Friendship is an important theme in many children’s stories and familiar, endearing characters can help children to understand and deal with issues and difficulties that they may encounter in their own friendships. On International Friendship Day we’ve made a list of books that include heartwarming fictional friendships.
But this isn’t the first International Friendship Day list that we’ve compiled, the more stories that we read, the more fabulous fictional friendships we discover! The characters in the books we have chosen all have one thing in common, they are the kind of friends that take care of each other, support each and disagree with each other through good times and bad.
How To Mend a Friend by Karl Newson & Clara Anganuzzi
How to Mend a Friend is a beautifully illustrated, rhyming picture book which looks at different ways that friends may deal with difficult situations and how we can support them if they need us.
A little girl joins a variety of animals including diary writing penguins and TV watching monkeys as she looks at ways that friends deal with problems and anxieties and helps readers to understand the different ways that they can help and support their friends.
I want a Friend by Anne Booth & Amy Proud
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 Golden Acorn by Katy Hudson
Squirrel is extremely competitive and loves to win but this year the rules for the Golden Acorn Hunt have changed and she can’t compete alone, she must be part of a team. Luckily Squirrel has a fabulous group of friends who are prepared to help her put together a team but none of them are squirrels and they’re not at all fast. We love the way that Squirrel realises that winning isn’t as important as friendship 🙂
A Little Bit Worried by Ciara Gavin & Tim Warnes
A Little Bit Worried is a heartwarming picture book which can help children to talk about and find ways to deal with worries that they may have. Weasel is a character who has a lot of worries in comparison to his friend Mole who is upbeat and positive. Their story beautifully highlights how friends can listen and support each other when they have worries and concerns.
A Bear named Bjorn by Delphine Perret
Bjorn lives in a cave in the forest and has a close circle of friends which includes The Fox, The Weasel and The Badger. The animals’ friendships are strong, supportive and without conflict and they show kindness and give Bjorn advice when he needs it.
Freddie’s Amazing Bakery: The Great Raspberry Mix Up by Harriet Whitehorn & Alex G Griffiths
Freddie’s amazing bakery is a heartwarming story of food and friendship with a little bit of mystery and meanness mixed in. Belville‘s first baking competition doesn’t run smoothly for baker Freddie who is competing against Bernard Macaroon. And Bernard will do anything to win. But Freddie’s friends are caring and kindhearted and at the competition they do everything they can to help when things go wrong for Freddie.
How To Be Brave by Daisy May Johnson
How To Be Brave is a fabulous celebration of girl power in which ordinary situations are intertwined with friendship, kindness, humour and bravery. When Calla learns that her mother Elizabeth has been kidnapped her friends from The School of the Good Sisters help and support her as she battles against an evil headteacher and tries to find a way to rescue her mother from The Amazon Jungle.
You can find more fabulous fictional friendships in our previous International Friendship Day and Fictional Best Friends blogposts. Do you have any favourite stories about heartwarming fictional friendships?
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