A Brand New Substack (and Some Thoughts on Picture Books Without Plot Or Conflict)
Blogging, such as it is in the year 2025, is a fine enough occupation but I’m not surprising anyone when I say that Substack is where it’s at right now. I’ve been having a fair amount of fun seeking and finding a variety of different children’s book creators on the site. And now, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, I’m on there as well.
Why? To direct folks here, of course! This site has always been delightful, but it does have one intrinsic flaw: No way to make a daily subscriber email list. Imagine, if you sign up for my Substack, you’ll now be able to see what each of my posts are every day without having to come here yourself. If that sounds of interest to you, considering subscribing here.
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Now one of my favorite Substacks at the moment is the one called Notes on Illustration. Created by Giuseppe Castellano, it features an array of podcast episodes, interviews, histories, and more. And recently Giuseppe asked me an interesting question. Paraphrased roughly here, the question as it stands is, what are some successful picture books that do not rely on a plot or conflict?
The question was so intriguing that I started trying to come up with examples. Here are the first ones that immediately sprang to mind. I’ve no doubt you’ve others that you would think of as well. Feel free to leave them in the comments!
In no particular order…
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Eric Carle
Picture books that are essentially just songs! There’s zip, zero, zilch plot or conflict here and yet it is consistently a bestseller even to this day.
Big Bear and Little Bear Go Fishing by Amy Hest, ill. Erin Stead
There’s no conflict at all. Is there a story arc? I’m not sure saying you’re going fishing, then fishing, then going home necessarily counts. This one’s on the edge of the requirement.
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin, ill. James Dean
The story is that a cat went walking, which is not a story at all. The shoes getting dirty doesn’t even really rise to the level of conflict.
Go, Dog. Go! by P.D. Eastman
You cannot tell me that there is a story here. There is not. Moreover, conflict consists of… nothing really. Maybe wanting someone to like your hat?
Freight Train by Donald Crews
You could also count his wife’s Round Trip (Ann Jonas). Is it not interesting that the youngest books are often the ones most unconcerned with plot or conflict?
Press Here by Herve Tullet
Interactive books are a whole different breed of plotless fare.
Moo Baa La La La by Sandra Boynton
Perhaps we are not counting board books, but I’d be amiss in not at least bringing this one up.
What else would you add?
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About Betsy Bird
Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Kirkus, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on BlueSky at: @fuse8.bsky.social
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I think several of Dr. Seuss’ easy readers would count. I’ll just have to go reread them all to be sure.
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish may. Though conflict often slips in there unexpectedly so I too would have to check.
What a good question! A few that came to mind are City Moon by Rachael Cole and Blanca Gomez, Windows by Julia Denos and E.B. Goodale, and Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer…all of which involve going on a walk and observing. Maybe that’s its own whole category!
And what about Carter Higgins’ books, Circle Under Berry and Some of These Are Snails? I guess you could call them concept books (color, shape, animals) but they aren’t explicitly pitched that way.
Finally – because I just happened to read it at story time this morning – Sometimes It’s Nice to Be Alone by Amy Hest and Philip Stead. The kid enjoys being alone, but it’s nice when friends join too.
Oh yes! Carter Higgins is sort of the god of no plot/no conflict, isn’t she?
Orange Pear, Apple Bear
Senor Pancho Had a Rancho
Love. Them.
The Snowy Day; Tuesday/Animalia and the like; MWBrown’s Important and Noisy books.
It occurs to me that Brown’s books and Carle’s are teaching books, and therefore may fall into a different category. Those Seuss readers: ABC Book etc. also fit in this category. Also Peter Reynolds, but he is often teaching social lessons.
Julie Fogliano’s poetry books do for the reader with words what Wiesner and Base do with art: it’s just a party! And Then it’s Spring and If You Want to See a Whale don’t even need pictures. They are just decoration. Just like Tuesday doesn’t need words. All the World by Scanlon and Frazee is another of these that just celebrates beauty and family, but with both words and pictures. I think it does have a vague beginning, middle, end, but no plot or conflict. Jamberry by Bruce Degen may also be a “celebration” book.
There are loads of picture books without plot or conflict that still have a beginning, middle, end. Some are Surprise or Finding books: If You Plant a Seed, Last Stop on Market St., Are You My Mother?, and Wolf in the Snow. There’s a goal, but no conflict. Is that a plot?
There’s this one I heard about recently with a secretary bird and a weasel…..? But perhaps, as with Grover, that book is ALL conflict.
Just realized Animalia is technically also a teaching book. But does anyone use it that way? Or are we just looking at the pictures for fun?