Books about friendship for kids
The best books about friendship for kids include Charlotte's Web, Enemy Pie and Ivy + Bean. Stories about making friends, falling out and making up give children words for their own friendships, and something to talk about with friends.
12 books, checked for age-appropriate content.
Content checked by Dhiraj Bodade, co-founder of Bookstaken.
- 1
Ages 6–11
Charlotte's Web
by E.B. White
On a peaceful farm, a runt piglet named Wilbur is spared from slaughter and finds an extraordinary friend in Charlotte, a wise and caring barn spider. When Wilbur's life is threatened again, Charlotte uses her clever web-spinning to convince the farmers he is too special to lose. Invites older readers to reflect on compassion, courage, and resilience.
- 2
Ages 6–8
Enemy Pie
by Derek Munson
Summer is ruined when Jeremy Ross moves in and becomes the neighborhood's number one enemy. Luckily, one dad has a secret family recipe guaranteed to get rid of rivals: Enemy Pie. Encourages young readers to reflect on belonging and being a good friend.
- 3
Ages 6–8
Ivy + Bean
by Annie Barrows
Seven-year-old Bean is convinced she will never be friends with Ivy, the quiet girl across the street who sits on her porch reading big books. But when Bean needs a quick escape after playing a trick on her older sister, Ivy comes to the rescue with a surprisingly wild imagination. Encourages young readers to reflect on belonging and being a good friend.
- 4
Ages 9–11
Because of Winn-Dixie
by Kate DiCamillo
Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni has just moved to a small Florida town with her preacher father, feeling lonely and missing the mother who abandoned her years ago. Everything changes when she finds a scruffy, smiling stray dog in the local supermarket and takes him home. Offers space for thoughtful conversations about empathy and difficult choices.
- 5
Ages 9–11
Roller Girl
by Victoria Jamieson
Astrid has always done everything with her best friend Nicole, but when summer arrives, she signs up for roller derby camp while Nicole chooses dance camp instead. Finding herself completely out of her depth on skates and drifting apart from her closest friend, Astrid faces tough practices, scrapes, and self-doubt. A lively choice for readers who enjoy movement, teamwork, and determination.
- 6
Ages 9–14
Holes
by Louis Sachar
Stanley Yelnats is plagued by bad luck, thanks to a curse placed on his great-great-grandfather. Sent to Camp Green Lake, a brutal juvenile detention facility in the middle of a dried-up desert lake bed, boys are forced to dig one five-foot hole every day. Offers space for thoughtful conversations about empathy and difficult choices.
- 7
Ages 9–14
Malgudi Schooldays
by R.K. Narayan
Ten-year-old Swaminathan navigates the ups and downs of childhood in the charming fictional town of Malgudi in colonial India. Between dodging strict teachers, dreaming about cricket matches with his friends, and getting tangled in small daily rebellions, Swami finds everyday life full of drama and amusement. A lively choice for readers who enjoy movement, teamwork, and determination.
- 8
Ages 9–14
Amina's Voice
by Hena Khan
Shy sixth-grader Amina is caught between wanting to blend in and wanting to share her talent for singing. When middle school brings shifting friendships and her local Islamic center is vandalised in a hate crime, Amina struggles with anxiety and identity. Encourages gentle, guided conversations about challenging feelings and experiences.
- 9
Ages 9–11
The Terrible Two
by Mac Barnett & Jory John
When master prankster Miles Murphy moves to sleepy Yawnee Valley, he expects to quickly claim his title as the school's top trickster. To his surprise, the town already has an undercover prank genius of its own. Encourages young readers to reflect on belonging and being a good friend.
- 10
Ages 12–14
New Kid
by Jerry Craft
Seventh-grader Jordan Banks loves drawing cartoons and dreams of art school, but his parents enroll him in an elite, academically rigorous private academy where he is one of the few kids of colour. Offers space for thoughtful conversations about empathy and difficult choices.
- 11
Ages 9–11
Billionaire Boy
by David Walliams
Joe Spud has everything a twelve-year-old could ever dream of, including his own Formula One car and a cinema in his house, thanks to his dad's fortune from inventing a new toilet roll. Invites older readers to reflect on compassion, courage, and resilience.
- 12
Ages 9–11
Save Me a Seat
by Sarah Weeks & Gita Varadarajan
Fifth-graders Ravi and Joe couldn't seem more different. Ravi recently moved to America from India and expects to be at the top of his class, while Joe has an auditory processing disorder and struggles to blend in. Encourages gentle, guided conversations about challenging feelings and experiences.
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