You’ve Got a Friend In Me: Five Great Picture Books About Friendship
This time of year can be a challenge for little ones. With so many school events and the end of the year approaching, kids can begin to struggle anew with friendships. Will their friends still be friends with them over the summer? Will they be in the same class or school in the fall? I find that May is the perfect time to read books focused on friendship because it is a time of so much change for everyone. Here are five great picture books to read with the little ones in your life.
Can I Play, Too? by Mo Willems
In this Elephant and Piggie classic a new friend comes along asking to join their game. Elephant and Piggie love to include others, but there’s just one problem: their new friend is a snake and they are playing catch. By the end of this entertaining story, all three friends have found a way to play that keeps everyone involved. This is a book that will keep kids laughing while reminding them that there is always a way to include others—sometimes you just have to get creative.
Grab your copy here.
Knight Owl by Christopher Denise
If you’ve been here for a while, you’ve seen this book already. This book is so wonderful because it incorporates so many different lessons and themes in one entertaining read. The friendship that forms between the Knight Owl and the hungry dragon in this story is as warm as it is surprising. This story is a good reminder that we all have more in common than we think.
Grab your copy here.
A Friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey
I recently discovered this book at our local library. It called to me from the shelf, and I’m so glad it did. This is a beautiful book about a boy named Henry who thinks a bit differently from everyone else and struggles to find a friend who fits the bill of what friends should be and do. It led to some great discussions with my girls about the ways people can think differently about the world, and it would be a great one for introducing learning differences.
Grab your copy here.
My Friend Maggie by Hannah E. Harrison
This was another library find that my four year old found last fall. I was surprised by how accurately this book described elementary aged friendships and all the challenges that go along with peer pressure. The beaver protagonist in this story is best friends with Maggie the elephant until the other girls at school start telling her that Maggie is too big and awkward to hang out with. When the other girls turn on the beaver it is Maggie who comes running to her defense, proving what friendship really means and how much it really matters. I could not love this one more, and I highly recommend it for your bookshelf at home.
Grab your copy here.
Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun by Maria Dismondy
This is a well-known book in elementary school classrooms because it teaches the importance of respect for others, even when those others are not showing respect themselves. Lucy has learned from her Papa Gino that everyone has a heart with feelings. Unfortunately there is a boy at her school named Ralph who keeps doing and saying mean things to her. When Ralph finds himself stuck on the monkey bars, Lucy must decide whether to get her revenge or to be the bigger person. This is a great book that doesn’t shy away from the meanness kids experience too often at school.
Grab your copy here.
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