The Literacy Classroom
Improving, inspiring and supporting
English teaching and learning
Wordless Picture Books
Tuesday
by David Weisner
In this ingenious and imaginative - nearly wordless - picture book, frogs in a pond lift off on their lily pads and fly to a nearby town where they zoom through a woman's living room, encounter a dog playing in his yard, and distract a bathrobe-clad citizen from his midnight snack. Who knows what will happen next Tuesday?
Flotsam
by David Weisner
A smart boy who’s interested in science takes a trip to the beach with everything he needs to collect flotsam. Flotsam is anything that was once floating but has now washed ashore. For example, it might include bottles, toys, or small objects of virtually any description. No matter what he thinks he might come across, he was certainly not prepared for the discovery of an underwater camera that’s encrusted with barnacles. Inside are secret photographs that he must learn to keep to himself. This is yet another wordless book by David Wiesner that shows kids the surprises that can arise in every day life.
The Lion and the Mouse
by Jerry Pinkney
One of the most famous stories by master storyteller Aesop gets a makeover, thanks to Jerry Pinkney’s adaption. Without words, he tells the beloved tale about a terrifying lion who decides to free a mouse he was planning to eat. Later, the mouse is able to return the favor and come to the rescue of the lion by freeing him from a hunter’s traps. This book uses bright, vivid illustrations to show the landscape of Africa. The characters are boldly drawn and quite memorable. Without words, this mesmerizing book manages to tell a huge story.
Wave
by Suzy Lee
When it comes to simplicity, acclaimed artist Suzy Lee knows how to make it work. This entire book is not only wordless, but it’s illustrated in just two colors. Created entirely in water color, Suzy Lee tells the story of a little girl who spends the day at the beach. She encounters plenty of the things you’d imagine she would – and some you might not think of! This is a sweet, simple, uplifting book that’s chock full of joy and laughter.
Sector 7
by David Weisner
This fantastical tale starts with a field trip to the Empire State Building. One of the school boys meets a sneaky little cloud, who whisks the boy away to Cloud Dispatch Center for Section 7. Here he meets other clouds, who express their boredom at their current shapes. The boy sketches new shapes for them to bring a little excitement in their life. This is quite a complex tale to be told without words, but the illustrator does so expertly, as he does with all his wordless picture books.
Chalk
by Bill Thomson
It’s a rainy day and 3 kids are hiding out in the park. They find a dinosaur spring rider and hop on for the ride of their lives. After getting their thrills, they grab a bag of chalk and begin to draw. And that’s when the magic begins! The kids draw a sun, butterflies and a dinosaur, and they all come to life! This is a wondrous book that really helps to foster a child’s imagination. The illustrator uses traditional painting techniques to add tons of rich details to each of the pages
A Ball for Daisy
by Chris Raschka
All children who’ve ever experienced their favorite toy breaking will be able to relate to this timeless tale. Poor Daisy is quite upset when another dog destroys her favorite ball. The book depicts her joy at initially playing with her ball and her sadness when it is no longer, which perfectly captures the way it really feels to have a favorite toy and then lose it. This book has broad appeal, from dog lovers to children who’ve ever lost anything special to them. The illustrations are swirling, impressionistic, and quite fantastical. Of course, there is also a surprise happy ending!
Where's Walrus?
by Stephen Savage
Walrus is happy with his life, but oh so bored living in the zoo! He decides to take the ultimate adventure and head out to the outside world. The zookeeper is hot on his trail, but Walrus is more clever than people give him credit for! He finds all kinds of hats that help him disguise himself. Is that a construction worker? No, it’s Walrus with a hardhat! Is that a swimmer? No, it’s Walrus with a red swimming cap! Readers can follow long in this delightful book and see for themselves if the zookeeper ever answers the question, “Where’s Walrus?”
Sea of Dreams
by Denis Nolan
A girl is traveling down a beautiful beach on a sunny day, and decides to stop and create a gorgeous sandcastle. When night time comes, she heads for home, leaving the sandcastle behind – and completely unprotected. The waves begin to move closer and closer as high tide comes. The sandcastle is in serious trouble, when, out of no where, a light comes on in one of its windows. A wonderful tale full of magic and suspense, young readers will be captivated by the story of a lonely girl, the sandcastle she makes, and its struggle for survival.
Rainstorm
by Barbara Lehman
What is a child to do who finds themselves long in a big, empty house? What if it starts to rain? Who wouldn’t feel a little lonely and scared when they’re all alone during a rainstorm? This child is quite frightened, but decides to make the best of it. After a key is found, a quite mysterious key at that, a lock is found…and the afternoon sure gets more interesting. This is an example of wordless children’s books that are full of lovely illustrations and deep emotions. The ending is nothing short of magical, and it is quite amazing how a wordless book like this can tell such a deep and interesting story.