Our Favourite Picture Books About Friendship

There are lots of lovely books available which celebrate friendship and help children learn how to form healthy relationships with their peers. Here we have compiled a selection of our favourites.

Big Hid by Roisin Swales – A beautifully illustrated tale about the friendship between Big (a tortoise) and Little (a squirrel). Together they have many adventures but one day Big just doesn’t feel like doing anything anymore. Can Little help him feel better? Read the review.

Bob Goes Pop! by Marion Deuchars – When a rival artist comes to town Bob is not impressed. Locked in competition, the pair try their best to outdo each other, but soon discover that life might be better if they work together instead. Review coming soon.

The Butterfly Dance by Suzanne Bartion – A lovely book about the importance of friendship and how it can overcome any barrier. The story shows that it doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from or what you look like – it’s what is on the inside that counts. Read the review.

Chatterbox Bear by Pippa Curnick – This brightly-coloured book teaches children to embrace diversity, to go the extra mile when making friends and to always make an effort to include others. Read the review.

Don’t Mess With Duck! by Becky Davies & Emma Levey – Duck loves peace and quiet and is happiest when he is all alone. He sets out to find the perfect peaceful pond and thinks he’s found it – until he realises he has a neighbour. Can they find a way to live side by side? Read the review.

The Girls by Lauren Ace & Jenny Løvlie – A gorgesous book about a group of four little girls who find friendship under an apple tree. Despite having very different personalities, they share stories, adventures and scraped knees, forming a bond that will last a lifetime. Read the review.

Hello, Friend! by Rebecca Cobb – If your child has recently started nursery, pre-school or reception then they’re inevitably in the process of navigating new friendships. This beautifully-illustrated book follows a child’s journey to securing a new friend. Read the review.

Hiding Heidi by Fiona Woodcock – Heidi is extremely skilled at Hide & Seek. She plays it all the time with her friends and she always wins which makes her feel great. It never occurs to her that her friends might prefer to play something else… Read the review.

How To Be A Lion by Ed Vere – Leonard is ridiculed by his fellow lions because, instead of being fierce, he reads poetry with his best friend Marianne the duck.  They tell him he wants to be a real lion then he has to change. But what if Leonard doesn’t want to? Read the review.

Hug Me by Simona Ciraola – Felipe is a cactus who has trouble getting close to people. All he wants is a little hug but his family and friends don’t seem that keen. A beautiful story about how it feels to be different and how making new friends isn’t always easy. Read the review.

Iris and Isaac by Catherine Rayner – Iris and Isaac are beautiful polar bears and they are best friends. However their inability to share causes them to have  a little falling out. However they soon discover that life can be pretty sad without someone to share it with. Read the review.

Jumble Wood by Helena Covell –  A quirkly little story about finding friendship in unusual places. It teaches your child that happiness is found within yourself and with the people and places you love – and is not defined by material objects. Read the review.

Kevin by Rob Biddulph – There’s no getting around it, Sid Gibbons is a little bit naughty but he blames all of his misdemeanours on his imaginary friend, Kevin. Can he learn to take responsibiity for his own actions rather than using his friend as a scapegoat? Read the review.

Oh No, BEAR! by Joanne Partis -Everyone needs a go-to funny book on their shelf and this bright yellow beauty is brilliant! When Bear wakes up one chilly morning he knows he has something important to do but he can’t quite remember what it is… Read the review.

The Pirate Tree by Brigita Orel & Jenny Poh – When Agu spots a little girl called Sam playing in a tree he sees an opportunity to make a friend. He is new to the country but so far all of his attempts at friendship have failed. Could this time be different? Read the review.

Sharing A Shell by Julia Donaldson & Lydia Monks – A hermit crab, an anemone and a bristleworm live together in harmony until one day they fall out.  When a storm breaks the discover they really need friends by their side, but can they work together and learn to share? Read the review.

Side By Side by Rachel Bright & Debi Gliori – Little Mouseling is the smallest mouse in a large family. She desperately wants a friend of her own but all of her brothers and sisters are so busy running and playing that they forget all about her… Read the review.

Slow Samson by Bethany Christou – Samson is a kind and considerate sloth who is always available for a chat or to give a helping hand. As a result he has many friends and gets lots of exciting party invitations. But because he’s so slow he’s always late! Read the review.

The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade by Justin Roberts & Christian Robinson – Sally is the smallest girl in the school, which means that most of time people don’t notice her. She passes unseen in the school corridors but she is very special because she notices absolutely everything. Read the review.

Space Tortoise by Ross Montgomery & David Litchfield – This lovely story is about a little tortoise who lives all on his own in a bin in a disused old park. He has a nice cosy home but his life is missing one thing – friends! He hatches a plan involving rockets and a trip to space, but will it work? Read the review.

Stephen, The Sprout of Kindness by Richard Dungworth & Samantha Meredith – Love them or hate them, sprouts are an essential part of Christmas, and the sprout in this book is extra special. Stephen is a sprout of kindness! Read the review.

Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry – When Stick rescues Stone from a nasty Pine cone, the pair become best friends. But when Stick gets stuck, can Stone return the favour? Review coming soon.

Together We Can by Caryl Hart & Ali Pye – The gentle rhyme explains what friends are and what you can do for each other to make your days a little brighter. From helping each other in the classroom through to scratching an itch they can’t reach, we see a diverse group of children revel in the company of their friends. Read the review.

Will You Be My Friend? by Molly Potter – A lovely non-fiction book which gives kids practical advice on how to be a good friend. Perfect for children who are lacking in confidence and might need some extra help forming friendships. Review coming soon.

What else would you add to this list? We’d love to hear from you.