Why am I passionate about this?

As a picture book creator, I am always seeking to use as few words as possible ā€“ for me, the best picture books are those where the images do most of the storytelling. Wordless books take things a step further and totally engage the child in interpreting the story - the child becomes the story's voice. Wordless books have a special place in my heart and Iā€™m always on the lookout for new silent treasures as they emerge into the wonderful world of picture books. I want everyone to experience the special magic of ā€˜readingā€™ wordless books. 


I wrote

Owl Bat Bat Owl

By Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick,

Book cover of Owl Bat Bat Owl

What is my book about?

A mother owl and her three little owlets live happily on their branch. That is, until the bat family movesā€¦

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Wave

Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick Why did I love this book?

A gorgeous picture book that captures the joys and excitement of being a child at the sea, playing chicken with the incoming waves. The little girl and a gaggle of gulls get braver and braver, untilā€¦ SPLASH!

Suzy Leeā€™s lines are so fluid and expressive, her use of a limited palette works brilliantly, and thereā€™s a clever use of the gutter (middle of the book) to build tension. Dare you not to smile and feel joy.

By Suzy Lee,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Wave as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this evocative wordless book, internationally acclaimed artist Suzy Lee tells the story of a little girl's day at the beach. Stunning in their simplicity, Lee's illustrations, in just two shades of watercolour, create a vibrant story full of joy and laughter.New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book 2008


Book cover of Sidewalk Flowers

Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick Why did I love this book?

Another beautiful book with wonderful ink lines and a limited palette. We join a little girl and her father on a walk through an urban area. The dad is distracted by his phone but the little girl sees and gathers wildflowers and then presents them to those in need of comfort. A poignant story on the importance and power of noticing small things.

By Jonarno Lawson, Sydney Smith (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Sidewalk Flowers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Winner of the Governor General's Literary Award for Children's Illustrated Book

A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year

In this wordless picture book, a little girl collects wildflowers while her distracted father pays her little attention. Each flower becomes a gift, and whether the gift is noticed or ignored, both giver and recipient are transformed by their encounter.

ā€œWrittenā€ by award-winning poet JonArno Lawson and brought to life by illustrator Sydney Smith, Sidewalk Flowers is an ode to the importance of small things, small people and small gestures.


Correlates to the Common Core State Standards inā€¦


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Book cover of Built on Sand

Built on Sand by S R Kay,

Elsie has two feet in the 20th century. Smith has one foot in the 19th. Their marriage, founded on physical attraction, is built on sand as all around them the earth of Europe also starts to quake. Prised apart by emotional conflict and the loss of two children they areā€¦

Book cover of The Snowman

Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick Why did I love this book?

The famous animated film began life here, as a wordless picturebook. As with Wave and Sidewalk Flowers, itā€™s a very immersive reading experience, there is a real sense of being in the book and experiencing the childā€™s journey.

Briggsā€™ coloured pencil art is soft and beautiful, his storytelling humorous, often hilarious, and ultimately unsentimental. The snowman melts, as is the way of snowmen, but what a wonderful adventure the boy and he (and we) share before he does.

By Raymond Briggs,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Snowman as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 5, 6, 7, and 8.

What is this book about?

An activity book based on the animated film of Raymond Briggs' The Snowman. Children of all ages will enjoy exploring the fun and excitement of Christmas with this festive book packed with things to do and make.


Book cover of The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick Why did I love this book?

Cheating a bit here but this is a wonderful hybrid of half-novel, half-wordless picture reel. Both the verbal and the visual brain get a great workout as you slide from following the story through words, then through images, then words, back to images. Set in a train station in 1930s Paris, it is a story full of adventure, clocks, orphans, secrets, movie reels, wild chases, and a mysterious automaton. It is a whopper of a book but a really quick read. Iā€™ve given this one to kids who are struggling to read full-length novels and theyā€™ve been enthralled. I would put this at 9+.

By Brian Selznick,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Invention of Hugo Cabret as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

Orphan, clock keeper, thief: Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. Combining elements of picture book, graphic novel, and film, Caldecott Honor artist Selznick breaks open the novel form to create an entirely new reading experience in this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.


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Book cover of Deadly Sommer

Deadly Sommer by Nicholas Harvey,

Readers who enjoy police procedurals with an offbeat main character and fascinating locations will love this thriller.

One missing girl. Two lives on the line. Four treacherous challenges.

Nora Sommer's first case for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service is one she'll never forget... if she survives. When the daughterā€¦

Book cover of The Arrival

Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick Why did I love this book?

This is a silent graphic novel, layered and intricate, definitely aimed at older kids (9+), teens, and adults. It is the story of a man who leaves his homeland in search of a better future for himself, his wife, and his child. Tanā€™s art is sublime, there is so much to see (and feel) here, as we watch (and experience) the manā€™s struggle to settle and find work, to understand and make himself understood in this new country full of strange creatures and customs. One to pore over and revisit.

Donā€™t worry about how to read a wordless picturebook with your kids, just crack one open and see what happens. Pore over the images together. Ask questions and your kids will read the pictures and tell you the answers. Everyone gets to make up the dialogue and sound effects. Expect silence to be part of the experience.

By Shaun Tan,

Why should I read it?

10 authors picked The Arrival as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

What drives so many to leave everything behind and journey alone to a mysterious country, a place without family or friends, where everything is nameless and the future is unknown. This silent graphic novel is the story of every migrant, every refugee, every displaced person, and a tribute to all those who have made the journey.

THE ARRIVAL has become one of the most critically acclaimed books of recent years, a wordless masterpiece that describes a world beyond any familiar time or place.

Sited as No 35 in The Times 100 Best Books of all time. It has sold overā€¦


Explore my book šŸ˜€

Owl Bat Bat Owl

By Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick,

Book cover of Owl Bat Bat Owl

What is my book about?

A mother owl and her three little owlets live happily on their branch. That is, until the bat family moves in. The newfound neighbors (owls up top, bats hanging below) canā€™t help but feel a little wary of one another. But babies are curious little creatures, and that curiosity, along with a wild, stormy night, might just bring these two families together.

With subtly and hilariously shifting facial expressions and gestures, Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick brings her accessible graphic style to a warm and ingenious wordless tale that is sure to bring smiles to readers of all ages.

Book cover of Wave
Book cover of Sidewalk Flowers
Book cover of The Snowman

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