Beyond Words publishes award-winning wordless picture stories covering topics including physical and mental health, lifestyle and relationships, abuse and trauma, grief and bereavement, employment, and criminal justice.

All of our books tell a story, but because there are no words, they also let the reader tell their own story – whatever it is that they see in the pictures. How someone interprets the pictures can tell you a lot about their understanding of a situation, experiences they have had and the things that matter to them.

Our picture stories do give information, but their main aim is to open up conversations – conversations that make it possible to check for understanding, share past experiences, prepare for new ones, and explore feelings. Wordless stories remove barriers to understanding, reduce anxiety and empower readers to make their voice heard.

The very first book we published was When Dad Died – an honest, sensitive story about grief and bereavement. Since then, we have published many stories that address different aspects of mental health, including Sonia’s Feeling Sad, Feeling Cross and Sorting It Out, Belonging, George Gets Smart and, most recently, Lenny & Lily in Lockdown and Lenny & Lily Return to School – two stories designed to support primary school children process their experiences through the pandemic and settle back into school routines. We will soon be launching a series of free webinars exploring how our stories can be used in school settings to promote pupil wellbeing. For more information, please email sthomas@booksbeyondwords.co.uk