5 Awesome Books About Best Friends For Children of All Ages

How to Be a Friend: A Guide to Making Friends and Keeping Them, by Laurie Krasny Brown, Marc Brown, and Marc Tolon Brown
How to Be a Friend: A Guide to Making Friends and Keeping Them is a go-to children’s guide on friendship. Written by author and educator Laurie Brown, How to Be a Friend helps young readers navigate the sometimes confusing world of friendship, with lessons on who can be a friend, how to show someone you want to be friends, and how to handle bullies. Marc Brown, creator of the bestselling Arthur Adventures series and co-developer of the award winning children’s PBS television series Arthur, provides the vibrant and sharply drawn illustrations that are sure to enchant.

The Best Friends Book, by Todd Parr 
In The Best Friends Book, author and illustrator Todd Parr has created the perfect introduction to friendship for the little reader in your life. This funny and sweet picture book combines both human and animal friends with a playful take on the lessons of friendship—including my favorite: “best friends will share their pizza with you even if you want to wear the pepperoni.” The Best Friends Book‘s engaging life lessons are accompanied by bright illustrations that add a silly touch to a book that is sure to both entertain and educate.

Hunter’s Best Friend at School, by Laura Malone Elliott and Lynn Munsinger
Hunter and Stripe aren’t just best friends, they do everything together. But one day Stripe acts up in class and Hunter, who wants to be just like Stripe, follows along. Hunter wonders if it was the right thing to do and he is worried that Stripe might not be his friend if he doesn’t follow him. This award-winning children’s book is illustrated in a whimsical and engaging style that is a perfect addition to the touching story, and Elliot does a great job of conveying both Hunter’s desire to be just like his friend Stripe, and his lesson that it’s important to be true to one’s self. Hunter’s Best Friend at School will help young readers learn about friendship, and handling peer pressure.

Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White
E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web follows two unlikely best friends, Wilbur the piglet and Charlotte the spider. Together with their companions, Templeton the rat, and the sweet and loyal young girl Fern, they learn the value of friendship in all of its forms. This beloved children’s classic has introduced countless young readers to the ups and downs of life, friendship, and loss. If you are worried that themes of death may be too much for a young child, be assured—White’s warm and sensitive handling of the topic is masterful.

11 Birthdays, by Wendy Mass
In a funny and fantastical ode to Groundhog’s Day (for kids),11 Birthdays teaches readers about learning to be confident in yourself and the importance of forgiveness. The story follows Amanda and Leo, former best friends who used to do everything together—even celebrating their birthday together. But on their tenth birthday, Leo and Amanda have a falling out. And now a year later, Amanda’s celebrating her birthday without Leo. To make matters worse, she didn’t make the gymnastics team and her mom has lost her job. But Amanda is given an unexpected chance to make things better by repeating her day. How will she do things differently this time?
What other books help teach young readers about friendship?