Category: Book

Friendship Booklist (Part 2)

By Mariah Bruehl,

Friendship Booklist (Part 2)

Rebecca from Thirteen Red Shoes is with us today to share Part II of her book recommendations that cover the ever-important topic of friendship.

Previously I shared with you nine of my favorite friendship books (find them here). Today I am going to share more that are just perfect for helping littles develop the skills necessary to be a special friend.

1. Half a World Away | Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood This is one of the very first books I bought for Little R when he was first born. A close girlfriend had also given birth to a little boy called Louis and I thought this would be perfect.  That was almost six years ago and I didn’t realize that it would be on our favorites list. This book teaches children that even when friends move away from each other, the beautiful bond they share is not necessarily broken.

2. Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley | Aaron Blabey Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley are the best of friends, but they are different in almost every way.  How can you be such good friends with someone that is so very different? A delightful tale by Aaron Blabey about friendship and self belief.  See a lovely handwritten interview with Aaron here.

3. Henry and Amy | Stephen Michael King Henry and Amy are so very different.  He is messy and always seems to be doing the opposite of everyone else.  Henry bumps into Amy one morning and thinks she is simply perfect.  She can write her own name, knows left from right and can tie her own shoe laces. Meanwhile, Amy wishes everything she did wasn’t so perfect and wishes that she was creative and exciting, like Henry.  These two are a perfect match for each other.

4. A Bear and a Tree | Stephen Michael King This is the perfect story to share in Autumn (although that has now long passed, in the Northern hemisphere at least).  It is a story about the passage of time, the change in seasons and in friendship. What more could you ask for in a picture book?  This book is thought provoking and open to so many different challenges based on questions.  A fantastic book to use as a morning provocation. Unfortunately, it is not available in the US at this time.

5. The Little Prince | Antoine de Saint-Exupery A timeless classic, and the perfect friendship book to read as an early chapter book.  I have not shared this with my eldest son yet (aged 5), however it is on the list.  There are many beautiful versions available, including a pop up book that I would love to own.

6. A Ilha / The Island. The Island, tells the story of people on an island working together to create a bridge.  It is all about friendship and striving to achieve a common goal.  Simply a delightful book and I hope that an International publishing house picks up the rights and releases the story in English. The team from Planeta Tangerina actually constructed a bridge at a book fair in Lisbon.  How amazing is this creation? The perfect provocation for developing friendships and community!

7. Stellaluna | Janell Cannon A delightful tale of a little bat who becomes friends with three baby birds.  “How can we be so alike and yet so different and how can we feel so alike and yet be so different?” This story is read aloud here on Storyline by Pamela Reed, a member of the screen actor’s guild.

Friendship Booklist (Part 2)

And lastly, a few websites to visit about friendship:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Twelve Picture Books about Love

By Mariah Bruehl,

12 Picture Books about Love...

Rebecca from ThirteenRedShoes is with is with another one of her wonderful lists! Today she is sharing her favorite, love themed, children’s books.

With Valentine’s Day approaching, it is always lovely to share books which inspire kind, loving, honest and good thoughts. The following titles all tell the story of love in their own unique way. Be it between a Father and his children, a Grandparent and Grandaughter or between a stick man and his stick family!  I adore a story abut love and these are some of our family favorites from our home library:

1. The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers – The Heart and the Bottle is a story about loss and love by the wonderful Oliver Jeffers, whom I had the pleasure of meeting last year with my Little R. This book brings a tear to my eye, each and every time I read it. We have the version with the audio CD included. The amazing voice of Helena Bonham Carter reads the story with such eloquence and emotion that it is certainly not only for the littles. There is also an iPad app , which I would love to download for the boys this Valentine’s Day. You can find more information about the app here.

2. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney – In Australia, this story is a classic and every child receives at least one copy when they are born, or even earlier! The story is about Little Nut Brown hare and his Father Big Nut Brown hare and a game they play to see who loves who the most. A delightful tale that shows how difficult it is to measure love. We have three or four copies alone, including an audio version. I love audio books!

3. I Love series by Anna Walker – Anna Walker has created a lovely little series, each title based around different family members. There’s  Mum, Dad, Grandmother, Grandson, and the list goes on. Her illustrations are beautiful and suit the simple text perfectly. See Anna’s blog for some lovely inspiration.

4. & 5. My Dad  and My Mom, both by Anthony Browne – These titles both have a lovely flow and have been read so often that both my  husband and I know them by heart. Anthony’s illustration style is so very original and is adored by children around the world.

6. The Shape Of My Heart by Mark Sperring and Alyson Paterson – This title is new on the market, only released this month. The illustrations are bright, bold and ever so adorable. The world is full of lots of different shapes, but the most important shape of all is the shape of your heart. We love is book!

7. Stick Man by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler – Stick Man lives in the family tree with his Stick Lady love and his stick children three and suddenly he is not there any more! This is a story of adventure, as we follow Stick Man on his journey home to his greates love: his family.

8. The Potato People by Pamela Allen – This is a beautiful story about a Grandmother and her Grandson. They love spending time together. When they are separated, Grandma misses her Grandson so very much and longs to be reunited.

9. When I Was Born by Isabel Minhos Martins and Madalena Matoso – This is a story about all the things that you are exposed to as you grow up by those who love you. When I Was Born was originally published in Portugal, but now has been released in numerous languages.

10. When You Were Small by Sara O’Leary and illustrated by Julie Morstad – Little F, aged two, adores this book! At the moment it is part of his nightly bed time story request. It is the story of a Dad sitting down each night and sharing stories with his son of when he was small.

11. Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox Helen Oxenbury – In my eyes, Mem Fox can do no wrong. Her books are precious and so beautiful to read. This book is the perfect gift for a new baby.

12. Ivy Loves To Give by Freya Blackwood – Freya Blackwood is an amazing children’s illustrator and now, also a children’s author. This book is all about the love of giving and receiving. The main character, Ivy, loves to give, but sometimes her intentions, which are well meaning, can be a little bit muddled.