Looking for books about friendship for your child? Books about making friends, what is means to be a good friend, and other aspects of friendship can be fun and educational for kids! Toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and older children can benefit from reading friendship books.
To help you uncover the best books about friendship, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite stories. Use the list below to find books your child will love - and learn from! In addition to our list of the best books about friendship for kids, our team of parents and educators will discuss why children should read stories about friendship and where you can find these books.
Ready to explore our list of the best children's books about friendship? Let’s get into it!
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Why should kids read friendship books?
Best Books About Friendship for Kids
- Picture Books About Friendship
- Read Aloud Books About Friendship
- Bedtime Stories About Friendship
- Short Stories About Friendship
- Chapter Books About Friendship
The Benefits of Reading Books About Friendship
Why should kids read books about friendship? Well, in addition to being a relevant topic of interest (most kids love to read about topics that are relevant to their lives), reading friendship books can help your child develop critical social-emotional skills.
Kids stories about friendship can also show your child how to make friends, resolve conflict, and what a good (or bad) friend looks like. In other words, these books offer a fun and easy way to teach your child about friendship.
Now, let’s look at some of the best stories about friendship for kids!
The Best Books About Friendship
Below is a list of the best books about friendship (and some personal favorites). This collection includes stories for all ages, including toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and older children.
We’ve organized the list into categories to make it easier to navigate and help you find a story suitable for your child’s age, reading level, and interests. These categories include picture books, read aloud books, bedtime stories, short stories, and chapter books. Feel free to combine stories from various categories to create the perfect list of books about friendship for your child!
Picture Books About Friendship
Picture books provide a fun way to teach your child about making friends and navigating relationships. Here are some of our favorite picture books about friendship.
1. A New Friend: A Lesson on Friendship
By Suzanne I. Barchers
In the book A New Friend, children follow a group of five friends - Bun, Pip, Sox, Tab, and Ted - who are on the hunt for their lost belongings. Where are their things, and who is responsible for taking them? Uncover the mystery and find out what these five friends discover when they find their belongings. Will they forgive the thief and make a new friend?
A New Friend is one of the best books about friendship for kids because it explores good and bad ways to make friends. This story also offers other educational features to help improve your child’s early literacy skills.
Additional Educational Features: rhyming words.
This friendship book is suitable for ages 5 - 6.
A New Friend is available as a read aloud story on the Booka reading app for kids.
2. Earl the Fighting Squirrel
By Eve Heidi Bine-Stock
In Earl the Fighting Squirrel, kids follow Earl’s journey - from bully to friend. Kicked out of the park for being a bully, Earl quickly learns that it doesn’t pay to fight with others. Discover how Earl makes amends with the other squirrel and goes from foe to friend.
This story about bullies and friendship is suitable for ages 4 - 6.
3. Kindness Matters: A Book About Friendship
By Kim Mitzo Thompson and Karen Mitzo Hilderbrand
Kindness Matters is a story that explores what it means to be a good friend. From being kind and accepting others to sharing and being honest, this book introduces many important concepts about friendship.
Kindness Matters is one of the best books about friendship for kids because it includes simple language and captivating, colorful illustrations.
Additional Educational Features: introduction to essential life skills like turn-taking, positivity, being a good listener, and acceptance.
This story about friendship is suitable for ages 5 - 7.
4. Small Ears in a Big City
By Ava Penoyer
Small Ears in a Big City is a friendship book about two friends - Molly and Polly - who take on the big city! But the city is loud, and the friends find it hard to communicate over the noise (especially with their small ears). Will they find a way to communicate over the hustle and bustle of the big city?
This picture book about friendship is a favorite for children in kindergarten.
Additional Educational Features: in addition to friendship, this story teaches kids about hearing differences.
This story is suitable for kids ages 5 - 7.
Small Ears in a Big City is available as a read aloud story on the Booka reading app for kids.
Read Aloud Books About Friendship
There are many benefits of audiobooks and read aloud books for kids. Read along stories, like the ones below, are especially helpful if you don’t always have the time to read to your child.
Here are some of the best read aloud books about friendship for kids.
5. The On-Again, Off-Again Friend
By Wiley Blevins
The On-Again Off-Again Friend follows a girl named Grace as she learns how to face a bully. On Grace’s first day of school, she discovers that her best friend, Jade, is not in her class! When Grace finally sees Jade at lunch, she meets Jade’s new friend, who turns out to be a bully. At home, Grace’s Nana helps her learn how to overcome this “on-again, off-again” friendship and explains what it means to be a true friend.
Due to these lessons, this is one of the best books about friendship for kids in kindergarten!
Additional Educational Features: introduction to important life lessons like kindness, standing up for others, and change.
This story about friendship is suitable for kids ages 5 - 8.
The On-Again, Off-Again Friend is available as a Read To Me story on Booka.
6. Why is Nita Upside Down?
By Roxana Bouwer
Why is Nita Upside Down? is a touching story about a girl named Nita. Nita doesn’t think she fits in with the other kids. But then she meets Navi and, with this new friend, her world changes. She soon learns that everyone is unique and special in their own way—making them the same!
This is one of our favorite books about friendship for kids because, in addition to exploring the joys of friendship, the story introduces the idea of diversity.
Additional Educational Features: rhyming words.
This friendship book is suitable for ages 3 - 12.
Why is Nita Upside Down? is available as a read along story on Booka.
7. Bunny and Bird are Best Friends
By Jeff Dinardo
Bunny and Bird are Best Friends is a story about two best friends (Bunny and Bird) who do everything together. But, one day, Bird goes away with her family for the winter, and Bunny is left without his best friend. Will Bunny be all alone—or will he be able to make new friends?
This read aloud story is one of the best books about friendship for preschool and kindergarten because it teaches kids about making new friends.
Additional Educational Features: introduction to new vocabulary and concepts related to the different seasons, including the behavior of various animals in the winter.
This friendship book is suitable for ages 4 - 6.
Bunny and Bird are Best Friends is available as a read aloud on Booka.
8. Greatest
By Darcy Pattison
Greatest is a touching story about friendship that follows a bunny named Love Truly and her two friends - Faith Deep and Hope Big. When Love Truly and her friends see the big, scary new student, a rhino named PeeWee, drop his food tray in the cafeteria, they have two choices - turn away or have the courage to help. What will Love Truly and her friends do?
This read aloud book is one of the best books about friendship for kids in grades 2 - 3, as it teaches them about acceptance, resilience, and the courage it takes to make new friends.
Additional Educational Features: accessible language to promote emerging literacy skills.
This story about friendship is suitable for ages 5 - 8.
Greatest is available as a read along story on Booka.
Bedtime Stories About Friendship
Looking for bedtime stories about friendship? Here are some of our favorites for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarten kids.
9. Shaka and Mazi
By Zulaikhah Agoro
Shaka and Mazi is a children’s book about a boy named Shaka and his invisible friend Mazi. One day, Shaka learns he and his family are moving to a new town. That’s ok; Mazi can come! But on moving day, Mazi disappears - has Shaka lost his best friend forever? Soon, Shaka meets a new boy who lives next door and discovers that there’s always room for new friends!
This bedtime story about friendship includes diverse characters and themes relevant to children in preschool and kindergarten. As a result, this is one of the best books about friendship for young children - and one of our favorites!
This friendship book is suitable for ages 4 - 6.
10. Who Is Our Friend?
By Jade Mathieson
Who Is Our Friend? is a story about a group of African animals (Rhino, Crocodile, Giraffe, and Zebra) and their best friend Bird. The story explores how Bird helps these animals and demonstrates that even when animals (and people) are different, they can still be friends!
In addition to the overarching theme of friendship, this bedtime story teaches kids about the symbiotic relationship between animals.
Additional Educational Features: simple language to help toddlers and preschoolers develop early reading skills.
This children’s book about friendship is suitable for ages 0 - 4.
Who is Our Friend? is available as a read along on the Booka reading app for kids.
Short Stories About Friendship
These short stories about friendship include books perfect for children of all ages, including babies, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and older kids.
11. ¡Organiza tu pupitre!
By Katrina Streza and Ariana Vargas
¡Organiza tu pupitre! is a Spanish decodable book about a boy named Paco and his friend Zita. When Paco needs paper, Zita lends him some. When Paco needs help cleaning his desk, Zita is there to help. Through Zita’s actions, kids learn what it means to be a good friend!
This lesson makes this short story one of the best books about friendship for young readers in kindergarten.
Additional Educational Features: decodable text, the introduction of new Spanish verbs, including "organiza," "tirar," "doy," and "eres."
This friendship book is suitable for ages 3 - 8.
12. Friends / Freunde (My First Bilingual Book)
By Patricia Billings and Faith Erdogan
Friends / Freunde is an English-German bilingual book for toddlers that explores the concept of friendship and what friends do together. This short story introduces children to friendship-related words in both English and German.
The Friends series of books for kids by Patricia Billings is available in several bilingual variations, including:
Friends / Amigos (English-Spanish)
Friends / Друзья (English-Russsian)
Friends / 친구 (English-Korean)
With simple language and bright illustrations, these bilingual books about friendship for kids are ideal for toddlers.
Additional Educational Features: introduction to new vocabulary and words in different languages.
This friendship book is suitable for ages 0 - 3.
13. The Sad Sad Monster
By Dolores Costello
The Sad Sad Monster is a story about a monster who has no friends and is sad and alone. But then, one day, a girl named Sarah joins Monster at lunch - and they become fast friends. Through this story, children can learn about the power of friendship and the joy friends bring.
This short story about friendship uses easy-to-read sentences, making it one of the best books about friendship for toddlers.
The Sad Sad Monster is suitable for ages 4 - 7.
This book about friendship is available as a read aloud story on the Booka reading app for kids.
Chapter Books About Friendship
Is your child interested in chapter books? These chapter books about friendship for kids are perfect for older children and more advanced young readers!
14. Football Fumble!
By Thomas Kingsley Troupe
Football Fumble!, follows the story of Meg. Meg decides to play football with her brother Danny, even though she doesn’t think she’ll enjoy it. Will Meg discover she loves football like her brother? Will she make new friends by trying a new sport?
This story is a simple, beginner's chapter book that’s perfect for kids in kindergarten and higher grades. It’s also an excellent story for children interested in sports.
This friendship book is suitable for ages 5 - 7.
Football Fumble! is also available as a read aloud story on Booka.
15. Kell, the Alien
By Darcy Pattison
Kell, the Alien is a chapter book about friendship that follows Kell Smith, a 9-year-old alien posing as a boy. As part of his intergalactic event-planning business, Kell hopes to plan an alien-themed party for his neighbor, Bree. But can he do it without blowing his cover? And, more importantly, will Kell be able to make friends with the Earthlings at school? What if they find out he’s an alien - will they still be his friend?
This story about friendship is suitable for ages 8 - 10.
Kell, the Alien is available on Booka as a read aloud story.
Find Books About Friendship (and More) on Booka!
Not sure where to find books about friendship for kids? Booka is your one-stop shop for the best books about friendship and more! The Booka reading app for kids offers access to hundreds of stories, all in one place, and is a top choice for parents and caregivers around the world.
Download Booka today for free!
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