Wordless Picture Books to Use in Your K-1 Classroom

“Chalk” by Bill Thomson

“Chalk” by Bill Thomson is a wordless picture book that tells the imaginative story of three children who discover a bag of chalk on a rainy day at the playground. When they begin drawing on the sidewalk, they soon realize that the chalk has magical powers: whatever they draw comes to life!

“Rosie’s Glasses” by Dave Whamond

“Rosie’s Glasses” by Dave Whamond is a wordless picture book that tells the story of a young girl named Rosie who sees the world as a dull and gray place. Rosie feels overwhelmed by the sadness and negativity around her until she discovers a pair of magical glasses. When she puts them on, everything changes. The glasses allow Rosie to see the world in bright, vibrant colors, revealing the beauty and joy that was there all along. As she explores her surroundings with her new perspective, Rosie begins to notice the small wonders of everyday life, such as colorful flowers, happy faces, and playful animals. ***This is one of my personal favorites!!

“Truck” by Donald Crews

““Truck” by Donald Crews is a wordless picture book that takes readers on a visual journey following a large, bright red truck as it makes its way across the country. The book meticulously details the truck’s journey from start to finish, depicting various stages of its trip, including loading at the warehouse, traveling along highways, passing through cities and rural areas, and finally delivering its cargo at the destination.

“Deep in the Forest” by Brinton Turkle

“Deep in the Forest” by Brinton Turkle is a wordless picture book that tells a playful and gentle twist on the classic “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” tale. In this version, the roles are reversed, with a curious little bear exploring a human family’s home deep in the forest.

The story begins as the bear cub leaves its forest home and stumbles upon a log cabin. Intrigued, the cub enters the cabin, where it discovers and interacts with various objects just as Goldilocks does in the original story. The bear cub tries out the family’s food, chairs, and beds, experiencing different emotions and reactions along the way.

***Another favorite!!

“Where’s Walrus” by Stephen Savage

“Where’s Walrus?” by Stephen Savage is a delightful, wordless picture book that follows the adventures of a walrus who escapes from the zoo and embarks on a playful journey through the city. The walrus cleverly disguises itself in various locations, blending in with different groups of people to avoid being caught by the zookeeper.

*This one is very engaging for young kids!

“The Lion and the Mouse” by Jerry Pickney

Jerry Pinkney’s “The Lion & the Mouse” is a wordless picture book adaptation of Aesop’s classic fable, told entirely through richly detailed and expressive illustrations.

“Journey” by Aaron Becker

“Journey” by Aaron Becker is a wordless picture book that tells the enchanting story of a young girl who embarks on a magical adventure using her imagination and a red marker.

The story begins with the girl feeling lonely and overlooked at home. In search of something more, she draws a door on her bedroom wall with her red marker and steps through it into a vibrant, fantastical world. As she explores this new realm, she uses her marker to create various means of transportation, including a boat, a hot air balloon, and a flying carpet, each leading her to new and wondrous places.

“A Ball for Daisy” by Chris Raschka

“A Ball for Daisy” by Chris Raschka is a wordless picture book that tells the touching story of a little dog named Daisy and her beloved red ball. Daisy loves playing with her ball, carrying it everywhere she goes, and it’s her most treasured possession.

One day, while playing at the park with her owner, Daisy’s ball gets punctured and destroyed by another dog. Daisy is heartbroken and visibly upset by the loss of her favorite toy. The story beautifully captures her range of emotions—sadness, confusion, and grief over something so simple yet meaningful to her.

“Flashlight” by Lizi Boyd

“Flashlight” by Lizi Boyd is a wordless picture book that takes readers on a nighttime adventure through the eyes of a young child exploring the dark woods with a flashlight.

The story begins with the child walking through a forest at night, armed with only a flashlight. As the beam of light cuts through the darkness, it reveals a variety of hidden scenes that are otherwise shrouded in shadow. The flashlight illuminates animals, plants, and objects, bringing them to life with rich, colorful illustrations against the dark background.

“Flora and the Flamingo” by Molly Idle

“Flora and the Flamingo” by Molly Idle is a wordless picture book that tells a charming and whimsical story through its illustrations. The book follows a young girl named Flora and a graceful flamingo as they engage in a playful and evolving dance.

The story begins with Flora, who is practicing ballet in her home. She sees a flamingo outside and, inspired by the bird’s elegant movements, decides to perform a dance for it. The flamingo, intrigued, starts to mimic Flora’s moves, leading to a delightful duet between the two.

“Trainstop” by Barbara Lehman

“Trainstop” by Barbara Lehman is a wordless picture book that follows a mysterious and enchanting journey centered around a train and its unexpected passengers.

The story begins with a young boy who finds himself at a seemingly ordinary train stop. As he waits, he notices an old-fashioned train arriving, which is unusual because it doesn’t appear on the station’s timetable. Intrigued, the boy decides to board the train, embarking on an extraordinary adventure.

“Float” by Daniel Miyares

“Float” by Daniel Miyares is a beautifully illustrated wordless picture book that tells a tender and evocative story of a father and his young child spending a day together in the city.

The story begins on a rainy day, with the child finding joy in a small, colorful paper boat. The father and child set out into the city, navigating through puddles and using the boat to create their own adventure. As they walk, the child’s imagination takes flight, turning ordinary scenes into whimsical and magical experiences.

“Fossil” by Bill Thomson

“Fossil” by Bill Thomson is a wordless picture book that explores the journey of a young boy who discovers a fossil and embarks on a thrilling adventure.

The story begins with the boy finding a large fossil in the ground while digging in his backyard. As he examines the fossil, it begins to glow and, to his amazement, comes to life. The fossil transforms into a giant, prehistoric creature, sparking a fantastical journey.

“Mr. Wuffles!” by David Wiesner

“Mr. Wuffles!” by David Wiesner is a wordless picture book that tells the story of a curious cat named Mr. Wuffles and his adventure with a group of tiny aliens.

The story begins with Mr. Wuffles, a house cat, playing with his favorite toy—an alien spaceship. Unbeknownst to Mr. Wuffles, the toy is actually a real spaceship with tiny aliens inside. When Mr. Wuffles’s curiosity leads him to bat the toy around, the aliens inside become alarmed and seek a way to escape.

“Tuesday” by David Wiesner

“Tuesday” by David Wiesner is a wordless picture book that tells a whimsical and imaginative story through its detailed illustrations.

The book begins on a Tuesday evening when frogs begin to mysteriously float into the air on lily pads. As night falls, these floating lily pads drift through the city and countryside, carrying the frogs on an extraordinary airborne adventure. The scenes are filled with humor and surrealism as the frogs float over various landscapes, including suburban neighborhoods, and even interact with humans and animals who are bewildered by the sight.

“Sidewalk Flowers” by JonArno Lawson and Sydney Smith

“Sidewalk Flowers” by JonArno Lawson and Sydney Smith is a beautifully illustrated wordless picture book that follows a young girl on a journey through her city.

The story begins as the girl walks with her father through an urban environment. As they make their way along the sidewalk, the girl begins to notice the small, often overlooked details around her. She finds and collects various flowers growing in cracks in the pavement, around street signs, and in other unexpected places.

“Wolf in the Snow” by Matthew Cordell

“Wolf in the Snow” by Matthew Cordell is a wordless picture book that tells a touching and suspenseful story of empathy and friendship.

The story begins with a young girl lost in a snowstorm while walking home from school. The blizzard is intense, and she struggles to find her way. Meanwhile, a young wolf is also caught in the storm, separated from its pack. The wolf is equally disoriented and frightened by the harsh weather.

“The Typewriter” by Bill Thomson

“The Typewriter” by Bill Thomson is a wordless picture book that tells a captivating story through detailed illustrations and a touch of whimsy.

The story begins when a young boy discovers an old-fashioned typewriter in the attic. Intrigued, he starts typing on the machine, and soon realizes that whatever he types comes to life. As he types various words, they magically appear and transform into real-life objects and scenes. *Almost wordless

“Flotsam” by David Weiesner

“Flotsam” by David Wiesner is a captivating wordless picture book that explores the wonders of the ocean and the power of imagination.

The story begins with a young boy who is spending a day at the beach. As he explores the shore, he discovers an old underwater camera that has washed up on the sand. Curious, he takes the camera home and develops the film, expecting to find ordinary pictures. The pictures were even more amazing than he could have imagined.

“Mirror” by Jeannie Baker

“Mirror” by Jeannie Baker is a visually stunning wordless picture book that explores parallel lives in two different cultures through its intricate, detailed illustrations.

The book is divided into two halves, with each side telling the story of a day in the life of a child in two distinct settings: one in a modern Western city and the other in a traditional Middle Eastern village.