This post is all about wordless books for toddlers.
Best Wordless Books for Toddlers
Wordless books are fantastic books for toddlers. Perfect for building language skills and new vocabulary, wordless books should not be overlooked. If you are trying to figure out what book to read next, don’t forget about some of these wordless books.
Even though wordless books do not have any words, they are still fun to read together. It gives young children the opportunity to engage with the beautiful illustrations. It also lets both younger children and older children a chance to create their own story using the pictures. It’s a lot of fun!
What Are Wordless Books?
Wordless books are picture books that tell stories through illustrations alone with any accompanying text.
They allow readers to interpret and create stories based on these different illustrations. They are a great way to build communication skills and important literacy skills!
Benefits of Wordless Picture Books
Boost Imagination and Creativity
Wordless books boost imagination and creativity by showing beautiful pictures for children to explore. Without words, these books encourage kids to use their imagination and come up with their own stories.
Because there are no words, wordless books are open-ended. This allows kids to practice their storytelling skills.
Pick up a wordless book and have your child tell you the story using the pictures as a guide.
Develop Language and Vocabulary
You may be wondering, “How can a wordless book build language and vocabulary? There are no words!”
Because there are no words, young readers describe and communicate what they see in the pictures, which helps develop their language skills.
As children create their own stories, their vocabulary naturally expands. If you, as a parent, are reading a wordless book with them, it’s a great opportunity to introduce new vocabulary as you see fit.
Interactive Engagement
Wordless books invite both children and adults to share a storytime experience. By exploring the illustrations together, telling a story, and exchanging ideas, you have a unique opportunity to connect with the book.
When a reader becomes the storyteller, you’ll witness an increase in engagement.
favorite wordless picture books.
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1. Flora and the Flamingo
by Molly Idle
Flora and her flamingo friend dance a beautifully synchronized dance throughout the pages of this wordless book. With lift-the-flap elements, readers can actively participate in their performance. This charming and heartwarming story celebrates not only the joy of dance but also the power of friendship between two unlikely friends.
2. JOURNEY
by Aaron Becker
In the wordless story, a lonely girl escapes through a magical door she draws on her bedroom wall. With a red marker, she creates a boat, a balloon, and a flying carpet. She is ready to go on a spectacular journey. This is the first book of the trilogy series.
3. Wolf in the Snow
by Matthew Cordell
When a young girl gets lost in a snowstorm, she discovers a wolf cub. Choosing to bring it along, they navigate the cold weather together. Will their journey lead them back to their families?
4. The Red Book
by Barbara Lehman
An exciting journey begins when a reader gets lost in a magical book. With beautiful illustrations, the book shows how reading can take us to new places and spark our imagination.
5. Wave
by Suzy Lee
In this simple story, a girl interacts with the waves and seagulls at the beach. This great wordless picture book beautifully captures the excitement that children feel when going to the beach.
6. The Snowman
by Raymond Briggs
I loved The Snowman growing up. It tells the story of a young boy who builds a snowman and it magically comes alive. They go on an adventure together and discover each other’s worlds.
7. Marlo
by Christopher Browne
This mostly wordless book follows Marlo, a playful dog who gets dirty while playing and needs a bath. What starts as a simple bath turns into an exciting adventure as Marlo sets out to find his lost ducky.
8. Pancakes for Breakfast
by Tomie dePaola
An old lady is craving pancakes for breakfast. A journey to gather all of the ingredients she needs to make the pancakes begins!
9. Good Night, Gorilla
by Peggy Rathmann
In this nearly wordless book, a sneaky gorilla takes the zoo keeper’s keys. As all of the animals in the zoo are getting ready to go to sleep, they find that the gorilla has unlocked their cages, leading to an unexpected adventure.
10. Flashlight
by Lizi Boyd
What will you find with a flashlight while camping in the forest? There are so many discoveries to make in this brilliant book.
11. Tuesday
by David Weisner
On a regular Tuesday evening, frogs begin to take flight on their lily pads. A charming story that will surely entertain and engage your child.
12. Chalk
by Bill Thomson
Three girls discover a bag of chalk on a rainy day. They soon discover that all of their chalk drawings come to life! When the boy decides to draw a huge T-Rex, how can they fix this problem?
13. A Ball for Daisy
by Chris Raschka
Daisy the dog absolutely loves her red ball. One day at the park, the ball pops! Daisy is so sad about the loss of her ball. Will Daisy find a replacement for her beloved red ball?
14. Mr. Wuffles!
by David Wiesner
Mr. Wuffles is not interested in his cat toys, but when he discovers a small metal spaceship, it grabs his attention. Inside the spaceship are aliens who become worried when their craft gets damaged. However, they find new friends – the bugs living behind the radiator. This delightful story highlights the importance of unlikely friendships and will capture the imaginations of readers of all ages.
15. Spot, the Cat
by Henry Cole
Spot the cat is ready to explore the city. With beautiful illustrations, this book takes us on Spot’s adventures as he explores different streets and new scenery. While Spot is off exploring, we see that Spot’s owner is looking for him – always just barely missing him!
16. Inside Outside
by Lizi Boyd
In this wordless book, we follow a young boy as he explores his day indoors and outdoors. As the seasons change, he discovers the wonders of nature. Clever die-cuts add an interactive element that will captivate young kids. This engaging book celebrates the joy of both home and nature.
17. Bee & Me
by Alison Jay
This story of a little girl who befriends a bee features beautiful illustrations. The girl and the bee do everything together. This unexpected friendship takes the girl on a journey as she learns about the troubles that the bee population is having. A great book to discuss how simple actions can have positive consequences.
18. Ball
by Mary Sullivan
This book is almost wordless, with only speech bubbles appearing throughout. It tells the story of a dog who absolutely loves playing ball with his little girl. When the girl goes to school, the dog is still full of excitement and ready to continue their ball game. The book features funny illustrations that capture the silliness of the dog, and it’s sure to bring smiles to readers’ faces.
19. The Lion & the Mouse
by Jerry Pinkney
This is a wordless retelling of the popular Aesop Fable. When a mouse is being chased by an owl, the mouse seeks help from the lion. The lion catches the mouse but releases it. When the lion gets caught by some hunters, will the mouse be able to rescue him?
20. I Walk with Vanessa
by Kerascoet
When Vanessa is being bullied by a boy in her neighborhood, a girl takes a stand in an effort to support Vanessa. She spreads the word to other students. Soon enough, they all accompany Vanessa on her walk to school. A wonderful story to teach kindness.
21. Where’s Walrus?
by Stephen Savage
A friendly walrus has escaped from the zoo! In this wordless picture book, the walrus thinks of different ways to disguise himself while being chased by the zookeeper. Follow the walrus as he interacts with firefighters, businessmen, and dancers. This delightful story captures the joy of exploration and self-discovery in a fun and engaging way.
22. Have You Seen My Duckling?
by Nancy Tafuri
A mother duck is in search of her missing baby duckling in this engaging picture book. As the story unfolds, readers will explore various animal environments and join the mother in her search. It’s a delightful and heartwarming adventure that will captivate young readers.
23. Good Dog, Carl
by Alexandra Day
Carl and the baby get into some fun together while mom is away! Who knew a big rottweiler could make such a great babysitter?
Wordless Books for Toddlers and Children
Wordless books are a fantastic choice for toddlers and children. They offer an exciting reading experience that sparks imagination and encourages creativity.
With their captivating illustrations that feature minimal or no text, these books help develop visual literacy skills and allow young readers to become true participants in the storytelling process.
Wordless books are a valuable addition to any child’s library!
