Best Books for Kids About Making Friends (2026): 5 Picks

The best books for kids about making friends turn hellos, sharing and making up into stories children remember. We compared five books by fit for teaching friendship, contents, value and listed reading age or grade.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Growing Friendships	9.8/10	Buy
2	All About Friends	9.7/10	Buy
3	What Is a Friend?	9.6/10	Buy
4	Dragon Makes Friends	9.5/10	Buy
5	How to Be a Friend	9.5/10	Buy

1

Growing Friendships

Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore·9.8/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For the full toolkit: a psychologist's guide with five friendship skills, ages 6 to 9.

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Pros

• Written by a psychologist with five essential friendship skills
• Reading age 6 to 9 (from customers) and grade level 1 to 4
• 192 pages, the longest here, with cartoons, July 2017

Cons

• 192 pages may be long for the youngest readers
• July 2017, the older of the two long guides
• Book 1 of 2, a second volume to collect

2

All About Friends

Felicity Brooks·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For little ones: an illustrated nonfiction guide for ages 3 to 5.

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Pros

• Reading age 3 to 5 with grade level 1 to 2
• Illustrated nonfiction from Usborne, November 2023
• Includes notes for grown-ups on conflicts and imaginary friends

Cons

• 32 pages, a single-sitting read
• Ages 3 to 5, too young for school-age readers
• No series number is stated

3

What Is a Friend?

Stephanie Chan·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For step-by-step skills: behavior science in a story, ages 5 to 8.

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Pros

• Reading age 5 to 8 (from customers)
• Applies behavior skills training through story and practice
• Book 1 of 3 in the Making Friends! series, October 2023

Cons

• No grade level is stated
• 38 pages, a short read for the price
• Book 1 of 3, two more volumes to collect

4

Dragon Makes Friends

Steve Herman·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For dragon fans: a lonely dragon learns to make friends, ages 4 to 7.

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Pros

• Reading age 4 to 7 (from customers) and grade level Kindergarten to Preschool
• Book 16 of 68 in the My Dragon Books series
• Playful illustrations with a clear friendship lesson, August 2018

Cons

• Book 16 of a 68-book series, a long shelf to collect
• 42 pages, the third-shortest here
• Dragon framing may suit younger readers most

5

How to Be a Friend

Laurie Krasny Brown·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For dino fans: dinosaur characters teach friendship, ages 3 to 6.

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Pros

• Reading age 3 to 6 (from customers) and grade level Preschool to 3
• Dino characters cover bosses, bullies and arguments
• 32 pages from Little, Brown, September 2001

Cons

• September 2001, the oldest here
• 32 pages, a single-sitting read
• No series is stated

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More picks to compare

• The Day the Crayons Made FriendsCrayons befriend household objects, ages 3-7, 40 pages.Check on Amazon
• My Way to Making FriendsRhyming jungle adventure, ages 4-8, 30 pages.Check on Amazon
• The Kids' Book of FriendsStories and activities, ages 4-8, 44 pages.Check on Amazon
• This Is How We Make FriendsBoard book for preschool starters, baby to 3, 16 pages.Check on Amazon
• Pete the Cat: Making New FriendsLevel 1 comic mission, ages 4-8, 32 pages.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 17 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for teaching friendship, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or grade level. All five picks state a reading age; four also state a grade level. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best books for kids about making friends

Match the age

All About Friends suits ages 3 to 5; Teach Your Dragon to Make Friends and What Is a Friend? suit 4 to 7 and 5 to 8; How to Be a Friend suits 3 to 6; Growing Friendships suits 6 to 9. For older readers, browse every middle grade list.

Guide or story

Growing Friendships, All About Friends and How to Be a Friend are guides; the dragon book and What Is a Friend? teach through stories.

Series or standalone

The dragon book is Book 16 of 68 in the My Dragon Books series; Growing Friendships is Book 1 of 2; What Is a Friend? is Book 1 of 3. The other two picks state no series.

Before you buy

• Check the reading age: the picks list 3 to 9 across the five books.
• Growing Friendships is written by a psychologist and covers five friendship skills.
• All About Friends includes notes for grown-ups on conflicts and imaginary friends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which book is best for preschoolers?

All About Friends, an illustrated guide for ages 3 to 5.

Which book covers keeping friends?

Growing Friendships, with five skills for making and keeping friends.

Which book uses behavior science?

What Is a Friend and How to Possibly Make One?, developed with researchers and teachers.

Still deciding? Our top pickGrowing Friendships

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