Best Children’s Books About Friendship (2026): 5 Compared

A child who wants a friend and a parent who wants the right words for playground politics both land on the best children’s books about friendship. We compared five books by listed reading age, grade level, page count and what each description says, so you can match the book to the child.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	My New Friend by Willems	9.8/10	Buy
2	Stick and Stone by Ferry	9.7/10	Buy
3	Book of Friends by Stephenson	9.7/10	Buy
4	Friendship Forever by Hegarty	9.6/10	Buy
5	Sleepless by Korman	9.4/10	Buy

1

My New Friend by Willems

Mo Willems·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 ›

Piggie finds a new friend and Gerald must decide whether he is ready to share.

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Pros

• Listed reading age of 3 to 6 years and grade level 1 to 3 pin down the audience
• 64 pages, the longest picture book here
• Part of the Elephant and Piggie series, so a fan has more books to try

Cons

• Published in 2014, the oldest edition here
• Reading age is marked as from customers rather than stated by the publisher
• No newer edition is listed since 2014

2

Stick and Stone by Ferry

Beth Ferry·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 ›

Stick rescues Stone from a prickly Pinecone, and a rhyming friendship about sticking together begins.

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Pros

• Listed reading age of 2 to 5 years and grade level Preschool to 3 suit the youngest readers
• Rhyming text about kindness and sticking together
• The description names kindness and compassion as the theme, a direct match for the keyword

Cons

• Published in 2015; no newer edition is listed
• Reading age is marked as from customers
• 48 pages is shorter than My New Friend Is So Fun!

3

Book of Friends by Stephenson

Catherine Stephenson·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 ›

Illustrated stories and activities that give children aged 4 to 8 words for joining in, making up and setting boundaries.

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Pros

• Gives children words for joining in, making up and setting boundaries
• Co-written by a chartered educational psychologist, per the listing
• Activities to share with a grown-up

Cons

• Independently published, not from a listed trade publisher
• Reading age is marked as from customers; no grade level is stated
• More workbook than storybook; less narrative than the picture books

4

Friendship Forever by Hegarty

Patricia Hegarty·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 ›

A board book about treasuring closeness, love and loyalty in friendship.

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Pros

• Board book format suits babies and toddlers
• Reading age Baby to 3 years is the youngest here
• Irresistibly illustrated, per the listing

Cons

• 22 pages is the shortest book here
• Board book pages hold less text than picture books
• No grade level is stated on the listing

5

Sleepless by Korman

Gordon Korman·9.4/10 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 ›

Five kids who no longer need to sleep keep it secret until they find each other.

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Pros

• 240 pages, by far the longest book here
• Reading age 9 to 12 years and grade level 4 to 7 stated without a customers mark
• Published July 7, 2026, the most current edition here

Cons

• Friendship is incidental; the story is a sleeplessness mystery
• Ages 9 to 12 sit above the picture-book readers of this list
• A middle-grade novel, not a picture book

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More picks to compare

• Will You Be My Friend? by McBratneyFor toddlers; Little Nutbrown Hare discovers a new friend.Check on Amazon
• A Friendship Yarn by MoserFor ages 4 to 8; porcupine and badger knit through a quarrel.Check on Amazon
• Lily by SamoiliukFor ages 7 to 10; a girl makes friends after a big move.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 the reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or level where one is given. All five listings state a reading age; three mark it as from customers, and 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 children’s books about friendship

Match the age on the listing

Reading ages here run from Baby to 3 years up to 9 to 12 years. Stick and Stone at 2 to 5 years and Friendship Is Forever at Baby to 3 years suit the youngest readers, while Sleepless at 9 to 12 years is a middle-grade novel. Three listings mark the reading age as from customers, so treat those as shopper input rather than publisher guidance. For more by age, browse the picture books shelf.

Picture book or something more

Four of the five are picture books or a board book of 64 pages or fewer; Sleepless is a 240-page novel. The Kids’ Book of Friends adds activities for joining in and making up, which suits a child working through a real playground problem. For feelings beyond friendship, see the children’s books about feelings list.

Check the series question

My New Friend Is So Fun! belongs to the long Elephant and Piggie series, so a fan has somewhere to go next. Stick and Stone also continues in more picture books and graphic novels, per its listing. The other three stand alone, which suits a one-time gift. For family stories alongside friendship, browse the children’s books about family list.

Before you buy

• Check the reading age and grade level on the listing against your child’s age.
• Note the format: Friendship Is Forever is a board book, and Sleepless is a novel rather than a picture book.
• For series books, confirm whether you are buying the first book or a later one.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good friendship book for a 3 year old?

Stick and Stone lists a reading age of 2 to 5 years, and Friendship Is Forever is a board book for Baby to 3 years. Both are picture-length stories about friendship.

Which book helps children make friends?

The Kids’ Book of Friends is built for that: its listing describes illustrated stories and activities giving children words for joining in, making up and setting boundaries, for ages 4 to 8.

Is Sleepless about friendship?

Only incidentally. Its listing describes five kids who stop needing sleep and keep it secret; friendship enters when they find each other. It is a 240-page novel for ages 9 to 12, not a picture book about friendship.

Still deciding? Our top pickMy New Friend by Willems

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Related lists

See every Picture Books list and all Kids and Teens lists.

More lists: browse children’s books about feelings, children’s books about family and children’s books about honesty.