Narrative Skills
Several of these books are wordless picture books. Wordless picture books are great for developing Narrative Skills because they allow you to have a conversation about what is happening in the pictures. When reading with babies, you provide the story to go with the pictures, but older kids can help tell the story in their own words. Many of these books can also be used as a conversation or story starter.
Books
Several of these books are wordless picture books. Wordless picture books are great for developing Narrative Skills because they allow you to have a conversation about what is happening in the pictures. When reading with babies, you provide the story to go with the pictures, but older kids can help tell the story in their own words. Many of these books can also be used as a conversation or story starter.
Books
Baby Happy Baby Sad Leslie Patricelli
Themes: babies, feelings
The illustrations allow adults to talk to children about feeling happy, sad and other feeling. For example, an adult can ask a child "How would you feel if your ice cream cone fell on the floor?"
Themes: babies, feelings
The illustrations allow adults to talk to children about feeling happy, sad and other feeling. For example, an adult can ask a child "How would you feel if your ice cream cone fell on the floor?"
Goodnight Gorilla Peggy Rathman
Themes: animals, zoo
A classic wordless picture book allows adults and children to provide the words for the story.
Themes: animals, zoo
A classic wordless picture book allows adults and children to provide the words for the story.
The Doghouse Jan Thomas
Themes: animals, friends
One by one, the animals go into the doghouse but don't come out. This book has lots of opportunities for conversation and questions.
Themes: animals, friends
One by one, the animals go into the doghouse but don't come out. This book has lots of opportunities for conversation and questions.
Higher, Higher Leslie Patricelli
Themes: playing, dads
Using a situation that most children have experienced (swinging) allows almost any child to come up with a story to go along with the pictures.
Themes: playing, dads
Using a situation that most children have experienced (swinging) allows almost any child to come up with a story to go along with the pictures.
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear Don and Audrey Wood
Themes: animals, food
The simple text and story line allows for lots of questioning between the reader and children.
Treasure Bath Dan Andreasen
Themes: bath time, under water/ocean
This wordless picture book presents the story of a little boy and his adventures in the bath tub.
Themes: bath time, under water/ocean
This wordless picture book presents the story of a little boy and his adventures in the bath tub.
Yes Day! Amy Krouse Rosenthal
After reading, talk with kids about what they would ask if the answer to every question were "yes" for a day, then kids could draw a picture and an adult could write the text, older kids might attempt to write their own text.
After reading, talk with kids about what they would ask if the answer to every question were "yes" for a day, then kids could draw a picture and an adult could write the text, older kids might attempt to write their own text.
Chalk Bill Thomson
Themes: playground, friends
In this wordless picture book the children's chalk drawings come to life!
Themes: playground, friends
In this wordless picture book the children's chalk drawings come to life!
Duck! Rabbit! Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Themes: animals
Do you think it is a duck or a rabbit?
Themes: animals
Do you think it is a duck or a rabbit?
Art and Max David Wiesner
Themes: animals, art
Another wordless picture book with a funny story line and interesting illustrations.
Themes: animals, art
Another wordless picture book with a funny story line and interesting illustrations.
The Lion and the Mouse Jerry Pinkney
Themes: animals, friendship, helping others
This wordless picture book retells one of Aesop's famous fables and was also the 2010 Caldecott Medal winner.
Themes: animals, friendship, helping others
This wordless picture book retells one of Aesop's famous fables and was also the 2010 Caldecott Medal winner.
Flying! Kevin Luthhardt
Themes: dads, pretend play, multicultural
Several of the colorful pages are wordless, and the book even ends by asking a "why" question to readers, which allows for discussion after reading.
Themes: dads, pretend play, multicultural
Several of the colorful pages are wordless, and the book even ends by asking a "why" question to readers, which allows for discussion after reading.
Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar Bonnie Lass and Philemon Sturges
Themes: animals
Other Activities
A Day in the Life: Parents could take photos or draw pictures of their child's typical daily routine and ask their child to provide the text for each picture.
Always ask children to create the captions for their artwork, they can attempt to write their captions while adults can write their actual descriptions.
Always ask children to create the captions for their artwork, they can attempt to write their captions while adults can write their actual descriptions.