These friendship books are sure to be a hit with kids, teachers, and parents too. For even more great book ideas, see our list of the best preschool books!
Being a good friend is a complex skill with many important parts! From sharing to taking turns and being a good listener, it’s not always easy for little people to practice those skills. Learning to be kind, thoughtful, honest, and accepting is so crucial, especially in our modern world.
Friendship is one of our favorite preschool themes! With today’s technology, social skills can sometimes fall by the wayside. All kids benefit from explicit social-emotional learning and books full of examples of what friendships look like, sound like, and act like. Take a look at these amazing friendship books and get your hands on some today!
These books will be a wonderful addition to your regular circle time. Or, they can be the starting point for an entire preschool theme on friendship! Check out this great friends lesson plan from our friends at Preschool Teacher 101.
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Friendship Books for Preschool
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
Duncan’s crayons are feeling overworked and under-appreciated. In this memorable book, Duncan’s crayons have all quit and Duncan opens up his crayon box to a bunch of letters. Each crayon has an opinion and they are not happy! Black crayon wants a bigger job than just outlining pictures. Pink is determined to be a boy AND a girl color. And as Duncan’s favorite and overused color, red just needs a rest! Don’t worry, Duncan thinks of a clever way to get all the crayons back to being friends again. A truly imaginative story that will have kids grabbing their crayon boxes and making sure to give each special color their time to shine.
When her classmate spills grape juice all over her shirt, this young girl begins to question, what does it mean to be kind? Since her mom is always telling her to be kind, she starts to think about what that looks like in real life. Maybe it’s making cookies for someone or using their name when you talk to them. Or sticking up for kids that aren’t being kind even though that can feel scary. This friendship book presents so many situations that young children face and through the gentle thoughts of this young classmate, we learn what kindness truly looks like.
Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev
Enemy Pie by Derek Munson and Tara Calahan King
How do Dinosaurs Play with Their Friends? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
Scribble Stones by Diane Alber
Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld
Bad Apple: A Tale of Friendship by Edward Hemingway
Kindness Starts with You- At School by Jacquelyn Skag
What Should Danny Do by Adir Levy and Ganit Levy
The Things I Love About Friends by Trace Moroney
You, Me, and Empathy by Jayneen Sanders and Sofia Cardosa
The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates
Unlikely Friendships for Kids: Stories of Animal Friendships by Jennifer S. Hollland
These adorable true tales of animal friendships tug at your heartstrings and show us how important good friends are and how to take care of one another. Kids love the unusual relationships and the tender affection that these pairs share. A great read any time and a sure way to get kids thinking about being a good friend in their own life.
I’m Like You, You’re Like Me by Cindy Gainer and Miki Sakamoto
Best Friends: We are Better Together by Roger Priddy
How to Be a Friend: A Guide to Making Friends and Keeping Them by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown
I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoet
Books on Friendship
Kind Ninja by Mary Nhin and Jelena Stupar
The Fruit Salad Friend: Recipe for a True Friend by Maria Dismondy and Kathyrn Selbert
We often want our children to be independent problem solvers but it can be very difficult for young children to express themselves in a precise and kind way. This friendship book spotlights how to solve problems, in a positive manner, independently.
My Friend is Sad by Mo Willems
Peanut Butter and Cupcake by Terry Border
Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel
My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann
The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill
We hope you and your kids loved these books about friendship! We’ve also got a whole library of book lists to covering all different themes and seasons. Find your favorites below or see our entire list of best preschool books!
Best of Books
- Best Books About Farm Animals
- Best Ocean Books for Kids
- Best Read-Aloud Preschool Books
- Best Rhyming Books for Kids
- Best Yoga Books for Kids
Books for Social/Emotional Growth
- Powerful Preschool Books that Celebrate and Accept Differences
- Books on Kindness
- Books that Teach Gratitude and Thankfulness for Kids
- Books About School for Kids
Seasonal Books
- Pumpkin Books Perfect for Reading this Fall
- Fantastic Fall Books for Preschoolers
- Not So Scary Monster Books for Kids
- Winter Books
- Favorite October Preschool Themes - September 10, 2023
- April Preschool Themes You’ll Love! - March 21, 2023
- March Preschool Themes - February 22, 2023
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