kid or adult out of their shell for whatever reason they retreated there, or just getting someone new to a language to practice it, wordless books provide a safe framework to guide the conversation. Just ask them to tell the story in their own words or engage them in a conversation about which aspects of the art or story appealed to them. You can also use wordless books as props for public speaking exercises, have the person make up a story in words to go with the illustrations.
• Writing Practice: Putting words to a wordless book story can take a host of different writing directions. You can let someone practice writing in a new language. You can have them tell the story from certain view points or tenses. You can have them write commentary on the story or practice writing dialogue. The possibilities are numerous. If you’re looking for a prompt for writing, wordless books provide a framework that is easy to build on in a variety of ways.
• Interpreting Emotions & Art: Many kids that have some type of autism have a hard time reading emotional clues. Wordless books that convey emotion have to do that entirely through the illustrations of body language, without words, which is the way we humans often convey our emotions too. It’s a safe way for these kids to practice reading emotions. Similarly, art classes frequently talk about conveying moods and wordless authors are masters of this. Art classes can analyze how they get us to feel and to understand the characters without words.
• Visual Acuity: Kids with visual problems related to eye muscles and focusing capabilities will probably like wordless books better than other books since they don’t have to try and follow a tiny row of type, but they will still get some good eye exercise (probably more than they realize) and learn the power of fun in books. 
• Ageless Read: Anyone can read a wordless book, no matter their reading level. It makes for a nice safe, fun, no pressure reading choice.
• Stands up to Multiple Readings: Because you have to pay close attention to the illustrations, often wordless books are best enjoyed only after multiple reads. If you want a book that will stand up to multiple readings and not grow old, pick a wordless one.

Spot the Cat by Henry Cole
A spotted cat wanders out a window one day after a bird. The cat is off on an adventure all over the city, while the boy grows worried and starts looking for it. Eventually the two both make their way back home and reunite.

A simple story, but incredibly detailed illustrations. There are no words, and the main point of the book is to find the cat in each of the places where it has wandered. The black and white nature of the illustrations make this hide-and-seek even more challenging. A great book to while away a few minutes with.

Flora and the Penguin by Molly Idle
Flora and the Penguin have a great time ice skating together until there's a little misunderstanding. Not to worry, though, because the two friends quickly work out their misunderstanding.

Molly Idle has two other Flora books. Flora and the Flamingo, which won a Caldecott Honor, and Flora and the Peacocks, newly out this year. All are wordless and lift-the-flap books. I haven’t gotten to read Flora and the Peacocks yet (so sad!), but I have enjoyed Flora and the Flamingo in addition to this one. Flora and the Flamingo is more of a fun little book with not much message, but this one has a nice little lesson about working out misunderstandings. (The penguin gives Flora a fish as a sign of its friendship, but Flora flings it away which upsets the penguin.) It would segue easily into discussions with kids about what to do when there's a misunderstanding with a friend or sibling. You could also talk about how a treasure to one person can seem worthless to another person.

Bluebird by Bob Staake
A lonely little boy meets a bluebird on his way home from school and makes an unexpected friend who helps him find other friends and some courage.

I love the artwork and the cute story line in this book.

Flashlight by Lizi Boyd
A boy leaves his tent and explores the woods with his flashlight, finding all sorts of critters active in the dark.

This is a wordless book, but it is just jam-packed with illustrations. And the fact that much of the illustrations are grey on black, mean this one requires more than one read to absorb all that is going on. A great book to use when talking about nocturnal critters. Check out Lizi Boyd’s other wordless book Inside Outside too.

Unspoken by Henry Cole
A girl discovers a runaway slave hiding in the corn crib. Instead of exposing him, she decides to help him by slipping him food.

A great wordless picture book exploration of runaway slaves and how a little girl could have helped one. You have to read the author's note on this one. He explains how the Civil War is part of his family history and started to interest him, and why he chose to tell this particular story and in wordless book format. (And yes, this is the same guy who created the first book in this list.)

Tuesday by David Wiesner
One Tuesday night the frogs in town suddenly can fly. They have quite the adventure and leave a mystery in their wake.

David Wiesner is one of my favorite authors. I adore his books, and this one is my favorite of his, though Sector 7 and Mr. Wuffles are close seconds of his wordless books. This is the book that made me fall in love with wordless books. I love the artistry, and how he effectively tells a humorous story hardly using any words. I've used this in so many ways in teaching and tutoring, whether getting emergent readers ready to read by having them tell me the story or having older students write the words to go with the story, or teaching about foreshadowing. There’s also a story starter at the end of the book that can be easily used to prompt readers to create a sequel.

The Girl and the Bicycle by Mark Pett
A little girl sees a shiny green bicycle in the store window and puts her mind to getting it. She figures out ways to make money around the neighborhood, and in the process develops a friendship with one older neighbor lady. Seasons pass and eventually the girl has saved enough money to finally buy the bike, but when she goes to purchase it, the bike is gone. Obviously saddened, the girl decides to give joy to someone else with her hard-earned money (view spoiler)and is later rewarded with an unexpected surprise (view spoiler).

This book almost evaded my notice, which would have been a real shame. First off, I love, love, love wordless books for the pre-reading skills they build and endless activities they lend themselves to. Secondly, I really liked Pett's illustration style of blacks and whites on brown with rare touches of color. The people are drawn somewhat cartoonish and cute, but it lends itself well to the story. Pett is able to do so much with so little, which is a must since there are no words. But most of all what I'm glad I didn't miss was the story itself; it is inspiring and endearing. There's also lots of little things going on in the background so that this promises new discoveries for several re-readings. Don't let the subtle coloring and title of this book make it slip your notice. It's a treasure, and you'll be glad for the read.

A great book to talk to kids about saving money, thinking up ways to earn money, and about generosity.

Float by Daniel Miyares
A little boy makes a paper boat and takes it outside in the rain to watch is sail. The first puddle he tries is a rather unimpressive journey. But when he puts the boat in the gutter stream, the boat's adventure is a bit more exciting than expected. It also doesn't end well, but a new journey is promised with a paper airplane.

The emotions that Miyares is able to get across without the use of any words is impressive. There aren't many colors used other than those on the boy and the boat, but I still think they would draw in children just as well as adults. Kids will like the instructions for making paper boats and airplanes on the endpapers.

You Can’t Take a Balloon into the National Gallery by Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman, ill by Robin Press Glasser
The little girl from You Can't Take a Balloon into the Metropolitan Museum of Art has learned her lesson that balloons and art museums don't mix. So when she heads into the National Gallery in Washington D.C. she leaves her balloon with a photographer outside. But an accident happens and the balloon gets loose. Soon, the photographer and a growing group of helpers are chasing the balloon all over Washington D.C. in attempts to retrieve it before the little girl gets out of the museum. Frames are also shown of the art the girl is seeing, and frequently, life where the balloon is is imitating the art. Mixed into the crowds throughout the adventures are important American historic figures (a full list is found in the back of the book).

Love the way this wordless book series combines fun and art appreciation, and in this one gives you a tour of Washington D.C. too. There's so much going on you'll definitely have to read and re-read and re-read this one. And don’t forget to check out the rest of the series, You Can’t Take a Balloon into the Metropolitan Museum of Art and You Can’t Take a Balloon into the Museum of Fine Arts.

Shadow by Suzy Lee 
A little girl, alone in the attic with a back light, a pile of miscellaneous stuff and a great imagination has a grand wordless adventure before dinner.

This book starts so subtly I missed what was going on during the first couple of spreads and had to restart the book. Pay close attention to the shadows, they start changing with the little girl's imagination (as real shadows are ever so likely to do). A fantastic piece of artwork and a tribute to the powers of imagination. Be sure to also read Suzy Lee’s other wordless book, Wave.



There’s too many fantastic wordless books! I couldn’t even include all my favorites here. Here’s some other top favorites, but there are lots and lots more great wordless books out there. And next week I’ll share some favorite wordless graphic novels.

The Farmer and the Clown by Marla Frazee

Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson, ill. by Sydney Smith

The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka

Pool by JiHyeon Lee

Chalk by Bill Thomson

Zoom by Istvan Banyai

Journey and Quest by Aaron Becker
(And keep an eye out for book 3 in this series, Return coming this August!)

Rainstorm by Barbara Lehman