Books about friends for younger readers

A colourful board book in which the ever-popular Elmer the Elephant praises each of his friends for their different strengths

Pip and Posy have a squabble over who can ride a scooter. A sweet story for preschoolers.

Dogger is Dave’s special toy. So when Dogger gets lost at the funfair, Dave is desolate. Will they find each other again? Exploring concepts of love, loss and kindness, this classic tale will be cherished by the entire family and will particularly appeal to any child who has a favourite toy.

Once there was a sad, lonely penguin who appeared at the door of a young boy. The boy decided he must be lost, so he set off to find his home.

Maud and Betty are the best of friends, so it only stands to reason that their favourite toys will be, too – doesn’t it?! Funny and full of insight, this is the perfect picture book for celebrating the ins and outs of friendship. 

This warm-hearted picture book about making friends is a perfect read for little ones starting school or nursery who might be a bit nervous, reassuring them that there will be lots of other children who will want to make friends.

A tale of Rosie and her best friend, who spend every day together and go on lots of adventures – with a twist at the end to delight young readers. A heartwarming, joyful and fun tale of friendship. 

Francesca Sanna’s stunning illustrations are the star of this lovely picture book which (rather like Disney’s Moana) depicts Nature as a young girl deity, tending the landscape which is a part of her. A lovely book to inspire children to want to be a good friend to Earth, who will perhaps read this alongside some factual books about nature when they get a little older.

Henry’s keen to make friends in his class, but it’s proving a bit of a challenge. His autism is hinted at but not referred to directly, and all young readers will empathise with Henry and find reassurance in the book’s ultimate message of hope.

Bear and Squirrel are best friends – but Squirrel feels like she needs a bit of space of her own. This adorable rhyming book about the ups and downs of friendship is pitched perfectly for 3–5 year olds who may be negotiating new friendships.

Frank and Bert love a game of hide-and-seek, but Bert hasn’t quite mastered the art of hiding in 10 seconds. In fact, Bert complains that he never gets enough time to hide, and so Frank counts all the way to 100 to give him some quality hiding time.

Cyril the Squirrel is so lonely that, when he finally makes a friend, he doesn’t seem to notice that ​“Pat” might not be quite what he seems. A colourful, rhyming story about friendship against the odds.

Sukie’s nervous about her first day at a new school – but little acts of kindness from the other children help her forget her worries and make lots of new friends.

A young child moves to a new area and decides to build their own friend. When another child lends a hand, the pair gradually realise that they have made a real friend after all. 

A little girl is excited to spend the day with her best friend Tilly, and she wants to build a dreamworld for them to play in. But her imagination soon gets the best of her.