A Story Without Words
As a writer, words are a source of joy, and they are a necessity in my life! But being a photographer has taught me to also see stories within images. Needless to say, wordless books bring a new sense of delight to my reading repertoire.
Books without words create beautiful opportunities for storytelling. They can be a powerful confidence booster to a struggling child learning to read. They allow for creativity in expression both in the making of the book as well as the telling of the story. For older kids, allow them to explore writing using wordless books as their inspiration. They can create new characters, try out literary elements, use descriptive settings, etc. to increase their writing skills.
Engaging the reader with skills such as critical thinking, imaginative play, and sequential order of events are just a few things offered with a book free from written words. It invites a reader to co-author a story with their own emotions! The best thing of all is that wordless books are perfect for any age…the perfect prompt to practice the art of storytelling!
As you reading or listening to someone read a wordless story to you, encourage questions about the character, the setting, the senses, the theme or meaning behind the story, the conflict or problem, resolution (if there is one) and why the reader chose their particular plot. No two wordless books will be read with the same story. That is the pure joy of it…there is no right or wrong way to share the story. Enjoy the journey!
A collection of some favorites are listed below! Check them out and start sharing your own interpretive storytelling with those you love most! As The Story Starter, I am a HUGE fan of wordless books! Let me know which of these special books make your favorite list. Oh, and I’d LOVE to hear your story version to your favorite!
The Flower Man by Mark Ludy
Found by Jeff Newman and Larry Day
One Little Bag by Henry Cole
Hike by Pete Oswald
Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell
Professional Crocodile by Giovanna Zoboli
Another by Christian Robinson
Waltz of the Snowflakes by Elly Mackay
Bee & Me by Alison Jay
A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka
Float by Daniel Miyares
The Hero of Little Street by Gregory Rogers
Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson
Changes, Changes by Pat Hutchins
The Little Paintbrush by Bjorn Rorvick
Fly by Mark Teague
Chalk by Bill Thomson
Journey by Aaron Becker
The Arrival by Shaun Tan
Wave by Suzy Lee
Door by Jihyeon Lee
The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
Why by Nikolai Popov
Draw the Line by Kathyrn Otoshi
Window by Jeannie Baker
Carl Goes Shopping by Alexander Day
Sector 7 by David Weisner
Alphabet City by Stephen Johnson
Flashlight by Liz Boyd
Owl, Bat, Bat, Owl by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
The Snowman by Raymond Briggs
Goodnight, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
Wise Words – List 2
Vagary – (noun) An unpredictable instance, a wandering journey; a whimsical or unusual idea or action. Origin – Latin
Eutaxy – (noun) good order or management, Origin – Greek
Mellifluous – (adjective) sweet or rich flow, pleasant to hear, Origin – late Latin, 15th century
Uitwaaien – (verb) to take a break and clear one’s mind, literally walk in the wind, Origin – Netherlands
Coloring Outside the Lines
Information, life lessons, history, and folktales have all been passed down through storytelling. Stories have been a part of our world since the beginning of time. The art of telling a story is like adding color to the outline of a butterfly. The outline gives the reader or listener the basic fact of what is there but the colors enhance the drawing to bring emotion, depth, and interest to the sketch.
A story has the power behind it to shape emotions and reactions. Whether you are a parent imparting the importance of safety when crossing the street or the CEO of a company inspiring your employees to get behind a new product, storytelling will enhance the emotional connection for the listener.
Details such as the setting and the personality of a character will help your listeners relate to the information being relayed. The basic storytelling structure still needs a beginning, a middle, and an end. When a storyteller can engage their reader into feeling part of the action, magic happens.
Sharing a story with a group of young children necessitates the encouragement of interaction on multiple levels. Incorporating hand gestures or repeating a common phrase from a story can help the little ones feel involved, and they will connect better not only with the story but those around them.
Teaching a classroom of high school students requires a different level of engagement. They need the opportunity to use creativity in sharing their voice. Older students love to “color outside the lines” as much as toddlers learning to use crayons; it just shows up in a different form of expression.
Inspiring patrons to choose your book store over another comes down marketing. How does one grow their market? Storytelling! It really is all about the customer…do they feel a part of your business’s story? If you can offer services and products that allow them to participate in your growth, you will see your business expand.
Storytelling truly is magical! If you believe in your story, and have the ability to imprint it on the hearts and minds of your readers, it will come to life. Once a story comes to life, “feed the fire” and watch the flames spark more creativity and engage more listeners.
Wise Words – List 1
Saorsa – (noun) meaning freedom, salvation, redemption, or liberty; Scottish Gaelic origin from Old Irish word, sairse
Litoreus – (adjective) meaning of the seashore or where the beach meets the water’s edge; Latin origin
Hiraeth – (noun) homesickness or nostalgia, an longing for a place you can’t return to; Welsh origin
Boketto – (verb) to stare vacantly into the distance without specific thought; Japanese origin
Session 1
Elementary Writing Prompts
I get scared when…
My favorite book is…
If I had three wishes, they would be…
Middle School Writing Prompts
If I could change one thing about me, it would be…
Rainy days make me feel…
I believe magic is…
High School Writing Prompts
If you could write a letter to your younger self, it would say…
My dream vacation would be to…
What if you were able to communicate with animals?