Whether your child can not read yet or they're well on their way to telling and writing their own creative stories, wordless picture books can be a great way to introduce kids to the forms and structures of literature without all the words on the page. With wordless picture books, your child can make up new stories and contextualize what they see in the world around them. It's a great way to help them learn, and an even better way to learn more about them.
Here are forty of the best wordless picture books for pre-readers and imaginative little ones.
1. Beaver Is Lost by Elisha Cooper
Follow the illustrated adventure in this wordless story featuring a beaver who drifts away from his family. Your little one will love recounting the story of how he travels back to safety at the end of the day.
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2. Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell
The illustrations in this picture book show the story of a lonely girl and a wolf who are both lost in a snow storm. Will they be able to find shelter and warmth? Will they be able to find beauty along their adventure?
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3. Chalk by Bill Thomson
This story will have young readers trying to guess what will come next. It's an exploration of three kids' creative adventure through dozens of themes, equipped only with some chalk. It's an inspiring picture book for kids who may be interested in art or other creative pursuits.
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4. Owl Bat Bat Owl by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
This wordless book explains the story of friendship between two nocturnal creatures. While it's clear to see all that is different about them, they are able to find common ground and have fun together!
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5. Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie dePaola
Revel in the joys of friendship and breakfast with this delightfully illustrated tale about making pancakes! It is a great way to get kids interested in cooking and it's helpful for building up vocabulary about food.
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6. A Boy, a Dog, and a Frog by Mercer Mayer
The three title characters are the stars of the show in this classic wordless book. It is a classic in every classroom library for young pre-readers because the everyday objects throughout the book are great for building up vocabulary.
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7. Flotsam by David Wiesner
Follow the adventures of a young boy who is eager to collect anything that washes up on the beach, from a paper boat to other big stuff that comes ashore. What interesting things will he find? What interesting things will he learn?
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8. Flora and the Peacocks by Molly Idle
The stunning illustrations of this book are jaw-dropping. Flora is a young girl out to explore the circle of life and all the beautiful things around her. Her colorful friends join her on the spectacular journey.
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9. Good Dog, Carl by Alexandra Day
This is a book about friends that follows a day in the life of Carl, a Rottweiler dog, and a young girl. They go through all of their favorite activities, and Carl does a great job. Good dog, Carl!
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10. Flashlight by Lizi Boyd
The illustrations of this book take the reader on an adventure through the forest at night. It is an exciting story told with beautiful pictures that top the book lists for slightly older kids.
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11. Wave by Suzy Lee
This carefree adventure combines the wonder of childhood with the awesome beauty of the sea in perfect harmony. It's a great way to contextualize beach-related vocabulary before and/or after traveling!
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12. Journey by Aaron Becker
When a brave little girl draws a door into another realm, she has an amazing adventure. You can see the concepts of character and character development throughout the illustrations; it's great for older kids.
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13. 10 Minutes Till Bedtime by Peggy Rathmann
This picture book is super relatable for anyone who has had to oversee bedtime -- or anyone who has struggled to get to bed! It's a fun look at a daily routine that can help build vocabulary and comprehension skills in very young children.
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14. The Adventures of Polo by Regis Faller
Polo sets off to the big world with just his backpack and a little boat. He sees many brave things and tests his creative and critical thinking skills along the way. In the end, he returns to his comfy home.
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15. Trainstop by Barbara Lehman
Riding the train is always a fun adventure, but sometimes there are especially exciting things to see and hear. This book follows an urban train ride with a young child who is excited to take it all in!
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16. Tuesday by David Wiesner
It seems like a regular suburban Tuesday, but the animals are ready to invade! This is a fantastic story that takes readers from the driveway to the community pool to see all the mayhem the local animals have cooked up.
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17. The Farmer and the Clown by Marla Frazee
When a baby clown gets lost among the fields, it forms an unexpected friendship with the farmer. Follow their cute escapades on the farm and see how they grow a special friendship and a charming story.
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18. A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka
This is an affectionate story about a dog and her ball. It's full of high-action illustrations that will get young pre-readers talking about what's going on and using new verbs from their everyday lives.
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19. Hank Finds an Egg by Rebecca Dudley
This is one of the amazing picture books that really focuses on the details of each leaf and drop. When Hank finds a little egg unattended in the forest, he works hard to return it to the nest high in the trees.
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20. Noah's Ark by Peter Spier
This beloved boat story is a retelling of the classic story that features a fun boat dance and other scenes of new animal babies on the boat. It's a great way to build and reinforce animal vocab, too!
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21. The Red Book by Barbara Lehman
This book encourages the reader -- whether you are a young child or a grown adult -- to change their outlook on life. It can tell a different story every time, and it's a great way to learn how your little one is looking at the world around them.
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22. Museum Trip by Barbara Lehman
Barbara Lehmann is well known for her wordless picture books that really speak to all ages. This book is about a 1st grade or 2nd grade museum trip that makes for an exciting day exploring the great indoors.
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23. Time Flies by Eric Rohmann
When a few birds get caught in the museum with their dinosaur ancestors, they're in for an exciting adventure! Watch how the birds explore and learn in the natural history museum before making their great escape.
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24. Professional Crocodile by Giovanna Zoboli
This book tells the professional and personal experience of a crocodile who's getting ready for a long day of work. It's a witty look at how the predator prepares himself for a day of just being himself!
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25. Bee & Me by Alison Jay
Here, a little girl becomes friends with a bee and they spend a fun and full day together. It's a great resource for getting your pre-reading little one to identify everyday objects while joining their whimsical escapades.
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26. Changes, Changes by Pat Hutchins
A couple builds a house from blocks, and when a disaster strikes, they keep building and changing the blocks until they can create a new home. The key method in the book is about embracing change and flexibility in the face of difficult situations.
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27. Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole
In this brilliant book based on historical events, a brave farm girl on a farm helps people escape slavery. She travels through the farm to deliver food and supplies, and her determination and strength are clear in all of the illustrations on every page of the story.
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28. Mirror by Jeannie Baker
Follow the daily lives of two boys who live in totally opposite worlds: one in Australia and the other in Morocco. The pictures illustrate the things that make us all the same and celebrate the cultural differences at the same time.
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29. Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle
Can Flora and her new flamingo pal get along to perform a dance together? The pictures in this book tell the story of finding similarities and overcoming differences in order to achieve goals together.
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30. Lines by Suzy Lee
Follow the lines of an ice skater to see what pictures she draws as she dances on the frozen lake. It's a beautiful journey that encourages creative thinking and descriptions as you discuss the pictures with your young and careful readers.
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31. I Walk with Vanessa: A Picture Book Story About a Simple Act of Kindness by Kerascoët
This story uses beautiful illustrations to show the importance of treating others with kindness. It highlights how some easy and intentional acts of kindness can change the whole world around you.
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32. Brave Molly by Brooke Boynton-Hughes
Even though Molly can see monsters everywhere, she is brave and continues on her day-by-day adventures. Adept readers will notice the little details that define the amazing pictures on every page.
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33. Pool by Jihyeon Lee
This trip to the community pool is illustrated to give the reader the real sense of being there on a hot summer day. Dive in and splash around, and enjoy the different retellings of the picture book each time you read it.
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34. Rosie's Glasses by Dave Whamond
Rosie finds a special pair of glasses that lets her see the positive sides of every situation. Enjoy seeing the silver lining with Rosie as you follow her through a normal day that is made amazing with a positive mindset.
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35. One Little Bag: An Amazing Journey by Henry Cole
This picture book tells the story of a brown paper bag that starts with its time as a tree and ends in the hands of a young boy on his first day of school. This heartwarming tale is one of encouragement for young kids who might be nervous on the first day of school.
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36. Small in the City by Sydney Smith
This book really encapsulates what it's like to be an optimistic kid in a cheerless city. The pictures capture the city scene around the main character and it's a great way to see the city with fresh eyes each and every time you read it.
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37. Fly! by Mark Teague
This book is a great story about taking risks and living an aerial life even when it seems scary. The bubbles above the characters encourage young readers to imagine and articulate the interactions, which is great for developing social prediction skills in young readers.
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38. Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson and Sydney Smith
While a daughter and her father take a normal walk through the city, the dad is glued to his smartphone. Meanwhile, his daughter collects flowers and gives them away as she meets people along the way. The moral of this wordless story is to notice the people around you and treat everyone with kindness; when you do that, you can change the whole world around you!
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39. Wallpaper by Thao Lam
This is the illustrated story of a girl who moves to a new house and has a bit of trouble coming out of her shell. She takes solace in her new room with the detailed wallpaper. Through her internal adventures, she gets up the courage to go outside and make new friends in her new home.
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40. Mr. Wuffles! by David Wiesner
When a house cat finds a tiny alien spaceship, chaos ensues for the crew of the ship. The aliens will have to make some unlikely friends behind the radiator in order to get themselves out of the sticky situation.
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