The Wonderful Thing About Wordless Picture Books
Wordless books might seem like a strange choice for librarians to recommend (aren't we all about WORDS?!?), but they are wonderful for children's language development in several important ways.
First, they give babies and young children steady visual stimuli to focus on, which is useful for growing brains that crave new views and information.
But more than that, wordless picture books give YOU, the adult, an opportunity to talk, and talk, and talk, and talk - and your child to listen, and listen, and listen, and listen - which is crucial in learning both words and the world.
Here are a few of our favorite wordless picture books:
The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
In this re-telling of an Aesop's Fable, we learn that mice can have power beyond their size and strength!
Journey by Aaron Becker
In this wordless book, a bored young girl embarks on an extraordinary adventure by just picking up a red marker and beginning to draw.
A Lion in Paris by Beatrice Alemagna
The protagonist of this adventure is a lion who wanders the city of Paris looking for something new. The unusual illustrations, a combination of collage and pastel work, make reading this oversized book a unique and engrossing experience.
Want more great reading suggestions for your children? Visit one of our 24 library locations and as a librarian!
