Books without words

I visited King Edward VII (lower) school earlier in the week. A bit of new year sickness and general busyness meant I didn't meet everyone involved with Reading Matters at the school, but we have a great reading programme there, with lots of potential for future work.

I have a lot of meeting in libraries and I am always getting distracted by the materials on offer. The library at King Edward's was especially good, it even had a nice little veranda for outdoor reading; it was way too cold when I visited, but in the summer it will be a perfect spot for Reading Matters sessions.

I even got a bit of homework; to find a particular book that tells a story without any text. I am not sure I have exactly the right one, but Flotsam by David Wisner looks pretty good. Books that do not use words might seem like an odd choice for a organisation that is all about reading, but they are a perfect way to get reluctant partners familiar with books, to use their imagination and not be intimidated by text. A good idea for an early Reading Matters session. Flotsam seems to be pitched just right and although it is a 'picture book' I don't think it will be viewed as being 'to young'.

Whilst researching I came across a number of other books without words that might be of interest:

• Zoom by Istvan Banyai

• Why? by Nikolai Popov

• Exactly the Opposite by Tana Hoban

• The Red Book by Barbara Lehman

• South by Patrick McDonnell