Books About Friends and Relationships

Amazing Grace. Mary Hoffman. Scott Foresman, 1991. A girl wants to be Peter Pan in a class play, but her classmates are doubtful. And to Think That We Thought We'd Never Be Friends. Mary Ann Hoberman. Crown Publishing. 1999 The title says it all... it is done in poetry form. Cat and Fish. Joan Grant  Cat and Fish meet one night at the park and become friends despite their different worlds (land/sea). They visit one another's environments and learn to compromise and live together where the sea and the land meet.  Chester's Way. Kevin Henkes. Mulberry Books, 1997. About the friendship of two boys who do everything the same, then they meet Lilly. Chrysanthemum. Kevin Henkes. Mulberry Books, 1996. When Chrysanthemum goes to school, the kids make fun of her name. Cook-A-Doodle-Doo! Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel. Harcourt, 1999. It takes co-operation to make the strawberry shortcake. Crow Boy. It tells of a boy from out in the rural parts of Japan who comes to school in a small town and is teased and excluded by the other students. It opens the way for discussion on accepting others' differences, bullying, each person's unique gift. Elbert's Bad Word. Audrey Wood. Voyager Books, 1996. A little boy must learn self control... Enemy Pie. Derek Munson. Chronicle Books, 2000. A new kid moves into the neighborhood - the difficulties and rewards of making new friends. Friends. Helme Heine. Aladdin Library, 1997. Good friends stick together, but sometimes good friends can't be together. It's about doing things with friends, but sometimes you have to do your own thing. Good Luck Mrs. K! Louise Borden. Margaret McElderry, May 1999. Everyone's favorite teacher gets cancer. The class rallies around... Horace and Morris But Mostly Dolores. James Howe. Aladdin, 2003. The friends learn to do what they like rather than what others say they should like. Hooway For Wodney Wat. Helen Lester. Houghton Mifflin, 1999. Wodney is made fun of at school, but he saves the whole class from a bully. How to Lose All Your Friends. Nancy Carlson. Puffin, 1997. Pokes fun at bullies, brats, tattletales, grouches, and other poor sports. Humble Pie. Jennifer Donnelly. Atheneum, 2002. I Like the Way You Are. Eve Bunting. Houghton Mifflin, 2000. Best friends like different things, but love spending time together. If I Were In Charge Of the World. Judith Viorst. Scott Foresman, 1984. Poems that help turn worries into laughter Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. Kevin Henkes. Greenwillow, 1996. Lilly loves school until she has trouble being considerate and the teacher steps in... Lottie's New Friend. Petra Mathers. Atheneum, 1999. A new neighbor moves in - who does Lottie like best?... Me First. Helen Lester. Houghton Mifflin, 1995. Pinkerton would do anything to be first. Then he meets the sandwitch who teaches him a much-needed lesson. Mr. Lincoln's Way. Patricia Polacco. Philomel Books, 2001 A powerful story of a boy who needs a way out of trouble - and a principal who guides him. My Many Colored Days. Dr. Seuss. Alfred A. Knopf, 1996. Uses colors to address feelings and emotions. My Name is Jorge. Jane Medina. Boyds Mills Press, 1999. Vivid poems in English and Spanish, that depict a boy's struggle to make a new life in a new country. He is trying to fit in at school, but doesn't want to forget his homeland. The Name Jar. Yangsook Choi. Knopf, 2001. Speaks to many children's worries about fitting in - and assures them that being different is often a good thing. No, David! David Shannon. Scholastic, 1998. Old Henry. Joan W. Blos. Mulberry Books, 1990. Henry moves into an old run-down house in a quiet town.  The town's people are expecting changes, but Henry likes things the way they are.  The people are constantly questioning his choices, so he leaves.   The town's people discover they miss Henry and compromises are made resulting in his return to the old house. The Other Side. Jacqueline Woodson. Putnam Publishing Group, 2001. A fence separates the black side of town from the white. A child is confused about racial tension that divides her world. She ends up becoming friends with a girl from the other side. Owen. Kevin Henkes. Greenwillow, 1993. Owen is good for establishing a safe and comfortable environment. The Quarelling Book. Charlotte Zolotow. Harper Trophy, 1982. The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill Mean Jean is a bully.  No one does anything on the playground until she says they can -no ball bouncing, no jump roping... Then a new girl comes to school who doesn't follow Mean Jean's "rules".  Mean Jean learns what it takes to have friends. Ribbon Rescue. Robert Munsch. Cartwheel Books, 2002. Jillian and her wonderful ribbon dress can fix almost anything. Now her dress is a mess - who is going to help Jillian? A story about helping others. Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovel Stella Louella's Runaway Book. Lisa Campbell Ernst. Simon & Schuster, 1998. Stella Louella has lost her library book and the whole town helps her find it! Stephanie's Ponytail - Robert Munsch. Annick Press, 1996. All the kids at school copy Stephanie - no matter how she wears her hair. A story about learning to be yourself. Thank You Mr. Falker. Patricia Polacco. Philomel Books, 1998. About a girl who cannot read, the kids who make fun of her, and the teacher who helps her. The Three Astronauts. Umberto Eco. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1989. Astronauts from China, the USSR, and the USA are wary of each other at first, but then discover that they are more alike than different. Wemberly Worried. Kevin Henkes. Greenwillow, 2000. Wemberly worried about everything and when school started, she worried even more. What if Everybody Did That? Ellen Javernick. Children's Press, 1990. What's the Recipe for Friends? Greg Williamson. Peerless Publishing, 1999. Friendship isn't instant, but the ingredients do work. When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry. Molly Bang. Scholastic, 1999. Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge. Mem Fox. Scott Foresman, 1989. Wilfrid Gordon lives next door to a home for the elderly.  He befriends many of the residents there including a woman who has lost her memory.   He questions the other residents about what a memory is and finds a way to help his friend. Yo, Yes! Chris Raschka. Orchard Books, 1998 Two boys become friends. This book has very little text, but the gestures, body language and few words are powerful. Zelda and Ivy and the Boy Next Door. Laura McGee Kvasnosky. Candlewick Press, 1999. Zelda and Ivy are happy to find a new playmate when Eugene moves in next door. But with 3 friends it is often 2 against 1, or 1 against 2...

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