"Chicka Chicka boom boom! Eric Carle's charming story and luminous, stained-glass illustrations make The Very Hungry Caterpillar a classic for the ages (and a good advertisement for the benefits of snacking). The chapters switch back and forth between Raj and Klawde, whose narration of his new life has the hilariously overamped hysteria of the best B-movies. (And you don't actually have to be a little kid to laugh your hiney off at just the table of contents, even before you get to stories like "Little Red Running Shorts" and "Cinderumpelstiltsin.") Maya is the new girl at school, with ragged clothes and the wrong shoes for winter. Lewis is wonderful at descriptions of the physical world. We disagree. Discovered in childhood, this story of leaving home brings the hope and promise of a world opening up to the little prince, says Shelf Awareness childrens editor Jennifer M Brown. There is only ONE friendship that should top every list such as this: that of the Fool and the Fritz; the 20+ yr saga of the lifetime of friendship between two beings that encompasses every concept of companionship, need, and sharing. Brian feels invisible until a new friend joins the classroom and Brian helps welcome him. Peter is having a birthday party and inviting his friend Amy, but hes unsure whether shell want to attend, being the only girl. Buy it: The Kindest Red: A Story of Hijab and Friendship at Amazon. Elementary and middle school-age are crucial times in a kids life, where a child is developing as the person they are, and the friendships they make during this time can have a massive impact on that and can sometimes be a lot to deal with emotionally. Although we thrill to the romances of Jane and Rochester or Lizzie and Mr. Darcy, I think we crave friendships as much as we do a good love story. Ten-year-old Winnie Foster has only herself (and perhaps a toad) for a friend when the novel begins. In the evenings we will sit right here on this front porch and count the stars.. The titles that follow appeared over and again from the critics we polled and will continue to inspire children for many years to come. The storys resolution manages to combine an act of violence with one of great compassion. (For ages 8 to 12), Fair warning Tracey Baptiste's Jumbies books, based on Caribbean folklore, are scary. Hardcover$14.99. Friends should always tell each other the truth., James Marshall, Split Pea Soup, in George and Martha: The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends. The Sidekick Squad, the best friend group at the centre of CB Lees wonderful dystopic superhero series, are some of the best-realised characters Ive read in a long time. We asked you to tell us about your favorite kids' books, from board books for babies to great read-alouds to early chapter books and even a few books for older readers. Favourite literary friendships from classic novels about friendship - Sherlock and Watson, Harry, Ron and Hermione, Frodo and Sam, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, The March sisters, Darcy and Bingley Friendships. They cavort in the bog, they try on hats, they sip juice at a cute cafe but not the hippopotamus, who's always in the background looking on sadly. And why didnt you tell me that you hate my split pea soup? (For ages 6 to 9), 10-year-old Mia Tang mans the desk at her family's motel and helps keep its biggest secret: Her parents hide immigrants, letting them stay for free in empty rooms. ), but we promise things will get better. They can be read as Christian allegory or as a magical fable about four children who stumble across a magic wardrobe and, pushing their way through mothballed fur coats, enter a land of snow and forests and fauns and lampposts and a white-skinned, black-hearted Queen who dispenses turkish delight like deadly heroin. The Rabbit Listened is the book for you with simple text and illustrations so cute you'll want to hug yourself, it tells the story of Taylor, who's sad that his tower of blocks fell down, and all the animals who really aren't helping until the rabbit comes along. She was raised in a pioneer family, and traveled through the Midwest by covered wagon. Using a mix of English, Spanish, gestures, and open-mindedness, two groups of friends find common groundand laughsat the park. Friendship Day is here! (Otherwise it would have been nothing but 100 Mo Willems books and we love Mo Willems, but that wouldn't have been the most useful list.) Theres something very satisfying about a novel that celebrates the tight bonds of friendship, dont you think? And he's right there's no toy in his cereal, his teacher doesn't like his drawing and there's kissing on TV. She decided to turn that experience into this lovely tale of two sisters, Faizah and Asiya, who confront a playground bully threatening to yank Asiya's blue hijab off her head. Best friends Dandan and Yueyue meet one last time for their favorite activitymaking paper snowflakesbefore she moves to America. (Credit: Harper). All rights reserved. (For ages 5 to 8), by Virginia Hamilton, Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon, Virginia Hamilton herself descended from enslaved people who escaped via the Underground Railroad retells Black folktales like "He Lion, Bruh Bear and Bruh Rabbit" and "How Nehemiah Got Free" in a simple, powerful style. You can pretty much guess what happens after that. From the barn where Wilbur goes for a daily manure roll and Charlotte spins pig-related messages that give Spiderman a run for his arachnid money, they develop an intelligent, slightly zany, and very cute friendship. And will she still be a queen when she gets there? (For ages 5 to 8), Everywhere you look in The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses, there's a tiny, precise and lovely detail a plant, a bird, a lizard, a pebble, a shell and of course the magnificent horses. She has a lot to deal with her dad's been laid off and the family has to move to a smaller house. One night, lulled to sleep by drums, she dreams of an all-dog powwow, with all kinds of breeds dancing drumming, even selling Indian fast food to the attendees. Magorians classic novel puts a lie to this theory in her story of Willie Beech, both physically and mentally scarred by his violent mother, as he is evacuated to the home of Tom Oakley during the second world war. Did you ever pretend that Ramona Quimby was your own precocious little sister? But Charlottes extremely literate web-spinning skills (she must be a fan of Grammarly) win the attention of all the humans around and Wilburs continued involvement with this mortal coil. When Evelyn moves away, its devastatinguntil they find a way to use their special memories to stay connected. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I'm Elsie! (Jo was the character most like its author. I will check them out. (For ages 4 to 8), Lonely little Henry has no brothers and sisters. (For ages 6 to 8), No one knows what to do with orphaned siblings Henry, Violet, Jessie and Bennie and they don't want to live with the grandfather they've never met. You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.- C. S. Lewis. According to our poll, Charlottes Web is the greatest childrens book of all time. But The Chronicles of Narnia are stories for everybody. The Norse god of mischief, Loki, undergoes his greatest challenge yet when, after a prank gone wrong, hes sentenced to attend school on Earth as an 11-year-old boy. Approaching friendship discussions through stories works for lots of kids, but for some, a more explicit primer can be helpful. In growing-up order, here are five such examples of best friends through the ages. Her friendship with the Tucks is as unexpected as it is necessary. Unlike many of the other characters in Tolkien's series, Merry and Pippin are already friends when the story begins. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling (1894) Unlikely friendships between humans and animals are staples of both children's literature and cinema. So they asked Blackbird to give them some of his beautiful color. A great read for anyone who's ever been down in the dumps. He began to wonder what stories those old trucks could tell, told NPR he was inspired by friends of his. Alice's webcomic, writing and everything else can be found at https://linktr.ee/alicenuttallbooks. NICKY & VERA. The First Rule of Punk (Hardcover) by. Even the richest people who are able to buy whatever they need still need people to walk along with them, or they will begin to feel lonely. (For ages 4 to 8), Mary Walker's life stretched all the way from the Civil War to the civil rights movement. Lifted up by the stars, Cassie flies over the city, claiming its beauty for her own and imagining a better life for her family. And bit by bit, with hard work and cooperation, Rosa and her mom find the perfect chair. And Ron and Hermione have so much personalityIm glad theyre not just one-note sidekicks the way Crabbe and Goyle are for most of the series! Leroy Brown (not the bad one) is a 10-year-old genius who solves mysteries for 25 cents a day (no case too small) often for his police chief dad, and often involving his nemesis, the bully Bugs Meany alongside his pal and partner Sally Kimball, who often solves the case by noticing things Encyclopedia doesn't. (Did you know they're called repollitas in Spanish?) We werent all personality matches of the March sisters, but we interacted in many of the same ways (even down to the homemade theatricals!). Jitterbug the chipmunk is hesitant about accepting a newcomer to her woods until her friends help her see the positives of welcoming someone new. Sign of a great book: Students of any age could appreciate this story and connect its themes to their lives. Included among these books are adventure stories that are focused around tight-knit groups of friends fighting monsters or seeking treasure, stories specifically looking at friendship loss, toxic friendships, making new friends and maintaining old friendships when you move, and much more. From Pooh and Piglet, Charlotte and Wilbur to Sophie and the BFG, childrens books are full of unlikely but wonderful friendships. "And I feel like the most important thing that's ever happened to me is growing up without money." Sometimes the friendships that are formed through pain and hardship are the sweetest. (For ages 3 to 5), Who doesn't love a big chunk of heavy machinery? 1. New girl Lydia has begun to make friends at her school when she is wrongly accused of stealing the school trophy. Not only does he enter a new, magical world with no context or savvy, but he is hot-headed and impulsive. Llewellyn and his friend Evelyn collect their favorite memories in jars. (For ages 4 to 8), Drywater Gulch has a toad problem specifically the unmannerly Toad brothers, who will steal your gold and insult your chili. "Be who you are and say how you feel because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."- Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss 2. Le Guins exploration of the consequences of Geds misfires and temptations while at a school for wizards, his struggles with dragons and his inner demons, reshaped fantasy storytellings concepts of good and evil. Their poignant conversations show how friendship can transcend circumstanceand can help real-life friends facing a similar situation. While some kids fall into friendships as easily as blinking, others might find it a little more difficult to build lasting bonds with new peers and classmates. Thelma, Jane, Harriet and Roger use their wings to fly far away from the dangerous alley where they were born, but they find country life has its own challenges. (For ages 8 to 12), A classic! Discover the splendiferous world of Roald Dahl and meet his most famous characters, including Matilda Wormwood, Willy Wonka and The BFG. Three friends go on an epic outdoor adventure. (For ages 4 to 8), by Patricia Hruby Powell and Christian Robinson, This gorgeous book will introduce kids to the glory of Josephine Baker not just her fabulous dance routines, but her life of activism and service, including speaking alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. And two little kittens and a pair of mittens? This is a lively, loving tour of Juana's world, liberally sprinkled with Spanish words to learn as you go meanwhile, Juana has to practice her English, and she's really not happy about that. Poet and book critic Tess Taylor calls his work "rollicking, funny, scary, humane and magical." Is he innocent? Full of beautiful illustrations that show a young girl enjoying solo activities, this tender book celebrates what we can gain from being alone and what we can gain from being with a friend. Unusually for a book of this sort, there are no villains, no one trying to upset the status quo of the forest, just lots of fun and games and to read them again, as an adult, is to lose oneself in an almost unbearable level of nostalgia. And it's not just geese mice, possums, foxes and more all pile into Bruce's den. Youre my best friend, and I think youre sensational. (For ages 4 to 8), Long ago, the birds of Africa were all the colors of the rainbow but none of them had any black, because Blackbird had it all. (For ages 3 to 8), Julin is riding the subway with his abuela when he sees them: three mermaids, with fabulous hair and fishtail dresses. I believe that the right books can capture your heart and allow you to live life with a sense of wonder. Youre terrific as far as Im concerned, replied Charlotte, sweetly, and thats what counts. Do you think of Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout when you have to take the garbage out? 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith "You can go through life and make new friends every year - every month practically. In The Not-So-Friendly Friend, Furnival teaches young-child-appropriate lessons on how to deal with a bully, how to negotiate on-and-off friendships, and how to be assertive. He loves playing with his friends, going to school, and scrounging for truffles. Luckily and unsurprisingly, considering how important friendships are to children of all ages there are thousands of childrens books about friendship out there that deal with many different aspects of friendship. Christopher and Pooh wander through the Hundred Acre Wood not unlike the forest near Milnes home in East Sussex. (Credit: Farrar, Straus & Giroux), A young boy known as Sparrowhawk saves his village with a smattering of magic he learned from his aunt, a local witch. By bedtime she came back to Why? They're like security blankets all warm and fuzzy on the outside, but deeply symbolic on the inside. (For ages 4 to 8), Not a lot of brand-new books make it into these lists, but our judges felt that Gaia Cornwall's sweet, engaging story of a little boy conquering his fear of the high jump would stand the test of time. Not that there are any here, of course, as Sophie is an orphan brought to Giant Country by the Big Friendly Giant and, while there, has to evade the child-eating tendencies of the other giants. It's pretty great to have a giant dog because then when you walk to school, you can think about ice cream and rain instead of tornadoes or ghosts. My own favourite YA book of the 21st century, this extraordinary tale of resilience in the face of inexplicable cruelty makes a hero of the young protagonist Linus Weems while the adults trapped alongside him in an underground bunker display varying degrees of violence and selfishness. E.B. Sophie starts out a spunky but lonesome orphan, and has the good luck to get kidnapped by the Big Friendly Giant. Children's books are a fascinating blend of simplicity and life lessons. It's been such a strange, lost summer. And even though she only spends a few days with them, their story reminds us that friendships have the power to change the whole course of our lives. Is the camp home? When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. A savvy mouse avoids the clutches of a fox by invoking the terrible Gruffalo setting off an increasingly ridiculous (and delightful) chain of events, all told in rhyming couplets that are all kinds of fun to read aloud. When Josh quietly reaches out, though, she learns that doing something she loves alongside a friend can feel twice as nice. (For ages 5 to 7), Kate DiCamillo is another author who showed up all over the original list of nominations, but our judges thought this series about a terrific, radiant little pig who likes buttered toast, car rides and solving the occasional mystery was the pick of the litter. But there was one easy decision: A few years ago, we did a summer list based on All Things Considered's Backseat Book Club of great reads for kids from 9 to 14. But then hope arrives sloooowly on tortoise-back in the form of 7-year-old Kid Sheriff Ryan, who may not know about toads specifically, but he does know about dinosaurs. (For ages 5 to 8), Waves roll by, seasons come and go, keepers tend to their duties, and through it all, the lighthouse stands tall, sending its beam out into the darkness, bidding hello to all the ships at sea. (For ages 3 to 6), Rosa's mom works in a diner and so does Rosa, sometimes, peeling onions, washing salt shakers and saving her pennies to buy her mom a comfortable chair because all their furniture was lost in a fire that turned their apartment to "charcoal and ashes." Alice's webcomic, writing and everything else can be found at https://linktr.ee/alicenuttallbooks. (For ages 4 to 8), Lilly loves everything, especially her purple plastic purse full of treasures. In fact, Little Women is one of the best examples of strong female friendships in literature. (For ages 5 to 8), You can't have a kids' books list without Dav Pilkey. It uses straightforward language and plenty of charming pictures to teach key skills like how to use friendly body language, how to initiate conversations with friends, and strategies to use when friends argue. Terms of Service apply. Marjorie loves baking, knitting, and gardening so she goes undercover to find friends with similar interests at the local senior center. Charming and funny, White plays with other concepts of friendships between humans and animals in his earlier novel Stuart Little. Why can't that man see? We defy you to read this to a kid and not end up dancing. Theres so much to love about A Kind of Spark, the story of Addie, a young autistic girl who campaigns for a memorial to remember the women accused of witchcraft in her Scottish town but one of the most heartwarming parts of the story is Addies growing friendship with new girl Audrey, who has recently moved to Scotland from London. (For ages 2 to 6), Big dogs, little dogs, red dogs, blue dogs, dogs on cars and scooters kids will love learning colors and emotions and ideas with P.D. White wrote a full shelf of children's classics, but this story about a mute trumpeter swan who woos his lady love with an actual trumpet should get more attention than it does. This classic manga series is best known for the dysfunctional Sohma family and the curse that causes them to turn into animals of the Chinese zodiac whenever theyre hugged by someone of a different gender. This series made the American Library Association's list of 100 top banned or challenged books from 2000 to 2009; apparently, some grown-ups thought sassy, mouthy Junie wasn't a good role model. Grab your best friend, make an impenetrable blanket fort, and crack open a picture book. Simple, counting text describes a diverse group of children who come together at the playground. And as always, we had to decide which work to pick from creators who were nominated multiple times. I especially love Emmas journey in Not Your Backup when, as the only non-powered member of the group, she has to overcome her feelings of frustration and jealousy and realise how much she contributes. 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars. (For ages 3 to 7), There's no such thing as a Gruffalo! Just no comparison, period, Your email address will not be published. If you need suggestions, we've got them! Tameka Fryer Brown's lilting, musical rhymes and A.G. Ford's glowing art follow one very active baby through a very busy day of zooming around the house . Robust, real-time communication assistance, Write, rewrite, get ideas, and quickly reply with GrammarlyGO, Features to polish, grammar, tone, clarity, team consistency, and more, Writing assistance on 500,000+ apps and sites across your devices, For desktop apps and websites like Word and Gmail, For sites like Google Docs, Gmail, and LinkedIn, Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes, Format citations in APA, MLA, and Chicago, How to Keep a Gratitude Journal and Why It Can Help You Feel Better, Do not sell or share my personal information, George and Martha: The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends. Sheltons profound and hugely entertaining tale of a boy and a bear sailing nowhere in particular is full of wonderful jokes and sarcastic asides, not to mention illustrations that you end up staring at for ridiculously long periods of time. Unlike many of the other characters in Tolkiens series, Merry and Pippin are already friends when the story begins. (For ages 7 to 10), Amphibians, sport coats and lasting friendship. 1. Frank and Bean are as different as could be, but over time that changes from a headache to a mutual win. (For more friendship-themed books for early readers, check out 18 Standout Graphic Novels for Kids in Elementary School.). (For ages 4 to 8), by Else Holmelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak, Else Holmelund Minarik wrote this tale of a Bear and his Mother for her own daughter, to read in the mornings before school longhand, as she wrote all her manuscripts, because she never learned to type. The trio take care of each other and support each other through multiple difficult times, and Hana and Arisa are especially protective of the sweet, often naive Tohru. Everyone knows you can't get good at grammar without friendship. You have more to offer me in that rich nature of yours, and I have more to give you than I had in my careless girlhood. Following her mums success as a best-selling author, Pea moves to London and starts attending a brand new school. Yes, theres Anne and Diana, who are bosom friends. But if you go deeper into the Anne series youll discover Leslie Moore, a vibrant and complex character who actually has much more affinity with Anne than Annes childhood friend. Its GO time for generative AI writing assistance. Oh yes, I love the way Rowling develops those kids! From the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. The complex emotions that emerge from the barnyard in EB Whites masterpiece never cloy, but feel true and important, writes novelist and critic Meg Wolitzer. John Boyne, author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, whose new book, The Boy at the Top of the Mountain, features an unexpected friendship between Hitler and a French orhpan boy, selects his favourite fictional friendships. I grew up with this classic childrens novel, but it wasnt until recently that I realised the awakening garden in the story is a metaphor for the blossoming friendship of the children who tend it. It's not meant to be something to do alone. Anne and Leslies friendship flourishes after suffering, and it helps both women to heal. Sign up to The Kids Are All Right to receive news and recommendations from the world of kid lit and middle grade books. You'll also see there's a section of books for older readers. Don't you wish you had a great green room and a red balloon? Door: No, I do mean impassible. Some of the best friendships are the ones that both shake us up to view the world differentlyand at the same time balance us out. Through this emotion-filled story, Sophie goes on a magical journey that teaches her (and her classmates) that good friends let you be you. For more books that feature friends in a school setting, check out our list of 50 Must-Read Books Set in Schools. (For ages 3 to 7), Yuyi Morales was born in Mexico; she came to America with her baby boy in 1999, and she builds that experience into a poetic, visually stunning tribute to the immigrant experience to walking the streets of a new place, getting lost and learning a new life and language, and to the dreams, hopes and talents immigrants bring to this country.