Whimsical Wordless Picture Books

Picture books make for a truly special reading experience as they can be shared with the little ones in your life. Wordless picture books offer an even more unique reading experience as the storytelling can become collaborative. You don’t have to know how to read to tell the stories, so this can be a fun feature for the kiddos you share them with. As my son has been learning how to read, wordless picture books have given him a chance to read books to me too. These books are more interpretative as well, as we each may make different meaning from the illustrations, or notice details the other might not have. Whenever my son and I pick out a wordless picture book to read with each other, I love how the storytelling becomes something we do together.

The art of wordless picture books is often exceptional as well, as it’s the primary focus of the tale. The author takes on the challenge of ensuring the illustrations can fully communicate the story they wish to tell. While there are many wonderful wordless picture books out there, I especially love the whimsical ones, of which there are many.

Below, I’ve curated a collection of whimsical wordless picture books that promise breathtaking images and stories, ones that will tug on your imagination and evoke a range of feelings as you read. These books will take you below the depths of the ocean and across time to overgrown and curious future Earths. The pictures will make you feel something, and that’s the best part about reading.

Whimsical Wordless Picture Books

The Octopus by Guojing This sweet, wordless picture book by award-winning author and illustrator Guojing follows a young girl as she rescues a baby octopus trapped in plastic waste on the beach. She then magically gets transformed into the octopus’s size, and the pair share a fantastical adventure under the sea together. Guojing illustrates beautiful and touching images, and the many wordless stories she has created over the years highlight both the wonder of the natural world and the need to protect and care for it. Another wordless picture book by her, The House That Floated, is one you won’t want to miss either.

All Access member, read on for more!

This content is for members only. Visit the site and log in/register to read.