Inside: These friendship picture books teach children how to be good friends and how to handle friendship problems. Add these titles to your collection of the best picture books.
My preschooler was eerily quiet as we all sat down at the breakfast table. he ate the oatmeal from him, spoonful by spoonful, but looked past it all and didn’t say a word as the rest of us chatted.
You are reading: Picture books on friendship
but she’s a very talkative 4 year old who loves to ask why every chance she gets, so I tried to read her face a couple of times. she knew she must be thinking about something.
and then, during a lull in the conversation, finally: “mommy? Yesterday in the park, Alex told me that I’m not her friend. ”
oh no, I thought. Have we started the friendship drama yet?
when parent conferences don’t work out
I reached out to rub my daughter’s shoulder. “I’m sorry it happened. How did you feel when she said that? ”
“I felt sad”. she ate another mouthful of oatmeal, with the corners of her mouth turned down.
I waited, not knowing what to say.
“He’s my friend,” he said. “Friends shouldn’t say things like that to each other.”
I nodded. “You’re fine. That’s not a good thing to say to a friend.”
But then the image of my son shadowing another child in the park popped into my head, so I kept going. “But sometimes even friends say mean things to each other. the important thing is to talk about it later. you can tell him that his words made you feel sad. maybe say sorry and correct it.”
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She nodded, but I realized my mini-lecture hadn’t gotten to her. she was caught up in the pain.
but this is what works
Lectures don’t work with kids.
Deep down, I know that. but at the time, I wanted to fix my son’s broken heart. So I turned to parental wisdom that she didn’t ask for and she wasn’t ready to listen to.
But after four kids, I finally learned what gets to kids.
Because I can talk my son until my face is blue about what it means to be a good friend, but it won’t get to her like a story about friendship will.
Research shows this isn’t just in my head: When you read fiction, your brain reacts the same way it would if you were living the story in real life. In other words, reading fiction about something your child is struggling with is like setting up a virtual reality simulation where you can fully enter the experience and understand different perspectives.
So, after that conversation with my daughter, I took on a new parenting mission: to find all the picture books about friendship I can get my hands on.
but not the sickly sweet stories that go in one ear and out the other. the juicy ones that my children can sink their teeth into. the picture books about friendship that will guide my children on the path of understanding how to be a good friend, what to do in difficult situations with friends, and how to tell when someone is a true friend.
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the best picture books to teach your child to be a good friend
For months, I researched children’s book titles that dealt with friendship. Each week, I put 20 books on hold at the library, plus each visit I search the shelves for even more picture books about friendship.
Together, my children and I read hundreds of picture books on the theme of friendship.
The following list is the cream of the crop of those hundreds of books: the books I loved to read and the books my children asked me to read over and over again. But more importantly, these are the best picture books on friendship that started the most powerful conversations about what it means to be a good friend.
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Related: 10 Picture Books About Love That Will Make Your Kids Feel Absolutely Loved
42 Best Picture Books About Friendship Approved By Kids And Parents
Enjoy this list of the best picture books on friendship! We read a lot of picture books in our house, so if you’re looking for more great book recommendations that will become cherished favorites, check out the best picture books of all time most loved by kids and parents.
note: indicates my family’s top absolute favorites on the list. These are the books my kids can’t get enough of!
for when it’s hard to make new friends†
† this site is reader friendly. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
If your child is starting a new school year or has moved to a new area, share one of these friendship picture books with your child to help them understand and deal with any emotions they may be feeling.
for when a friend is upset
Even some adults aren’t sure how to handle it when a friend is upset. Help your child learn to be a good friend in that situation by reading these children’s books about friendship.
for when a friend moves away
The move of a close friend can be a very upsetting event in a child’s life. These picture books about friendship will help your child get through this difficult time.
for when you don’t get along with a friend
fights between friends are normal, but a child is not always clear about how he can overcome the conflict and have fun together again. These picture books about friendship will teach your child important lessons that he can use in any relationship.
on the importance of being an include
If you want to raise your child to be kind, you need to understand what it’s like to be an inclusive. These children’s books about friendship will give your child powerful and tangible examples of how to be an inclusive.
the best illustrated books on friendship
These are the best friendship picture books to show your child what it means to be a good friend and give them examples of how to handle various friendship problems.
Related: The Ultimate List of the Best Picture Books, Endorsed by Kids and Parents
your turn
What are your favorite picture books about friendship? share in a comment below!
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