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.
And lastly, a few websites to visit about friendship:
