Table of Contents
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What Does It Mean to Be a Communicator?
Communicators share ideas confidently and listen carefully to others. Whether it’s writing, speaking, drawing, or using gestures, being a good communicator helps children collaborate, solve problems, and build relationships.
The IB learner profile describes Communicators as those who “understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.”
That looks like children who:
- Speak clearly using different formats—talking, writing, drawing, acting
- Listen actively and respectfully
- Take turns and ask thoughtful questions
- Work well in groups
- Know that sometimes, body language says more than words
Benefits of Teaching Communication Skills
- Builds confidence in speaking and sharing ideas
- Strengthens collaboration and teamwork
- Encourages respect for different voices and perspectives
- Improves emotional literacy and conflict resolution
Why Use Picture Books to Teach Communication?
Picture books are perfect for modeling how people communicate—through words, tone, actions, even silence. Children see characters express big feelings, solve misunderstandings, or work together.
By pausing and talking about what the characters say and do, students start to connect those lessons to their own experiences.
How Picture Books Build Communication Skills
Picture books can help children:
- Speak up with confidence
- Understand how to listen to others
- Resolve conflicts through dialogue
- Use body language and visuals to communicate
- Respect different languages, cultures, and perspectives
- Realise that silence can also be powerful communication
Books can also show poor communication like:
- Misunderstandings that cause conflict
- Talking over others
- Confused or unclear messages
- A lack of empathy or attention
By comparing these moments, students begin to think critically about how they communicate—and how they can do it better.
Picture Books That Celebrate Communication
These picture books highlight characters who:
- Listen to others and collaborate well
- Share their ideas and feelings clearly
- Solve problems through words and understanding
- Use non-verbal cues or art to communicate
- Grow confidence, empathy, and connection
Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty
Aaron Slater has dyslexia. Despite his hard work, letters and words don’t make sense and look jumbled up. He becomes more reserved until his talent for drawing helps him tell the stories he struggles to write.
Aaron Slater, Illustrator explores perseverance, overcoming adversity, self-expression, and communication.
I Am Odd, I Am New by Benjamin Giroux
An autistic child shares an honest poem about feeling different and hopes others will understand and accept him.
I Am Odd, I Am New explores identity, empathy, acceptance, uniqueness, feeling misunderstood, hope, and inclusion.
Bear by Natalia Shaloshvili
Bear learns to voice his needs before frustration boils over. He discovers kinder ways to share space and things with his friends.
Bear explores setting boundaries, frustration, self-management, sharing, and honest communication to express our needs.
The Black Book of Colours by Menena Cottin
Thomas, who is blind, describes colours through his senses. Experience the world as Thomas does, with pages featuring Braille text and textured art to stimulate tactile exploration.
The Black Book of Colours explores unique perspectives, senses, equality, and inclusion.
A Boy and a Jaguar by Alan Rabinowitz
Alan struggles with a stutter and finds solace with animals, and at the Bronx Zoo, he develops a bond with a jaguar. As an adult, Alan becomes a zoologist and dedicates his life to animal conservation.
A Boy and a Jaguar explores empathy, communication, overcoming personal challenges, wildlife conservation, and finding one’s voice.
The Boy Who Loved Words by Roni Schotter
Selig collects words for their beauty and meaning. His passion for words leads him on a journey of self-discovery, during which he learns how to share his love of language with others.
The Boy Who Loved Words explores language appreciation, self-discovery, and finding and sharing one’s passions.
Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
When Farmer Brown’s cows stumble upon a typewriter, they type letters demanding electric blankets. Things escalate as the cows strike, and Duck is the mediator. But the peace doesn’t last long when the ducks have their own demands!
Click, Clack, Moo explores dialogue about fair negotiations, communication’s power, and compromise.
The Day Saida Arrived by Susana Gómez Redondo
When Saida, a new girl from Morocco, arrives in class, her silence is misunderstood for a loss of words. As her classmates learn about Saida’s native language, Arabic, they embark on a cultural journey.
The Day Saida Arrived explores adjusting to new environments, communication, open-mindedness, embracing different cultures, and empathy.
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
A box of crayons have decided to quit their jobs. Each crayon leaves a letter for Duncan, their owner, explaining their grievances and requests for improved working conditions.
The Day the Crayons Quit explores communication, perspective-taking, feelings, having a voice, and understanding and responding to the needs and wants of others.
Dear Juno by Soyung Pak
Juno communicates with his Korean grandmother through a series of drawings. She sends back letters along with photos and toys so Juno understands their meaning.
Dear Juno explores empathy, communication, and bonds that surpass language and barriers.
Decibella and Her 6-Inch Voice by Julia Cook
Isabella is nicknamed Decibella because she talks too loudly. She learns about using the right voice volume in different situations.
Decibella and Her 6-Inch Voice explores self-awareness, listening, understanding social situations, and communicating effectively.
The Dictionary Story by Oliver Jeffers
Letters and words spring to life, creating new meanings and connections as they interact.
The Dictionary Story explores creativity, language, knowledge, communication, and the joy of words.
Drawn Together by Minh Lê
Due to language differences, a boy and his grandfather cannot communicate through words. They discover a shared love for art, transforming their interactions from frustrating silence to vibrant storytelling.
Drawn Together explores open-mindedness, identity, and making connections through non-verbal communication.
Du Iz Tak? by Carson Ellis
Told in a made-up language, a group of insects discover a growing plant. The plant’s shoot grows into a beautiful flower, but as the seasons change it wilts and the insects say goodbye to their home.
Du Iz Tak? explores creativity, language interpretation, the joy of discovery, communication, community and inference.
Emmett and Caleb by Karen Hottois
Emmett and Caleb are as close as can be, yet their different personalities lead to misunderstandings; they always find a way back to each other.
Emmett and Caleb show that friendships might face ups and downs, but forgiveness, understanding, and communication are key to maintaining them.
Everyone Loves Lunchtime but Zia by Jenny Liaonm
Zia feels self-conscious when her classmates react to her Cantonese lunches. By talking and sharing, she learns to take pride in her culture and help others understand it.
Everyone Loves Lunchtime, but Zia explores cultural pride, open-mindedness, honest communication, empathy, and sharing our differences.
Hello, My Name Is Ruby by Philip C. Stead
Ruby introduces herself to other birds and curiously asks them questions. Her positive attitude helps her make friends and find her place in the world.
Hello, My Name Is Ruby explores making friends, asking questions, communication and making connections with others.
hello! hello! by Matthew Cordell
Lucy feels isolated in her tech-obsessed family. She ventures outdoors and discovers a world of wonder, compels her family to disconnect, and rediscovers the joy of being present.
hello! hello! explores the impact of technology, curiosity, discovery, and the significance of nature for mental and physical well-being.
King Lion by Emma Yarlett
A lonely lion only knows how to communicate by roaring, scaring everyone away. That is until a brave little girl sees the king and devises a plan to help him.
King Lion explores bravery, communication, and reaching out and understanding others, even when they seem different or intimidating.
A Letter to Amy by Ezra Jack Keats
Peter invites his friend Amy to his boys-only birthday party through a special invitation sent by mail. He worries about how his friends will react to a girl attending the party.
A Letter to Amy explores communication, insecurity, and the emotional growth of facing and overcoming fears.
A Letter to My Teacher by Deborah Hopkinson
A former student writes a letter to her teacher and reflects on her school days and second-grade teacher. She highlights the patience, encouragement, and dedication of this teacher who made a lasting difference in her life.
A Letter to My Teacher explores appreciation, gratitude, and the lasting effects of good teaching and teachers.
The Line in the Sand by Thao Lam
Two friends stumble upon a line in the sand. As they wonder why the line is there and whether they should cross it, they question each other’s intentions, leading to misconceptions and conflicts.
The Line in the Sand, a wordless book, explores misunderstandings, conflict resolution, communication, personal boundaries, and empathy.
Little Beauty by Anthony Browne
A lonely gorilla learns sign language to communicate with his zookeepers. They bring him a tiny cat called Beauty, and the two become inseparable. When the gorilla gets angry, his keepers threaten to separate the pair until the kitten keeps them together.
Little Beauty explores communication, friendships, kindness, loneliness, and self-management.
Meerkat Mail by Emily Gravett
Sunny the meerkat lives with a big family in the Kalahari desert. Feeling cramped and needing to explore, he visits his mongoose cousins and sends postcards back to his family.
Read about Sunny in Meerkat Mail, learn about different habitats, communication, and finding a place where you belong.
More Than Words: So Many Ways to Say What We Mean by Roz Maclean
Explore how humans communicate beyond spoken language, like a child using sign language, friends sharing feelings through facial expressions, and a family connecting through body language.
More Than Words explores how communication is multi-faceted, encompassing gestures, expressions, and art.
My Baba's Garden by Jordan Scott
A boy and his grandmother, Baba, bond over gardening, food, and walking to school, despite a language barrier. When she becomes too old to live alone, the boy cares for her.
My Baba’s Garden explores communication beyond language, appreciation of nature, and love through actions.
Nerdy Birdy Tweets by Aaron Reynolds
Nerdy Birdy gets caught up in the digital world. When he posts an unflattering picture of his friend, Nerdy Birdy has to consider the feelings of others.
Nerdy Birdy Tweets explores the responsible use of social media, respect for others’ privacy, balancing real life with online activities, and making amends.
Once Upon a Time by Guridi
Bard’s storytelling charms his village until he mysteriously stops speaking one day. The villagers band together to uncover the reason behind Bard’s silence.
Once Upon a Time, translated from Spanish, explores communication and how stories can connect people and bring about change.
One Little Word by Joseph Coelho
Two best friends get into a “big, hairy argument.” It grows into a monstrous entity that comes between them. They learn how to shrink this monster until it disappears, restoring their friendship.
One Little Word explores relationship skills, conflict resolution, communication, and emotional intelligence.
One Word from Sophia by Jim Averbeck
Sophia uses her persuasive skills to convince her family that she should get a pet giraffe for her birthday. Despite multiple rejections, Sophia refines her approach until she finds the perfect word to win them over.
One Word from Sophia explores persistence, effective communication, and using the right words to convey ideas.
Phileas's Fortune by Agnes de Lestrade
Phileas lives in a world where words are tangible objects that can be bought to express one’s thoughts. He finds himself conveying his feelings without the luxury of purchasing expensive words.
Phileas’s Fortune explores communication, self-expression, and finding one’s voice to express emotions and connect with others.
Samuel Morse, That's Who! by Tracy Nelson Maurer
Facing numerous challenges and scepticism, Samuel Morse’s dedication and ingenuity led to the significant technological inventions of the telegraph and Morse code.
Samuel Morse, That’s Who! explores innovation, perseverance, communication and how one person’s vision can make a difference.
Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille by Jen Bryant
Louis Braille, who became blind at a young age, invented the Braille system of reading and writing for the visually impaired and empowered millions worldwide.
Six Dots explores perseverance, innovation, resilience, accessibility, and how one person can make a difference.
The Stamp Collector by Jennifer Lanthier
Two boys’ lives cross unexpectedly. One becomes a writer, and the other a stamp collector. Years later, the writer is imprisoned for his words, and the stamp collector, now a prison guard, receives a letter with a stamp that connects them.
The Stamp Collector explores communication, storytelling, freedom of expression, human rights, perspectives, and acts of kindness.
Telephone by Mac Barnett
Birds pass along a message in a game of telephone, where each bird’s interpretation of the message changes wildly based on their characteristics and quirks.
Telephone explores communication challenges, misunderstandings, interpretation, and the importance of clear listening and messaging.
That's Nice, Love by Owen Gent
A child climbs a giant tree and imagines a world of fascinating animals. His parent, engrossed in their phone, says, “That’s nice, love.” After the boy goes to bed, the adult puts down their phone and notices the treasures they collected.
That’s Nice, Love explores presence, the effects of distraction on relationships, and actively listening and engaging with others.
Tin Cans and String by Virve Aljas-Switzer
Priya and Jay share stories every night with two tin cans and a piece of string. When Jay’s family moves away, Priya is devastated, but she comes up with a way to keep in touch with her friend.
Tin Cans and String explores resourcefulness, problem-solving, communication, friendship and moving home.
Two For Me, One For You by Jörg Mühle
Bear finds three mushrooms, but a problem arises when she shares them with Weasel. A fox helps out, only to spark unity between Bear and Weasel against this interloper.
Two For Me, One For You explores friendship, problem-solving, unity, conflict resolution, and fairness.
The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles by Michelle Cuevas
A solitary man who delivers messages found in ocean bottles longs for his own message, worsening his isolation. One day, he discovers an unaddressed invitation to a party in a bottle and decides to attend, sparking unforeseen, life-changing events.
The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles explores empathy, loneliness, hope, communication, and the effects of small actions.
Up The Learning Tree by Marcia Vaughan
In pre-Civil War America, an enslaved boy wants to learn to read and write after his father tells him books are the only help to escape slavery. With the help of a white teacher while hiding in a tree outside the schoolhouse he succeeds in his dream.
A Voice Like Yours by Frank Murphy
A voice can be used: to express feelings, to stand up for what is right, to comfort, to teach, and to bring joy. Each person has a powerful voice, whether they speak loudly or softly, sing or sign, or even don’t use words at all.
A Voice Like Yours explores self-expression, communication, and using one’s voice for positive change.
Words to Make a Friend: A Story in Japanese and English by Donna Jo Napoli
Two girls from different backgrounds discover a connection despite not speaking the same language, communicating through gestures and expressions.
Words to Make a Friend explores friendship, kindness, communication, making connections, and cultural exchange.
The Words We Share by Jack Wong
Angie helps her father navigate their new life in a country where she understands the language better. She helps her dad and other Chinese immigrants settle into a world of new words and customs.
The Words We Share explores the challenges and rewards of learning new languages and adapting to different cultures.
Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind by Cynthia Grady
During World War II, Japanese American children maintained a correspondence with their favourite librarian despite being confined in internment camps. The letters share their experiences, hopes, and dreams.
Write to Me explores resilience in the face of adversity, connection and communication, empathy, hope, and the human impact of war.
Communicator Worksheets & Graphic Organizers
Want ready-to-use activities to teach the Communicator trait with ANY book?
What’s in the pack
- Communicator Characters pages to see how characters share ideas and listen
- I am a Communicator sheets for students to reflect on their own skills
- Communicator Actions activities focus on the communication skills of your students or book characters.
- Open-ended worksheets you can adapt to any story or grade
Why it helps
- Builds confidence in speaking and listening
- Shows multiple ways people communicate
- Encourages clarity, respect, and collaboration
Tips for Teaching the Communicators Trait
- Try “I heard you say…” responses to model active listening
- Use storytelling and role-play to explore emotions and situations
- Encourage different ways of sharing—writing, drawing, acting, gestures
- Make class rules around turn-taking and respectful responses
- Use circle time to let each student speak and listen
- Try communication journals—kids reflect on how they shared or listened that week
Questions to Ask After Reading
Understanding Communication
- What does it mean to be a good communicator?
- How do you know if someone is really listening?
- What are different ways people communicate?
Reflecting on Self
- Do you find it easier to talk, write, draw, or act out your ideas?
- When is it hard to listen carefully?
- How does it feel when someone listens to you?
Exploring Characters in Books
- How did [character] share their ideas or feelings?
- How did others respond?
- What happened when characters didn’t communicate well?
- What could [character] have done to improve their communication?
Supporting All Learners
- Use sentence starters and visuals for EAL/SEND students
- Try role-play or picture cards to explore non-verbal communication
- Let students draw, act out, or use bilingual responses
- Model and pair up students for turn-taking and active listening
- Celebrate all voices—spoken and unspoken—in your classroom
Final Thoughts
Communication is at the heart of everything we do in the classroom. Picture books are powerful tools for showing children how to express themselves, listen, and build relationships.
These stories offer models of kind, thoughtful, effective communication—and help your students become confident, compassionate Communicators.
Got a favorite book about communication? Share it in the comments!
Ideas of What to Read Next
- Picture Books for Conflict Resolution Skills: Help kids learn how to resolve disagreements through listening, compromise, and clear communication.
- Social Awareness with Picture Books: Explore empathy, perspective-taking, and understanding others through stories
- Maya Angelou Biography Activities: Dive into Maya Angelou’s life, poetry, and impact—perfect for exploring voice and justice.
- Voices in the Park Point of View Activities: Use this book to explore how different perspectives shape communication and assumptions.
FAQs: Teaching the Communicator Trait
What are the IB Communicator traits for students?
IB Communicators express ideas confidently and listen carefully. They communicate in different ways—spoken, written, artistic, non-verbal—and work well with others.
What are the best picture books for teaching communication skills?
Books like Aaron Slater, Illustrator, The Rabbit Listened, and Voices in the Park model communication through different voices, perspectives, and emotions.
How do you teach communication skills in early years?
Start with simple tools: active listening games, role-play, storytelling, and picture books. Encourage turn-taking and using visuals or gestures to share ideas.
Why is communication important in the classroom?
Good communication builds relationships, boosts confidence, resolves conflicts, and helps children learn from one another.
How can I support non-verbal or shy communicators?
Use drawing, acting, or picture cards to help them express ideas. Give them time to think and respond. Celebrate all forms of communication—not just verbal ones.
1 thought on “Picture Books about Communication”
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