Best Young Adult Books About Friendship (2026): 5 Compared

Friendship is the engine of every great YA story, and the best young adult books about friendship are the ones where the friends feel real. We compared five books by fit for the reader, contents and edition, value, and stated reading age, using only what each listing publishes.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	They Both Die at the End	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
2	Make Friends with the Dark	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
3	Friends Forever	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
4	Real Friends Boxed Set	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
5	Pawverbs for a Dog Lover	9.5/10	Buy on Amazon

1

They Both Die at the End

Adam Silvera·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 ›

A 416-page reprint, book 1 of 3, for readers 13 and up.

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Pros

• Reading age 13 years and up
• Grade level 8 - 12
• 416 pages, reprint edition

Cons

• Book 1 of 3, series not complete in one
• December 2018, older than the 2021 picks
• Friendship framed by mortality

2

Make Friends with the Dark

Kathleen Glasgow·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 ›

A 448-page reprint, for readers 14 to 17.

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Pros

• Reading age 14 to 17 years
• Grade level 9 - 12
• 448 pages, the longest here

Cons

• Reprint edition
• May 2020, older than the 2021 picks
• Dark themes

3

Friends Forever

Shannon Hale·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 ›

A 304-page book, book 3 of 3, for readers 9 to 12.

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Pros

• Reading age 9 to 12 years, marked as from customers
• Grade level 5 - 9
• Book 3 of 3, series complete

Cons

• Middle-grade, not teen
• 304 pages
• Book 3 assumes the earlier books

4

Real Friends Boxed Set

Shannon Hale·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 ›

A boxed set of three books, for readers 8 to 11.

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Pros

• Boxed set of three books
• Reading age 8 to 11 years, marked as from customers
• Grade level 4 - 6

Cons

• Middle-grade, not teen
• No page count stated
• November 2021

5

Pawverbs for a Dog Lover

Jennifer Marshall Bleakley·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 ›

A 256-page collection of friendship stories with dogs.

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Pros

• 256 pages
• Friendship stories with dogs
• September 8, 2020

Cons

• No reading age stated
• Not a novel
• Dog focus may not suit every reader

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More picks to compare

• Friend-ishReclaiming real friendship, a nonfiction take.Check on Amazon
• Maybe Meant to BeYA romance about friendship and first love.Check on Amazon
• A Tween Girl's Guide to FriendshipsHow to make friends and build healthy ones.Check on Amazon
• Breaking the ChainA story about friendship, life and football.Check on Amazon
• Friend GroupA novel about middle school friendship.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 21 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. Four of the five list a reading age. 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 young adult books about friendship

Match the age on the listing

Reading ages here run from 8 to 17 years. They Both Die at the End suits 13 and up and How to Make Friends with the Dark 14 to 17; Friends Forever and the boxed set suit 8 to 12, the middle-grade crowd. Pawverbs states no reading age.

Series or standalone

They Both Die at the End is book 1 of 3 and Friends Forever book 3 of 3, per their listings. The boxed set gives all three Real Friends books at once. How to Make Friends with the Dark and Pawverbs stand alone.

What kind of friendship story

They Both Die at the End frames friendship around mortality; How to Make Friends with the Dark is darker; the Shannon Hale books are middle-grade friendship; Pawverbs tells friendship stories with dogs. Pick the tone the reader wants.

Before you buy

• Check the reading age: 8 to 17 years stated on four of the five.
• Compare lengths: 256 to 448 pages.
• Two are series books; one is a three-book boxed set.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which book is best for teens?

They Both Die at the End, for ages 13 and up, or How to Make Friends with the Dark, for ages 14 to 17.

Which books are for middle grade?

Friends Forever, ages 9 to 12, and the Real Friends boxed set, ages 8 to 11.

Which is the longest book?

How to Make Friends with the Dark at 448 pages. The shortest is Pawverbs at 256 pages.

Still deciding? Our top pickThey Both Die at the End

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Related lists

See every Young Adult Books list and all Kids and Teens lists.

More lists: browse young adult books, kids and teens books and graphic novels for young adults.