Friends are the best! Cultivating friendships is a huge part of the classroom and school experience. And one of the best ways to encourage kindness, inclusion, and successful friendships is through read-alouds. We adore these one-of-a-kind children’s books about friendship for exploring relatable challenges in an accessible way and for inspiring discussions about making friends. There’s no age limit for a good book—kids at any age can benefit from learning about friendship struggles and triumphs. Grab your best classroom pals and check out our recent favorite children’s books about friendship.
Be sure to fill out the form on this page to get your free printable of all the books listed below!
Children’s Books About Friendship
1. The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
When we’re feeling down, turning to friends can cheer us up. In this lovely and sweet story, Taylor looks for help from his animal friends when he’s feeling sad. None of the animals make him feel better until the rabbit, who comforts Taylor by simply listening, comes along. This book is perfect for a younger audience, who will adore the animals and gentle nature of the story. Read it to all ages to show how we can be there for one another simply by lending an ear.
Buy it: The Rabbit Listened
2. I Walk With Vanessa by Kerascoët
This inspiring book is wordless, but its pictures tell a profound story. When a bully is mean to Vanessa, another girl watches with concern. Unsure of what to do, she thinks long and hard about how to help. The next day, she stops at Vanessa’s house on the way to school and walks with Vanessa, making her feel safe and seen. Soon, other kids join them until they become a big pack. This beautiful book is perfect for addressing bullying and how small acts of kindness and bravery can add up to something much bigger.
Buy it: I Walk With Vanessa
3. The Buddy Bench by Patty Brozo
This relatable and empowering story about inclusion gives us all the feels. Finding friends to play with at recess can feel daunting for many kids, and this book offers a creative solution: the buddy bench! When kids sit on the bench, they let other kids know they want to join in without asking. This story is a wonderful choice for encouraging inclusion, teaching empathy, and making sure everyone gets a chance to play if they want to. Creating your own school or classroom buddy bench would be a fun extension project.
Buy it: The Buddy Bench
4. This Book Is My Best Friend by Robin Robinson
What starts as two children arguing over the same book at the library turns into a lesson about the magical power of perspective-taking. As the story unfolds, readers understand that one child loves the book because it’s a comfort during time spent at the hospital with an ill parent. The other child loves the book because it’s a refuge in their chaotic home. As the children learn about and connect with each other, an empathetic friendship develops. Use this book to discuss the power of books and making new connections.
Buy it: This Book Is My Best Friend
5. Fresh Juice by Robert Liu-Trujillo
Art and his dad head to the farmers market on the hunt for ingredients to make juice to fight a cold. They run into some challenges along the way, and plenty of friends are eager to help. This is a great choice for showcasing friendships that go beyond childhood. After all, we need friends at all ages!
Buy it: Fresh Juice
6. Sora’s Seashells by Helena Ku Rhee
This poignant book acknowledges that making friends in new situations can be hard, and it offers an encouraging example of how sharing more about yourself can help foster connection. Sora loves collecting shells at the beach with her grandmother during her summer visit. Then, while she’s already struggling to make friends in her new kindergarten class, her grandmother passes away. The sadness is too much to bear. Use this book for starting a discussion about how taking risks and being vulnerable can be part of cultivating friendships.
Buy it: Sora’s Seashells
7. Feathers Together by Caron Levis and Charles Santoso
Two storks, Malena and Klepetan, miss each other terribly when an injured wing means Malena can’t migrate with the flock as usual. They exchange feathers and promise to hold each other in their hearts. A human friend cares for Malena during winter while she can’t fly, and the pair joyfully reunite the next spring. This is a nice friendship-themed story for identifying story elements and practicing retelling and summarizing. Check out all the titles in the Feeling Friends series, all inspired by real-life animal friendships.
Buy it: Feathers Together
8. Valentine’s Guest House by Sam Sharland
Elsie and her mom, Valentine, run a guest house. When a tiger comes looking for a place to stay, they choose to welcome and accommodate him, building a new friendship in the process. This entertaining book explores themes of inclusion and community and can get kids talking about how to create a friendly, welcoming classroom and school.
Buy it: Valentine’s Guest House
9. How To Help a Friend by Karl Newson
We’re always down for children’s books about friendship that spell out for kids how they can be a good friend—and this one does it so sweetly! A child helps all her animal friends by giving them just the kind of support they need. This is a fantastic conversation starter for younger kids about relevant human friendship situations.
Buy it: How To Help a Friend
10. In the Neighborhood by Rorio Bonilla
Raise your hand if your childhood neighbors were your first example of friendship! This group of animal street-mates hasn’t really connected yet; they all feel like they don’t have much in common. When one neighbor has a problem, though—the internet stops working!—it turns out another neighbor can easily lend a hand. This starts a chain of helping and connecting. This book is helpful for getting kids talking about ways to form friendships in their own communities.
Buy it: In the Neighborhood
11. The Kindest Red: A Story of Hijab and Friendship by Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K. Ali
This sequel to the bestselling book The Proudest Blue, written by the first American woman in hijab to compete for the United States in the Olympic Games, spotlights the deep connections we can form with friends and siblings by helping others. This is a fantastic choice for discussing important themes of friendship like identity and bullying.
Buy it: The Kindest Red: A Story of Hijab and Friendship
12. Walter Had a Best Friend by Deborah Underwood
Walter and Xavier are best friends … until they aren’t. This touching story explores the idea that friendships don’t have to last forever, and how to deal with the roller coaster of emotions that can happen as we navigate changing friendships. This book is a great conversation starter for children who may be in the thick of these friendship transitions.
Buy it: Walter Had a Best Friend
13. Friends Are Friends, Forever by Dane Liu
Best friends Dandan and Yueyue meet one last time for their favorite activity—making paper snowflakes—before Dandan moves to America. Will she ever find a friend in her new country like she did at home? This sweet and relatable story about making new friends while holding on to old ones is great for sharing important insights about the challenges of being an immigrant.
Buy it: Friends Are Friends, Forever
14. Old Friends by Margaret Aitken
Marjorie loves baking, knitting, and gardening so she goes undercover to find friends with similar interests at the local senior center. This heartwarming and upbeat book shows that friendship can come in many forms and highlights the importance of being true to yourself. A lovely story to use for students of all ages in teaching about authenticity and building real connection.
Buy it: Old Friends
15. The Little Book of Friendship by Zack Bush and Laurie Friedman
This is the perfect instruction manual for how to be a friend. Filled with activities, practical ideas, and short vignettes, this nonfiction book is a great addition to any classroom library. Include it in your social-emotional learning lesson plans for valuable and impactful discussions.
Buy it: The Little Book of Friendship
16. Wolf Girl by Jo Loring-Fisher
The perfect story for anyone who feels like they don’t quite fit in. Sophie is reserved and feels most comfortable in her wolf suit, but when she wears it to school, her classmates make fun of her. Through this emotion-filled story, Sophie goes on a magical journey that teaches her (and her classmates) that good friends let you be you. This book is great for starting discussions about individuality and acceptance.
Buy it: Wolf Girl
17. Sometimes It’s Nice To Be Alone by Amy Hest
Full of beautiful illustrations that show a young girl enjoying solo activities, this tender book celebrates what we can gain from being alone as well as being with a friend. This is a particularly good book for introspective and introverted students and for discussing different personalities and preferences with everyone.
Buy it: Sometimes It’s Nice To Be Alone
18. A Friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey
Henry really wants a friend, but finding one seems like an impossible task because he often feels overwhelmed. This heartwarming book provides an important perspective about friendships from a child on the autism spectrum. The story would be very helpful to use for understanding our differences and remembering to be patient and kind to everyone.
Buy it: A Friend for Henry
19. The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
Brian feels invisible until a new friend joins the classroom and Brian helps welcome him. The timeless message about the power of kindness to help kids feel seen, heard, and valued makes this a perennial favorite for readers of all ages. This would be a great book to read at the beginning of the year as you are building community in the classroom.
Buy it: The Invisible Boy
20. Don’t Hug Doug (He Doesn’t Like It) by Carrie Finison
Doug likes a lot of things—including his rock collection, harmonica bands, and his many friends—but he thinks hugs are just way “too squashy.” When you need children’s books about respecting personal boundaries and different ways to show you care about a friend, definitely reach for this one!
Buy it: Don’t Hug Doug (He Doesn’t Like It)
21. The Pirate Tree by Brigita Orel
Sam resists Agu’s attempts to join his game of pirates at first because he’s unfamiliar, but Agu wins him over with his real-life experience sailing the high seas. Gorgeous and thought-provoking, this book will help kids talk about how new friends can lead to new learning and new fun.
Buy it: The Pirate Tree
22. We Laugh Alike / Juntos nos reímos by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
If you or your students speak Spanish, you’ll definitely want to add this unique children’s book about friendship across language barriers to your shelves. (And if you don’t, it’s still a great one to enjoy with kids, using the glossary to help.) Using a mix of English, Spanish, gestures, and open-mindedness, two groups of friends find common ground—and laughs—at the park. This is a wonderful story for discussing the importance of finding similarities while celebrating our differences.
Buy it: We Laugh Alike / Juntos nos reímos
23. A Thousand White Butterflies by Jessica Betancourt-Perez and Karen Lynn Williams
Isabella is so excited for her first day of school—her “make-new-friends day”—after moving to the United States from Colombia. But then a snowstorm cancels school! A chance encounter shows her there are many ways to make new friends and have fun playing together. This touching personal narrative is one of our favorite new children’s books about friendship and would be great for discussing the challenges of immigrating and starting somewhere new, as well as making connections.
Buy it: A Thousand White Butterflies
24. The Someone New by Jill Twiss
Jitterbug the chipmunk is hesitant about accepting a newcomer to her woods until her friends help her see the positives of welcoming “someone new.” Students of any age can appreciate this story and connect its themes to their lives; we’ve all been new to something before! It would be particularly helpful for welcoming new students into the classroom and encouraging students to embrace change.
Buy it: The Someone New
25. Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away by Meg Medina
We just keep coming back to this gorgeous book for all the literacy mini-lessons. Daniela and Evelyn are the best of friends, but Evelyn’s impending move is tough on them both. Their poignant conversations show us how friendship can transcend circumstance. This book is great for helping real-life friends facing a similar situation, and for discussing the bittersweet nature of friendship and close relationships.
Buy it: Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away
26. Frank and Bean by Jamie Michalak
So many early chapter books about friendship have fantastic characterizations of friendship to discuss with kids (Frog and Toad, Mr. Putter and Tabby, Narwhal and Jelly … we could go on and on). Frank and Bean are as different as could be, but ultimately their differences turn out to be the best thing. (For more friendship-themed books for early readers, check out Graphic Novels for Kids in Elementary School.) This pick is great for beginning readers looking for a good friendship story they can read themselves.
Buy it: Frank and Bean
27. The Hike by Alison Farrell
Three friends go on an epic outdoor adventure. Each one brings different strengths to the hike that help make it a success for all. This is a wonderful choice for exploring nature and friendship with your youngest learners.
Buy it: The Hike
28. How To Apologize by David LaRochelle
Making amends when you’ve made a mistake is a key part of friendship. This book manages to be both funny and serious as it teaches readers what it looks like to say you’re sorry. Use it for concrete social and emotional lessons on owning up to your mistakes and how important that is for successful relationships.
Buy it: How To Apologize
29. My Best Friend by Julie Fogliano and Jillian Tamaki
An exuberant, child’s-eye celebration of a friendship that’s just meant to be. This one is moving for children and adults alike. The lovely, simple narrative makes for a great read-aloud about the close bonds of friendship that will resonate with your class.
Buy it: My Best Friend
30. 48 Grasshopper Estates by Sara de Waal
Sicily is a STEM wizard, constantly making creations from parts she finds in her apartment complex. Making friends, though? That’s harder. Throughout Sicily’s attempts, a parallel story of a neighbor boy unfolds in the illustrations—a fun example of how friendship can occur in unexpected places. This book is a great reminder for kids that a big part of friendship is considering others’ experiences.
Buy it: 48 Grasshopper Estates
31. Circle Round by Anne Sibley O’Brien
Simple, counting text describes a diverse group of children who come together at the playground. The illustrations will give your class so much to talk about and can facilitate a brainstorming session about inclusive ways to welcome others to play.
Buy it: Circle Round
32. All About Friends by Felicity Brooks and Mar Ferrero
Approaching friendship discussions through children’s books about friendship works for lots of kids, but for some, a more explicit primer can be helpful. This is one of the most comprehensive nonfiction children’s books about friendship we’ve seen. It uses straightforward language and plenty of charming pictures to teach key skills like how to use friendly body language and how to initiate conversations with friends. This book would be particularly helpful when trying to encourage kids to use concrete strategies for disagreements and establishing positive connections.
Buy it: All About Friends
33. Meesha Makes Friends by Tom Percival
Meesha never feels like she gets it quite right unless she’s making “friends” with craft supplies. But when Josh quietly reaches out, she learns that doing something she loves alongside a friend can feel twice as nice. Share this story to honor the experiences of kids who find it challenging to connect with others.
Buy it: Meesha Makes Friends
34. In a Jar by Deborah Marcero
Llewellyn and his friend Evelyn collect their favorite memories in jars. When Evelyn moves away, it feels devastating, that is until they find a way to use their special memories to stay connected. We love this understated, beautiful children’s book about friendship for its warmth and imagination. Use it to kick off some inspiring conversations.
Buy it: In a Jar
35. The Shadow Elephant by Nadine Robert and Valerio Vidali
Friendship is often lots of fun, but sometimes being a friend means helping during hard times. When Elephant feels down, Mouse instinctively knows he needs time to let the feelings pass with a quiet friend resting by his side. This would be a great book for discussing how to show empathy and acceptance while understanding the role of sadness too.
Buy it: The Shadow Elephant
36. Ways To Play by Lyn Miller-Lachmann
Riley’s cousins are always so bossy, telling Riley the “right” way to play with toys. But Riley doesn’t like to play in the same way. The kids find common ground and learn that there can be many fun ways to play. This sweet and helpful story about finding ways to play together harmoniously is perfect for starting discussions for younger students about the building blocks of friendship.
Buy it: Ways To Play
37. Peanut Butter & Cupcake! by Terry Border
Peanut Butter is new in town and is looking for a friend to play soccer with. He asks many other foods to play, but no one accepts. That is, until Cupcake sits next to him. Peanut Butter and Cupcake play and everyone else joins in when they see how much fun the two new friends are having together. This silly, whimsical tale about friendship and persistence is a winner for pre-K through 1st grade. This is a great pick for starting a discussion about how to take a chance to find new friends.
Buy it: Peanut Butter & Cupcake
38. Friends Beyond Measure by Lalena Fisher
We love unique children’s books about friendship to get students looking at the topic in new ways. Friends Ana and Harwin describe their joyful relationship in diagrams, charts, timelines, and graphs. All the data points to fun, until they find out Harwin’s family must move overseas. The two mourn the news and then get to work drawing up new ways to represent their friendship. This title is especially perfect to share when you’re learning about representing data in math and science.
Buy it: Friends Beyond Measure: A Story Told With Infographics
39. Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
This powerful story about feeling left out and excluding others who are different is a wonderful book to share with your class. Maya, a new girl with ragged clothes, wants to play with Chloe and her friends, but they ignore her. When Chloe’s teacher talks about small acts of kindness, Chloe realizes her mistake in excluding Maya. But it’s too late for Chloe to make amends because Maya stops coming to school. Author Jacqueline Woodson is a master storyteller and gets us talking about important life lessons. Use this book to start relevant and hard conversations about including others and being kind to everyone.
Buy it: Each Kindness
40. How To Spot a Best Friend by Bea Birdsong
One of the sweet how-to guide children’s books about friendship for finding a best friend. With examples younger kids can relate to, this book shows us how friends, especially best friends, help one another and cheer each other on. This book is perfect for sharing at the beginning of the year to remind everyone what it means to be a good friend and how we can help and feel supported too.
Buy it: How To Spot a Best Friend
41. How To Make a Friend by Stephen W. Martin
Wouldn’t it be easier if we could just “make” our own friends? This clever, drama-filled adventure tells the story of a girl who tries to build a robot for a friend. In the end, the robot meets an unfortunate fate. But the girl meets a friend who shares an interest in robots too. With real friendship advice sprinkled throughout, this book is a great one for starting conversations about finding common interests and budding friendships.
Buy it: How To Make a Friend
42. Not Perfect by Maya Myers
Dot is discouraged because nothing she does is perfect. She tries her best, but it’s just not good enough. When she has to share about someone she admires with her class, she learns what it really means to do a good job and be a good friend. Use this heartwarming book to discuss perfectionism while also talking about how important it is to encourage each other and not compare yourself to others, not even your best friend.
Buy it: Not Perfect
43. Words To Make a Friend by Donna Jo Napoli
In this simple, delightful story, two friends who speak different languages play in the snow and have a wonderful time together. Using words in both Japanese and English, the book shows us how friendship can transcend language and culture. This beautiful story would be great for discussions about not letting differences stand in the way of making a new friend. It also reminds us that laughter is universal too!
Buy it: Words To Make a Friend
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