Friendship
For some children, making friends and socializing comes naturally. For others, it can be a challenging and daunting experience. In these early years, when children are laying the foundation of their social development, it’s important to give them many and varied opportunities to interact with peers. And of course, including fabulous books about friendship and making friends will go a LONG WAY to help too!
I hope you love the books I recommend! Please note that the links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
The Buddy Bench - a fabulous book! The children decide to create a buddy bench for anyone who is feeling left out at recess. I love this book because it has a beautifully diverse group of characters, who model kindness, empathy & problem solving.
Unicorn Day - is a brand new book that I absolutely love. The book begins with a fun, colorful and silly celebration of all things unicorn. But when they discover that a horse has joined the fun, masquerading as a unicorn, will they include him or let him walk away? If you’ve got a little one who loves unicorns and glitter, this one is for you!
Sadie and the Silver Shoes - After a lifetime of hand-me-down clothes, Sadie is thrilled to be able to pick out her own special shoes. But what happens when shoe loses one shoe? This book is great for teaching kids just how important it is to have the support of your friends. The themes of girl power and kindness reign supreme in this book!
All Are Welcome - a book for every family! This book features a beautifully diverse community, in which children and adults from many different cultures live, learn, play and celebrate together.
Strictly No Elephants - a sweet but powerful book about acceptance! When children are excluded from a pet club for having “unusual” pets, they decide to form their own club and welcome more friends than they could have ever imagined.
Bagel In Love - Bagel dreams of competing in the Cherry Jubilee Dance Competition but he can’t find a partner, until he meets cupcake. This sweet and funny book is full of bakery puns, messages about kindness and delicious illustrations.
Old Tracks New Tricks - In this fun rhyming book some old wooden train tracks and trains find new ways to have fun together. After reading this, your little one will be inspired to take their train and STEAM play to new heights!
The Little Dancers Showtime! - A sweet and beautiful book about the power of “we.”I love this book because it has strong messages of teamwork and kindness, which are so important for our budding social butterflies to hear. The illustrations are gorgeous, and feature children of many different ethnicities. The little dancer in your life will love it!
The Llamacorn Is Kind - Meet llamacorn and his animal friends. The girafficorn, the walruscorn, cowicorn and many others are special in their own ways, but there’s no one like llamacorn. This colorful rhyming book will draw you in. While you read, encourage your little one to join you each time you say “but the llamacorn is kind.”
The Girl With a Parrot on Her Head - When Isabel’s best friend moves away she decides that she doesn’t need friends. She’s alone, except for the parrot on her head, who helps her organize her toys into boxes. When she goes out looking for a new box, she finds a friend in the most unexpected place.
Be Kind - When Tanisha accidentally spills juice on herself, her friend wonders how she can help make her feel better. I love this book because it teaches about kindness and empathy. It’s also a great example of how kids can help each other in real social situations.
The Big Umbrella - a gentle book about inclusion and the importance of small acts of kindness. I love the simplicity of this book and the calm vibe of the illustrations. Available in Chinese and Spanish. For ages 2+.
The Best Kind of Bear - Nelly and Bear are best friends. One day Nelly asks him what kind of bear he is, so bear sets off into the world discover who he is. He meets grizzly bears, polar bears and many others, but none are quite like him. He returns to Nelly disappointed, but soon realizes that he’s the best kind of bear because he’s HER bear. This book is absolutely gorgeous, and works beautifully for beginning conversations about friendship, identity and relationships with our little ones.
Boxitects - a fabulous book featuring positive messages about friendship, girl power, cooperation, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math), and teamwork! Meg is a “boxitect” and creates amazing structures. In Maker School she meets kids who create all kinds of buildings. But what happens when she meets another boxitect with big ideas? Will they be able to work together?
One Big Heart - This book celebrates our similarities and differences with lovely rhyming text and gorgeous illustrations. I love the way this book honors the beautiful diversity of all children.
The Pirate Tree - Sam and Agu are two very different kids. They find common ground and friendship while playing pirates in their favorite tree.
Elizabeth Makes a Friend - Alex is a new boy in Elizabeth’s class at school. She wants to meet him but doesn’t know how. Her dad’s advice to simply start by saying “hi,” gives Elizabeth the courage to introduce herself, setting off the story of a brand new friendship.
Natsumi’s Song Of Summer - Natsumi’s favorite time of year is summer. She loves listening to the sound of cicadas singing on summer days in Japan. When she finds out that her cousin, Jill, is visiting from the U.S. she’s very excited to meet her. But she’s also nervous that Jill might find her love of insects too strange. Follow these cousins as they meet for the first time, and become fast friends.
Little Bear’s Treasures - I’m so in love with this book! Little Bear is a treasure finder. He finds amazing things in nature wherever he goes, from a tickly feather to a shiny button. But when she tries to share them with the other animals, no one appreciates them. Everything changes when he meets Little Bird, who sees the world the same way. Together they build a friendship, and find joy and wonder in the natural world that surrounds them. This sweet story will warm your heart!
The Same But Different Too - Some friends are short, some are tall, some have just a few teeth and some have many. Some friends like pancakes, some don’t. This fun, colorful, rhyming book is perfect for discussions about similarities and differences with children. Great for kids ages 2+.
Will You Be Friends With Me? - a perfect book about friendship for toddlers and 2’s. With lyrical rhyming text friends explore all of the things that make them different, from eating different foods to liking different colors. They ask “will you be friends with me?” on each page.
The Hula Hoopin’ Queen - This has been one of my daughter’s favorite books for years! Kameeka is a spunky girl who LOVES to hula hoop with her friends. Once she gets the “hula hoopin’ itch,” she can’t think of doing anything else. So what happens when Kameeka gets the itch while she’s supposed to be helping her mom prepare for a party? I love the way this book explores themes of kindness, honesty, and intergenerational friendship. With lively and beautiful illustrations by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, this is sure to become one of your new favorites too! *For extra fun * Click here to see an animated version of this book, read aloud by the legendary Oprah Winfrey!!
Dozens of Doughnuts - Who doesn’t love a story about doughnuts? LouAnn is looking forward to eating her doughnuts. But what happens when all of her animal friends show up? Will there be any doughnuts left for her? a sweet a delicious story about the importance of sharing.
The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend - Beekle lives in the land of imaginary friends. He patiently waits for the day that he’s chosen by his perfect match, but that day never comes. He decides to take matters into his own hands and sets off to find her. This sweet book will warm your heart.
Quieres Ser Mi Amigo? - Lola and Simón are neighbors who are very much alike. Their homes are separated by a fence, which has prevented them from saying hello to each other. But all of that changes one night when they both go outside to see a shooting star.
Here’s a great song to go along with the book, called Quiero Ser Tu Amigo? about making friends!
The World Who Needs Who You Were Made To Be - a beautiful rhyming book that celebrates the strengths and abilities of all children. Written by style and design guru, Joanna Gaines, this lovely story inspires readers to honor the differences in humanity and the important role that we all play.
My Pet (Not Yours) - When sloth finds a “pet,” his best friend fox is jealous. They both try entice the pet and insist that it belongs to each of them. Can their friendship survive this disagreement? This fun and hilarious book will have you and your little reader giggling!
Unicorn (and Horse) - Unicorn is white and fancy, Horse is plain and brown. Unicorn has a sapphire horn, a silver coat, and a rainbow mane, and Horse can’t stand it. So what happens when Unicorn is in trouble and needs help? Will Horse help? A fun and humorous book about differences and how they make for great friendships.
Nerdycorn - Fern is not your average unicorn. She’s a brilliant scientist, a master of math, and prefers spending time in her lab over glitter parties. Although she’s kind, and always ready to help the other unicorns, they tease her for being different and call her “nerdycorn.” One day, Fern has had enough and decides to stop fixing her friends’ broken things. But then the confetti machine, the rainbow synthesizer, and the starlight bedazzler all go haywire during the biggest Sparkle Dance Party of the year! Fern can certainly fix them…but will she? I absolutely love the messages in this book about friendship, the importance of being yourself, and the power of standing up for yourself.
Best Day Ever - I have a soft spot for books with dogs, so I couldn’t help but grab this book off of the shelf at our library. This playful pup is so excited to be out and about with her best pal, it feels like the best day ever. But when a romp in the mud leads to a bath, the best day quickly starts feeling like the worst. This sweet book is a gentle reminder about the healing power of friendship.
Quick Tips:
The books above feature children from many different cultures and backgrounds. It’s so important for children to read books with diverse characters. It promotes, learning, empathy and respect for all people. It also provides a window into new worlds and experiences.
Give your child opportunities to socialize with children in many different settings. Children expand their social skills by interacting in different ways. For example, having a one-on-one playdate in a child’s home gives them experience with sharing their own toys and space. These skills are different than the skills they hone in a classroom, involving space and toys that they share with a large group. Playing with peers at the playground, a birthday party, or at the home of a friend, will help them gain skills to navigate many different social situations.
Preview the books before you read them, this will help you decide if they’re right for your child’s age and attention span.
While reading, take your time, let your child take in the words and pictures.
As you read, listen carefully to the questions that come up. You'll gain insight into how your child is thinking and feeling based on what they say.
Be sure to share any concerns about your child with a trusted pediatrician, their teacher or caregiver. These professionals are a great resource and can offer advice or additional guidance.
Did you like these books?
Do you have other favorite friendship books ?
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