Without a word, The Depth of the Lake and the Height of the Sky tells the heartfelt and uplifting story of a child’s independent discovery of the natural world. Kim Jihyun cleverly captures excitement, wonder and joy in intricate illustrations using a deceptively simple color palate. This is a beautiful wordless story about allowing ourselves to be present in the moment and see the world afresh.
Visual Narratives
Visual Narratives encompasses “silent” and “wordless” books.
Why?: A Timeless Story Told Without Words
Frog is enjoying a peaceful afternoon with a flower he’s picked, when a jealous mouse decides he’d like it for himself. Mouse takes it by force, but frog has reinforcements. Before long the confrontation escalates into a full-scale war. At the end of it will anyone remember why they fought so fiercely?
Every Little Kindness
When one act of kindness sparks another, anything is possible As a girl searches for her lost dog, a simple act of generosity ripples into a wave of good deeds. In the course of a single day, each considerate action weaves lives together and transforms a neighborhood for the better.
This wordless story, told in beautiful illustrations reminiscent of a graphic novel, demonstrates how every little kindness, shared from person to person, can turn a collection of strangers into a community, and–even though we might not always see it–make the world a more vibrant and compassionate place to be.
The Wanderer
As with Shaun Tan’s The Arrival, it gives us collective goosebumps to introduce the singular talent and imagination of Peter Van den Ende to North America. Without a word, and with Escher-like precision, Van den Ende presents one little paper boat’s journey across the ocean, past reefs and between icebergs, through schools of fish, swaying water plants, and terrifying sea monsters. The little boat is all alone, and while its aloneness gives it the chance to wonder at the fairy-tale world above and below the waves uninterrupted, that also means it must save itself when it storms. And so it does. We hope that readers young and old will find the strength and inspiration that we did in this quietly powerful story about growing, learning, and life’s ups and downs.
Creepy Castle
Full and half-page watercolors depict the adventures of a brave, knightly mouse and his fair lady who venture into a dark, deserted castle, unaware that a villainous outlaw has been skulking behind them. Reissue.
The Tooth Fairy
In the wordless storyboard format and soft pastel drawings that have become his trademark, Peter Collington offers an enchanting solution to the age-old mystery of what the tooth fairy does with all those teeth! He follows an industrious tooth fairy on an arduous night’s work of creating a perfect silver coin and exchanging it for a precious baby tooth. Back in her cozy parlor, she lovingly transforms her prize into a new ivory key for her broken piano, then sits down to play a tune. The trade edition includes a make-it-yourself tooth box for commemorating a milestone of every childhood–losing the first baby tooth.
The Surprise Picnic
Enchanting, vivid watercolor paintings chronicle the adventures of a cat and her two kittens, after their picnic basket mysteriously vanishes while they explore a small island, in a new edition of the acclaimed wordless picture book. Reissue.
Naughty Nancy
Nancy, a mischievous, venturesome little mouse, creates a series of entertaining crises during her sister’s wedding and reception, in a wordless picture book featuring charming watercolor illustrations. Reissue.
Shrewbettina’s Birthday
In a picture book with no words, Shrewbettina’s birthday has an unfortunate start when a thief snatches her purse, but it ends with a glorious birthday party filled with feasting, dancing, and merriment.
Picture This…
In this first word book for the very young, the simple format and primitive-style paintings invite children to participate. Watchful readers will note that each turn of a page reveals a new perspective on what has come before–and what’s to follow. The effect invites imaginative storytelling. Full color.