Wordless
The Tree House
Submitted by Ms. Tess!
The Tree House by the daughter-father-artist team of Marije Tolman and Ronald Tolman is a breathtakingly beautiful book in my opinion. It is a wordless picture book, with the “story” beginning on the front cover. We see a white bear riding a whale (perhaps a latent comment on global warming?) to a tree house in the middle of the water. The white bear is soon joined by a brown bear in a boat, and they decide to share the magnificent tree house. Soon the seasons change, the water disappears, and new animals migrate to and from the bears’ tree house, like gorgeous pink flamingos, adorable owls, and a murder of crows. The bears remain, snacking, reading, and enjoying their life together. It’s a completely lovely and enchanting book with engrossing illustrations that will hopefully spur dialog between you and your child. I implore you to please enjoy The Tree House as soon as you can. See this book listed in our catalog
Beaver Is Lost
A Circle of Friends
Submitted by Ms. Allana!
A Circle of Friends by Giora Carmi is a very touching book. If it doesn’t stir you, check your pulse. A story in pictures, no words necessary, and a great way to introduce this art form to younger readers. Put your own words to these beautiful images, and encourage a child to do the same, and all in all this will be a wonderful experience. This is a timeless story about compassion, sharing, giving, and goodwill that will warm hearts and soothe souls. Children’s author Peter Sis had this to say: “A good picture book is like a good symphony. The art, the story, and the treatment come together in one voice. Open this book and listen…” See this book listed in our catalog
The Flower Man
Submitted by special guest blogger Ms. Karen from the Lexington Park branch!
Are you a push-over for a great children’s picture book? Then pick up a copy of The Flower Man by Mark Ludy. A delightful wordless picture book, The Flower Man is the story of a bright-eyed old man (drawn in color) who moves into a dreary, unfriendly neighborhood (drawn in black and white), and proceeds to change it one person at a time through his generosity–and his flowers! As the Flower Man’s influence spreads, each page becomes brighter, and the highly detailed pictures which tell the stories of the town’s inhabitants will engage a child’s story-expanding imagination. Whether enjoyed together or “read” by a child alone, The Flower Man is sure to brighten your world too! See this book listed in our catalog
You Can’t Take a Balloon Into the Metropolitan Museum
Submitted by Catherine from Charlotte Hall!
How much trouble can a balloon cause? In You Can’t Take a Balloon Into the Metropolitan Museum, by Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman and Robin Preiss Weitzman, we find out that balloons can cause all sorts of mischief. In this beautiful wordless book, a little girl and her grandmother are off to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the first time, but the guard explains that balloons have no place in museums. Having no wish to be left out of the fun, the balloon makes a break for it, and leads the guard on a chase around New York City. While the little girl examines paintings and sculptures from all different eras and artists, the balloon leads the guard to places in New York City that reflect the art at the museum. Reproductions of famous pieces of art contrast nicely with the detailed, yet sparsely colored illustrations showing the antics of the little girl and her wayward balloon. Any child or adult with a love of art, or just a need for a funny story, will love this wordless masterpiece! See this book listed in our catalog