I want a Friend is the adorable story of little Arthur who desperately wants a friend. Many children will be starting school or pre-school next month and will be meeting and making new friends, just like Arthur. But making friends can be tricky – as Arthur discovers!
The Story: Arthur wants a friend but he doesn’t know how to make friends. He tries to catch them and makes a trap but he just manages to annoy everybody. Can Arthur’s classmate, Lily, show him how he can be friends without upsetting other people?
Arthur’s attempts to make friends are very amusing but at the same time we are sympathetic to his plight. His attempts all backfire and there are tears, one child gets stuck in a hole in the sandpit and another gets tangled in a net.
But then kind and caring Lily offers to play with him and although supportive she also gently chastises him when his behaviour isn’t appropriate. The have a lot of fun together and we love their hug. But in the background there is somebody else who wants a friend…
The simple rhyming text is easy to read and Amy Proud’s beautiful illustrations realistically show the activities that take place in a pre-school, we love the inclusion of the red and yellow car, the tunnels to crawl through and the dressing up box which all provide familiar pre-school experiences. The way that Arthur imagines how he can make a friend and the way that it contrasts with the reality makes us laugh – his idea of flying from a helicopter to rescue somebody trapped in a hole doesn’t quite work out that way in real life!
I Want a Friend would be a fantastic book to read to a pre-school or Reception class at the beginning of the school year. It can be used to initiate discussions about making friends, being friends and interacting with other children.
Age Range: 3 +
Author: Anne Booth / Illustrator: Amy Proud
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