Silent Books is a term used by the International Board on Books for Young People for wordless picture books that can be understood and enjoyed by children regardless of language.
Wordless Picture Books Packed with Narrative Power
This publication produced by IBBY Sweden provides insight into the use of Wordless books for children speaking all languages.
IBBY Silent Books for Lampedusa
In response to the waves of refugees from Africa and the Middle East arriving in the Italian island, Lampedusa, IBBY launched the project “Silent Books, from the world to Lampedusa and back” in 2012.
IBBY Italia has created the resource 10 tips for reading silent books in a community that does not speak a common language, which can be seen here.
Sharing Wordless Books
Sharing Wordless Books Reading Rockets
Hiroo Matsumoto. (2021). Before words: wordless picture books and the development of reading in young children. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 21(1), 171–174.
le Roux, A., & Costandius, E. (2013). Wordless picture books in parent-child reading in a South African context. Acta Academica, 45(2), 27–58.
Marron, Jennifer E., "Using Wordless Books to Help Emergent Literacy Skills" (2010). Education Masters. Paper 9.
Silent Book Contest 2021
The Silent Book Contest competition invites authors and illustrators to think up and design a book conceived exclusively for the telling of a story through illustrated images, on any subject and intended for a wide and diverse section of the reading public, regardless of genre or age. A monetary prize is given and the award presented at the Bologna Book Fair.
