Buzz! Boom! Bang! The Book of Sounds by Benjamin Gottwald - ADVISABLE

Buzz! Boom! Bang!  The Book of Sounds by Benjamin Gottwald. PICTURE BOOK. North South, 2025. $22. 9780735846036

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO:   MANY

Can you bang, boom, caw, crash, buzz, blub, pitter-patter, pffffft, whoosh, yawn, moo, or roar?  Then this read aloud book is for you!  just look at the picture and say whatever noise you think the picture is making.  

Buzz! Boom! Bang! is a fun and silly, interactive, wordless picture book where readers make sounds based on the colorful illustrations, encouraging creativity and imagination through onomatopoeia.

PGPowers

The House That Floated by Goujing - ADVISABLE

The House That Floated by Goujing. PICTURE BOOK. Random House, 2025. $19. 9780593709054

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

On a cliff overlooking the sea sits a little red house where a family lives and grows.  The family spends their days exploring the ocean, saving dolphins caught in nets, and carving fish out of wood.  One day the ocean rises, and huge storm waves lap at the house.  What can the family do to save their home?

The House That Floated is an interesting wordless picture book with themes of love, resilience, and adaptation to environmental change.  The illustrations are soft, expressive, and beautiful.

PGPowers

Lost by Bob Staake - ADVISABLE

Lost by Bob Staake.  WORDLESS PICTURE BOOK. Random House, 2024. $19. 9780593707029

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

The little girl is worried, because she can’t find her cat anywhere!  When she distributes flyers around her town, she finds out that other animals are missing too.  

At first I thought maybe the animals had all gone somewhere together - but Staake is more creative than that. A fun wordless pb to pore over and absorb the story of the illustrations.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Line in the Sand by Thao Lam - ADVISABLE

The Line in the Sand by Thao Lam. WORDLESS PICTURE BOOK. Owl Kids Books, 2022. $20. 9781771475709

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS, HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

A monster draws a line in the sand.  What does it mean? As other monsters are playing on the beach they start to notice this strange line drawn in the sand.  

Lam has created an interesting book about the power of pictures, how we communicate as a society, and our interpretation of what happens.  This book would be a great addition to any library shelf. The monsters are very creative and illustrated in collage art.  It's a story everyone can relate to.   I love that it encourages the reader to think about communication, conflict, and the lines we all draw, whether intentional or not. 

Emilee-Teacher Librarian

The Last Zookeeper by Aaron Becker - ADVISABLE

The Last Zookeeper by Aaron Becker PICTURE BOOK Candlewick Press, 2024. $19. 9781536227680

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Noa, a giant seawall construction robot finds himself alone in a flooded world. Nearby his workstation, there is a flooded zoo with some stranded animals. He feeds them, but knows that they won't survive as the storms keep coming. He builds a large boat, puts the animals on it, and sets off to find a new place to help them survive. A terrible storm comes, and they are shipwrecked on some sandbars. Will Noa ever get his animals to safety? 

Becker tells his apocalyptic story in beautiful, expansive, wordless watercolors that capture the courageous compassion of the robot. I liked the theme of caring even when times are difficult. 

PGPowers

Once Upon a Forest illustrated by Pam Fong - ADVISABLE

Once Upon a Forest by Pam Fong. PICTURE BOOK. Random House Studio, 2022. $18. 9780593380147.

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) -ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

When a little marmot sees her forest home go up in flames she becomes determined to fix it. With the help of her friend, a charming bird, they resourcefully nurture a set of trees. Although the work is challenging, they find happiness by realizing that their piece of home has started to flourish once again. 

This book teaches children of all ages the importance of taking care of our environment and that a small good deed can make all the difference. This book only has pictures, no words, therefore, it is easy for almost any child to understand. The illustrations in the book, particularly the marmot and the bird, are charming and easily followed. The big drawback is the lack of color. The majority of the pictures are black and white with the exception of one or two objects to emphasize the book's theme of environmental awareness. 

EllsBells

Anthony and the Gargoyle by Jo Ellen Bogart and Maja Kastelic - ADVISABLE

Anthony and the Gargoyle by Jo Ellen Bogart and Maja Kastelic. PICTURE BOOK Groundwood Books (House of Anansi Press), 2021. $20. 9781773063447 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

One night, a rock sitting on Anthony's bedside table hatches into a baby gargoyle. Anthony and the gargoyle become the best of friends playing and reading together. When Anthony asks his mother about gargoyles, she shows him a picture of her and his father at Notre Dame in Paris. Anthony and the gargoyle learn everything they can and hope to visit someday. Someday comes soon, a relative is sick in the hospital, and Anthony and his parents must travel to Paris to visit her, so the little gargoyle comes along in Anthony's backpack. 

Anthony and the Gargoyle is a wordless picture book. The story is very sweet, and the baby gargoyle is the cutest thing! The illustrations are designed in panels, and flows easily from one frame to another. I loved looking at the "photos" and watching Anthony's interactions with his parents as well as the gargoyle. A beautiful picture book for all children. Wordless books are special.

Lisa Librarian

The Dog Walk by Sven Nordqvist - ADVISABLE

The Dog Walk by Sven Nordqvist. PICTURE BOOK Floris Books, 2021. $20. 9781782507437 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

A child takes grandma's dog for a walk. But, this is a very unusual place, because the child boards a train into some wonderful, crazy illustrations with so much to see. 

 The child and the dog can be searched for in every illustration - sometimes they are there more than once. Lots of paths to follow in one illustration, an amazing zoo in another. A beach, a desert, my favorite was a library, (I think, maybe it was a museum?) I keep going back in to took again. A great book to get lost in.

Lisa Librarian

Over the Shop by JonArno Lawson, illustrated by Qin Leng - ADVISABLE

Over the Shop by JonArno Lawson, illustrated by Qin Leng. PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2021. $17. 9781536201475.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

This is a wordless picture book that tells the story of a surprising family being formed between the renters of an apartment and the family who own the store below. A young girl and her grandparent try to rent out the worn apartment above their store; nobody takes it until a queer couple arrives and is willing to put in the work the space requires. By accepting this special couple into their lives, the family and the store are all transformed.

I find wordless picture books require a lot of careful reading, but I very much enjoyed this one. The watercolor illustrations really express the feelings of the story--especially the joyful love that leaps off the page by the end. I don't think the fact of this couple being queer is going to be obvious to younger readers but there are small things here and there that make it clear with close reading. With a need to have more diverse families and characters in picture books, I like this addition for our libraries. 

Reviewer: TC

Sonata for Fish and Boy by Milan Pavlovic - ESSENTIAL

Sonata for Fish and Boy by Milan Pavlovic. WORDLESS PICTURE BOOK. Groundwood Books, 2021. $19. 9781773061610 

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

A boy sits on a park bench, playing his violin. A fish hears the music and it is beautiful. the fish jumps out of the water and the music carry the boy and the fish on great adventures. They fly over other musicians, over houses and birds until they soar among planets. In a forest of huge dandelions they hear music. As the follow the music the come to a small cottage. Inside the cottage is band playing beautiful music. The boy and the fish are swept up in the music and tumble back to their park bench.

I was so excited to read the newest book by this great artist. It is a wordless picture book, but a picture is worth 1,000 words. I am sure children will retell the story in their own words, while looking the pictures. It would be fun to hear how different and how similar their stories would be. It might also be a fun project for writing to have students write the story in their own words, like a poem, like a rhyme and look for differences and similarities in their stories. What a cute book! 

Ellen-Anita, Librarian 

Migrants by Issa Watanabe - HIGH

Migrants by Issa Watanabe. PICTURE BOOK. Gecko Press, 2021. $19. 9781776573134 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS, HS – ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Migrants are depicted as all different kinds of animals as they journey through harsh conditions to a safe land while Death follows respectfully behind them. 

Watanabe's wordless work may need some front loading for smaller children. The illustrations are colorful and exquisite; bright colors on a black background. This would be a thoughtful jumping off book to discuss migrants and issues they face without getting too graphic or in your face. It’s a gentle book that makes one think, and a great way to jump start discussions. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Spencer's New Pet by Jessie Sima - OPTIONAL

Spencer’s New Pet by Jessie Sima.  PICTURE BOOK Simon and Schuster, 2019.  $18.  

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) – OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE  

This wordless picture book depicts a little boy and his red balloon dog.  The boy loves and cares for his balloon as though he were real, including feeding and watering him, a vet visit and taking him for a walk.  When the balloon dog gets away from the boy, they get caught in the middle of a game of pin the tale on the donkey and the pin pops a balloon.  In a weird twist, all that is left after the pop is the little boy’s glasses and the balloon dog.  A mime comes over and makes a balloon boy and the boy and dog return to their happy selves.  

The illustrations are all black and white, except for the red balloon dog and they are appealing and tell a great story until the popping occurs.  The twist of having the boy be a balloon as well as the dog is confusing, because the balloon dog looks like a balloon and the boy looks like a boy, so I’m not sure how that works.  Maybe I don’t have a good enough imagination, but my two boys read it as well, and when we got done reading we all thought, “huh, weird”.  

Reviewer, C. Peterson. 

The Fisherman & the Whale by Jessica Lanan - OPTIONAL

The Fisherman & the Whale by Jessica Lanan. PICTURE BOOK. Simon & Schuster, 2019. $18. 9781534415744.

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL(K-3) - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

In a wordless story told in beautiful watercolors, a boy and his fisherman father notice a large baleen whale caught in fishing line. The father swims out and frees the whale from the nets and tackle.

I'm blanking on titles, but I have previously seen a few different books telling a story nearly identical to this. The illustrations are beautiful, the story is easy to follow, but there is still not a lot to recommend this. I appreciate the author's note that actually points out how dangerous--and in many cases illegal--it is to actually approach a whale in the water. The message is obviously one of being environmentally-conscious and trying to protect whales, but as a story that will interest kids it feels very much like a one-time read and never needing to look at it again.

Reviewer: TC

One Yellow Ribbon by Marthe Jocelyn - ADVISABLE

One Yellow Ribbon by Marthe Jocelyn, BOARD BOOK. Orca Book Publishers, 2019. $10. 9781459820760

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre K - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

One yellow ribbon on a child's braid is untied and incorporated into the 16 scenes and pictures of this clever seek and find book. 

Beautifully illustrated in mixed media (and one yellow ribbon) this will encourage the reader to look carefully at the pictures and find the matching piece.

Lisa Librarian

Oink by David Elliot - ADVISABLE

Oink by David Elliot. WORDLESS PICTURE BOOK.  Gecko Press, 2018.  $17.  9781776572144

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Pig is trying to take a relaxing bath, but one by one other farm animals join him – until something stinky happens and the other accuse each other and then Pig of not apologizing. Finally pig has the bath to himself.

This nearly wordless picture book is pretty funny.  A nice fart joke book without being flashy or obvious.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

One Patch of Blue by Marthe Jocelyn - ADVISABLE

One Patch of Blue by Marthe Jocelyn,  BOARD BOOK. Orca Book Publishers, 2019. $10. 9781459820739

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre K - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

What can you do with a square patch of blue denim? Make lots of different illustrations! From a car on the ferris wheel to windows, a robot - even an aquarium, this clever wordless board book is a fun spot the piece activity. 

The child sees lots of ideas for using the fabric - however it is often a background to something else. I didn't find One Patch of Blue as clever as the companion board book "One Yellow Ribbon".

Lisa Librarian

Field Trip to the Moon by John Hare – ESSENTIAL

Field Trip to the Moon by John Hare. PICTURE BOOK. Margaret Ferguson Books (Holiday House) 2019. $18. 9780823442539

BUYING ADVISORY: EL –ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

A group of student astronauts goes on a field trip to the moon. One of the students is enjoying coloring and spending time away from the group and is accidentally left behind! The student takes out crayons and starts to draw, and soon has some unexpected company.

This is a great wordless book, I would totally add it to my collection! Its imaginative and tells a great story with its imagery. It would make a great jumping off point for an assignment on what life might look like on different planets, or what earth looks like from space, or what a student would like to do if they could take a field trip to the moon. Its creative and contains many little surprises –so fun!!

Reviewer: Stephanie MLS & Author.

Found. By Jeff Newman –OPTIONAL

Found byJeff Newman and Illustrated by Larry Day.  PICTURE BOOK. Simon. 2018. $18. 9781534410060

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) – OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

In this wordless book we find a young girl whose dog is missing. When she finds a different lost dog, she gradually opens her heart to it. When she discovers a missing dog poster for this pup, she has a big decision to make. Simple illustrations, mostly in black and white, with the main characters in color.

I usually love a wordless book, and have done many activities with them in the library over a spectrum of grades. But this one was kind of  heart wrenching and a bit cold and lonely. While it acknowledges real emotions, which is important, it might be a bit rough for younger readers, even I’m a bit down. The art  is interesting because of how it really usually color in a very direct way to emphasize the characters and play on emotion. I probably wouldn’t add this to my collection, I guess I am not one for more serious literature, life is serious enough for most of these students.   

Reviewer: Stephanie MLS & Author.

The Little Barbarian by Renato Moriconi - OPTIONAL

The Little Barbarian by Renato Moriconi. PICTURE BOOK. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2018. 9780802855091

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Is this tall format wordless picture book, a viking-like figure jumps on a horse, jumps high over a chasm, ducks low under attacking birds, jumps over a pit of snacks, ducks under incoming arrows, and so forth. After many adventures we see a giant reach down to grab the barbarian and on the final page we see a father and son walk away from a carousel.

My third grader laughed out loud in surprise at the end of this book but my first grader did not get it. Even after I explained it, he was not impressed. The pictures are a bit rugged, but the tall size of the book is fun. I think this will be a fun read for some and total miss for others.     

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

I Walk With Vanessa by Kerascoet - ESSENTIAL

I Walk With Vanessa by Kerascoet.  PICTURE BOOK.  Schwartz and Wade (Random), 2018.  $18.  9781524769550

EL (K-3) – ESSENTIAL

After her first day at a new school, a little girl, Vanessa, is bullied on her way home.  Another girl from her class sees the bullying, and the next day she has an idea to help Vanessa.

This simple, yet powerful wordless picture book sends a powerful message about an easy step to take when you see someone being bullied.  Children at any age will be able to understand the message.  There are some clear talking points at the end of the book.  I did have to look hard to find the bully in the final pages, but it is well worth taking the time to point out his reaction.

Cindy, Library Teacher