Me and My Non-Human BFF: 6 Picture Books Featuring Unlikely Friendships

There is nothing like a first best friend. This friend might be a classmate or a cousin or even a stuffed animal! In fact, for many of us, our first friend was not human. This is certainly the case for the kids featured in the following picture books.

Each book tells the story of a friendship between a child and their non-human BFF. For some, the friend is furry and inanimate. For others, the friend is magical and imaginary. Read on for a collection of picture books about friendships that shouldn’t be, but totally are.

Leonardo is a monster who is terrible at being scary. No matter how he tries, he can inspire neither a shriek nor a scream. Still, Leonardo remains determined. With some research, the monster finds the world’s biggest scaredy-cat, a boy named Sam. Surely Leonardo can frighten this boy?

Of course, things don’t go as planned when Leonardo pounces on Sam. The boy is in very poor spirits, but not because he is frightened of the monster. Leonardo decides to make his peace with being a terrible monster. Instead, he will excel at friendship! The monster comforts Sam and the two become fast friends.

For those who have never read the book, Corduroy is a toy bear who lives at the mall. One day a young girl sees Corduroy and asks her mother to buy him. The girl’s mother declines because Corduroy’s overalls are missing a button. Once the mall closes, the bear searches high and low for his missing button. Though he does not find the button, the girl returns the next day and buys the bear using money from her piggy bank.

The last few pages of the book are immensely heartwarming. Corduroy is brought home and the girl sews a new button on his overalls. She then shows the bear where he will sleep, in a tiny bed that is right next to hers.

Fred has been an imaginary friend to many children. He loves making new friends but is always sad when he begins to fade from a child’s life. Fred dreams of finding a friend that he can stay with forever. Will Fred’s dreams come true?

Eoin Colfer is the author of the Artemis Fowl series. Oliver Jeffers is the author and illustrator behind Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth. As you would imagine, a collaboration between the two is terrific.

Though Uni doesn’t know it, the little girl she has imagined is real! This girl is smart, strong, and completely wonderful. It is clear to the reader that the two are destined to find each other. Fans of this book should also check out its fantastic sequel, Uni the Unicorn and the Dream Come True.

Ruthie’s parents are eager for their daughter to make a “real friend.” When it comes time for Ruthie to go to school, her parents suggest that Jessica stay at home. Then, something unexpected happens. Ruthie does make a new friend, one that everyone can see. Her new friend is a fellow classmate, a girl named Jessica!

What picture books featuring non-human BFFs do you love?