7 Quintessential Best Friends Books In Honor Of Best Friends Day

Just Kids, by Patti Smith
This memoir reads like a lifelong love letter between Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe. The two young artists found each other in a crowded city, quite by accident, and the byproducts of their courtship can be found in museums and record collections. Patti Smith, the godmother of punk, and Robert Mapplethorpe, an artistic visionary who forever changed the world of photography, had no idea what they were capable of when they met. They were each other’s first muse, and pushed each other creatively. Their love for one another surpassed jealousy, tragedy, romantic love, and physical distance.

The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton
The feud between the Greasers and the Socs may be the takeaway if you’ve only seen the movie, but the book explores deep friendships rooted in commonalities. Ponyboy and Johnny have a quiet bond, but it’s one that makes each boy feel safe during a time of violence and uncertainty.

The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, by Rebecca Wells
Feisty and fierce best friends form a secret society in an effort to escape the societal pressures of being a Southern belle. The four girls seal their bond by performing a ceremony pledging their loyalty, and remain best friends for over 50 years. Each Ya-Ya steps up to the plate when one of their own is suffering, acting as a surrogate family in desperate times. Ya-Yas serve as therapists, sisters, mothers, and housekeepers to each other as needed, even at the cost of attention paid to spouses; we all would be lucky to have such a friend in our lives.

The Body, by Stephen King
“I never had friends later on like the ones when I was twelve. Jesus, did you?” The narrator, Gordie, ruminates about the friends we make before we know of all the ugliness in the world. A group of boys, standing on the edge of adulthood, embark on an adventure that will change all of their lives. This novella captures that bond one can only have with their best friends when they have witnessed something life-altering, when they recognize that it’s time to grow up.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café, by Fannie Flagg
Two stories of deep friendship are told in a parallel manner, and both are unusual pairings. Evelyn meets the elderly Mrs. Threadgoode in the waiting room of a nursing home, and Mrs. Threadgoode immediately begins to recount the history of the Whistle Stop Café. She tells the story of two best friends, Ruth and Idgie, complete opposites who become soul mates. Their story inspires Evelyn to find her inner warrior and become the person she was always destined to be.

Summer Sisters, by Judy Blume
Two girls from different worlds become “summer sisters,” and bind their loyalty with blood. Caitlin fascinates Vix with her mysterious beauty and questionable hygiene, welcoming Vix into her world of privilege. Vix finds Caitlin a welcome distraction from a suffocating family life filled with heartache and responsibility. In Vix, Caitlin finds a person who can ground her, someone who will keep her safe. Though their relationship is often rocky, it’s a connection that is rare.

Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott
The March sisters are best friends out of necessity, but their friendship is strong throughout many hardships. Little Women explores the complexities of sisterhood, but the true study of companionship is between Jo and her teacher Frederick. Frederick helps Jo realize her dream of becoming an author, and the two continue to inspire and challenge each other in marriage. Their pairing is a true definition of life partners, because they always put the friendship first.
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