Making friends can be tough at any age. It’s not always easy to know what to say, how to reach out, or how to offer time and support to people we would like to form friendships with. It can be especially daunting for young children, especially entering a new school or social environment for the first time. To help, we’ve gathered seven picture books that are all about making new friends, and why having the courage to connect with others can enrich not only our lives but the lives of others as well.
Friends by Daniela Sosa
A gentle yet comprehensive and nuanced look at childhood friendships, the spare text and lovely illustrations of this title walk readers through every aspect of its theme. Friends can be made in many ways, often unexpected. Friendships are often tested by time or disagreements and can even sometimes end. Sometimes friends are imaginary, sometimes they are a pet, and sometimes they are as simple as forming a connection of a few moments with a stranger. In the beginning, Sosa’s text promises that the reader will form many friendships over the course of their life; each will be different, and each will be meaningful in their own way.
Ruby’s Tools for Making Friends by Apryl Stott
Ruby is facing her first day at a new school, but she’s come prepared with her toolkit. The items provide reassurance to the anxious fox in unexpected ways, such as a tape measure that helps her regulate her breathing and a pair of pliers to remind herself to be flexible. In class, the students are tasked with making an egg-drop holder in groups, then hold a school-wide competition to see whose design works best. Ruby has ideas, but she is too shy and overwhelmed to speak up. Can she find her voice and use her tools to connect with her group and win the day? Ruby’s story is a lovely lesson for both timid and confident youngsters, as it encourages them to support one another’s talents and work as a team.
Someone Just Like You by Helen Docherty, Illustrated by David Roberts
Somewhere out there in the world, there is someone just like you. Someone who loves to laugh at the same things, read the same books, and dance to the same music. And while they may not look like you, they have the same big and small feeling that you do. This beautifully designed book marries simple text with a clever visual design, in which children of different skin tones, abilities, genders, and so on are shown in poses and activities as mirror images of one another. The diversity of identity is not only affirming for young readers but also perfectly drives the theme of the book home: we are alike in far more ways than we are different, and recognizing those likenesses is what allows friendship to blossom.
Making a Friend by Tammi Sauer, Illustrated by Alison Friend
Beaver is a born builder and can make just about anything … with the exception of making friends. His efforts are earnest and well-meant, but he often gets in his own way. Looking out at a fresh snowfall one morning, he decides to try making a friend out of the frosty stuff. This draws the interest of a passing raccoon who offers to help. The pair work together to complete a pal with pizzazz, but the snowfriend doesn’t seem very interested in interacting with either of them. As Beaver and Raccoon sit down to commiserate about the difficulty of making new friends, they both realize that they may have stumbled on the blueprint. Warm and humorous with a classic feel, this is a great reminder that friendships often show themselves when we least expect it.
A Friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey, Illustrated by Mika Song
Making friends can be tricky, and when your mind works differently from other people’s, it can be extra tricky. Henry — who is autistic — would very much like to make a friend at his school. He would like someone who shares, listens, and appreciates his enjoyment of calmness and quiet. Some of the kids are nice, but they are a little too boisterous for his comfort; others grow frustrated with the way he thinks, even when he is trying his best to help them. Bailey and Song do an incredible job of giving their autistic character autonomy and agency over his own story, capturing the autistic social experience in a way that is authentic while offering insight into neurodivergence to neurotypical readers as well. While Henry does find his friend, his story can also help readers of all abilities find one of their own as well.
Making Friends and Getting Along by Carron Brown, Illustrated by Ashlee Spink
Part of the author’s Shine-A-Light series — which utilizes a clever design concept in which hidden elements appear when a flashlight is pointed at them — this title is all about exploring the healthy and supportive ways that friends interact with one another. In addition to the engaging gimmick, this title is another one that values inclusive representation, depicting a diverse group of children with a wide array of skin tones, children with limb differences, children who use mobility aids, etc. The lessons are deceptively simple yet solid advice for children who are learning their friendship manners: how to be respectful of borrowed items, how to cheer up a friend who is feeling blue, and how to make sure that friends in a group don’t feel excluded.
Let’s Play! A Book About Making Friends by Amanda McCardie, Illustrated by Colleen Larmour
When Sukie moves to a new town and starts at a new school, she is unsure how to make new friends. At first, she feels shy and lonely, not knowing how to even approach the other kids. However, as her new classmates offer her small acts of friendship — like saving a hoop for her on the playground or simply saying hello — Sukie gains the confidence she needs to offer similar acts in kind. Both a primer on being the new kid and welcoming the new kid, McCardie and Larmour offer a cheerful example of how well social interactions can play out when people take a chance on being kind to one another.
We hope that you and your little bookworms enjoy these books on forming friendships. Remember: every day is a fantastic day to make a new friend. Happy reading!
For more of our favorite children’s books on being a friend, check out our Three to Read Jr. on Friendship.
To see all of our recommendations for mini bookworms, check out our Bookshop bookshelf.
