Wordless picture books: a great way to get your child to tell the story

Illustrated stories are an enjoyable way to develop visual literacy and help lead a child through a story. But have you tried a wordless picture book? These encourage children to think for themselves and form their own interpretation of what is happening in the narrative. They’re a great way to expand the imagination and have a lot fun doing it! Why not give one of these a go and see what you come up with…?

  • Small Things

    by Mel Tregonning 

    2017 4 to 9 years 

    • Graphic novels
    • Picture books
    • Dyslexia

    This brilliant book manages to deal with bullying, fear of being different, frustration at underachieving, and the fact that while some things may appear small from the outside, they can feel unconquerable to those experiencing them.

  • Professional Crocodile

    by Giovanna Zoboli and Mariachara Di Giorgio 

    2017 4 to 9 years 

    • Picture books

    What does a crocodile do for a living? This delightfully unusual picture book explores that very question. A sophisticated yet accessible book that reminds us not to prejudge, but rather to examine, ask questions and to wonder at the world around us.

  • Here I am

    by Patti Kim 

    2015 6 to 12 years 

    • Picture books

    The word-less book deals with the challenges of leaving a beloved home; coming to terms with the big changes you face in your new world; and the emotions surrounding this journey.

  • Footpath Flowers

    by JonArno Lawson, illustrated by Sydney Smith 

    2016 4 to 9 years 

    • Picture books

    A little girl spreads joy and colour through the grey townscape, when she picks and presents flowers from the pavements to the people and animals she meets. This wordless picture book is a beauty to behold.

  • The Last Zookeeper

    by Aaron Becker 

    2024 6 to 9 years 

    • Picture books
    • Dystopia

    wordless picture book featuring a robot protagonist and a flooded landscape. It is a beautifully illustrated modern retelling of the Noah’s ark story. 

  • Flotsam

    by David Wiesner 

    2012 6 to 9 years 

    • Fantasy
    • Picture books

    The story of a boy finding a vintage camera washed up on a beach unspools like a silent film in this mind-expanding wordless picture book.

  • The Arrival

    by Shaun Tan 

    2006 6 to 12+ years 

    • Graphic novels
    • Picture books

    In this unusual book, we follow a young man as he packs his bags and leaves his family to go and start a new life in another country