As kindergarteners start their school life, books are a great way to teach kids how to make new friends and be good friends. Being kind, compassionate goes a long way while also having fun. Here are few picture books about friendship that your preschooler & kindergartener is sure to love.
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Friendship Books For Kindergarten & Preschoolers
How to Be a Friend is a kindergarten guide to making friends and keeping them. Playful dinosaur characters teach kids about friendship. With relatable examples, kids will learn about the best ways to be a good friend and what not to do in a friendship. Also, how to handle bullies, how to settle arguments, and more. The pictures are enjoyable and opens up discussion points with parents.
My Friend Is Sad by Mo Willems is for beginner readers. It is a story of an elephant and a piggie – Gerald and Piggie. They are best friends. Gerald is sad, so how can Piggie be happy. The book uses repetitive words and simple phrases for easy reading. Also, Check out other books from this series.
The Lion and the Bird by Marianne Dubuc (internationally acclaimed illustrator & writer) is a beautiful story about friendship. A lion finds a wounded bird in his garden. All the other birds had departed, but the wounded one could not. So the lion decides to take care of the bird, and it recovers fully. They form a beautiful friendship. Next autumn, the bird is ready to fly with its flock. Read to find out what happens to their friendship. The story touches upon many sides of a relationship – loneliness, loss, friendship, pain, recovery, hope.
Otto and Pio tells a beautiful story about the joy of sharing. Otto, the squirrel, lives in a tree all by himself and is content and happy. One day it finds a small strange creature outside and brings it home. The creature says “Pio”, so that becomes its name. Pio continues to grow in size day after day. Otto tries to find Pio’s mother, but in vain. However, Pio is now too big to fit in the treehouse anymore. What should Otto do? The book explores deep emotions and empathy in a emerging friendship. The pictures are adorable.
You Are Friendly showcases the daily life of children in familiar settings – at home and school. The narration describes how kids can be good friends and make new friends while playing or even when with family. A simple word of “please” and “thank you” go a long way. The illustrations are colorful and the texts are simple. This picture book guides children to create healthy, positive relationships with others.
Those Pesky Rabbits. Mr. Bear wants to be left alone, but his neighbor rabbits just don’t get the hints. They come asking to borrow honey, books, etc at all hours. When gentle tactics do not work, Mr. bear decides to scare the rabbits away. Does he succeed? Read in this beautiful book of an unlikely friendship.
Stick and Stone is a New York Times bestselling book.
Stick rescues Stone from prickly pinecones, and they have been friends ever since. Now that Stick is in trouble, would Stone be able to help? The text is rhyming, and the storyline is charming – making it perfect for a read-aloud. This book is for all the best friends who stick together through good and bad times.
Enemy Pie is a popular picture book about friendship. In this beautiful book, a Dad helps his son deal with first impressions, judgment in a relationship. The trouble arises when a new kid- Jeremy, moves into the neighborhood. Dad has a solution to get rid of the enemy – enemy pie! What are the secret ingredients of an enemy pie? Kindness, respect, and friendship amongst others. Read this book to learn how to turn an enemy into a best friend.
Duck & Goose, Find a Pumpkin is a fun family read aloud book about friendship. It’s Halloween time. Join Duck & Goose as they go on a pumpkin hunt. They look for a pumpkin everywhere – in the apple tree, inside a leaf pile, inside a hollow log. But they just could not find one. Read how do the friends find one. The words are simple, and the pictures are captivating, making this a suitable read for the beginner level. Also check out the other books from Duck & Goose series here.
Molly and Mae captures the different stages of friendship. Molly and Mae meet at the train station, waiting to board the train. Soon they became good friends – playing together, waiting for the train. Inside the train, they sat together. Suddenly their friendship takes a turn. Molly thinks Mae is acting silly, while Mae thinks Molly is just too bossy. Read how they rebuild the bridge of friendship. This book teaches kids that ups and downs are part of every friendship and relationship in general.
