good titles for books about friends

44 Best Books About Friendship & Best Friends

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Uncover the best books about friendship that are sure to warm your heart and make you smile – fiction and nonfiction.

If you love books about best friends, human and animal, we have just the reading list for you.

Some of these friendship books span across families and communities, demonstrating the importance of connection, relationships, and healthy support systems.

Others will bring together the unlikeliest of friends during difficult times and transitions, including death, war, health issues, and even politics.

While some of these books about friendship are more somber, others are sure to inspire, lift us up, and make us want to immediately call our best friend.

So, what are the best books on friendship – murder mysteries, thrillers, memoirs, fantasy, LGBTQ+ graphic novels, and more?

Below, explore just a few books about being a good friend (OK – and also a terrible friend) for adults and teens.

Be sure to let us know your favorites in the comments too. Let’s get started!

You may also enjoy these books that will make you think more deeply .

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What We Recommend

44 Best Books About Friendship & Best Friends

By Tori Curran & Christine

1. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Translated into English by Henning Koch

Ove is a curmudgeon of a man, with a strict routine and principles. His neighbors call him the bitter neighbor from hell.

But when a young couple with two outgoing daughters accidentally run over Ove’s mailbox, he is forced to talk to them – and to teach them how to drive properly.

This action opens the gate for humorous and redeeming human interaction.

Slowly, we learn there is a heartbreaking sadness behind Ove’s rough facade. And Ove’s new neighbor is determined to get in.

A Man Called Ove is one of the best books on friendship because it illustrates that while we can certainly live alone and get along just fine, it is others who make us feel alive.

It also came to the big screen as A Man Called Otto in 2023 and is perfect if you want to read more books with older protagonists .

You may also recognize Backman from Anxious People , one of the best books about friendship in the most unlikely of circumstances, a bank robbery with hostages.

And, if you enjoy Swedish authors like Bachman, explore even more Swedish books .

Watch even more bestselling books made into movies . Read A Man Called Ove : Amazon | Goodreads

2. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

One of the most transformative friendship books, The One and Only Ivan tells the story of a gorilla in captivity – from his point of view – and his unlikely friendships.

Despite being a children’s book, this 2013 Newberry Award winner should be on everyone’s must-read list.

Ivan is a silverback gorilla living in a cage at the mall. He is relatively content with life.

His friend Stella is an aging and chronically injured elephant also at the mall, performing in a daily show. She wants to live in a zoo where she would have more space to roam.

Then Ruby, a baby elephant, is brought to the mall to live with Stella and learn her tricks. As Stella’s injury worsens, she asks Ivan to care for Ruby.

Ivan’s opinion of the mall soon shifts, and with the help of the mall custodian’s daughter, Julie, he begins to see a way out.

Poignant and touching, the themes of friendship and keeping promises will resonate with readers both young and old.

Plus, if you seek out sad but thought-provoking books , this is it. Read The One and Only Ivan : Amazon | Goodreads

3. The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

Emery Lord is known for her contemporary YA books about best friends, relationships, and teen emotions.

Paige wants to be known as more than the girl whose boyfriend died.

She plans a comeback that involves dating her old crush, Ryan, and joining a club. But when Ryan’s nerdy cousin moves to town, her plans unexpectedly change.

Paige’s family issues and her fierce friendships are beautifully woven throughout this story of second chances.

Lord pens one of the most popular and heartfelt YA friendship books that will resonate with adults too. Read The Start of Me and You : Amazon | Goodreads

4. Smart Girls Get What They Want by Sarah Strohmeyer

Gigi, Bea, and Neerja are best friends, more focused on getting into Ivy League schools and starting real life than popularity.

An unexpected event forces the three best friends to reconsider what they’re missing out on while worrying about their futures.

They make a pact to come out of the shadows, but the spotlight may be more than they bargained for.

Though there are romance and other high school issues woven in, this resonates as a genuine and uplifting book about friendship. Read Smart Girls Get What They Want : Amazon | Goodreads

5. Happy and You Know It by Laura Hankin

Claire was almost famous… Until she was booted from her band before they made it big.

Now, she sings nursery rhymes for the Upper East Side’s most prestigious playgroup, led by their gorgeous and wealthy, Instagram-famous hostess, Whitney.

Whitney and her rich girlfriends seem to have it all. But as Claire gets closer to the mommies, cracks in their perfect facades start to appear.

As friendships are tested and betrayed with lies and scandal, Claire bears witness to it all. And an unlikely friendship – her own – begins to grow.

Some of the best books about friendship end with broken relationships. Plus, we love a scandalous novel set in New York City .

Uncover even more great fiction and nonfiction books about musicians and bands . Read Happy and You Know It : Amazon | Goodreads

6. What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship, and Love by Carole Radziwill

Before Real Housewives of New York City , Carol Radziwill was part of one of the country’s most famous families: the Kennedys.

But the Manhattan socialite delivers more than a typical book about friendship and lost love.

Carole was a working-class reporter when she met and married Anthony Radziwill, the nephew of Jackie Kennedy Onassis.

The pair became best friends with Anthony’s cousins, John and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy.

Soon after their marriage begins, Anthony Radziwill is diagnosed with cancer. He passes, but not before the fateful plane crash that would claim the lives of JFK Jr and Carolyn.

Radziwill’s memoir is more than just a story about the Kennedy family. It is a sentimental and tender story of someone who lost the three people dearest to her and needed to find the courage to continue on. Read What Remains : Amazon | Goodreads

7. A Train in Winter by Caroline Moorehead

A Train in Winter is one of our favorite nonfiction books on friendship and survival during World War Two.

Compiled from interviews and historical documents, it tells the story of the 230 women accused of being members of the French Resistance who were imprisoned by the Gestapo.

Coming from all walks of life, these women were forced to turn toward each other with one common goal: survival.

Their friendships drew invisible connections and encouraged strength.

Those who did return kept the stories and friendships alive of those who didn’t. Explore even more books about WW2 . Read A Train in Winter : Amazon | Goodreads

8. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Four women unite in shared loss and begin gathering together to play mah-jong, eat dim sum, and invest. Rather than fall into despair, they found the Joy Luck Club to keep their spirits up.

Years later, their daughters continue the tradition, and, as the club continues, we learn each family’s secrets.

Food, culture, and generational bonds weave their way in, but it’s the friendships and connections that sit at the heart of Tan’s spectacular novel.

The Joy Luck Club is also one of our favorite foodie fiction books from the 1980s . Read The Joy Luck Club : Amazon | Goodreads

9. The Friendship List by Susan Mallery

A feel-good book about friendship for adults, The Friendship List is perfect for anyone looking for a lighthearted or beach read .

Single mom Ellen thinks she’s got it all together until she overhears her son saying that he can’t attend his dream college because his mom needs him too much.

In order to convince her son to go live his life, she’s going to have to start living hers.

Ellen’s best friend Unity creates a list of challenges – from wearing heels to getting tattoos – to push her out of her comfort zone.

Unity plans to complete the list too, but only for moral support…or so she thinks.

But somewhere along their road to convincing everyone else that they’re living their best lives, they learn to actually start living. Read The Friendship List : Amazon | Goodreads

10. Franklin and Winston: a Portrait of a Friendship by Jon Meacham

Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill weren’t just political allies and fierce world leaders; they were good friends.

Follow the epic and important friendship of a president and a prime minister who spearheaded the effort to preserve the free world during World War Two.

During their secret meetings and frequent correspondence, they forged one of the most crucial alliances and united their individual countries to fight tyranny.

But, Franklin and Winston is also the story of two men, born into very similar circumstances, who found friendship in one another.

They didn’t just share political goals, but talked often about their burdens and families.

Franklin and Winston is one of the most eye opening non-fiction books about friendship and allies during a transformative political era. Read Franklin and Winston : Amazon | Goodreads

11. The Soloist: A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music by Steve Lopez

Uncover the bestselling book and true story that inspired a major motion picture.

When journalist Steve Lopez discovers musician Nathanial Ayers, he is deeply moved by his story. A former student at Julliard, Ayers was playing a two-string violin on Los Angeles’s Skid Row.

Suffering from mental illness, neglect, and failure, he was the epitome of a fallen prodigy.

Lopez takes it upon himself to write about and help this violin man. But through an unlikely friendship and the power of music, Lopez himself changes too.

Poignant and compelling, The Soloist is perfect for anyone seeking one of those life-changing books about friendship and humanity. Read The Soloist : Amazon | Goodreads

12. Love and Saffron: A Novel of Friendship, Food, and Love by Kim Fay

Fifty-nine-year-old Imogen lives on Camano Island outside Seattle where she writes a column for a magazine.

After an article about digging for clams, she receives fan mail from twenty-seven-year-old Joan.

Joan, living in LA as a newbie food writer herself, offers some of her own advice for cooking the clams with a bunch of saffron to accompany her recipe.

Thus begins a friendship that sustains itself throughout the 1960s, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, the assassination of JFK, and their own personal life issues.

Through their correspondence, the two women learn about life, love, and new culinary adventures.

Love and Saffron is one of the best friendship books for anyone needing a respite from the uncertain times we live through. Read Love and Saffron : Amazon | Goodreads

13. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

TW: sexual abuse

Perhaps one of the best books about friendship and growing up ever written, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a ’90s classic .

Charlie, a fifteen-year-old “wallflower,” struggling with recent trauma, writes letters to an unnamed recipient.

Patrick and his stepsister Sam – both with their own troubles – befriend him and accept Charlie into their group.

Amidst first dates, sexual encounters, family drama, drugs, alcohol, and friendships, we enter the world of a lost high schooler teetering between boyhood and adulthood.

While Chbosky pens one of the most relatable YA friendship books, he manages to weave in deep psychological trauma and the power of acceptance and inclusivity.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is also one of the greatest books adapted into a movie . Read The Perks of Being a Wallflower : Amazon | Goodreads

14. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Steinbeck’s epic novel from the 1930s chronicles the lives of two migrant ranch workers: Lennie and George.

The two men move from place to place in California during the Great Depression, dreaming of one day owning their own piece of land.

Lennie’s strength and misfortune have gotten the men in trouble before, and it will again. At a new ranch, their boss’s son targets Lennie, while his overly flirtatious wife poses an even bigger problem.

Their dream is within reach, but Lennie’s strength will get him into trouble again.

Though the infamous ending is heartbreaking, Steinbeck reminds us that mercy can often be at the heart of a friendship.

This is one of those classic books on friendship that you might appreciate more as an adult versus a student. Read Of Mice and Men : Amazon | Goodreads

15. The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez

Kristen is facing a medically necessary procedure that has a big caveat: undergoing treatment will mean she can’t get pregnant in the future.

While planning her best friend’s wedding, she meets the handsome and charismatic best man, Josh. The attraction is mutual, but Josh wants a big family one day.

While she knows Josh’s future might be more picture-perfect with someone else, Kristen can’t manage to keep him in her friend zone.

Another popular lighthearted book about friendship and the possibility of love, The Friend Zone will have you both laughing and crying. Read The Friend Zone : Amazon | Goodreads

16. Text Me When You Get Home by Kayleen Schaefer

Schaefer celebrates the evolution of female friendship and challenges us to consider the fact that our love stories can, and should, include those with our good friends.

If you’re looking for books about being a good friend, this will encourage you to rediscover the abundant value of friendship.

Readers will also reconsider the bias we often place on competitive female friendships and learn how to foster genuine connections. Read Text Me When You Get Home : Amazon | Goodreads

17. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

We can’t overlook Bridge to Terabithia . Despite being the second children’s novel on our list, it is truly one of the best books about friendship ever written.

Fifth-grader Jesse is artistic, angry, and anxious.

His life is transformed when he meets Leslie who is full of adventure and from a wealthy family.

She encourages him to release his fears, and together the two create a magical kingdom in the woods that they call Terabithia.

Tragedy strikes, but the friendship will live on forever. For books about best friends, this is one of the saddest. Read Bridge to Terabithia : Amazon | Goodreads

18. The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow

Zaslow examines the bond between ten women from Ames, Iowa, making The Girls from Ames one of the best nonfiction friendship books that demonstrates the rewards of relationships – and the lifetime memories they create.

As children, eleven girls formed a special bond in a small town.

Their connections carry them across eight states, through relationships, motherhood, careers, tragedy, heartbreak, and even the death of the eleventh member.

As adults, the unbreakable friendships continue to shape their lives. Read The Girls from Ames : Amazon | Goodreads

19. Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man by William Shatner with Davis Fisher

For more nonfiction books about friendship, Leonard is perfect for fans of Star Trek .

William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy first met as actors on the set of The Man From U.N.C.L.E .

They had no idea that their next roles as Spock and Captain Kirk would shape their lives in unimaginable ways.

In Leonard , Shatner recounts both personal and professional stories with the man who remained his good friend for over fifty years.

With humor and emotion, this is an introspective look into a remarkable man and a unique friendship. Read Leonard : Amazon | Goodreads

20. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

TW: sexual, physical, and psychological abuse, suicide, self-harm, trauma

Four college classmates move to New York, each broken, lost, and bound by friendship.

Over the years, their relationships will be challenged by addiction, successes, failures, and by one of their own, Jude, who sits at the center of the story.

Jude struggles to be defined by anything other than his own trauma.

At over 800 pages, Yanagihara’s epic story is dark, moving, heartbreaking, and redemptive. Intense and often painful to read, it will be one of the most profound friendship books you’ll ever pick up. Read A Little Life : Amazon | Goodreads

More Of The Best Books On Friendship By Christine

21. Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby

TWs, including abuse, homophobia, violence, transphobia, racism, and alcoholism 

Travel to the South in one of the best modern books about best friends.

Razorblade Tears is a violent yet deeply profound story following a Black father and a white father’s growing friendship sparked by the murder of their gay sons.

As ex-cons, Ike and Buddy Lee have tried to lead clean lives since prison. Although refusing to accept their sons’ sexuality, they vow to seek revenge on their killers.

Full of grief and guilt, Buddy Lee and Ike set out on a journey of retribution and self-growth, learning more about their sons, their sons’ community, and themselves.

This is one of the heaviest friendship books on this list but truly a 5-star read. It won’t be for everyone. Read Razorblade Tears : Amazon | Goodreads

22. The Woman Next Door by Yewande Omotoso

Some of the best books on friendship start out with the main characters as enemies; that’s exactly how Omotoso presents Hortensia and Marion.

Set in South Africa , Marion’s husband has died and left her with nothing. As a white woman, she refuses to see systematic racism, the effects of colonialism, and her own innate prejudice.

Her Black neighbor, Hortensia finds Marion utterly reprehensible and is also dealing with her own anger against a cheating husband.

As Hortensia renovates her home, she accidentally destroys Marion’s. The two suddenly find themselves as housemates.

Through their interactions and growth, readers learn more about Apartheid in South Africa. The Woman Next Door is a slow-paced and contemplative book about friendship. Read The Woman Next Door : Amazon | Goodreads

23. The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

Travel to Vermont in the 1950s where four friends attend a boarding school for “unwanted” children. Idlewild Hall is also famous for its resident ghost, Mary Hand.

All who see Mary Hand tend to relive past trauma.

In the present day, Fiona’s sister’s killer has been convicted; yet, there are so many unanswered questions. Fiona cannot let go of the murder.

When Fiona learns that someone is mysteriously renovating the school where the killer left her sister’s body, she investigates under the guise of a journalistic story.

Even worse, the construction crew finds a child’s body, forcing the past and present to collide. Thank goodness for persistent friends.

The Broken Girls is one of the most popular dark academia books about friendship for ghost and haunted “house” lovers .

Devour even more paranormal books with ghosts .

Read The Broken Girls : Amazon | Goodreads

24. Marley & Me by John Grogan

Let’s talk about those famous pooches that make the best of friends too.

John and Jenny Grogan adopt Marley – the best-worst dog ever. Their energetic little tornado gets into everything, even getting booted from dog training school.

However, Marley becomes part of the family and is the ultimate devoted companion. Marley teaches everyone the value of unconditional love.

Marley & Me is one of the sweetest but also saddest friendship books on this list. Have those tissues ready.

If you’ve ever owned a beloved pet, this story is highly relatable. Explore even more books for dog lovers and unique love stories . Read Marley & Me : Amazon | Goodreads

25. Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

How about an edgy book about friends that makes you snooze with one eye open at a sleepover?

A 2022 book release , Reckless Girls is quite the suspenseful and jaw-dropping read – also perfect if you enjoy friendship books set on remote islands .

With Lux’s mother gone, she travels to Hawaii with her new boyfriend, Nico, to start over. When two women ask Nico and Lux to take them to haunted Meroe Island, he’s game for an adventure.

Suddenly, this group of four becomes six, but does anyone really know each other?

When a seventh person arrives, we realize this story is quickly transforming from a party island to hell on earth rather quickly.

Will anyone make it off the island alive? Can we trust our friends and boyfriends?

Reckless Girls was one of the best 2022 suspense novels .

Read Reckless Girls : Amazon | Goodreads

26. Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow & Ann Friedman

You may recognize Sow and Friedman from their podcast, Call Your Girlfriend , which inspired this story.

One of the newer nonfiction books about best friends, Big Friendship is a worthy mention because of its important discussion about maintaining friendships, especially as we age, as well as understanding and navigating interracial friendships.

Friendships are hard to grow, nurture, and sustain, especially over time and as circumstances change. We get busy, we become self-centered, values change, and we grow apart naturally.

Sow and Friedman share their friendship origin story and how close they come to almost losing their relationship until seeking therapy.

Both also note that while they are not professionals, they utilize mentors, therapists, psychologists, and scholars to inform their views.

Read Big Friendship : Amazon | Goodreads

27. One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

While falling in love is at the heart of one of our favorite books set on a train , we want friends and roommates as cool and as wonderful as August’s newfound community.

At 23, August has all but given up on romantic love, and she’s also trying to find herself, especially having jumped from school to school around the country.

Now in NYC, August has incredible roommates and a life-changing encounter with a sexy and mysterious woman on the train.

Jane just happens to be from the 1970s and is trapped in the train’s energy. Can August – with the help of her friends – save Jane? And if she does, will she lose the love of her life?

One Last Stop is one of the best LGBTQ+ books on friendship featuring a feel-good romance. Read One Last Stop : Amazon | Goodreads

28. The Southern Book Club’s Guide To Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

TWs, including domestic abuse, suicide, violence, and sexual assault

You might not think that a vampire story would be one of the best friendship books to read. However, this true crime book club might just surprise you.

Patricia is bored and disenchanted with her Southern life, especially when everyone’s husband writes off their partners as hysterical housewives.

However, friendship can be empowering, and Patricia lives for her true crime book club.

When townspeople start disappearing and dying, Patricia suspects that James is a vampire – he’s the attractive new guy in town, after all.

Unfortunately, the husbands love James as he’s making them rich.

Can Patricia save her family and this community? Will her friends help her?

Read The Southern Book Club’s Guide To Slaying Vampires : Amazon | Goodreads

29. The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon

When Samiah Brooks learns from social media that the man she is dating is seeing and playing multiple women at the same time, she takes immediate action.

Storming to the restaurant to catch Craig in the act, all three of his dates unite to tell him off. The women decide to grab drinks, becoming instant friends.

From here on out, London, Taylor, and Samiah make a pact called “The Boyfriend Project,” agreeing to take 6 months off from the dating scene to work on and enjoy their own interests.

All goes according to plan until Samiah gets a hot new co-worker who has a few secrets of his own.

For a rom-com book about friendship and women in tech set in Texas, The Boyfriend Project will check all of the boxes.

Travel across all 50 States with these books .

The Boyfriend Project : Amazon | Goodreads

30. In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

If you love time travel books as much as we do, In Five Years is a must – and a story you will devour in half a day. Like Marley & Me, have the tissue box ready, though.

Since the tragic death of her brother, Dannie has been obsessed with her 5-year-plan, including the perfect career and marriage.

Thinking she has it in the bag, Dannie falls asleep on the night of her engagement and sees herself 5 years ahead with another man.

Was this a dream? A premonition? Did she just time travel? No matter what, this was not a part of the plan.

When Dannie wakes up and meets the man from her “dream,” she is utterly terrified of its repercussions, especially for her friendship with Bella.

Readers expect In Five Years to be a time travel romance. However, it turns out to be the ultimate book about best friends. Read In Five Years : Amazon | Goodreads

31. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

One of the best 2021 books on friendship during WWII, The Rose Code will check all of the boxes:

Encounter strong women in historical fiction , a riveting WWII novel, and a story shining light onto women’s lesser-acknowledged contributions during the war.

Osla, Mab, and Beth – three women recruited to decipher German military codes – start out as the best of friends.

However, as the story begins, we realize that an alleged betrayal has split apart the women and one is currently residing in a mental health institution.

As they reunite to crack one last code, can they catch a traitor and repair their friendship amidst a royal wedding?

Although one of the longest friendship books on this list, Quinn is a goddess at writing captivating WWII historical fiction . Explore even more books with colors in the title . Read The Rose Code : Amazon  |  Goodreads

32. The Death Of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

You wouldn’t typically think of The Death of Vivek Oji as one of the top books about friendship – but we promise, you won’t regret this one.

In fact, The Death of Vivek Oji was one of our top books of 2020 . An LGBTQ+ book set in Nigeria , non-binary author Emezi transports readers to Africa.

It’s no spoiler that Emezi begins with the actual death of Vivek Oji. Someone has left Vivek’s body on his mother’s doorstep.

Who killed Vivek, and why would he be left in such a manner?

Before this moment and throughout the story, Vivek struggles with who he feels like inside versus the way he must behave and look for society.

Only behind closed doors, including in cousins’ and childhood friends’ homes, is Vivek free to express himself – and is loved and safe.

The Death of Vivek Oji is a heartbreaking story about relationships. Emezi is one of our all-time favorite authors too. Read The Death Of Vivek Oji : Amazon  |  Goodreads

33. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

Translated in English by Ann Goldstein

Travel to Italy in Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend – the first in the series – which was also made into a TV show.

It is the 1950s in Naples, and we watch 10-year-old Lila’s and Elena’s lives and friendship evolve over the course of 60 years.

Their roles, values, dreams, neighborhood, and relationships change throughout.

For slow-burn friendship books, learn more about working-class Naples and witness one complicated friendship. Read My Brilliant Friend: Amazon | Goodreads

34. Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe is one of the ultimate YA LGBTQ+ books about best friends.

Aristotle and Dante are both lonely with seemingly very little in common. However, when they meet at the pool, their friendship begins to grow in a sincere yet confusing manner.

Plus, Aristotle is constantly angry as his brother is in prison and his father struggles with PTSD. All of this trauma makes navigating high school and growing up even more difficult.

A slow-paced story about friendship transforming into love, this Printz Honor Book – along with many other awards – emphasizes coming of age and exploring our sexuality.

It’s incredibly endearing and one of our favorite YA friendship books.

Read Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe : Amazon | Goodreads

35. We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz

For creepier books about friendship, travel to Cambodia and Chile – and maybe you’ll survive the night.

Emily and Kristen are best friends and fearless travelers. However, the men they meet at bars always end up dead after hanging out with them.

Are these accidents? Acts of self-defense? Or, is something more sinister happening here?

Back in Wisconsin, Emily starts to question all that she knows about Kristen, including her parent’s tragic death in a house fire.

Kristen is a bit…obsessive and controlling, adding to the suspense of the novel. Witness the effects of past trauma at their worst.

Toxic friendship books are sure to end badly. We Were Never Here : Amazon | Goodreads

36. People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry

One of the most popular friendship books of 2021, travel to Palm Springs, CA in Henry’s rom-com, People We Meet On Vacation .

Poppy is a travel writer for a luxury travel magazine, which sounds heavenly. However, she’s actually not happy or inspired in life.

While Poppy’s job grants her all-expenses-paid vacations to gorgeous destinations, she’s lost her creativity along with her best friend and vacation partner, Alex.

With one last chance to repair their friendship and a faulty AC thwarting their plans, Alex and Poppy’s escapades will make you laugh out loud.

People We Meet On Vacation is one of the funniest books about best friends with that spark and potential for something more. Read People We Meet On Vacation : Amazon | Goodreads

37. The Book Thief By Markus Zusak

One of the best WWII novels for teens , The Book Thief promises not only a book about friendship but also about the power of books.

Narrated by Death, travel to Nazi Germany in 1939 where Liesel’s foster family hides Max, their Jewish friend, in the basement.

Liesel is the namesake of the story, stealing books as her foster father teaches her to read.

While bombs drop around them, Liesel and Max’s relationship grows as they share their commonalities over books and words.

Unfortunately, Death is quite busy during war, making this one of the most somber friendship books on this list.

Read The Book Thief : Amazon | Goodreads

38. Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

While Heartstopper is ultimately an LGBTQ+ graphic novel and romance, it’s also a terrific book about friendship.

Charlie is one of the only people in his school who is openly gay, which is rough. Thankfully, he has the best of friends.

When Charlie realizes that a guy in his grade is just using him to make out but has a girlfriend in the public eye, Charlie isn’t sure he’ll ever find love.

Enter Nick, a rugby player who immediately befriends Charlie. Nick and Charlie love spending time together watching movies and playing with Nick’s cute dog.

Charlie assumes that Nick is straight, but Nick quickly realizes that he feels more than just friendship toward Charlie.

However, Nick is confused. Can he like both girls and guys?

Devour one of the sweetest and most heart-swelling books about best friends. We champion both the TV and book series. Read Heartstopper : Amazon | Goodreads

39. The Survivors By Jane Harper

If you enjoy character-heavy friendship books and murder mysteries, The Survivors is a satisfying slow-burn read worth the build-up.

Travel to the fictional island of Evelyn Bay in Tasmania where a group of guilt-riddled friends is still struggling with trauma and a mysterious death from their childhood.

Add in a present-day murder in a small community, and everyone is suspect.

With a deadly storm brewing, can they stop the murderer before anyone else dies?

The Survivors is one of those books on friendship where secrets are constantly unfolding. Someone – or everyone – is lying.

Uncover even more books set in and about Australia . Read The Survivors : Amazon | Goodreads

40. The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

Nothing beats a dark academia book about friendship set at the New York Public Library .

Head out on a fantastical adventure that is reminiscent of Harrow’s The Ten Thousand Doors of January .

Nell’s NYPL cartographer career is over before it even started – and all because of a box filled with junk. 

Estranged from her dad – who was responsible for firing her – she is shocked to learn of his murder over a worthless highway map.

Who would kill over a map and why?

In order to answer that, follow Nell’s parents and their nerdy group of friends throughout college. Friendship books don’t get any more surprising than this.

Navigate even more books on cartography . Read The Cartographers : Amazon | Goodreads

41. The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

One of the edgiest friendship books, The Ballerinas will certainly leave you thinking about the chosen people in your life.

Although the surprises shouldn’t be that shocking, they somehow are.

Travel to Paris to the Paris Opera Ballet where Delphine, Margaux, and Lindsay have schooled and competed to be a part of the most prestigious and iconic ballet company.

Although the best of friends, when there are only two open and coveted soloist spots, all three women do unthinkable things to get on top.

Guilty and chasing a relationship, Delphine heads to St. Petersburg, only returning to Paris decades later brokenhearted, motherless, and as a choreographer. Can she re-kindle her childhood friendships?

This is not a fluffy friendship novel. Encounter infidelity, scandal, lies, recording sex without consent, and older men sleeping with much younger women.

Examine loyalty to ourselves, friendships, work, and our bodies. Books about best friends don’t get any more thought-provoking and timely than this.

Explore more books about, from, and set in France .

Read The Ballerinas : Amazon | Goodreads

42. Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell & Faith Erin Hicks

Books about best friends don’t get any more atmospheric than YA graphic novel Pumpkinheads , and you’ll fall in love with Deja and Josie.

Every Halloween season, Deja and Josie man the Succotash Hut in the best pumpkin patch in Omaha, Nebraska.

With high school graduation looming, it’s their last fall working here, and both Deja and Josie have some bucket list goals.

Josie has been crushing on Fudge Girl for years, and it’s finally time to talk to her. Meanwhile, Deja just wants to enjoy the patch as a guest instead of a staff member.

Throughout the course of their adventurous night, we watch their relationship transform. Will Fudge Girl be who Josie thinks she is, and will Deja get her favorite snacks? Will they be more than just seasonal friends?

Fall in love with the warm and autumn-colored illustrations in one of the best books about friendship and crushes. Read Pumpkinheads : Amazon | Goodreads

43. The Celebrants by Steven Rowley

TWs for suicide, drug addiction, and more

One of the best books about friendship released in 2023 , we cannot champion The Celebrants enough.

You might remember Rowley from his beloved The Guncle , and now he’s tackling the contemporary book version of the movie, Big Chill .

Follow a group of six friends that become 5 when one of them dies during their college years – potentially by suicide, but they’ll never know for sure.

From that moment forward, they form a pact to meet across decades to celebrate their living funerals, usually when a member is at their lowest – such as divorce or a parent(s) death.

They skydive, try a Ouiji board, go on vacation, and swim with the sharks.

The Celebrants is a friendship book filled with multifaceted middle-aged characters sure to make you cry, laugh, and cry some more. We never wanted it to end.

Read The Celebrants : Amazon | Goodreads

44. Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

For foodie fiction and queer fantasy lovers , one of our favorite friendship books of all time is all about delicious coffee – with a passion that rivals the Gilmore Girls.

Retiring orc, Viv, fell in love with coffee while on a murderous hunt – a lifestyle she is now hoping to leave behind.

Heading to the small village of Thune, Viv is sure that the Scalvert’s Stone she has in her possession is responsible for her new business’s success – and so are a few other threatening people who now want it…

Can Viv keep her shop open with the help of her new eccentric group of friends? And, what happens if she loses this precious stone? Will her friends, love, and newfound success also disappear?

Baldree has created the perfect recipe for one of the sweetest and best books on friendship that you’ll want to read in one sitting.

Thimble, Cal, Tandri, Gallina, Hem, and Pendry are just a few of the characters – and new friends – you’ll never want to forget.

Read Legends and Lattes : Amazon | Goodreads

Grab the best books on friendship for later :

Save These Books About Best Friends For Later:

What are your favorite friendship books?

What is your all-time favorite book about friendship?

And, which books about best friends should we add to our always-growing TBR piles? Let us know in the comments!

Before you go…

If you enjoy all things best friends and are in a movie mood, be sure to check out these great movies about friendship . Find films featuring weddings, road trips, overcoming hardship, and more. Some of these movies will make you laugh out loud while others might hit a heartstring or two. Genres include rom-coms, dramas, animated fantasy films, and horror.

Related Articles:

• Books For Sisters

Thank you to TUL contributor, Tori Curran from Explore With Tori

Tori (pronouns: she/her) is a children’s librarian and mom to two boys living in New York. She’s an avid traveler, nature enthusiast, and writer, encouraging families to get outside and start exploring the world. When she’s not hiking or traveling, you can find her lost in a historical fiction book, watching Bravo reruns, or obsessively decluttering her home.

Tori Curran

Tori (pronouns: she/her) is a mom to two boys, living in New York but adventuring everywhere, usually with a toddler on her back. She's an avid traveler, nature junkie, and writer, encouraging families to get outside and start exploring the world. When she's not hiking or traveling, you can find her lost in a book, watching Bravo reruns, or obsessively decluttering her home. Tori owns the family and adventure blog, Explore with Tori .

Christine Frascarelli

Christine (she/her) is the owner, lead editor, and tipsy book sommelier of The Uncorked Librarian LLC, an online literary publication showcasing books and movies to inspire travel and home to the famed Uncorked Reading Challenge. With a BA in English & History from Smith College, an MLIS from USF-Tampa, and a U.S. Fulbright Fellowship in Christine's back pocket, there isn't a bookstore, library, or winery that can hide from her. Christine loves brewery yoga, adopting all of the kitties, and a glass of oaked Chardonnay. Charcuterie is her favorite food group.

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Booklist Queen

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46 Delightful Books About Friendship to Enjoy

Celebrate the friends who have shaped your life with these outstandingly enjoyable books about friendship.

They say a good book is a good friend, but even better is reading a book about best friends.

Good friends can lift us up when we’re down, push us to be better than we thought we could, and shape our lives in a myriad of ways. In these books about friendship, you’ll see for yourself how intimate companionship can change lives for both good and ill.

Although my list of the best books about friendship is geared toward adults, with plenty of books about female friendship, you’ll also find some young adult and children’s picks among my choices.

Go ahead and scroll through the list. I’m positive you’ll find something great for your next book club night.

Books About Friendship for Adults

A Man Called Ove

Fredrik backman.

Ove, a cantankerous old Swede, just wants to be left in peace so he can commit suicide, but his pesky neighbors keep getting in the way. This heartwarming and hilarious tale is a popular book club choice for books about friendship. Highlighting our need for connection in the modern world, A Man Called Ove typifies how important it is to leave our digital worlds and make sure we check in on our neighbors.

Publication Date: 27 August 2012 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Gabrielle zevin.

On a bitterly cold day, Sam Masur runs into Sadie Green on a train platform and they renew their childhood friendship bonding over video games. Together, they create Ichigo, a blockbuster game that changes their lives. Over the next three decades, their friendship is tested as their success leads them to money, fame, love, and betrayal. More a heartrending story about friendship than video games, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is an unputdownable read with complex character development that easily earns it a place among the best books about friendship.

Publication Date: 12 July 2022 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

The Kite Runner

Khaled hosseini.

An unforgettable story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant, The Kite Runner beautifully describes love, friendship, betrayal, and redemption. Be warned that the novel is violent and graphic at times, so understand that while moving, the story is dark and disturbing. It’s that contrast between the worst of human nature and the best that truly brings out a remarkable tale that will stay with you for a long time.

Publication Date: 29 May 2003 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Gail honeyman.

Socially awkward Eleanor Oliphant has the habit of saying exactly what she thinks and much prefers to spend her weekends at home talking on the phone to her mother. When Eleanor and her slovenly coworker Raymond help an elderly gentleman after a fall, they become friends and Eleanor learns that opening up isn’t always a bad thing.

Publication Date: 9 May 2017 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Hello Beautiful

Ann napolitano.

After a childhood of being ignored by his family, William Waters finds refuge playing basketball in college. When William meets Julia Padavano, a lively girl extremely close to her parents and three sisters, he quickly becomes a part of the close-knit Padavano family. Although cracks start to appear in the family, William never imagined he’d be the wedge to drive them apart. A homage to Little Women , Hello Beautiful gorgeously describes family and sisterhood, mental health, and forgiveness, in such a way that you will never forget this story.

Publication Date: 14 March 2023 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

The Authenticity Project

Clare pooley.

Septuagenarian Julian Jessop feels like the world lacks authenticity. So he writes his deepest truths in a notebook which then gets passed along from stranger to stranger adding their own truths. Along the way, they will find connections they didn’t realize they were missing. With a light love story and a few fun surprises, Pooley has penned the perfect little cozy read about friendship.

Publication Date: 4 February 2020 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

In Five Years

Rebecca serle.

Lawyer Dannie Cohan knows exactly where she’ll be in five years – until the night of her engagement. In her post-engagement bliss, she has a vision of herself in five years engaged to someone else. She doesn’t think much of it, until years later when she finds he is dating her best friend. While the premise sounds light-hearted, partway through the story, beach read goes out the window and thought-provoking steps in. You’ll feel compelled to know if the vision came true and surprised at how well Serle counters your expectations.

Publication Date: 10 March 2020 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

A Little Life

Hanya yanagihara.

Four classmates from a small Massachusetts college all find themselves in New York City trying to make their way in life: wannabe actor Willem, aspiring painter JB, entry-level architect Malcolm, and Jude who holds them all together. Over the decades, their friendships deepen but also darken – fighting addiction, coping with trauma, and balancing ambition and success.

Publication Date: 10 March 2015 Amazon | Goodreads

Project Hail Mary

In a last-ditch effort to save Earth from an extinction-level event, a group of astronauts is sent on a desperate mission in a cobbled-together spacecraft. But when Ryland Grace wakes up, he has no memory of his mission or why the rest of the crew is dead. The sole survivor, he must take on an impossible task with the help of an alien spider, in this interesting science fiction book about friendship.

Publication Date: 4 May 2021 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Save for Later

Books About Female Friendship

Firefly Lane

Kristin hannah.

In 1974, Kate Mularkey becomes best friends with the cool new girl at school, Tully Hart. As Tully becomes a celebrity news anchor and Kate chooses to be a stay-at-home mom, their friendship full of love, jealousy, anger, and laughter will shape their lives over the next three decades. You’ll love the dynamics of the relationship between Kate and Tully, watching them renegotiate their friendship and struggle with their codependency as they each grew in different directions.

Publication Date: 5 February 2008 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Girls Burn Brighter

Shobha Rao’s debut novel chronicles the lives of two Indian girls. Girls Burn Brighter tackles many of the pressing topics facing women today: domestic abuse, human tracking, immigration, and women’s rights. Poornima finds a kindred soul in Savitha, one of her father’s new employees. Yet, when an act of violence sends Savitha away, Poornima will go through the underbelly of India and all the way to America to find her.

Publication Date: 6 March 2018 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Beyond the Point

Claire gibson.

On the eve of 9/11, three women entering the U.S. Military Academy at West Point form an enduring friendship to see them through the years ahead. Dani, the star athlete determined to break barriers; Hannah, the Army brat guided by her faith; and Avery, the wild child pushing boundaries. Covering women in the military and the history of West Point as well as the post-9/11 years, Gibson’s debut novel has plenty to set it apart.

Publication Date: 2 April 2019 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Happy & You Know It

Laura hankin.

To make ends meet, Claire accepts a job as a playgroup musician for wealthy New York City moms. As she gets to know her employers – Whitney the up-and-coming social media influencer, Amara the new stay-at-home mom, and Gwen the old-money experienced mom – Claire learns these picture-perfect moms are far from perfect and loves them more for it.

Publication Date: 19 May 2020 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

These Impossible Things

Salma el-wardany.

Growing up, Malak, Kees, and Jenna have always struggled to reconcile their own wants with their expectations as Muslim women. Yet, as they age, the balancing act between religion and rebellion becomes harder to manage. Malak wants the dream – the perfect blend of faith and love. Kees has fallen for a white Catholic man whom her family would never accept. Jenna’s years of partying hide a desperate loneliness. As their college years close, one night will change everything and force all three of them in different directions.

Publication Date: 7 June 2022 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

Rebecca wells.

When Siddalee Walker describes her mother Vivi as a “tap-dancing child abuser” in an interview, Vivi disowns her. Desperate for forgiveness, Sidda postpones her wedding trying to reconnect with her mother. To help, Vivi’s friends send Sidda a scrapbook of their girlhood mementos with Vivi to allow Sidda to better understand her mother.

Publication Date: 2 May 1996 Amazon | Goodreads

Zadie Smith

An unnamed narrator reflects upon her life and a childhood friendship that changed its course forever. Growing up in London, she meets Tracey in a tap dance class. Although Tracey is the more talented dancer, the narrator manages to find a career as an assistant to a world-famous pop star and her friendship with Tracey takes a turn for the worse.

Publication Date: 15 November 2016 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Cat’s Eye

Margaret atwood.

Returning home for an exhibit of her art, controversial painter Elaine Risley contemplates her childhood friendships. After a life spent traveling, at age eight, Elaine discovers the joys of having girlfriends when she meets Carol and Grace. After a summer away, Elaine returns to find a new girl who has completely changed the group’s dynamics.

Publication Date: September 1988 Amazon | Goodreads

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe

Fannie flagg.

In the throes of a middle-age crisis, Evelyn unexpectedly finds comfort from the elderly Mrs. Threadgoode. Mrs. Threadgoode tells her a fascinating tale of two women, Idgie and Ruth, who ran the Whistle Stop Cafe in Alabama in the 1930s – an era of hard luck, racism, small-town problems, lots of laughter and the occasional murder.

Publication Date: 12 August 1987 Amazon | Goodreads

Stay Up All Night With These Unputdownable Books !

Books About Best Friends Falling In Love

The Orphans of Race Point

Patry francis.

Set in a Portuguese community in Massachusetts, young Hallie Costa forms a lifelong bond with Gus Silva after the murder of his mother. One of the best books about friendship and love, the story follows them through the ups and downs of their lives – examining the balance between the good and evil that lives within each of us. Patry Francis will leave you feeling hope for the future and make you reconsider the true meaning of soul mates.

Publication Date: 6 May 2014 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Dear Emmie Blue

When she was sixteen, Emmie Blue released a balloon in England which Lucas discovers across the channel in France, leading to a lifelong friendship. When Lucas gets engaged to be married, Emmie begins to realize that you can’t leave your life up to fate. A heartwarming love story about friendship and loyalty, Dear Emmie Blue is one of my favorite summer releases from 2020. (Trigger warning: Sexual Assault.)

Publication Date: 24 October 2019 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Jane Austen

After successfully arranging the marriage of her governess, Emma Woodhouse sets out to expand on her matchmaking career. Immediately, her sights fall on Miss Harriet Smith, and Emma plans to find the perfect husband for her new pupil. Hijinks ensue as Emma finds matchmaking is not exactly her expertise. Along the way, Emma herself will discover love is not quite what she was expecting.

Publication Date: 23 December 1815 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

People We Meet on Vacation

Emily henry.

Emily Henry (author of Beach Read ) returns with one of the best beach reads of 2021 for romance book lovers. Poppy and Alex have been best friends forever even though she’s a wild child full of wanderlust and he’s an introverted bookworm. Although she lives in New York City and he still lives in their hometown, every year they take a week-long vacation together. Until two years ago, when their trip ended in a falling out. Now Poppy convinces Alex to take one final vacation with her in an attempt to fix their relationship … and maybe even fall in love.

Publication Date: 11 May 2021 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Ask Again, Yes

Mary beth keane.

NYPD cops Francis and Brian happen to move next door to each other in the suburbs. Though their children Kate and Peter become the best of friends, Francis and his wife have learned to keep their distance from Brian’s wife due to her precarious mental health. When tragedy strikes between the two families, Brian’s family moves away in shame. But when Kate and Peter fall in love, the two families must learn to confront the tragedy that ties them together.

Publication Date: 28 May 2019 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Historical Fiction Books About Friendship

The Giver of Stars

During the Great Depression, Englishwoman Alice Wright marries a handsome American and finds herself transplanted to rural Kentucky. To escape her unhappy home life with her withdrawn husband and overbearing father-in-law, Alice agrees to become a traveling librarian, riding around the countryside bringing books to local residents. In her new job, she meets other fierce women and gains lasting friendships. Add in plenty of drama, love stories, corrupt businessmen, and even murder, and you have the perfect light historical fiction read.

Publication Date: 3 October 2019 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Min Jin Lee

In the early 1900s, Sunja falls for a wealthy stranger in Korea. When Sunja finds she is pregnant, she learns he is married. Refusing to be his mistress, she instead marries a kind but sickly preacher. Moving to Japan, she becomes best friends with her sister-in-law, a friendship that will pull her family through hardships for generations to come.

Publication Date: 7 February 2017 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Naomi Krupitsky

In Red Hook, Brooklyn during the early 1900s, Sofia and Antonia are best friends and neighbors, members of “The Family,” the local Italian mafia. When Antonia’s father is disappeared, a wedge develops between the girls that will affect them as they grow older and begin to question the demands of their “family.”

Publication Date: 2 November 2021 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Code Name Verity

Elizabeth wein.

One of my favorite WWII books about friendship. You’ll find yourself immersed in a world of intrigue with the story of a British spy, Agent “Verity.” Captured when her plane crashes in occupied France, Verity is interrogated by the Gestapo in an attempt to learn of her mission. As she confesses under torture, you’ll find yourself on the edge of your seat wondering what secrets she is willing to exchange for her life. How far is she willing to go for her mission? A brilliant and emotional read that you won’t want to miss.

Publication Date: 15 May 2012 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

The Island of Sea Women

On the island of Jeju just off the Korean peninsula lives a society where women are the breadwinners. They are sea divers risking untold hazards to provide for their families from the ocean. Among them are best friends Mi-ja and Young-sook, two girls just entering their village’s diving collective. Telling the account of their lives from the Japanese occupation in the 1930s, through World War II and the tumultuous aftermath up to the present, Lisa See’s historical fiction novel is a beautifully written account of friendship.

Publication Date: 5 March 2019 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Khaled Hosseini writes some of the best friendship novels, landing a second book on my list. In A Thousand Splendid Suns , Hosseini covers thirty years in Afghanistan, from the Soviet invasion to the post-Taliban years. Illegitimate child Mariam is forced to marry Rasheed, a man thirty years her elder. Stuck in a horrible marriage, Mariam’s life changes when they take in a teenage girl. Discussing family, friendship, and the struggle to survive, A Thousand Splendid Suns is a thought-provoking read.

Publication Date: 22 May 2007 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

A Prayer for Owen Meany

John irving.

During a Little League baseball game, Owen Meany hits a foul ball that kills his best friend’s mother. Believing himself to be God’s instrument, Owen seeks to fulfill his own prophecy. Narrated by Owen’s best friend John Wheelwright, A Prayer for Owen Meany is one of the best books about male friendship and a beloved modern classic.

Publication Date: March 1989 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell

Robert dugoni.

Born with red eyes, Sam Hill has been called the  “Devil Boy” all his life. Reflecting on his life, Sam realizes that his childhood friendship with two other misfits – Ernie Cantwell, the only African American boy at his school, and Mickie Kennedy, a firestorm in the form of a girl – has defined and shaped his life.

Publication Date: 24 April 2018 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Another Brooklyn

Jacqueline woodson.

When August returns home to bury her father, she runs into an old friend and begins reminiscing. Growing up in Brooklyn, August and her best friends dreamed of the big future they have ahead of them. However alongside the magical Brooklyn of their childhood lived another Brooklyn, a dark world rife with dangers for young women.

Publication Date: 9 August 2016 Amazon | Goodreads

Nonfiction Books About Friendship

Truth & Beauty

Ann patchett.

In 1981, Ann Patchett met Lucy Grealy in college, and, after attending a writer’s workshop, a close friendship bloomed that would last decades. As a child, Lucy lost half her jaw to childhood cancer. Through the years of reconstructive surgery, Ann and Lucy’s bound remains strong only to be separated by Lucy’s death at a young age.

Publication Date: 2004 Amazon | Goodreads

The Undoing Project

Michael lewis.

Forty years ago, Israeli psychologist Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky developed a friendship that would change how we view the world. Together, the pair wrote a series of earth-shattering papers that laid the foundation for the field of behavioral economics.

Publication Date: 6 December 2016 Amazon | Goodreads

Big Friendship

Aminatou sow and ann friedman.

Long-time friends and podcast co-hosts Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman wrote an entire nonfiction book about friendship. Together, they reveal how their friendship has endured over the years. With hilarious honesty, the two give a rundown on how to find, keep, and sustain life-changing female friendships.

Publication Date: 7 July 2020 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Text Me When You Get Home

Kayleen shaefer.

A validation of female friendship, Kayleen Schaeffer discusses the millennial take on friendship. Mixing historical research, pop culture, and Schaeffer’s experiences, Text Me When You Get Home highlights that modern female friendships are making women stronger than ever.

Publication Date: 6 February 2018 Amazon | Goodreads

Marley & Me

John grogan.

A list of books about friendship would not be complete if I didn’t mention a story about man’s best friend. John Grogan chronicles his relationship with Marley, the world’s worst dog whose antics will leave you in stitches. Even more, the love that springs up between Marley and Grogan despite Marley’s many flaws is so touching. A great reminder for you to be grateful for the love of four-legged friends in your life.

Publication Date: 18 October 2005 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Try These Nonfiction Books About Fierce Females !

Classic Novels About Friendship

Of Mice and Men

John steinbeck.

This memorable classic about friendship follows eternal optimists George and Lennie who share a common dream – to own some land of their own. When life leads them to work on a California ranch, they bump up against the reality that life can be extremely unfair. Steinbeck is a brilliant writer, and this story will stick with you long after you’ve read it.

Publication Date: 1937 Amazon | Goodreads

A Separate Peace

John knowles.

During the early days of World War II, Southern boy Gene Forrester attends an elite New Hampshire boarding school. Feeling insecure among the prep school kids, quite introverted Gene eventually becomes friends with the charming athletic Phineas. But when friendly competition goes awry, the consequences last a lifetime. A thought-provoking coming-of-age novel that quickly became an American classic.

Publication Date: 1959 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

The Three Musketeers

Alexandre dumas.

“All for one, one for all!” cried the Three Musketeers, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. The young protagonist, Comte d’Artagnan, is determined to find glory for himself and win the hand of his lady love. As he joins the musketeers and befriends the famous three, adventure, intrigue and a whole lot of swashbuckling swordplay await in this fun long classic book about friendship.

Publication Date: 1 March 1844 Amazon | Goodreads

Books About Friendship: YA Picks

The Serpent King

Jeff zentner.

The son of a snake-handling preacher currently imprisoned for child pornography, Dill does not exactly fit in at school. Luckily he has his best friends Lydia, a vintage fashion blogger, and Travis, a gentle-hearted giant obsessed with fantasy books. Teaching about friendship, love, and the struggles of growing up, The Serpent King is a touching novel that will give you all the feels.

Publication Date: March 2016 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Stephen chbosky.

In a series of letters, fifteen-year-old Charlie narrates his struggles to adapt to his first year in high school, especially after the suicide of his best friend from middle school and the death of his beloved aunt. He befriends two seniors, Patrick and Sam, and together they navigate a difficult year. Hitting on the tough topics of abuse and mental health, Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of the top YA books about friendship and gained lots of notoriety with its popular film adaptation.

Publication Date: 1 February 1999 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Benjamin alire sáenz.

When Aristotle meets Dante at the local swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. What blooms is a lasting friendship that will shape the course of their lives. Eventually friendship shifts to romance in this young adult novel that has scooped up plenty of awards.

Publication Date: 21 February 2012 Amazon | Goodreads

The Book Thief

Markus zusak.

A book narrated by Death might be off-putting at first, but quickly you’ll fall in love with this Young Adult WWII historical fiction. In 1939, Liesel Meminger is sent to live with foster parents in Munich. There she befriends the charming neighborhood boy Rudy and settles into a life of book thievery. Coming of age during the rise of the Nazis, Liesel and Rudy must face the complications of growing up in a dictatorship they hate.

Publication Date: 2005 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Friendship Books For Kids

Ally Condie

This coming-of-age story of the healing power of friendship follows Cedar, a 12-year-old girl whose father and younger brother both recently died in a tragic accident. When Cedar meets the unusual Leo, they strike up a friendship that will carry her through the summer. Throw in a fun mystery at the local theatre festival, and you have a sweet story for your reading list.

Publication Date: 29 March 2016 Amazon | Goodreads

Charlotte’s Web

E. b. white.

This beloved children’s classic follows the friendship of a spider named Charlotte and a pig named Wilbur. When the farmer wants to slaughter Wilbur, Charlotte begins leaving messages in her web praising the pig in hopes of sparing his life.

Publication Date: 15 October 1952 Amazon | Goodreads

Bridge to Terabithia

Katherine paterson.

When a new girl dashes Jess’s hope of being the fastest runner in fifth grade, he quickly strikes up a friendship with her. Jess and Leslie end up spending most days in the woods behind her house, inventing a magical world called Terabithia. Celebrating the delights of childhood imagination, the story also shows what happens when tragedy strikes, so keep your tissues close.

Publication Date: 21 October 1977 Amazon | Goodreads

Because of Winn-Dixie

Kate dicamillo.

The summer Opal and her father, the Preacher, move to Naomi, Florida, Opal goes into the local Winn-Dixie supermarket and comes out with a dog. Quickly, Opal (and everyone else) falls in love with the enchanting stray with a big smile. Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal breaks out of her shell, befriending both children and adults in her new hometown. Mixing deeper themes about life with charming childhood antics, Because of Winn-Dixie is a classic children’s book about friendship perfect for a read-aloud.

Publication Date: 1 March 2000 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

R. J. Palacio

If you are looking for books about friendship for your children to read, you can’t go wrong with the acclaimed novel, Wonder . This story of a boy with a severely deformed face entering public middle school for the first time will make you ponder how you react to people who look differently. This middle-grade phenomenon will be read in classrooms around America for years to come.

Publication Date: 14 February 2012 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

What are your favorite books about friendship?

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Reader Interactions

Terrie @ Bookshelf Journeys says

September 15, 2020 at 4:39 pm

We’re on the same wave length! I’ve got a list of friendship books publishing on Thursday! Though mine is not nearly as exhaustive a list as yours – I broke mine into two parts, but there are some of the same books. I always love your lists and my TBR list is exploding, but that doesn’t keep me away! Keep up the good work!

cherelle says

September 20, 2020 at 12:59 am

Thank you for this! This list is amazing and now I won’t miss my friends I can’t meet up with so much anymore! (due to the coronavirus)

roberta kovach says

March 6, 2022 at 2:59 pm

One of the very best books about friendship that I have ever read was The Clover Girls by Viola Shipman. I recently read it and loved it!!!!

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The 15 Best Books About Friendship to Read Alongside Your Bestie

PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and the company may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here .

You and your college roommate have a standing phone date every other week despite living on opposite sides of the country and being busy with your respective spouses and kids. You and your first work wife still send each other Instagram memes on the regular despite having moved on to different jobs years ago. You and the first girl you befriended in kindergarten make it a point to plan a weekend trip every year. Friendship is a beautiful thing, so why not celebrate it by reading one of these 15 fabulous books about friendships of all kinds? (Bonus points if you turn it into a mini book club situation with pals near and far.)

The 3 Rules of a Healthy Friendship

1. Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo

In 2019, Bernardine Evaristo became the first black woman to win the Booker Prize, for her multi-voiced novel about an interconnected group of Black British women—including a newly acclaimed playwright whose work often explores her Black lesbian identity, a jaded teacher and a successful investment banker.  Girl, Woman, Other  paints a vivid portrait of the state of contemporary Britain and looks back to the legacy of Britain’s colonial history in Africa and the Caribbean.

2. Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman

Writers Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman are best friends and the hosts of the popular but now-defunct podcast Big Friendship . Their honest and hilarious 2020 book chronicles their first decade in one another's lives, from weathering life-threatening health scares and getting fired from their dream jobs to an unfortunate Thanksgiving dinner eaten in a parking lot in Rancho Cucamonga. An inspiring and entertaining testament to the power of friendship, Sow and Friedman will invite you to think about how your own bonds are formed, challenged and preserved. 

3. Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light: Essays by Helen Ellis

When author Helen Ellis ( American Housewife ) and her lifelong friends arrive for a reunion on the Redneck Riviera, they unpack stories of husbands and kids; lost parents and lost jobs; dirty jokes and sunscreen with SPF higher than they hair-sprayed their bangs senior year; and a bad mammogram. In these twelve essays, Ellis recounts their stories to hilarious—and moving—effect.

4. The Group by Mary McCarthy

In 1933, eight young female friends graduate from Vassar College. This book is about their lives post-graduation, beginning with the marriage of one of the friends, Kay Strong, and ending with her funeral in 1940. We might be far removed from the ’30s, but any friend group in 2023 can relate to struggling with financial turmoil, family crises, relationship issues and more.

5. The Burning Girl by Claire Messud

Julia and Cassie have been friends since nursery school, sharing everything, including their desire to escape the stifling limitations of their Massachusetts hometown. But their paths diverge as they enter adolescence, with Cassie setting out on a journey that will put her life in danger and ruin her oldest friendship. A complex coming-of-age story, Messud’s latest is an examination of youth, friendship and the clash of childhood’s imaginary worlds with the often painful reality of adulthood.

6. Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions: A Novel in Interlocking Stories by Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi

At an all-girls boarding school in Nigeria, Nonso, Remi, Aisha and Solape forge an unbreakable sisterhood. The children of well-to-do families, these women have been raised with a thirst for independence. Leaving school and adolescence behind, they grapple with the possibilities and limitations of adulthood and the uncertainties of the world within and outside of Nigeria. Moving between Nigeria and America,  Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions  explores loss, family, friendship, alienation and more, illuminating the challenges its protagonists face and the risks they take to control their destinies.

7. Swing Time by Zadie Smith

With  Swing Time , Smith ( On Beauty, White Teeth ) brings more of her keen observations about race and popular culture. This time, her focus is the complicated friendship between the narrator and her best friend as they navigate childhood dreams of becoming dancers against the backdrop of life in the housing projects, following them as their lives diverge in the decades that follow. 

8. Truth & Beauty: A Friendship by Ann Patchett

Writers Ann Patchett and the late Lucy Grealy met in college in 1981, beginning a friendship that would define both their lives and their work. Over more than 20 years, the two endured long, cold winters in the Midwest, surgical wards and everything in between. This tender yet brutal account of their friendship is about what it means when two lives are intertwined...and what happens when one is left behind.

9. The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

The Great Believers opens on a memorial service in 1985. The deceased is Nico, a young man who has just lost his life to AIDS—sending his circle of friends, and sometimes lovers, into a spiral of panic, sadness and rage. Set in 1980s Chicago and contemporary Paris, Makkai's ( The Borrower ) intertwining stories are about friendship, redemption and trying to find goodness in the midst of disaster.

10. Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

Frances is an observant young woman pursuing a career in writing in Dublin. Her best friend is the beautiful Bobbi. At a local poetry performance, the two meet a well-known photographer, and as they’re drawn into her world, Frances is impressed by the photographer’s sophisticated home and handsome husband, Nick. But however amusing Frances and Nick's flirtation seems at first, it begins to give way to a strange intimacy in this 2018 novel about pleasures and dangers of youth and the messiness of female friendship.

11. Modern Lovers by Emma Straub

In the 1980s, Elizabeth, Andrew, Zoe and Lydia were members of a rock band with one major hit. Then, Lydia died at 27. Twenty years later, Elizabeth, Andrew and Zoe are living ordinary Brooklyn lives, until the past comes back to haunt them and these college friends—now in their 50s—are finally forced to address the ways they’ve changed.

12. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Yanagihara’s mesmerizing second novel is the story of four graduates of a small college in Massachusetts who move to New York to follow their dreams and escape their demons. Once there, their relationships deepen, and painful secrets (like  seriously  messed-up stuff) from their past emerge. Through Jude, Malcolm, JB and Willem, Yanagihara dives deep into male relationships, trauma, self-harm, chronic pain and more, and makes your average tearjerker look positively sunny. Still, despite trigger warnings for myriad reasons, it’s a gorgeously-written and thoroughly captivating book that readers probably won’t ever forget.

13. Best of Friends by Kamila Shamsie

Despite being different in almost every way imaginable, Zahra and Maryam have been best friends since their childhood in Karachi. Yet they never talk about their differences, even after a fateful night when a moment of adolescent impulse upends their plans for the future. Three decades later, they’re both powerful women in London when troubling figures from their past resurface, forcing them to finally confront their fundamental differences—and find out whether their friendship can survive.

14. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

The first installation in Ferrante’s enthralling Neapolitan Quartet,  My Brilliant Friend  begins to document the decades-long friendship between two girls, Lila and Lenu, in post-war Naples. It takes an oft-discussed topic—growing up—and injects it with such immense minutiae that you get totally sucked into their world. Though not entirely relatable (the girls have to struggle to be considered “worthy” of an education in the 1950s and one of them is pressured to marry at 16), Ferrante’s vivid descriptions of teenage friendship will have you reaching for your phone to call your oldest pal. Plus, we’re hard-pressed to think about a series that captivated nearly every woman in our life quite like this one did in the early 2010s.

15. The Most Likely Club by Elyssa Friedland

It’s 1997 in Bellport, Connecticut, and best friends and high school seniors Melissa, Priya, Tara and Suki are ready to light the world on fire having recently received their yearbook superlatives: Most Likely to Win the White House, Cure Cancer, Open a Michelin-Starred Restaurant and Join the Forbes 400. Cut to 25 years and nothing has gone according to plan. When the women regroup at their dreaded high school reunion, a forgotten classmate emerges with a surprising announcement, inspiring the friends to rethink their younger selves. Fueled by nostalgia and one too many drinks, they form a pact to push through their middle-aged angst and bring their teenage aspirations to fruition, dubbing themselves the “Most Likely Girls.”

The 49 Best Memoirs We’ve Ever Read

Wellness Director

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The Gang’s All Here: 11 Wonderful Books About Friendship to Read Right Now

We can never get enough of witnessing the origins of lifelong relationships and reading as they bloom on the page. So, we’ve gathered together a few of our bookish besties: poignant tales about lifelong connections, thrillers that dig into the darkness that lies beneath an amicable surface, and literary deep dives into the trials and tribulations of sharing our deepest vulnerabilities with another person. Like the different relationships in our lives that wax and wane, these books come in all types and tones. Best of all? Each is guaranteed to make you want to gab. So share them with a friend and get ready to debrief over a glass of wine.

The follow-up to Joanna Cannon’s acclaimed debut, THE TROUBLE WITH GOATS AND SHEEP , THREE THINGS ABOUT ELSIE explores the complexity of lifelong relationships. Florence, an eighty-four-year-old on the brink of death, takes what could be her final moments to reflect on the dark secrets she and her best friend, Elsie, have kept from each other over the years. Lyrical and rich, this novel lights up with bittersweet humor and unexpected reveals. Read the full review of THREE THINGS ABOUT ELSIE .

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The Best Fiction Books

The best books on friendship, recommended by lauren mechling.

How Could She by Lauren Mechling

Friendships: they can be hard to keep and even harder to understand. Yet so often they end up having enormous impacts on our lives. Lauren Mechling , contributing editor at Vogue  and author of the novel  How Could She , picks the novelists that best portray the thorny underside of friendship as well as its joys.

Interview by Stephanie Kelley

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

Quartet In Autumn by Barbara Pym

A Friend from England by Anita Brookner

How To Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell

Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro

1 My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

2 quartet in autumn by barbara pym, 3 a friend from england by anita brookner, 4 how to do nothing: resisting the attention economy by jenny odell, 5 hateship, friendship, courtship, loveship, marriage by alice munro.

S o, you’ve picked five books on friendship. What was your methodology for choosing this selection?

But you read lists and magazines with headlines like ‘Our top friendship novels!’ and usually it’s like Sex and the City with half as many characters: it’s either books about pairs of women or Thelma & Louise stories. There’s a lot of affirmation and mutual empowerment going on. My selections reflect my particular obsessions with friendship, which tend to be its darker underpinnings. I wanted to present books that would be surprising—that would perhaps open windows for people or help them think about friendship a little differently.

What makes a good novel about friendship? There are so many novels of human relationships, or that feature a dominant romance or friendship running through them. Zadie Smith’s NW , which orbits around a friendship of two women as they grow up and become adults, comes to mind.

It’s funny—I love that book, but I don’t think of it as a bull’s-eye friendship novel. To me, it’s more like two parallel stories: two women who had an intense connection, each of whom is running on their own tracks throughout the book. NW isn’t as much about their interactions with each other as it is the impressions they made on each other.

For me, a good friendship novel is not totally cuddly. In an ideal world, it opens my eyes to a dynamic that hits me straight and feels familiar, but which I hadn’t been able to articulate to myself before. I’m also interested in the changing geometries of dynamics. I love a friendship triangle, or a seesaw between two people where there are shifts in momentum. I like power dynamics that can be blown up from the inside. We all understand what the glossy, good side of friendship is. But as a subject, I don’t think friendship gets its due in terms of its depth, its complications, and the ramifications it can have on our lives and our sense of who we are.

You’ve just written a novel that features a friendship triangle. Can you tell us a bit about it?

My book is about the trouble of female friendship. Over the course of a hopefully fun-to-read, fast-moving novel, I try to articulate these formerly unspeakable dynamics, and the feelings that women experience in relationships with other women. Especially with the effect of time. In one way friendship is impossible, because once a dynamic has been sorted out—and is agreeable to both parties, let’s say—then time happens. Circumstances change, and a whole new set of realities come into play. It’s very difficult to keep up with changes all around us and keep a friendship. To set up every friendship so that it will continue to nourish both people.

The main storyline of How Could She takes place from New Year’s to New Year’s over the course of 2017. In it, there are three women who once upon a time were true peers, growing up together as young women. Through so much exposure to one another during this very pivotal period in self-definition, they became really important to each other. A little more than a decade later, they’re still intertwined, but they’ve all landed at very different stations in life. And it’s very difficult to navigate this or even speak about it. I don’t know anyone I’m friends with who’ll say, ‘It’s very hard for me that this good thing is happening to you’, but I’m sure people feel it. I’m not proud of my internal monologue, but I feel it, too. It’s impossible not to measure yourself against your friends.

That sounds so compelling. Beginning with your book choices, let’s start with Ottessa Moshfegh’s My Year of Rest and Relaxation . I love this book. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read.

It’s funny, because that’s such a dark book, but it’s actually the lightest of the five. The friendship in it is very sweet, actually: it’s about two women, one of whom doesn’t have a name, and her best friend, Reva. They’re both brilliant comic characters, but Reva really lived on with me. Ottessa Moshfegh has this ability to say so much with little spiky details that linger. Though I read it over a year ago, I just vividly remember Reva, glugging Diet 7-Up, obsessed with her fake Gucci purses, or going to Pilates and talking about her nights going out to gay bars in the West Village. She’s just this hilarious creature of a moment: the basic girl from 2000.

But she’s actually the only source of love in the novel. She cares and worries for the narrator. In fact, the most poignant, life-changing moment in the book at the very end is about Reva. She’s a character who all along has had a comic element to her, so I was surprised by how profound the ending to do with her fate was. It’s what happens to Reva that ends our narrator’s stretch of total self-destruction.

“ My Year of Rest and Relaxation is the anti-wellness manifesto”

I read it as a rebuke to our culture of wellness, which was so refreshing. It’s the anti-wellness manifesto: this woman is basically poisoning herself every hour of the day with all sorts of pharmaceuticals. Coming from a culture where everyone is glugging turmeric juice and matcha powders and charcoal, reading about this woman who’s hilariously, greedily downing her medications—as much as she can get from the one other person in the book she talks to, her horrible psychiatrist, who’ll give her absolutely anything under the sun—was just great.

When I told a friend of mine that you’d picked this, she said that when it first came out, she mentioned it to her Upper West Side therapist, who just groaned and said something like, ‘You’re like the seventh person this week to come in destroyed by and needing to discuss this book.’ Which I thought was just hilarious.

That is hilarious. I wonder if the therapist went into this place of defensiveness—‘We actually don’t do that! Why is she depicting us as these thoughtless monsters?’

We also only see Reva through the narrator’s eyes; her kindness is often warped by the perspective of someone who is really sick and often cruel, right?

But the book itself is so prickly and so deranged, and that’s the only culture or environment in which a character like Reva could survive in a way that pleases me. If Reva were dropped into any other book that was a little more earnest or full of heart, she’d probably really annoy me, or I would’ve thought her more two-dimensional. But instead, there’s a contrast: Reva is this night-clubbing, narcissistic bulimic who’s actually really devoted to her friend.

The narrator isn’t necessarily a bad friend to Reva. She’s a very ill person; she’s a bad friend to herself , mostly. (Though she’s a good friend to herself by being friends with Reva). But Reva is a saint for putting up with this person, who won’t even accompany her anywhere. The narrator is a drag; it’s all about her problems. Reva has to operate in the world friendlessly, because her best friend is lying on the couch in a stupor for most of the book.

In a way, Reva is her carer. It’s not entirely one-sided, but it’s close.

Whereas in another kind of novel, some actual plot action would have to create that kind of disruption—so it’s really intriguing that novels about friendship can have that slow simmer. Next, you picked Barbara Pym, Quartet in Autumn .

I would pick her for any list. I named my daughter (Louisa Pym) after her! I love Barbara Pym. From the moment I found her, she has not left that special place on my bookshelf.

I press her into the hands of younger women and most have not read her. So many people who work in the world of literature, and who love humorous, poignant writing, still haven’t gotten to her yet. But that’s part of the beauty of Pym—she was so overlooked and so marginalized, and that’s why she’s able to write about that kind of character.

What is her novel of social manners like, for someone who’s never read her?

It’s many-layered. She’s known for writing about lonely women who have romantic fantasies about clergymen. They have jumble sales, live in small villages and survey each other for gossip as if bird-watching. There’s a very suppressed interiority in Barbara Pym: people are well-behaved, repressed, very English, and not generous with themselves. There’s always a scrimping and saving element, an emphasis on what would be suitable and not being extravagant or showy. But for me the real pleasure of Pym is less about the set dressing of her world—which I do adore—but her flavor, her point of view. Which is unsparing and melancholic, but a little twisted.

The novel you chose is definitely on the darker side, for Pym.

I re-read Quartet in Autumn a month ago. It’s a strange novel to re-read with much time in-between. The first time I read it, I thought it was a hoot. It was published in 1977, but it has this late 60s, early 70s flavor to it—this chartreuse aesthetic. It’s about four people who don’t feel comfortable in a changing, groovy London. They work together in an office. One thing I love about it is that it’s never made clear what they do. All that’s clear is that they’re completely marginalized. It seems like their colleagues put up with them, are waiting to get rid of them, and maybe give them little fake tasks. You get the sense from the book that there’s actual industry happening, but these four are not a part of it. [ Laughs .] It’s a little like The Breakfast Club ; there are these four losers who are united by virtue of that.

“The real pleasure of Pym is less about the set dressing of her world—which I do adore—but her flavor, her point of view”

When reading it for the first time, I thought it was the weirdest book of hers. Because it is weird. It moves out of cottage country: now we’re in London, and you get the sense of a more modern society creeping in on Pym-land. There’s a less jolly spirit. It feels more deranged and more tragic in a very appealing way. But little details stuck with me. There’s one character who has this strange compulsion to not recycle her milk bottles; instead, she hoards them in a shed, or sometimes she hides them on a bookshelf in a library. And she also obsessively collects brochures for holidays she’s not going to go on.

But re-reading it a month ago, I was horrified. Because it’s brutal and it’s so sad. Really, it’s a book about mortality—about the world truly having no need for you. I’m also interested in the idea of the context-based friendship: the deep connection that can form between people simply because they’re sharing some experience together. Nothing otherwise would’ve drawn these four characters—Marcia, Letty, Norman and Edwin—together, but they’re in the same boat, in the same strange office, and they come, albeit not in a warm, cuddly way, to be each other’s family. They’re each other’s only human connection.

Despite this sustained proximity, throughout the novel their boundaries never really let up with each other. It’s so delicious but so painful. It’s something I don’t relate to—that’s not how I am—but you get the sense, watching these people, that in a way they’re spying on each other. There’s a tenderness; they worry about each other, but they wouldn’t really dare say much to each other. A character won’t openly express her thoughts about the other person’s life choices, but they will obsess over them.

They’re observing each other’s loneliness, in a way.

Absolutely. There’s this one line: “It was a comfortable enough life, if a little sterile, perhaps even deprived. But deprivation implied once having had something to be deprived of, like Marcia’s breast, to give a practical example, and Letty had never really had anything much. Yet, she sometimes wondered, might not the experience of ‘not having’ be regarded as something with its own validity?” It’s at once tender and brutal and subtle. Classic Barbara Pym.

I love that line. I also found it really interesting that in this book and the others you’ve picked, the individuals in these friendships are themselves very, very much alone and often lonely. They live alone, or they’re single or older or somehow estranged.

Speaking of A Friend From England , do you want to tell us a little bit about Anita Brooker and her novels?

I feel like each book of Brookner’s is a continuation. She’s created this world with her novels. I haven’t read them all, but I’ve read several, and it’s like they’re part of a family. There’s very little dialogue and there’s a very rich texture to the prose. The prose itself is why I return to Brookner again and again. How to describe her prose? It’s sophisticated and a little musty. She’s known for writing about spinsters, or about women who are not in possession of the brass rings that maybe those around them have come to get. They’re outsiders, and often very curious observers.

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There’s something both calming and disturbing about her writing that brings me back over and over. And I love that she didn’t start writing novels until she was 53. I won’t call her a late bloomer, because up until then she had a full career as a historian of art. But she was a late adopter of a new métier, and she’s a master. She was a consistent writer, too; I think she wrote a book every year for much of her career. When she got older, she started slowing down—maybe one every two years. [ Laughs .] But really, she was on fire.

Why did you choose A Friend from England ?

I chose it because this book feels less lonely to me than the others of hers I’ve read. I also love this particular trope: a mismatch pairing of two women not naturally destined to be friends, and at different stations in life. One of them is a little more pitiful than the other, perhaps, and one of them is a little more glamorous. Other books like it include What Was She Thinking?: Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller, or The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud.

A Friend From England is also more suspenseful and plotty than some of her books. It’s told from the point of view of a 32-year-old woman named Rachel, who’s essentially been chosen by 27-year-old Heather’s parents to be Heather’s friend and look after her and keep her company and make sure she’s okay. So there’s an obsession in this book with meddling concern. In a way, it’s crazy that Rachel and Heather have nothing in common. They have no past together. There’s no attraction. There’s no glue of a friendship. It’s simply this bond of duty—it’s a strange friendship where all the other elements are boiled away. That’s the focus: this attachment that’s based on a sense of obligation.

“How to describe Brookner’s prose? It’s sophisticated and a little musty.”

Really, it’s Rachel who’s trying to take hold of Heather’s life. She thinks she knows what’s right for Heather, and actually becomes a little untethered over the course of the novel. At the beginning, she’s very tolerant, maybe a little judgmental, and there’s a distance between the two of them in their companionship. By the end, we have Rachel travelling across the world to track down this woman and trying to shake her out of her life choices. The most amazing scene is at the end, where suddenly the distance between the two melts away and Rachel’s obsession with Heather is just thrown back in her own face. She sees herself completely differently, in a way that’s incredibly painful. There’s a lot in this book about knowledge, and not sharing knowledge. There aren’t very many characters, but there are definitely discrepancies among them about who knows what, and who has observed what about each other—all to varying degrees measuring the happiness of other people.

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In the end, the one person who has felt like she’s essentially drafted the shape of her own life is Rachel: she’s the outsider; she’s orphaned. She’s not part of this prosperous family where there’s always a sense of warmth, food and happiness surrounding them. She’s always circled around them, happy enough to get a taste of it when she comes to visit but resigned to being single. She’s not one of those women who becomes all atwitter about marriage or weddings; she holds men off at a distance. She’s engineered this life as a lonely woman, and there’s a sense of total self-deception, of explosion of self-awareness, at the very end that has absolutely nothing to do with Heather. And it boomerangs right back at our narrator’s self-consciousness.

At first, it feels like Rachel is so different from them; she’s fearlessly independent and principled about her loneliness.

She says at one point, “I had been softened and amused by the solemnity with which they had accepted all the farrago of romantic passion. For to me it was a farrago, both on the stage and in real life, something archaic and unmanageable, unsettling and devastating, and to succumb to such a passion would be a quite voluntary step towards self-destruction.”

Right. There and elsewhere, even if indirectly, her attitude seems like a withering critique of what we might think of as ordinary people: those cocooned by the emotional shells of community and supportive family—which could be painful for almost anyone to read. But by the end it seems to rebound in Rachel’s face, too. It’s just … grim.

Yes. Her worst possible path, or destiny, just flashes in her face. It almost feels like she just as suddenly shoots right to her death. Rachel feels throughout the book that she’s given herself space and liberty. She doesn’t have to put up with nonsense the way other people do, the nonsense of connection with other people. At the end, she’s essentially completely cut off from the family. But she’s not just back to being alone: she’s alone with her demons.

Do you hear a bit of Brookner in that? She was once quoted as saying “I have said that I am one of the loneliest women in London.”

In one sense, yes: she was the chain-smoking, cat-loving spinster. There’s obviously a reason people lump Brookner herself with the Brookner heroine. But my sense of Brookner is that she was more pleased in life, and that she was fascinated by the characters she wrote about.

In another quote, she says:

I am interested in people who live on their own, people who get left behind, who drop through the net, but who survive. They seem to me quite heroic characters sometimes, but no one inquires about them because they’re people who do without much conversation, whose loudest moments are internal. If such characters persist through my novels that’s because I don’t know much about them, not because I know them too well. I write to find out what makes them tick.

Speaking of admirable, your next choice is How To Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell. This is very different from your other selections. Why did you pick it?

Totally different. I chose it for a very autobiographical reason: a very good friend of mine put the book in my hands recently, and it was the greatest act of friendship. The book itself is a manifesto of how to be a good friend to yourself.

Odell writes about opening up to a new kind of experience: the experience being not having your nose pressed into your phone, and how fascinating the world around you is if you actually tap into it. As someone who’s constantly wired in—I do not want to tell you my screen-time hours; it’s terrible—the weird but fascinating thing about reading this book was the purifying element of it. Now I’m back on the internet, having read this book—and keeping it in mind—I find myself feeling less addled. I feel a little more zen, a little more grounded.

In a way, it’s an indictment against living on Twitter. She talks about Twitter being a very out-of-context ecosystem:

Compared to the algorithms that recommend friends to us based on instrumental qualities—things we like, things we’ve bought, friends in common—geographical proximity is different, placing us near people we have no “obvious” instrumental reason to care about.

On the internet, everyone is so isolated. There isn’t much nuanced connection, or a sense of a community coming together and figuring out how to solve a problem or enjoy themselves together. There’s a pervading alienation.

A bit like the Pym novel, it’s people observing each other’s loneliness.

Right. And she talks about the natural order of things: how people, especially after a disaster like an earthquake or something, are suddenly forced to scramble and help each other:

Not only did these neighbors organize and provide each other with food, water, shelter, medical aid, and moral support—often crossing social boundaries or upending norms in order to do so—but these local, flexible, and rhizomatic networks often got the job done better, or at least faster, than the more institutional aid that followed.

She’s talking about this democratic, criss-crossing world where there is no hierarchy; this deep, multi-connected world where things aren’t just essentially like Twitter—which, if you look at it, is a bit like blocks of different people basically yelling. Odell writes: “the platforms that we use to communicate with each other do not encourage listening. Instead they reward shouting and oversimple reaction: of having a ‘take’ after having read a single headline.” These people are not talking to each other, really—or rather, there’s no correlation among the different “takes” you’re seeing. As an internet addict, I go back and forth between to trying to be offline a bit more, but since reading How To Do Nothing I’m also just not feeling as wound up in it as I was.

“Odell writes about opening up to a new kind of experience: the experience being not having your nose pressed into your phone”

It’s also just incredibly smart: it’s a lot about conceptual art, philosophy, and activists in California. It’s a very interesting patchwork quilt of a book. It’s not a self-help book that shames people about the effects of the internet on our brains. Odell’s interests do not overlap with mine, and nevertheless I was fascinated to hear her tell me about, for example, the longshoremen in San Francisco in the 1920s and 30s and how their union, the International Longshoremen’s Association, was built up.

I don’t even know the name of the tree outside my building in Brooklyn, but Odell is really interested in looking at and classifying nature. Since reading it, I’ve stopped now and then outside my building and just tried the experiment of looking at a bunch of leaves sprouting out of it in the sidewalk. I’ll notice, say, a beautiful formation of ants moving around. I’ll stare at it for a little bit and think, ‘Life isn’t boring—you just have to get better at living it.’

I could definitely do with some of that.

Last, you picked a particular story, ‘Nettles’ in Alice Munro’s collection Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage . Tell us a bit about this story—it’s so unusual right from the off; the first page is in something like three different time-zones.

I feel like any Alice Munro story is a horrid story to boil down to an elevator pitch. It’s disorienting. I still don’t even know what the story is about, except I know that it’s about a woman who feels at home in the Alice Munro universe: she’s a writer, she’s a Canadian, she’s a mother, she’s sexually alive. She’s very connected to her past; there’s a modesty to her.

The reason why I thought it was an interesting choice for books about friendship is because even though the main meat of the story is to do with our narrator and men in her life, her friend Sunny comes in and out in little blips. Each blip is very intense—say, more intense than the narrator’s experiences with men: with the husband who she left, or even with Mike, the boy who as a man she reconnects with. ‘Nettles’ reveals how essential friendship is. Sunny is the bridge; it’s through visiting Sunny later in life that our narrator happens to be reconnected with this pivotal character from her past.

Munro’s description of how her and Sunny became friends very much resonated with me. It was during the time when they were both new mothers. Society expected them to be dopey and checked out, but in fact it was one of the most intense periods in their lives. They’d sit around together, discussing books, and art, and things that really meant something to them:

Our pregnancies had dovetailed nicely, so that we could manage with one set of maternity clothes. In my kitchen or in hers, once a week or so, distracted by our children and sometimes reeling for lack of sleep, we stoked ourselves up on strong coffee and cigarettes and launched out on a rampage of talk—about our marriages, our fights, our personal deficiencies, our interesting and discreditable motives, our foregone ambitions. During that time of life that is supposed to be a reproductive daze, with the woman’s mind all swamped by maternal juices, we were still compelled to discuss Simone de Beauvoir and Arthur Koestler and The Cocktail Party .

Our husbands were not in this frame of mind at all. When we tried to talk about such things with them they would say, “Oh, that’s just literature” or “You sound like Philosophy 101.”

Just in that single stroke, our character dismisses all men. She’s talking about the way that two women can come together and stay up at all hours, and really understand each other and feel each other. Then Sunny comes back, once our narrator decides to leave her first husband. I love Munro’s description of this moment, too:

Now we had both moved away from Vancouver. But Sunny had moved with her husband and her children and her furniture, in the normal way and for the usual reason—her husband had got another job. And I had moved for the newfangled reason that was approved of mightily but fleetingly and only in some special circles—leaving husband and house and all the things acquired during the marriage (except of course the children, who were to be parcelled about) in the hope of making a life that could be lived without hypocrisy or deprivation or shame.

That last sentence, in itself, is a novel. We don’t know the story of what happened in her marriage. What was the hypocrisy? Where was the shame? We don’t even know how long has passed between their initial bond and this moment. It’s like magic, what Alice Munro does.

It’s Sunny who our narrator seeks out. It’s through visiting Sunny that she sees what at first is a mystery to the reader. The first line of the story is: “In the summer of 1979, I walked into the kitchen of my friend Sunny’s house near Uxbridge, Ontario, and saw a man standing at the counter, making himself a ketchup sandwich.” We later find out who that man is, and he’s so significant.

There’s this one line at the very end of the story that’s so—I want to make the Italian chef’s kiss but I also want to cry. In the penultimate paragraph, she says, talking about Mike in this line, “I never asked Sunny for news of him, or got any, during all the years of our dwindling friendship.” So she kills this one relationship, this lifeline to her. Alluding to the death of a friendship is very provocative to me. It’s just fascinating that this platonic, wonderful, out-of-the-blue friendship is so closely intertwined with a passionate relationship that’s also carried on throughout most of our narrator’s life. Sunny is the portal to it, and she’s also the end (or the exit door).

To me, the story showed how much romantic or sexual relationships are energized by the mind’s subplots, internal fantasy or how we idealize others in our heads. With this friendship, how enduring and concrete and substantial it is, you start to wonder, is this an escape from that? Can people really know each other? Only for Munro to extinguish it in the end.

I know. Our narrator is so brave and so alone in the world. It breaks my heart, the idea that her relationship with Sunny, the one person with whom she feels understood and the person who she feels is a safe harbor, fades away.

One thing I found really relatable in your book about friendship was the experience of wondering, as years go on and people grow apart, whether someone’s generosity or hospitality towards you is out of genuine friendship or a sense of continued obligation.

Or control. You always wonder what the other person’s perception of what’s happening between the two of you is. I do think, especially in this triangle, there’s an element of care-taking and withholding, and striking that balance. There’s one quite needy friend at the beginning who does the unthinkable, something she’s been threatening to do for a decade that no one thought she’d actually carry out. At this point, people thought she was just going to die in her apartment because she’s so traumatized by something that happened a few years ago, and she hasn’t been able to move on. She announces at the beginning of the book, you know what, I’m going to come to New York, I’m ready to make it here, on the verge of 37.

This is what’s so disruptive to the other two women, and what brings them together. Originally, they were most distant in the triangle, but they converge out of a very mixed sense of generosity and caring. They’re also feeling a little put out by this new situation, because they don’t want to have a mess to clean up after. As the story progresses, there’s a new sense of horror, watching their expectations be proven totally wrong.

How long have you been writing this book? I’m just thinking it’s set in 2017.

That came in at the end, actually. It all kind of fell together and found a perfect place. As Trump was happening around me, I could tell how the flavor in the air had changed and I thought that was fascinating.

That’s interesting, because in many ways, My Year of Rest and Relaxation is a 9/11 novel—and that social context adds another layer of spectral doom to Moshfegh’s novel. Does the Trump presidency function in a similar way in How Could She?

I could see that. Our sense of borders was completely unstable. In New York a sense of frenzy set in; it almost became like a new social life—the new thing to go out to was, you know, the resistance party. It was this thing that brought people together. Sadly, that’s faded away. But that’s all anyone was talking about.

I was thinking the other day about how the Trump presidency and Brexit have changed the way my friendships operate. Maybe I’m imagining it, but an intense nihilism has crept in that wasn’t there before. A wild abandon that makes everything a little bit more extreme.

I think you’re right. Before, there was a sense of safety and complacency during the Obama presidency. And there was a sense of safety and complacency when it appeared clear that Hillary Clinton was going to be president. And suddenly, there was a sense that we were all delusional. Everyone who thought that what happened could never have happened. Nobody felt safe in their beliefs, and I think that led to this buzzed craziness that we’re all sharing together. It started right after the election with lots of people walking around like zombies, and hugging people who you never even used to say hello to but saw every morning. There were a lot of people brought together. And it continued. It was like one big end of times party.

“When people are all on a sinking ship together, they will act in very ugly ways”

There were a lot of get-togethers or fundraisers for things that maybe really weren’t going to change. We couldn’t turn back what had happened, but we were all brought out of our isolation. Maybe that is why or how on a very subliminal level the characters in the book end up acting a little out of character, and interacting with each other in a bolder way than they have been up until that point.

Everything’s upside down. And there’s a parallel of that in the industry in which they all work: media, which is also dying. Crazy things are happening. Suddenly podcasts are becoming the prime real estate in that world. I think there’s a sense that when people are all on a sinking ship together, they will act in very ugly ways.

Friendship when there’s no future.

June 24, 2019

Five Books aims to keep its book recommendations and interviews up to date. If you are the interviewee and would like to update your choice of books (or even just what you say about them) please email us at [email protected]

Lauren Mechling

Lauren Mechling has written for The New York Times , The Wall Street Journal , Slate, The New Yorker online, and Vogue , where she writes a regular book column. She's worked as a crime reporter and metro columnist for The New York Sun , a young adult novelist, and a features editor at The Wall Street Journal . Her debut novel for adults is  How Could She .  A graduate of Harvard College, she lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children, and can be found on Twitter @laurenmechling .

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11 Best Books About Friendship

Are you interested in reading books with friendship themes? There are lots of fun books that feature friendships, whether you’re interested in kids books, YA books, or adult books. So if you’re looking to read about friends, check out these best books about friendship that you are sure to enjoy!

1. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

When you’re looking for the best friendship books or for fun literary friendships, Charlotte’s Web should definitely be on your list!

In this story, a piglet named Wilbur who is the runt of his litter is saved by a girl named Fern. She raises him and cares for him in her home, until he’s too large to keep in the house and she’s forced to send him to the barn at Zuckerman’s farm. While Wilbur misses Fern’s friendship, he soon makes new friends with the other barnyard animals and becomes best friends with a spider named Charlotte. Until one day the farmer decides to turn Wilbur into bacon… Will Charlotte be able to help save her friend?

This endearing children’s story is beloved by adults as well, and belongs on any list of friendship books. It’s sure to pull at your heartstrings and leave you with a smile on your face!

Buy Charlotte’s Web now!

2. Emma by Jane Austen

If you’re looking for a book about friends who fall in love, Emma is the book for you! This is one of the best classic romance novels , so you can be guaranteed it will be a delight!

Emma Woodhouse is beautiful, rich, and clever…and she’s just found her calling—matchmaking! There’s nothing she lives quite as much as interfering in the lives of others. But when she ignores the advice of her friend Mr. Knightley and tries to find a match for a young woman named Harriet Smith, things soon start to go awry. Does Emma know as much about love as she thinks she does? Or will she find love where she least expects it…

Buy Emma now!

3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

There are good books about friendship for all ages of readers, but if you’re looking for a book with some of the most famous friendships in literature then don’t forget about Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and the rest of the Harry Potter series!

In the first book, we’re introduced to Harry Potter who lives a miserable life with his aunt, uncle, and cousin. But everything changes in a blink when he receives a mysterious letter in the mail informing him that he’s a wizard and it’s time for him to go to school at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! And on his way to this new school, he meets some fellow students who will become his lifelong friends and help him stop the evil lurking over the school!

With an exciting magical world, true friendships that stand the test of time and trials, and lots of little magical elements, this series is a special read that is sure to remind you of the value of friendship!

Buy Harry Potter now!

4. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

Another of the best books about friendships that you will love is The Fellowship of the Ring (and the other books in The Lord of the Rings series as well!)

This epic fantasy novel follows the adventures of Frodo Baggins as he sets out on a perilous journey across Middle-earth to destroy the One Ring—the ring of power that would allow Sauron, The Dark Lord, to rule all others. But as Frodo sets out, his friends and fellow hobbits Sam, Pippin, and Merry won’t let him go alone! And the rest of the Fellowship will soon find their loyalty and friendship tested as well.

Buy The Fellowship of the Ring now!

5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

When looking for a book with friendships worth reading about, The Book Thief is sure to be an emotional and treasured read that offers up solid friendships as well!

In 1939 Nazi Germany, Death has never been busier. But when Liesel finds a book hidden in the snow and decides to take it, her life is changed forever as she learns to read and begins stealing books wherever she can find them. But even in the midst of war and despair, friendships and acts of kindness flourish…and perhaps the most endearing friendship of all is that between Liesel and the neighborhood boy Rudy!

Buy The Book Thief now!

6. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

Looking for classic novels about friendship? If so, The Three Musketeers is a book you should add to your list!

Set in France during the 1620s, this book is a swashbuckling tale of chivalry and valor. Filled with adventure, espionage, conspiracy, scandal, and more, this novel brings historical figures to life and tells of the devoted friendship of the three musketeers themselves: Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. With a motto of “all for one, one for all,” the three musketeers are surly the epitome of friendship…and you can be certain that the tale itself will endlessly entertain!

Buy The Three Musketeers now!

7. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Anne of Green Gables  is another excellent choice when you’re looking for books with good friendships in them, and this tale is beloved by both children and adults so it is perfect for all readers!

Anne Shirley has been an orphan her whole life and has longed for a family to call her own. Finally, she’s been adopted! But unfortunately, the family who adopted her thought they were adopting a boy to help around the farm. But when Matthew and Marilla decide to allow her to stay, Anne soon settles in and begins to learn how to navigate friendships in the real world and not just friendships with her imaginary friends!

This is a charming read from start to finish, with lots of friendship moments to cherish. So you’re sure to love reading this book and the others in the series as well!

Buy Anne of Green Gables now!

8. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

When trying to find famous books about friendship to read, Of Mice and Men is another option you might want to consider.

This story follows the friendship of George and Lennie, who cling to their friendship in a world of loneliness and alienation. Dreaming of a place to call their own, they long for just a couple of acres, a few pigs, chickens, and rabbits. But when they go to work on a ranch in California, their hopes and reams begin to go awry.

Buy Of Mice and Men now!

9. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

If you’re interested in books about female friendship, then the classic Little Women could be a good book to pick up! While perhaps primarily about sisterhood, it also portrays friendship between the four sisters as well as friendship with neighbors and others in their orbit.

When their father goes off to war, the March sisters Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy are left at home and in charge of maintaining the household. As the girls grow from childhood into adulthood, they learn more about themselves and the love they share as a family while they strive to find their own places in the world. You’ll be taken on an exciting and emotional journey through the lives of the March sisters as you explore the world through their eyes!

Buy Little Women now!

10. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Another of the best stories about friendships you may be interested in is the Newbery Medal-winning Bridge to Terabithia .

All summer long, Jess has been practicing to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade…but after new girl Leslie outpaces him, the two soon become fast friends. Most of their days are spent in the woods behind Leslie’s house, where they invent an enchanted land they call Terabithia. It’s a time filled with imagination and enchantment, but soon tragedy strikes…

Buy Bridge to Terabithia now!

11. The Secret Garden

And last, The Secret Garden is another classic friendship book that is sure to be a joy to read! It’s earned a spot on the best classic books list , and is sure to earn a spot in your heart as well.

The story follows young orphan Mary Lennox who was sent to live with her Uncle in Yorkshire. Sad and lonely in a new place without the family she knows, Mary fills her time by exploring the house and grounds. One day, she stumbles across a secret garden hidden away and overgrown, and decides to return it to its former glory with the help of a kindly gardener and her friend Dickon. As she brings the garden to life, she also brings joy back into her uncle and cousin’s life and home!

Buy The Secret Garden now!

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A small scoop of kid lit with all the toppings.

From Picture Books to YA, 15 Titles About Friendship

Do you have that person in your life that it doesn’t matter how long you haven’t seen each other, you just dive right back into sharing? I’m lucky to have friends like this, literally spread across the country. While on vacation, I got to spend time with one of them. And even though we had a short time together, it was so great to see each other and catch up in person. I’m celebrating our friendship with 12 Titles About Friendship!

I met this friend in graduate school – we actually agreed to be roommates before ever meeting in real life! And even before our apartment was ready to move in, we stayed in a hotel room together for a few days. Since grad school and moving apart, I’ve had the chance to be at her wedding (to another one of my great friends) and I get to love on all three of their amazing kids.

That being said, here is my ode to friendship in a booklist from picture books to young adult titles.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

15 Titles About Friendship

Be a friend by salina yoon.

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Dennis is an ordinary boy who expresses himself in extraordinary ways. Some children do show-and-tell. Dennis mimes his. Some children climb trees. Dennis is happy to BE a tree . . . But being a mime can be lonely. It isn’t until Dennis meets a girl named Joy that he discovers the power of friendship–and how special he truly is!

Hooray for Hat! by Brian Won

Elephant wakes up grumpy—until  ding, dong!  What’s in the surprise box at the front door? A hat! HOORAY FOR HAT! Elephant marches off to show Zebra, but Zebra is having a grumpy day, too—until Elephant shares his new hat and cheers up his friend. Off they march to show Turtle! The parade continues as every animal brightens the day of a grumpy friend. An irresistible celebration of friendship, sharing, and fabulous hats.

To the Sea by Cale Atkinson

Sometimes Tim feels invisible at school—until one day, when Tim meets Sam. But Sam isn’t just any new friend: he’s a blue whale, and he can’t find his way home!

Returning Sam to the sea is hard work, but Tim is determined to help. After all, it’s not every day you meet a new friend!

Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo

Meet Bink and Gollie, two precocious little girls — one tiny, one tall, and both utterly irrepressible. Setting out from their super-deluxe tree house and powered by plenty of peanut butter (for Bink) and pancakes (for Gollie), they share three comical adventures involving painfully bright socks, an impromptu trek to the Andes, and a most unlikely marvelous companion.

The Cookie Fiasco by Dan Santat

Hippo, Croc, and the Squirrels are determined to have equal cookies for all! But how? There are only three cookies . . . and four of them! They need to act fast before nervous Hippo breaks all the cookies into crumbs!

My Friend is Sad by Mo Willems

In  My Friend is Sad , elephant Gerald is down in the dumps. Piggie is determined to cheer him up by dressing as a cowboy, a clown, and even a robot! But what does it take to make a sad elephant happy? The answer will make even pessimistic elephants smile.

Charlie & Mouse by Laurel Snyder

Four hilarious children’s stories, two inventive brothers, one irresistible and award-winning beginner chapter book—now in paperback! Join Charlie and Mouse as they talk to lumps, take the neighborhood to a party, sell some rocks, and invent the bedtime banana. With imagination and humor, Laurel Snyder and Emily Hughes paint a lively picture of brotherhood that children will relish in a beginning chapter book format; making this a perfect book for young readers graduating from picture books.

Fox & Chick: The Party and Other Stories by Sergio Ruzzier

Join the dynamic duo as they learn to appreciate their differences: Fox and Chick don’t always agree, but Fox and Chick are always friends.

Juana and Lucas by Juana Medina

Fans of Judy Moody and Clarice Bean will love Juana, the spunky young Colombian girl who stars in this playful, abundantly illustrated series. Juana loves many things: drawing, living in Bogotá, Colombia, and especially her dog, Lucas, the best  amigo  ever. She does  not  love wearing her itchy school uniform, solving math problems, or learning the English. Why is it so important to learn a language that makes so little sense?

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass

It’s Amanda’s 11th birthday and she is super excited—after all, 11 is so different from 10. But from the start, everything goes wrong. The worst part of it all is that she and her best friend, Leo, with whom she’s shared every birthday, are on the outs and this will be the first birthday they haven’t shared together. When Amanda turns in for the night, glad to have her birthday behind her, she wakes up happy for a new day. Or is it? Her birthday seems to be repeating itself. What is going on?! And how can she fix it? Only time, friendship, and a little luck will tell. . .

The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell

Welcome to a neighborhood of kids who transform ordinary boxes into colorful costumes, and their ordinary block into cardboard kingdom. This is the summer when sixteen kids encounter knights and rogues, robots and monsters–and their own inner demons–on one last quest before school starts again.

Same Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan

Joe and Ravi might be from very different places, but they’re both stuck in the same place: SCHOOL. Joe’s lived in the same town all his life, and was doing just fine until his best friends moved away and left him on his own. Ravi’s family just moved to America from India, and he’s finding it pretty hard to figure out where he fits in. Joe and Ravi don’t think they have anything in common — but soon enough they have a common enemy (the biggest bully in their class) and a common mission: to take control of their lives over the course of a single crazy week.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits-smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love-and just how hard it pulled you under.

From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon

Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy–a.k.a. Sahil’s twin brother? Dream come true x 2.

When mystery man “N” begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it’s Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only  slightly  inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she’s fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil.Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she’s got is not the one she’s scripted. But will it be enough?

Told through the letters Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers,  From Twinkle, with Love  navigates big truths about friendship, family, and the unexpected places love can find you.

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat–but real life isn’t always so rhythmic.

She’s an anomaly in her friend group: the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends–not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.

So Leah really doesn’t know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high.

It’s hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting–especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.

If you’re looking for even more picture books about friendship, check out the Happy You, Happy Family blog post about friendship books.

If you’re interested in purchasing any of the titles above from my list of 12 Titles About Friendship ,  please use my affiliate links for Amazon or Bookshop. When you purchase from the links above, I will earn a commission as an affiliate.

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15 Amazing Books About Friendship to Share With Your Pals

Share these great reads with your best buds.

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Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close

Fans of the hit podcast Call Your Girlfriend may already know the authors' easy rapport, willingness to go deep and ask the tough questions, and enduring bond even from far. This book gives readers an intimate look at their relationship and what keeps it going through thick and thin. 

RELATED:  The 45 Best Podcasts to Listen to in 2021 So Far

Ann Brashares Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

A classic that's since been turned into a movie, this book follows four teens who share one very special pair of pants. It's the first in a heartwarming series that you will love sharing with your own daughter or lifelong friends of your own. 

Sigrid Nunez The Friend

Not all companions are human, and this meditation on grief, loss and power of pets proves that man's best friend has earned his place in our hearts. For best results, read this one while cuddling your own. 

Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney Good Company

When Flora makes a startling discovery, it throws into question not only her marriage to Julian, but her relationship with her longtime best friend Margot. This book about what friendship can withstand explores how our different relationships can affect each other in a touching, sometimes gutting story. 

RELATED: Here are the Best Books to Read in 2021 (So Far)

Rebecca Wells Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

If you've never read this rollicking story of four Southern women who raise their families pretty much as one big clan, what are you waiting for? It's an often hilarious, sometimes shocking and consistently emotional read that delves into not only the importance of friendship, but family dynamics too.

Zadie Smith Swing Time

Travel from London to West Africa in this story of a complicated childhood friendship and how those early bonds can reverberate through our lives. The incisive book explores the challenges of growing up, escaping one's roots (or finding them) and how deep inequality runs. 

Khaled Hosseini A Thousand Splendid Suns

Mariam and Laila are bound together by trauma and fate, relying on their unlikely bond to survive horrible circumstances both within their own home and outside its walls. This riveting story will have you holding your breath and rooting for these powerful women. 

Meg Wolitzer The Interestings

Six teenagers become fast friends at a summer camp for the arts and their love for one another remains constant, even as their lives change through the decades. This story will resonate with anyone who's ever found that particular kind of bond that camp can create, as well as those whose friendships have weathered differences over time.

Marianne Cronin The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot: A Novel

Lenni and Margot meet in the art room at the hospital where they're both approaching the end of their lives, Lenni at 17 and Margot at 83. They decide to create 100 paintings to commemorate their collective years on the planet, and form a close bond along the way in this uplifting, deeply emotive novel. 

May Cobb The Hunting Wives

After worming her way into the tight-knit circle of women in her new Texas town, Sophie is quickly swept up into their world of hard partying, late-night target practice and big hair full of secrets. It all seems like good fun, until a body shows up and Sophie's new friends don't seem to have her back as much as she thought. 

Mitch Albom Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson

Mitch rekindles a relationship with  his former college professor, Morrie, in the final months of his teacher's life. After they reconnect, they spend every Tuesday sitting together and talking. Their beautiful friendship and its resonant lessons have turned this book into a must-read. 

Kayleen Schaefer Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship

Through interviews with more than 100 women about their own friendships and what they've meant to them, journalist Kayleen Schaefer explores the evolution of female friendship in the media and how it's impacted our own #squadgoals. Whether you've got a girl gang of your own or are more of a one BFF kind of gal, this book will resonate. 

Toni Morrison Sula

Friendship, especially between women, isn't always sunshine and roses. In this novel, Nel and Sula are the kind of friends who can make it through anything. That is, until a terrible betrayal tests how strong their relationship really is. It's funny, sad, a little dark and absolutely absorbing. 

Margaret Atwood Cat's Eye

Anyone who dealt with mean girls as a kid will recognize the pain in Elaine, an artist who grapples with memories of the complicated dynamics of friendship between girls. This one gets a bit dark but very, very real. 

Elena Ferrante My Brilliant Friend

The first in the wildly successful Neapolitan Novels, this one introduces us to Elena and Lila, two little girls who learn to rely on each other growing up in a poor village outside of Naples in the 1950s. Start with this book and then read the rest of the series, which spans almost 60 years of friendship. 

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13 Phenomenal Books About Female Friendships

These outstanding books about female friendship explore the many ways that women connect with and support each other.

Complex, compelling, and spanning the full spectrum of life, these outstanding books about female friendship explore the many ways that women connect with and support each other.

By Cat Shook

Cat Shook delivers a delightful ode to friendship, love, and comedy in Humor Me . The NYC-set novel centers on Presley Fry, a twentysomething in a rut who still works as a booking assistant at a late-night TV show and whose personal life has drifted into business-casual mode. She relies on her social butterfly roommate, Isabelle, to keep her connected to the outside world. Not all joy is gone, though — Presley loves exploring New York City’s stand-up comedy scene in search of the next funny thing. Having recently lost her mother, she also strikes up a relationship with Susan Clark, her mother’s childhood best friend, who happens to be married to the head of the TV network where Presley works. As Susan takes her under her wing, Presley discovers that friendship and love can blossom in unforeseen places and that sometimes a good laugh can make all the difference.

By Isabel Banta

It is 1997, and Amber Young has received a life-changing call. It’s a chance thousands of girls would die for: the opportunity to join girl group Cloud9 in Los Angeles and escape her small town. She quickly finds herself in the orbits of fellow rising stars Gwen Morris, a driven singer-dancer, and Wes Kingston, a member of the biggest boy band in the world, ETA.

Surrounded by people who claim to love her but only wish to exploit her, Amber’s rich interior life is frequently reduced. Driven by a desire for recognition and success, for agency and connection, Amber comes of age at a time when the kaleidoscope of public opinion can distort everything and one mistake can shatter a career.

Listen for the Lie

By amy tintera.

Amy Tintera hit it out of the park with Listen for the Lie, her acclaimed new thriller , which horror maestro Stephen King recommends as a “world-class whodunit.” At the center of the narrative are two women connected by friendship and tragedy. Lucy is determined to uncover the truth about her friend Savvy's murder. Except that in the aftermath of the tragedy, Lucy was found covered in Savvy’s blood, with no memory of what happened. Fast-forward a couple of years, and now there’s a popular true crime podcast investigating Savvy’s case. Drawn back to the scene of the crime, Lucy must reckon with her friendship with Savvy once and for all — even if it means discovering that she killed her best friend.

My Brilliant Friend

By elena ferrante.

The first in a four-volume series, My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante follows Lila and Elena’s lasting friendship. Against the backdrop of Naples, two 10-year-old girls meet for the first time — the vivacious Lila and the studious Elena. The first book centers on the girls’ school years, exploring how they grow and evolve alongside their changing community and build the foundation for a decades-long relationship. Vogue ’s Megan O’Grady calls Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels “one of the more nuanced portraits of feminine friendship in recent memory.”

The Animators

By kayla rae whitaker.

Funny, authentic, and insightful, The Animators by Kayla Rae Whitaker is a wonderful rumination on art and female friendship. Mel and Sharon met the first week of college and have been inseparable collaborators ever since. New York City artists working in the boys’ club of animation, the two women feed off each other’s passions, relate over their working-class origins, and channel their drive into searing visual narratives. After years of effort, Mel and Sharon release their first feature-length animated film — and it’s a hit. But success is a two-sided coin, and the women find their partnership strained and their friendship tested by their newfound fame. When Sharon takes a trip back to her Kentucky hometown, she reconnects with a childhood best friend, and long-buried feelings make a reappearance as well.

Conversations with Friends

By sally rooney.

From New York Times bestselling author Sally Rooney, Conversations with Friends introduces us to Frances, a college student in Dublin pursuing a career in writing, and her ex-girlfriend turned best friend Bobbi. At a poetry reading, the two friends meet a photographer named Melissa, who takes the young women home to meet her actor husband, Nick. As Frances and Bobbi grow closer to the more mature couple, the relationships between all four become increasingly, intimately entangled. Written with an exacting style and imbued with sneaky humor, Conversations with Friends is a sharp portrait of the complexities of female friendship and the condition of being young.

Best of Friends

By kamila shamsie.

Kamila Shamsie’s Best of Friends tells the story of Zahra and Maryam, tracing their friendship over decades, from their childhood years in Karachi to adulthood in London. Though the pair couldn’t be more different, they’ve always been fast friends, even when an impulsive episode in their teenage years changed everything. As adults, Zahra and Maryam live successful lives in London, but when the past comes knocking and threatens their friendship, they must finally reckon with their differences if they hope to move forward together. Surprising and memorable, Best of Friends is a “captivating portrayal of two women trying to learn whether a once-treasured friendship can overcome differences” ( The Washington Post ).

Another Brooklyn

By jacqueline woodson.

When August returns to Brooklyn to lay her father to rest, a chance run-in with an old friend sparks a trip down memory lane, back to when her family first moved to Brooklyn in the ’70s. Another Brooklyn by award-winning author Jacqueline Woodson follows August through her teenage years and details her profound friendship with three other girls — Sylvia, Angela, and Gigi. As youngsters, their friendship meant the world. But as the carefree days of adolescence give way to adulthood, August and her friends encounter a reality where things aren’t so optimistic. An engrossing novel, Another Brooklyn is a poetic exploration of race, friendship, and change. 

Firefly Lane

By kristin hannah.

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah is a sweeping book about female friendship that follows two young ladies, the studious and unhip Kate and the effortlessly cool Tully, from middle school to college years to adulthood. Kate is driven by a desire for success while yearning for a simple life with a good family; Tully chases fame and the spotlight while craving unconditional love. Across the tumult of growing up, the pair stay close — but 30 years in, one betrayal might be enough to break them. Firefly Lane is “a moving and realistic portrait of a complex and enduring friendship” ( Booklist ).

Brown Girls

By daphne palasi andreades.

In the acclaimed Brown Girls, Daphne Palasi Andreades follows a group of young women of color as they come of age in Queens, New York. Bound by a shared friendship that feels eternal, Nadira, Gabby, Naz, Trish, Angelique, and countless others just like them revel in the distinct joys of growing up in the city. As they transition into adulthood, their life paths diverge: Some stay close to home, while others venture up and away from what they’ve always known. Yet their deep-rooted connection — with each other and with Queens — proves to be a formidable thing. Brimming with life and narrated by a chorus voices, Brown Girls is an exuberant portrait of female friendship, womanhood, and finding a home.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

By lisa see.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See is a sweeping historical fiction book about female friendship. In 19 th -century China, women were destined to be daughters and wives and often lived in isolation. But the women in one remote area of Hunan find a way to connect — through a secret code of communication. At just 7 years old, Lily and Snow Flower become committed pen pals. Over the years that follow, the two girls grow into women, sharing their joys and sorrows by way of handkerchiefs and painted silk fans embroidered with messages. Though they are each other’s solace, a misunderstanding may shatter their bond.

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

By deesha philyaw.

In the award-winning The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, Deesha Philyaw explores the inner world of church-going Black women, chronicling their hopes, heartaches, and desires. Radiating warmth and insight, the narrative introduces us to a suite of unforgettable characters, from a mother having an affair with the pastor to a teenage girl harboring a crush across the pews to childhood friends finding a reprieve from their loneliness in each other’s arms. Philyaw’s work offers a profound rumination on the intersections of faith, sexuality, and friendship, with an unmissable emphasis on the ways that women relate to each other.

By Emma Copley Eisenberg

When Bernie went looking for a room to rent, she probably didn’t expect to develop a life-changing bond. But her relationship with Leah is exactly that. The two housemates soon find themselves enriched by a profound connection, supporting each other in their respective arts — Leah’s a writer and Bernie a photographer. When Bernie’s old professor dies and leaves her an inheritance, the two embark on a road trip with the intent of documenting America along the way. Their journey brings them face-to-face with unique people, fresh dreams, and maybe even new feelings. Housemates by Emma Copley Eisenberg is “a genuine book about art, love, friendship, chosen family, and America in this moment” ( Harper’s Bazaar ).

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41 Best Books About Friendship That Will Warm Your Heart

If you are looking for a heartwarming experience, then you really need to look no further than a book about friendship. Friendship is a common theme in a variety of different genres of books, from fantasy novels to romance novels.

So, if you are looking for a book about friendship, there are a lot of different novels to choose from. In this guide, I’ve compiled a list of 42 of the best books about friendship that are guaranteed to warm your heart.

Some of these novels are sad, others are happy, but all of them have strong themes of friendship throughout. Read on to find out more!

42 Best Books About Friendship

The color purple – alice walker.

The first book that I would recommend to anyone looking for a book about friendship is The Color Purple by Alice Walker .  The Color Purple really is an important novel, and it is one that everyone should read at some point in their lives.

It is the tale of two African American women in early twentieth-century Georgia who were separated as girls, but these sisters keep in touch through a series of letters.

This novel is a great example of how friendship doesn’t have to be reserved for people who you aren’t connected with through blood. Your family can be friends too, and that is highlighted by the sisters in this novel.

• Very meaningful.
• Incredibly well-written.
• Perfect length – 300 pages.
• Not suitable for those who don’t like historical fiction.

It – Stephen King

Another great story about friendship is It by Stephen King . This novel is best known for being a horror novel, but at the heart of the plot is a group of friends.

It tells the story of a group of adults who return to the town that they once grew up in to confront an evil that they first met as teenagers.

When they first defeated that evil as a group of teenagers, the friends vowed that they would return if the evil returned. So that is how this group of adults, with lives, careers, and families, return to their hometown.

There is no denying that It is a long book, and it isn’t for the faint-hearted. But it is a beautiful story of friendship, and definitely, one that you should read.

• A friendship novel with a horror twist.
• A well-developed plot.
• An incredibly long book, longer than 1000 pages.

The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett

If you are looking for a classic novel all about friendship, look no further than The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

This novel was first published in 1911, but the themes of friendship explored in this book are just as important now as they were over a century ago.

The Secret Garden is a truly beautiful novel, and while it is aimed at children, it can easily be enjoyed by people of all ages. So be sure to check it out!

• Suitable for readers of all ages.
• A touching read.
• Strong themes of friendship throughout.
• Very short, less than 150 pages in length.

The Familiars – Stacey Hall

For any lovers of historical fiction, The Familiars by Stacey Hall is perfect. This novel is based in England in the 1600s when the hunt for witches is more fierce than ever before, to a point where simply being a woman puts you at risk.

This tale tells the story of a woman with a pregnancy that could kill her, and a woman who can deliver her birthday safely, but may lose her life after accusations of being a witch.

This novel is the perfect book about friendship for any fans of historical fiction and witchcraft. So if you haven’t read it yet, I’d definitely recommend giving it a go.

• Beautifully written.
• Historical fiction.
• Excellent length – 350 pages.
• Not a good choice for those who dislike historic fiction.

People We Meet On Vacation – Emily Henry

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry is one of the most amazing best friend-to-lovers novels out there, and it is an excellent tale of friendship.

This novel follows Poppy and Alex who are polar opposites but have been best friends forever. They live very different lives, and for the most part, they don’t see each other throughout the year.

Alex lives in their hometown, and Poppy lives in New York. But every summer they go on vacation together. But two years ago, something happened that led them to stop speaking.

In a bid to save their friendship, Poppy reaches out and asks Alex on one last vacation. Can it save their relationship? Or is their friendship doomed forever?

• Super cute read.
• A perfect novel to read in the summer.
• A great choice for fans of friends-to-lovers novels.
• Longer novel, 400 pages.

Heartstopper – Alice Oseman

Alice Oseman’s graphic novel, Heartstopper is a touching coming-of-age novel about Charlie and Nick. These two have been in school together for years, but they have never met. Until one day when they’re made to sit beside one another.

After that one meeting, Charlie and Nick’s lives change forever. They quickly become friends, and soon after, Charlie falls in love with Nick, despite not thinking he has a chance with him.

But love works in mysterious ways, and Charlie might have more of a chance than he realized.

This novel not only explores the friendship between Charlie and Nick but also how their relationship can progress because of the friends that they have around them. Friendship is a key theme in Heartstopper , which is why you should check it out.

• Perfect for fans of graphic novels .
• A heartwarming plot.
• Characters you connect with.
• Not a traditional book.

One Last Stop – Casey McQuiston

Another great novel to check out if you are interested in LGBTQ+ novels about friendship is One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston.  One Last Stop follows 23-year-old, August, who has moved to NYC to prove herself right.

She is a firm believer that happy-ever-afters only exist in movies, and that the only way to go through life is to be alone. But that all changes when she meets the woman of her dreams, Jane, on her subway commute.

This story is so much more than just a love story, and throughout it all, friendship is an integral theme in the novel. That is why you really need to check out this novel if you are looking for a book about friendship.

• An adorable love story.
• Very well-written.
• An interesting take on the traditional love story.
• A long novel, exceeding 400 pages in length.

Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone – J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter is potentially one of the most popular book series in the world, and throughout the novels, the friendship of Harry, Ron, and Hermione is integral to J.K. Rowling’s series.

The first novel in the series – titled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – follows Harry’s arrival at Hogwarts and his first meeting with Ron and Hermione. The first novel in this series is really about setting the scene for the novels that follow.

But it is in this book that we really see the friendship between the three main characters grow.

Throughout the entire series, the friendship between Harry, Ron, and Hermione holds the group together, and it is this friendship that supports Harry’s journey.

It is an excellent example of friendship and a book that you should definitely read!

• Perfect for fans of fantasy novels. 
• Suitable for younger readers. 
• Very similar to the movies. 

The Southern Book Club’s Guide To Slaying Vampires – Grady Hendrix

If you are searching for a horror novel with friendship at the center, then you should check out The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires.

This novel tells the story of Patricia Campbell whose circle is incredibly small – her husband is at work all the time, her teenagers have grown up, and her senile mother needs constant care.

The only thing that keeps her sane is her true-crime book club and the friends that she has made there. After book club one night, Patricia is attacked by her elderly neighbor, and that’s when she meets her neighbor’s nephew, James.

She connects with him instantly, but soon figures out that there is more to James than meets the eye, and that he’s a monster of a different kind.

But she’s already invited him into her life, and her friends at the book club will become more important than ever before.

• Interesting plot.
• Perfect for fans of horror and thriller.
• Friendship is at the heart of this novel.
• A long novel, exceeding 400 pages.

Queenie – Candice Carty Williams

Queenie tells the story of the title character – Queenie – and her life as a Jamaican British woman living in London. Straddling two cultures, Queenie navigates her life as things start to fall apart.

There is no denying that the main plot of this novel is Queenie’s life and her struggles as a Jamaican British woman living in a predominantly white area.

But, throughout the novel, Queenie is supported by her friends, and it is ultimately those friendships that allow her to get her life back on track.

This novel contains adult themes so wouldn’t be suitable for younger readers, but it is an excellent novel that I’m sure you’ll love!

• Fresh and honest novel.
• Supportive friends.
• Excellent length – around 350 pages.
• Leaves you wanting more.

Swing Time – Zadie Smith

Zadie Smith has won a whole host of awards for her novels, and Swing Time is another excellent novel by this author. This book tells the story of two young women who dream of being dancers.

The only issue with that is that only one of them has talent, and the other one only has ideas. Throughout childhood, these two best friends remain close, despite how complicated their friendship is.

But it comes to a head in their early twenties, and the two stop speaking. But they never forget each other. In this novel that moves from London to West Africa, friendship is the central theme, and that is why you should give it a read.

• Friendship is a central theme.
• A long book, nearly 500 pages.

Holes – Louis Sachar

When you were in high school, you may have read Holes by Louis Sachar. Likewise, you may have watched the movie adaptation of this novel. Regardless, this book is an excellent novel about friendship.

Holes tells the story of Stanley Yelnats, a boy who is living with a family curse cast upon them by the actions of his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather.

Since then the family has been cursed, and Stanley blames that curse for landing him in a boy’s detention center – Camp Green Lake. Every single day, the boys at Camp Green Lake are made to dig holes that are 5 feet deep and 5 feet wide.

There is no lake at Camp Green Lake, but there are a lot of holes and a lot of friendship. It is that friendship that makes this novel such an excellent read.

• A book suitable for all ages.
• Important themes explored.
• A funny yet touching read.

In Five Years – Rebecca Serle

In Five Years is a love story with a twist. You expect this novel to be a love story, but ultimately, it is a novel of friendship. Dannie and Bella are complete opposites of each other.

Dannie lives her life by numbers, with a perfect job and a perfect long-term boyfriend. Bella chases her wanderlust, with a bad track record when it comes to relationships and no plans of settling down.

Despite their opposites, they are the best of friends. While there is a romantic plot in In Five Years , ultimately this novel is a story about friendship, and that is why you should check it out!

• Equal parts funny and heartbreaking.
• A short read, just under 300 pages.

The Joy Luck Club – Amy Tan

Friendship is often intergenerational, and that is a theme that is explored in The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan.

In 1949, four young Chinese women who had newly immigrated to the USA began to meet up in San Francisco to eat dim sum, play mahjong, and talk.

United by loss and hope, they called themselves The Joy Luck Club . Forty years after they first started meeting, the conversations still continued.

The Joy Luck Club is a breathtakingly beautiful novel that explores a whole host of important themes. It is a touching read with friendship at its heart throughout the novel.

• Impactful novel.
• A true tale of friendship.
• You won’t be able to put it down.

Little Women – Louisa May Alcott

By this point, Little Women is such a classic novel that there really isn’t much for me to tell you about it. However, there is no denying that this is a great novel about friendship.

Little Women tells the story of sisters Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. This novel follows these 4 sisters through childhood into adulthood and focuses on their friendship throughout the novel.

Louisa May Alcott aimed this novel at girls, but since it was first released over 150 years ago, this novel has become incredibly popular. So no matter your age or gender, I’m confident you’ll love this tale of friendship.

• A beautiful tale of friendship.
• Perfect for fans of classics.
• Suitable for all ages.
• Written a long time ago.

Wonder – R.J. Palacio

Wonder by R.J. Palacio is a middle-grade novel that was adapted into a movie that was released in 2017. Despite being aimed at younger readers, Wonder is a novel that everybody should read, regardless of their age.

This novel follows Augustus Pullman – Augie – who was born with a facial difference that caused his parents to keep him from mainstream school. But when he reaches 5th grade, his parents decide to introduce him to school.

All Augie wants is to be treated as a normal kid, but his classmates cannot get past his face. Wonder starts off in Augie’s perspective, and then it switches between his classmates, his sister, and her boyfriend to gain other points of view.

It is a novel that is heartwarming, heartbreaking , and funny. But ultimately, it is a novel of strength, and how friends allow Augie to adjust to his new surroundings and allow him to be a normal kid.

• Around 300 pages in length.
• Perfect for children and adults.
• An emotional novel.

Big Little Lies – Liane Moriarty

Big Little Lies is perhaps now more famous as the TV series starring Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, and Meryl Streep. But the novel that this series is based on is definitely worth the read.

Big Little Lies is a tale of friendship, and how three very different women with very different lives ultimately cross paths and find themselves in the same shocking place.

Liane Moriarty is a genius when it comes to creating a backstory before a massive plot twist, and at the heart of the backstory in this novel is the friendship between the three women.

For any lovers of thrillers and suspense novels , Big Little Lies is perfect. The friendships that are explored in this novel are just a bonus.

• Tackles important themes.
• Interesting spin on a suspense novel .
• Longer novel, exceeds 500 pages.

The Fault In Our Stars – John Green

When John Green’s novel The Fault In Our Stars was first published, it broke the hearts of many. While it is a love story, it is also a story of friendship. At the heart of this story is the romance between Hazel and Augustus.

But something else that is very important to the plot of this novel is the friendship between the couple and Isaac.

Isaac and Augustus are close friends throughout the novel, and after the plot plays out, Isaac and Hazel become close friends too.

There are some hard-hitting themes explored throughout this novel, and friendship is critical to surviving the hardships that these teenagers face. Ultimately, without friends, this plot would not play out the way that it does.

• A touching storyline.
• Aimed at younger readers.

Firefly Lane – Kristin Hannah

Like many novels about friendship, Firefly Lane tells the story of two unlikely friends – Kate and Tully. Starting in high school, Kate has accepted that she is totally uncool.

But that all changes when the coolest girl in the year moves into the house across from her and wants to become friends.

That unlikely friendship between Kate and Tully lasts through high school and far into their adult lives, where they live very different lifestyles, but are anchored by their friendship.

In Firefly Lane the friendship between Kate and Tully is challenged by life. Will the two be willing to fight for their friendship? Or has it run its course? This novel explores it all.

• Coming of age knowledge.
• A long novel, exceeding 500 pages.
• Comes with a sequel.

Bridge To Terabithia – Katherine Paterson

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson went on to become an incredibly popular movie, but the novel is still worth a read.  Bridge to Terabithia is a short story aimed at those aged 9+, and it is a tale of friendship.

No matter whether you read this as a child or in adulthood, the plot will resonate with you. It is a tragic tale about friendship and losing that friendship, but it is still an incredibly important read.

If you haven’t read Bridge to Terabithia yet, I would definitely recommend reading it.

• A short read, around 100 pages.
• Heartbreaking plot.

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman

Another great tale of friendship, aimed at older readers, is Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. Eleanor Oliphant struggles with social skills, so she avoids social interactions.

Her weekends are punctuated by staying in, eating frozen pizza, drinking vodka, and having phone chats with her Mummy. Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine, and nobody has ever told her that life can be anything other than that.

When she meets the unhygienic IT guy from her office, and they end up saving an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the side of the road, an unlikely friendship forms between the three.

This friendship benefits them all in different ways, and through it, Eleanor learns that she can be so much more than completely fine.

• A beautiful novel.
• Excellent length, around 350 pages.
• Relatable characters.
• Can be difficult to get into.

Us Three – Ruth Jones

Quite a few novels on this list include friendship as a background theme, but in Us Three by Ruth Jones, friendship is the main plot of this book.

In this novel, Ruth Jones uses her immense writing talents to tell the story of three friends who embark on the trip of a lifetime together.

Best friends forever, that trip brought the three girls closer than ever before, and their friendship has extended into adulthood. But an unexpected turn of events rocks their friendship to the core. Will they be able to work past it?

Or is their friendship ruined forever? This novel explores the highs and lows of friendships and does so in a very beautiful way.

• Takes the reader on a journey.
• Characters you will love.

Marley And Me – John Grogan

Dogs are often described as man’s best friend, and that is why Marley and Me is an excellent novel about friendship. Marley and Me documents a couple whose life is changed forever when they adopt a Labrador puppy that they name, Marley.

Throughout the novel, Marley stays with this couple through the highs and lows of their relationship , and through the various challenges that life throws at them.

It is a beautiful novel that is guaranteed to make you cry, especially if you have ever had a pet dog . But it is a novel all about unconditional love and the friendship that dogs offer to their humans.

• A fun yet touching novel.
• Relatable for anyone who has ever had a dog.
• Some outdated training techniques are referenced in the book.

Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow – Gabrielle Zevin

Another brilliant novel about friendship that will warm your heart is Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.

On a cold day in December during his junior year at college, Sam Masur exits a Subway car and sees Sadie Green. He calls out to her, she doesn’t hear him at first, and then she turns to look at him.

On that very day, a game begins between them. A legendary game collaboration that will transport them to stardom. By the time they graduate college, these friends have created their first Blockbuster, Ichigo, and overnight the world is theirs.

But they are also very young, and the challenges that come from being in your mid-twenties will challenge their relationship in ways they never thought possible throughout this novel about friendship.

• An interesting novel.
• Characters you will like.
• Exceeds 400 pages in length.

Text Me When You Get Home – Kayleen Schaefer

Almost all the novels in this list are fiction novels but Text Me When You Get Home is a novel written by journalist Kayleen Schaefer about friendship in the modern world. 

Throughout this book, Schaefer challenges the idea that women are terrible at being friends, and through interviews with different friendship groups, she looks at all how women actually make the best friends.

She explores the different ways in which women reflect their love for one another, and it really is an interesting read. If you want a novel about friendship that isn’t fictional, then Text Me When You Get Home is the book to pick up.

• Perfect for fans of non-fiction.
• Explores friendship in the modern day.
• An empowering novel about female friendship.
• Less popular among fans of fiction novels.

You Should See Me In A Crown – Leah Johnson

Leah Johnson’s novel, You Should See Me in a Crown is perfect for anyone looking for a young adult novel about friendship. This novel tells the story of Liz Lighty, a girl who has never felt good enough in her small town.

But she has a plan to get out of there and to shine, and that plan involves attending an uber-elite college, playing in a world-famous orchestra, and becoming a doctor.

But when those plans go awry, she instead sets her sights on becoming prom queen. In this story of friendship, empowerment, and growth, ultimately you should see Liz in a crown!

• Perfect for younger readers.
• Empowering novel of friendship and growth.
• It may be a little young for older readers.

The Pact – Jodi Picoult

Throughout her career, Jodi Picoult has written some truly beautiful novels, and The Pact is one of them. If you are looking for a novel about friendship, this is the one to read.

The Pact tells the story of the Golds and the Hartes who have been neighbors for 18 years, and best friends for just as long. So it is no surprise that their children have become incredibly close too.

In high school, the friendship between their children grows into something more. But that all starts to unravel when a tragedy occurs that threatens their friendship forever.

This novel tells a story of friendship and the heartbreak that these two families go through. It is a beautiful novel and one that you will definitely benefit from reading!

• An interesting tale of friendship.
• A plot that will have you hooked immediately.
• Some heavy themes throughout.

The Giver Of Stars – Jojo Moyes

Another incredibly talented author that explores themes of friendship throughout her novels is Jojo Moyes. One of her best books with friendship as a theme is The Giver of Stars .

The Giver of Stars tells the story of a woman who marries a handsome American to escape her life in rural England.

But her new life in Kentucky quickly becomes suffocating, and living alongside her overbearing father-in-law just makes it more claustrophobic.

So when there is a call to work for a traveling library, Alice Wright jumps at the opportunity to escape, and along the way she makes a lot of new friends.

This novel is a little different from some of the other novels by Jojo Moyes, but it is just as beautiful. It is a beautiful tale of friendship and one that I’m sure you will love!

• An interesting plot throughout.
• A main character you will fall in love with.
• A longer novel, nearly 500 pages in length.

A Little Life – Hanya Yanagihara

If you are active on BookTok or Bookstagram, then you will know that many people have credited A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara as the book that broke their hearts. This long book covers a lot of different themes, but at the heart of it all is friendship.

A Little Life tells the story of 4 college classmates who become friends and move to New York to chase fame and fortune. Their relationships are tinged by success, pride, addiction, and so much more.

But they are held together by Jude, an enigmatic man scarred by childhood trauma. This is an incredibly long novel, and through it all, the reader is taken on a journey.

You see these friends take on new challenges, as their bond grows throughout the novel. It is a beautiful tale of friendship and one that I’m certain you’ll love.

• Hard-hitting themes throughout.
• A long novel – nearly 900 pages long.

Mornings With Rosemary – Libby Page

Another beautiful novel about friendship that you should really check out is Mornings With Rosemary by Libby Page. Her entire life, Rosemary has lived in Brixton, London. But suddenly everything is changing.

The library where she once worked has closed, the grocery store has become a bar, and the swimming pool where she has swum every day is threatened by closure from a local housing developer.

When she meets Kate, a writer assigned to write a piece about the pool’s closure, Rosemary makes a friend that she never could have imagined.

Will these newfound friends be able to keep the pool open? Or is Rosemary doomed to lose the one thing left in the area she calls home?

• A heartfelt read.
• An interesting take on the friendship theme.
• Well-written.
• Rushed ending.

A Man Called Ove – Frederik Backman

A Man Called Ove by Frederik Backman has recently been adapted into a movie starring Tom Hanks titled A Man Called Otto . It is a beautiful tale of finding friendship in unlikely circumstances.

Ove is a grumpy old man, he’s staunch in his principles, stuck in his routines, and likely to blow a fuse at any given moment. He’s referred to as the “neighbor from hell” by those who live in his area.

But all that changes when a young couple with 2 chatty daughters moves in beside him. These new neighbors bring out a new side in Ove and a friendship forms between them that nobody could have seen coming.

A Man Called Ove is an interesting take on the friendship theme, and one unlike any of the other novels in this guide. That is why I would recommend giving it a read.

• A heartwarming story.
• A plot that will make you laugh and cry.
• You’ll need to keep the tissues close by.

Code Name Verity – Elizabeth Wein

If there is anyone who likes novels based during the early twentieth century, and throughout the World Wars, then Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein is made for them.

This novel follows a British spy plane that crashes in Nazi-occupied France in 1943. The plane carries a pilot and a passenger, both of whom are best friends. One survives the crash, but the other sadly doesn’t.

When “Verity” is captured by the Gestapo she is sure she doesn’t have a chance of surviving.

But throughout this novel, we see “Verity” weave a confession, uncover her past, and recount how she and the plane’s pilot – Maddie – became friends. Friendship is at the heart of this novel, even if one of the friends isn’t there to see it.

• Perfect for fans of historical fiction.
• A main character you connect with.
• Covers some darker themes throughout the novel.

Conversations With Friends – Sally Rooney

Sally Rooney has written some incredibly good novels in her writing career, and Conversations With Friends is a great one to read if you want a novel about friendship.

Conversations With Friends focuses on best friends – Frances and Bobbi. One day, the friends meet a well-known photographer, and they are drawn into her world.

But as Frances enters her world, she becomes enamored with the photographer’s husband, Nick. Soon a new friendship forms, a friendship that could lead to so much more…

Sally Rooney is incredibly talented at what she does, and this novel with the theme of friendship is truly beautiful. So you really should check it out!

• Very well written.
• Incredibly easy to read.
• Sally Rooney’s writing style takes some getting used to.

Of Mice And Men – John Steinbeck

This classic novel about the American dream is one that most people will read at some point in their lives, and it is an excellent story of friendship. Of Mice and Men tells the story of two unlikely friends – George and Lennie.

In the face of loneliness, these two laborers have formed a family, and they would do anything to protect one another.

When they land a job on a ranch, the American dream of an acre of land and a shack suddenly seems within reach, but not even George can protect child-like Lennie from the dangers of flirtatious women and jealous husbands.

This novel is heartbreaking, and explores some incredibly important themes, with friendship at the heart. You really need to read it if you haven’t already!

• Super short – just over 100 pages.
• Important themes.
• An old novel with some outdated themes and language.

Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White

Some of the best novels about friendship are aimed at children, and Charlotte’s Web is another example of this.  Charlotte’s Web is told from the point of view of a spider who lives on a web high up in Zuckerman’s Barn.

It tells of her feelings toward a pig called Wilbur, and how Wilbur longs for a friend. It also tells the story of Fern, a young girl who saved Wilbur’s life when he was born as the runt of the litter.

While it is a short book, Charlotte’s Web explores friendship in depth throughout the novel. If you didn’t read this as a child, you really need to check it out!

• A classic novel.
• Less than 200 pages in length.

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky

Another great coming-of-age tale of friendship is The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. This novel focuses on the “wallflower” – Charlie – and his observations through adolescence into adulthood.

As Charlie ages and experiences new things, he grows as a person and becomes an adult. Ultimately, it is the small group of friends that he has around him that are integral to him becoming the person he will be at the end of the book.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a stunning novel about friendship, nostalgia, and growth. It is a modern-day classic and one that you really need to check out.

• Modern-day classic.
• Relatable themes throughout.
• Shorter novel – less than 250 pages.

The Body – Stephen King

The Body by Stephen King is an excellent novella about friendship, and it actually went on to become one of the most famous movies ever made about friendship – Stand by Me.

The Body is a coming-of-age novel about a group of 12-year-old friends who go on a quest to find the body of a missing boy from the next town over, along the railroads that lead out of their town.

Along the journey, this group of friends comes to terms with the harsh reality of death and growing up in a town where future prospects are slim.

This novel is a short story, but it is beautifully written, and definitely one that you need to eat at some point in your lifetime. Especially if you were a fan of Stand By Me.

• A beautiful coming-of-age story.
• Friendship as a central theme.
• Really short – less than 200 pages in length.

Girl, Woman, Other – Bernadine Evaristo

Bernadine Evaristo is an incredibly talented novel, and her book Girl, Woman, Other is perfect for anybody looking for a novel about friendship. This multi-voiced novel tells the story of 12 central characters who live very different lives.

Despite living very different lives, these 12 characters are tied together through the different friendships that connect them with one another.

This novel is an incredibly important book, and that is why it won the Booker Prize in 2019. So, if you are looking for a book about friendship, this is a great one to read!

• Well-developed storyline.
• Booker prize-winning novel.
• Excellent representation of minorities throughout the novel.
• A lot of characters in one book.

The Friend Zone – Abby Jiminez

Another great novel about friendship is the Friend Zone by Abby Jiminez. 

This novel focuses on Kristin Peterson who would do anything to protect her friends, including keeping a big secret about a medical procedure that will make her infertile from them.

As Kristin is going through this huge personal struggle, she’s also planning her best friend’s wedding, and that is where she meets the man of her dreams.

Throughout this novel, friendship is a central theme, and just how much Kristin will do for her friends. It is a beautiful book with some very important themes throughout, which is why you should read it.

• Combined themes of friendship and romance.
• Deals with some important topics and themes.
• Part of a series.

The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants – Ann Brashares

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares is a very important series of novels that are all about friendship. This novel tells the story of 4 friends who simply fit together.

They just work as a friendship group, and they are as close as can be. It is also the story of a pair of pants, just a regular pair of jeans, that went on to do great things. Without the group of 4 friends, those pants would have just been regular pants.

Until you read this novel, it is really difficult to understand the plot. But once you read the first novel, you’ll be hooked on this series and this tale of 4 friends.

• Characters that go on a journey.
• An incredibly popular book.
• The first part of a series.

My Brilliant Friend – Elena Ferrante

Finally, you should check out My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante which, as the name suggests, is a book about friendship.

This novel about two women from Naples went on to become an HBO series, and it is also part of the Neapolitan Novels series by the same author.

This series follows Lila and Elena throughout their lives as they become women, then wives, then mothers, and so on. This first novel focuses on childhood through to adolescence.

Throughout life, the one constant is their friendship, and that is the main focus of this series.

My Brilliant Friend is a beautiful book about friendship, and how important it is to have good friends around you. So if you are looking for a book about friendship, this is perfect.

• Excellent plot.
• Great length, around 300 pages.
• A series of novels that follows friendship through life.
• You’ll end up reading the entire series.

Best Books About Friendship Buyer’s Guide

Grade of book.

The first thing you need to consider is the grade of the book that you are interested in reading. This essentially means the age of the reader that this book is aimed at. 

A lot of books that are solely about friendship will be aimed at younger readers. While most adult novels have friendship as a background theme, rather than a central theme.

So the age that the book is aimed at is something to consider when buying a book about friendship.

Length Of Book

Something else to consider is the length of the book you are interested in. Most people will have a length of book they prefer, so this is something to bear in mind when buying a book.

Longer books will give the reader more time to explore the theme of friendship. However, shorter books might be better if you lack time to read. Consider what works for you before you buy.

Background Theme Vs Central Theme

Finally, you need to consider if you want to read a novel that explores friendship as a background theme or as the central theme.

A lot of novels will have friendship as a background theme, and almost all novels will include friendship at some point. While others will explore friendship as a central point of the novel. In this guide, I have included a mixture of both.

In conclusion, there are lots of brilliant books about friendship that you need to check out.

From books aimed at children to books aimed at adults, there are tons of different books about friendship to choose from. All the books in this guide are a great place to start.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is friendship a common theme in books.

Yes, friendship is a common theme in many books. Some books will have a friends-to-lovers theme, others will have a coming-of-age friendship theme, while some will simply include friendship as an integral part of the plot.

What Is The Theme Of Friendship In Literature?

In literature, friendship is the theme of having people around the main character who loves the main character despite their flaws. Friendship themes will often come with themes of refuge or sacrifice in literature.

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35 Heartwarming Children’s Books About Friendship

Perfect picture books for important conversations.

Cultivating friendships is a huge part of going to school. It’s always a good time for class chats about making friends, helping and appreciating friends, and tackling friendship challenges. A solid collection of children’s books about friendship is an essential tool. We’ve pulled together this list of recent favorite children’s books about friendship you’ll want to add to your shelves. (Pssst: We love sharing picture books with all ages, so check these out even if you teach big kids!)

1. Friends Beyond Measure: A Story Told With Infographics by Lalena Fisher

We love unique children’s books about friendship to get students looking at the topic in new ways. Friends Ana and Harwin describe their joyful relationship in diagrams, charts, timelines, and graphs. All the data points to fun, until they find out Harwin’s family must move overseas. The two mourn the news, and then get to work drawing up new ways to represent their friendship. This title is especially perfect to share when you’re learning about representing data in math and science.

Buy it: Friends Beyond Measure: A Story Told With Infographics on Amazon

2. How To Make a Friend by Stephen W. Martin

This clever look at “making” a friend shows a child on a dramatic adventure to build a robot—who ends up falling in with the wrong robotic crowd and meets its demise in an unfortunate explosion. The real friendship advice sprinkled throughout the story invites classroom conversation. It ends on a positive note when the child meets a peer who’s also interested in robots.

Buy it: How To Make a Friend on Amazon

3. Ways To Play by Lyn Miller-Lachmann

Riley’s cousins are always so bossy, telling Riley the “right” way to play with toys. The ways Riley enjoys playing, like lining up toys or tearing up piles of paper, aren’t the same. The kids find common ground and learn that there are many ways to play that are fun. This is a sweet and helpful story about appreciating how friends like to play and finding ways to play together harmoniously.

Buy it: Ways To Play on Amazon

4. This Book Is My Best Friend by Robin Robinson

What starts as two children arguing over the same book at the library turns into a lesson about the magical power of perspective-taking. Readers can infer, as the story unfolds, that one child loves the book because it’s a comfort during time spent at the hospital with an ill parent. The other child loves the book because it’s a refuge in their chaotic home. As the children learn about and connect with each other, an empathetic friendship develops.

Buy it: This Book Is My Best Friend on Amazon

5. Fresh Juice by Robert Liu-Trujillo

Art and his dad head to the farmers market on the hunt for ingredients to make juice to fight a cold. They run into some challenges along the way, and plenty of friends are eager to help. It’s nice to share children’s books about friendship that aren’t solely focused on childhood friendships. After all, we need friends at all ages!

Buy it: Fresh Juice on Amazon

6. Sora’s Seashells by Helena Ku Rhee

This poignant book acknowledges that making friends in new situations can be hard, and offers an encouraging example of how sharing more about yourself can help foster connection. Sora loves collecting shells at the beach with her grandmother during her summer visit. Then, while she’s already struggling to make friends in her new kindergarten class, her grandmother passes away. The sadness is too much to bear. But taking a risk to open herself to new friendships helps.

Buy it: Sora’s Seashells on Amazon

7. Feathers Together by Caron Levis and Charles Santoso

Two storks, Malena and Klepetan, miss each other terribly when an injured wing means Malena can’t migrate with the flock as usual. They exchange feathers and promise to hold each other in their hearts. A human friend cares for Malena during winter while she can’t fly, and the pair joyfully reunite the next spring. This is a nice friendship-themed story for identifying story elements and practicing retelling and summarizing. Check out all the titles in the Feeling Friends series, all inspired by real-life animal friendships.

Buy it: Feathers Together on Amazon

8. Valentine’s Guest House by Sam Sharland

Elsie and her mom, Valentine, run a guest house. When a tiger comes looking for a place to stay, they choose to welcome and accommodate him, building a new friendship in the process. This entertaining look at themes of inclusion and community can get kids talking about how to create a friendly, welcoming classroom and school.

Buy it: Valentine’s Guest House on Amazon

9. How To Help a Friend by Karl Newson

We’re always down for children’s books about friendship that spell out for kids how they can be a good friend—and this one does it so sweetly! A child helps all her animal friends by giving them just the kind of support they need. This is a fantastic conversation starter for younger kids about relevant human friendship situations.

Buy it: How To Help a Friend on Amazon

10. In the Neighborhood by Rorio Bonilla

Raise your hand if your childhood neighbors were your first example friendship! This group of animal street-mates hasn’t really connected yet; they all feel like they don’t have much in common. When one neighbor has a problem, though—the internet stops working!—it turns out another neighbor can easily lend a hand. This starts a chain of helping and connecting. Get kids talking about ways to form friendships in their own communities.

Buy it: In the Neighborhood on Amazon

11. The Kindest Red: A Story of Hijab and Friendship by Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K. Ali

This sequel to the bestselling book The Proudest Blue , written by the first American woman in hijab to compete for the United States in the Olympic Games, spotlights the deep connections we can form with friends and siblings by helping others.

Buy it: The Kindest Red: A Story of Hijab and Friendship on Amazon

12. Walter Had a Best Friend by Deborah Underwood

Walter and Xavier are best friends … until they aren’t. This touching story explores the idea that friendships don’t have to last forever, and how to deal with the roller coaster of emotions from sad to lonely to hopeful that can happen during friendship transitions.

Buy it: Walter Had a Best Friend  on Amazon

13. Friends Are Friends, Forever by Dane Liu

Best friends Dandan and Yueyue meet one last time for their favorite activity—making paper snowflakes—before she moves to America. Will she ever find a friend in her new country like she did at home? Important insights about the challenges of being an immigrant are woven into a sweet and relatable story about making new friends while holding on to old ones.

Buy it: Friends Are Friends, Forever  on Amazon

14. Old Friends by Margaret Aitken

Marjorie loves baking, knitting, and gardening so she goes undercover to find friends with similar interests at the local senior center. This heartwarming and upbeat book shows that friendship can come in many forms and highlights the importance of being true to yourself.

Buy it: Old Friends on Amazon

15. The Little Book of Friendship by Zack Bush and Laurie Friedman

This is the perfect instruction manual for how to be a friend. Filled with activities, practical ideas, and short vignettes, this nonfiction book is a great addition to any classroom library and can be easily incorporated into social-emotional learning lesson plans.

Buy it: The Little Book of Friendship on Amazon

16. Wolf Girl by Jo Loring-Fisher

The perfect story for anyone who feels like they don’t quite fit in. Shy Sophie feels most comfortable in her wolf suit, but when she wears it to school, her classmates make fun of her. Through this emotion-filled story, Sophie goes on a magical journey that teaches her (and her classmates) that good friends let you be you.

Buy it: Wolf Girl on Amazon

17. Sometimes It’s Nice To Be Alone by Amy Hest

Full of beautiful illustrations that show a young girl enjoying solo activities, this tender book celebrates what we can gain from being alone and what we can gain from being with a friend. This is a particularly good book for more introspective and introverted students.

Buy it: Sometimes It’s Nice To Be Alone on Amazon

18. A Friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey

Henry really wants a friend, but when things often feel too loud and too close, this seems like an impossible task. This heartwarming book provides an important perspective about friendships from a child on the autism spectrum.

Buy it: A Friend for Henry on Amazon

19. The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig

Brian feels invisible until a new friend joins the classroom and Brian helps welcome him. The timeless message about the power of kindness to help kids feel seen, heard, and valued makes this a perennial favorite for readers of all ages.

Buy it: The Invisible Boy  on Amazon

20. Don’t Hug Doug (He Doesn’t Like It) by Carrie Finison

Doug likes a lot of things—including his rock collection, harmonica bands, and his many friends—but he thinks hugs are just way “too squashy.” When you need children’s books about respecting personal boundaries and different ways to show you care about a friend, definitely reach for this one!

Buy it: Don’t Hug Doug (He Doesn’t Like It) on Amazon

21. The Pirate Tree by Brigita Orel

Sam resists Agu’s attempts to join his game of pirates at first because he’s unfamiliar, but Agu wins him over with his real-life experience sailing the high seas. Gorgeous and thought-provoking, this book will help kids talk about how new friends can lead to new learning and new fun.

Buy it: The Pirate Tree on Amazon

22. We Laugh Alike / Juntos nos reímos by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand

If you or your students speak Spanish, you’ll definitely want to add this unique children’s book about friendship across language barriers to your shelves. (And if you don’t, it’s still a great one to enjoy with kids, using the glossary to help.) Using a mix of English, Spanish, gestures, and open-mindedness, two groups of friends find common ground—and laughs—at the park.

Buy it: We Laugh Alike / Juntos nos reímos on Amazon

23. A Thousand White Butterflies by Jessica Betancourt-Perez and Karen Lynn Williams

Isabella is so excited for her first day of school—her “make-new-friends day”—after moving to the United States from Colombia. But then a snowstorm cancels school! A chance encounter shows her there are lots of ways to make new friends and have fun playing together. This touching personal narrative is one of our favorite new children’s books about friendship.

Buy it: A Thousand White Butterflies  on Amazon

24. The Someone New by Jill Twiss

Jitterbug the chipmunk is hesitant about accepting a newcomer to her woods until her friends help her see the positives of welcoming “someone new.” Sign of a great book: Students of any age can appreciate this story and connect its themes to their lives.

Buy it: The Someone New  on Amazon

25. Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away by Meg Medina

We just keep coming back to this gorgeous book for all the literacy mini-lessons. Daniela and Evelyn are the best of friends, but Evelyn’s impending move is hard to swallow. Their poignant conversations show how friendship can transcend circumstance—and can help real-life friends facing a similar situation.

Buy it: Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away on Amazon

26. Frank and Bean by Jamie Michalak

So many early chapter books have fantastic characterizations of friendship to discuss with kids ( Frog and Toad , Mr. Putter and Tabby , Narwhal and Jelly … we could go on and on). Frank and Bean are as different as could be, but over time that changes from a headache to a mutual win. (For more friendship-themed books for early readers, check out 18 Standout Graphic Novels for Kids in Elementary School .)

Buy it: Frank and Bean  on Amazon

27. The Hike by Alison Farrell

Three friends go on an epic outdoor adventure. Each one brings different strengths to the hike that help make it a success for all.

Buy it: The Hike  on Amazon

28. How To Apologize by David LaRochelle

Making amends when you’ve made a mistake is a key part of friendship. This book manages to be both fun and serious as it teaches readers exactly what the title promises.

Buy it: How To Apologize  on Amazon

29. My Best Friend by Julie Fogliano and Jillian Tamaki

An exuberant, child’s-eye celebration of a friendship that’s just meant to be. This one is moving for children and adults alike!

Buy it: My Best Friend  on Amazon

30. 48 Grasshopper Estates by Sara de Waal

Sicily is a STEM wizard, constantly making creations from parts she finds in her apartment complex. Making friends, though? That’s harder. Throughout Sicily’s attempts, a parallel story of a neighbor boy unfolds in the illustrations—a fun example of how friendship can occur in unexpected places, and a reminder for kids that a big part of friendship is considering others’ experiences.

Buy it: 48 Grasshopper Estates  on Amazon

31. Circle Round by Anne Sibley O’Brien

Simple, counting text describes a diverse group of children who come together at the playground. The illustrations will give your class lots to talk about and can help open a brainstorming session about inclusive ways to welcome others to play.

Buy it: Circle Round  on Amazon

32. All About Friends by Felicity Brooks and Mar Ferrero

Approaching friendship discussions through stories works for lots of kids, but for some, a more explicit primer can be helpful. This is one of the most comprehensive nonfiction children’s books about friendship we’ve seen. It uses straightforward language and plenty of charming pictures to teach key skills like how to use friendly body language, how to initiate conversations with friends, and strategies to use when friends argue.

Buy it: All About Friends  on Amazon

33. Meesha Makes Friends by Tom Percival

Meesha never feels like she gets it quite right unless she’s making “friends” with craft supplies. When Josh quietly reaches out, though, she learns that doing something she loves alongside a friend can feel twice as nice. Share this story to honor the experiences of kids who find it challenging to connect with others.

Buy it: Meesha Makes Friends on Amazon

34. In a Jar by Deborah Marcero

Llewellyn and his friend Evelyn collect their favorite memories in jars. When Evelyn moves away, it’s devastating—until they find a way to use their special memories to stay connected. We love this hushed, beautiful children’s book about friendship for the range of ideas and conversations it inspires.

Buy it: In a Jar  on Amazon

35. The Shadow Elephant by Nadine Robert and Valerio Vidali

Friendship is often lots of fun, but sometimes being a friend means helping during hard times. When Elephant feels down, Mouse instinctively knows he needs time to let the feelings pass with a quiet friend resting by his side.

Buy it: The Shadow Elephant  on Amazon

Excited to share these children’s books about friendship with your class? Don’t miss our Children’s Books for Teaching Social Skills and our Picture Books To Teach Students About Kindness .

Want more book lists and classroom ideas be sure to  subscribe to our newsletters to find out when they’re posted, you might also like.

50 Children’s Books for Teaching Social Skills

Launch tons of important classroom conversations. Continue Reading

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150+ Good Titles For Friends To Suit Any Occasion

By Author Zoella Woods

Posted on Last updated: May 23, 2023

Are you looking for good titles for friends that describe your friends to the bone? Are you looking for cool captions about friends that you can easily use with every friend-gang picture you post? Then you’ve come to the right place!

A good title that shows how close your friend(s) are is a great way to deepen the connection that you share. It’s an expression of your bond that will give a deeper meaning to your already strong friendship.

But, no matter how close you are, it can still sometimes be hard to find the right words to describe how much your friends mean to you.

Especially because you know that your life would be completely different if you didn’t have them by your side.

You want to thank them for everything they’ve been doing for you and show them that you appreciate their efforts.

That’s why a good title for friends can be a great way to show your gratitude to those who stick by your side, through thick and thin. It lets your friends know that you cherish them and never want to lose them.

You’re thankful for all the moments they’ve spent giving you advice and listening to your problems. You’re thankful for every time they’ve given up their plans just to be with you when you needed them.

And showing them that can be as simple as choosing the perfect nickname for them or a heartfelt caption under your Instagram photo. And the fact that you know it’ll make their day makes it that much more special.

So, let’s see what you could use to show your friends how much they mean to you.

Good titles for friends to show them how much they mean to you

Sometimes, you want to show your friends how much you love them. You want to show them that you see everything they’re doing for you and that you can’t thank them enough.

But even though you feel so grateful for them, you just can’t manage to find the right words to show them your love.

Worry no more. We’ve got you covered!

1. Beary special friends

2. Best friends forever and ever

3. My bridge over the troubled water

4. The one I’m thankful for

5. My everlasting friend

6. My ray of sunshine in the world full of rain

7. A friend who hugs my heart

8. A friend who brightens my world

9. The best gift I ever got

10. Friends are a special hug from God.

11. The person who makes this life worth living

12. Life long friends

13. Friends are angels without wings.

14. My guardian angel

15. Friends are hugs for hearts.

16. My right hand in everything

17. Friends are flowers that never fade.

18. The one I would do anything for

19. Two friends who share one heart

20. My chocolate chip in the cookie of life

21. Seeds of friendship bring flowers of joy.

22. The one who warms my heart

23. Diamonds may be precious but your friendship is priceless.

24. Secrets, stories, and sometimes tears. We make it all work.

25. Great times are even better when shared with a best friend.

26. If friends were flowers, I’d pick you.

27. If all people looked the same, my heart would still find yours.

28. My biggest support

29. Best friends forever, no exceptions

30. Someone to watch over me

Sweet titles for friends to use on any occasion

Sometimes, you need something sweet that easily shows your friends how much they mean to you.

Maybe it’s their birthday and you want to surprise them with a cool book about friendship you’ve made yourself. But you’re still missing a title that will be touching and cute at the same time.

Have a look at these great options.

1. Lucky to be your friend

2. I love chocolate. But I love you more.

3. My life would be a fail without you.

4. Life is like a lemonade. And friends are there to sweeten it.

5. You’re the Rachel to my Monica.

6. My non-biological sibling

7. You give me that special kind of bond.

8. Friend to friend, heart to heart

9. The one who gives me a hand to hold and a heart to understand

10. Always there for you, through good and bad

11. Real friends are worth more than diamonds.

12. The day we became friends, God smiled.

13. You’re my sugar and spice and everything nice.

14. Whenever you call me, be sure that I’ll pick up the phone.

15. You changed my life for the better.

16. You’re the cure to my blues.

17. Always there for you. Hand in hand, back to back.

18. With you, there’s no chance that I’ll fail.

19. I measure my journey in the amount of memories we’ve shared.

20. For the one who understands me, even when I speak without words

21. The greatest of all blessings

22. You help me never face my fears alone.

23. My happy pill

24. You’ll always have a friend in me.

25. The best things in life aren’t things – they’re friends who are always there for you.

26. Our friendship brings light into my life.

Good titles for friends to show them how much you appreciate them

You see everything your friends have been doing for you. The emotions hit you and you want to thank them for all of their efforts.

It could be by writing them a letter, by uploading a photo to social media and letting everyone know about the bond you share, or even by creating a scrapbook with all of your memories.

But which words do you use to show how thankful you are for having them in your life?

The possible answers are right below!

1. The one who’s been there for me through thick and thin

2. Gold has nothing on you.

3. Rain or shine, you’ll always be a friend of mine.

4. Thick or thin, I’m not leaving you no matter what.

5. The one who makes my life sweeter

6. Always thankful for having you by my side.

7. Thankful for everything you are

8. Together is my favorite place to be.

9. Without you, this world would lose meaning.

10. Two bodies, but one soul

11. Friends are family we choose ourselves. And I choose you.

12. Forever grateful for the difference you’ve made in my life

13. Every time I count my blessings, I count you twice.

14. My friend, the reason for my happiness

15. One in a million

16. I would never trade you for anything.

17. The one who accepts me as I am

18. Thank you for never giving up on me.

19. If I were to choose all over again, I’d still pick you.

20. Thank you for always walking beside me.

21. A best friend accepts you for who you are but also helps you become who you should be.

22. Thank you for always freeing your time to talk to me.

Good titles for friends to show them you never want to lose them

Once you find friends for life, you don’t want to risk losing them. And sometimes, you simply want to let them know how you feel about their presence in your life.

These sentences can help you with that.

1. You can always count on me.

2. Day or night, rain or shine, I’m always there for you.

3. If it weren’t for you, my heart would never know what happiness feels like.

4. It’s a joy to know you.

5. A good friend is like a four-leaf clover – hard to find but lucky to have.

6. My partner in crime

7. The PB to my J

8. The sister I chose myself! And it’s obvious that you never bail on your family.

9. I would feel incomplete without you.

10. Always better together

11. It’s the friends we meet along the way that help us appreciate the journey.

12. Laughing with you is my best medicine.

13. A true friend is the greatest of all blessings.

14. Lucky to have someone like you in my life.

15. Friends make the world beautiful.

16. Friendship is never about those you’ve known the longest, but those who walked into your life, said “I’m always here for you,” and proved it.

17. Being with you is all the therapy I need.

18. You’ll always be the sister of my soul, the friend of my heart, the remedy to my worries.

19. A best friend fills your life with never-ending love.

20. My favorite human being

21. My best friends are like fairy tales – they’ve been there since once upon a time and will be there until forever after.

22. You’re not rich until you have something money can’t buy, and I have you, my best friend.

Titles to remind your friends of all of the memories you’ve shared

Chances are, you and your friends have made a lot of memories together. Sleepovers, chases after different guys, and troubles you went through are the things you’ll never forget – or want to.

You’re thinking of creating a memory book for your friend but you don’t know what to call it. Here are some cool ideas that you can use.

1. Little by little, day by day, friends and flowers grow that way.

2. Always better together

3. Match made in heaven

4. They say that a good friend knows all of your stories. Well, a best one helped you write them.

5. Friends are like flowers, they add color to your life. And you certainly made my life the brightest it could be.

6. You’re a frosting to my cupcake.

7. Good times might pass, but the memories will stay forever.

8. Checked off for the memories. Gotta say they’re totally worth it.

9. Best friends until the end of the world.

10. We went through a lot together and because of that, I could never let go of you. It would feel like letting go of my best memories.

11. Friends forever, in sunshine and in shade

12. Memories we’ve shared are forever

13. All of my lifetime moments were spent with you.

14. Throughout life, you’ll meet a lot of people. But only real friends will leave traces in your heart.

15. I’ll always be there for you, these six words I swear to you.

16. Our friendship was never an accident. It was a gift from God.

17. Good times are even better when they’re shared with you.

18. Our memories will always stay with me, even when I’m old and gray.

19. Our special moments now will become our memories.

Funny titles for your bestie

Sometimes, you just need a witty title for a caption under a crazy besties picture that you know your friend will laugh out loud at.

Congrats, you’ve found exactly what you’re looking for!

1. Having a best friend is so much cheaper than paying a shrink.

2. We’re real friends, we don’t judge each other. Instead, we judge others.

3. A good friend will buy you food. A best friend will eat it for you.

4. I would never risk losing you. You know way too many secrets.

5. A good friend will help you get up when you fall. A best friend will laugh at you first.

6. I need you in my life forever! I can’t risk all those ugly selfies I sent you going public.

7. You’ll never feel lonely as long as I’m in your life. I’m always there to annoy you.

8. I know that you’re my best friend as you never let me do stupid things… alone!

9. You’re my best friend as neither of us know what socially acceptable behavior stands for.

10. Real friends never let each other go on diet. Period.

11. You were hard to find, but I guess you’re worth it. At least you buy me donuts regularly.

12. All a person need is someone of their own kind. That’s how I found you.

13. In the world full of regular people, I’ve found my dose of uniqueness with you.

14. Thank you for being my shoulder to cry on. And the one to help me make my ex jealous.

15. My full-time bestie and part-time shrink

16. You’re the sibling God forgot to give me.

17. You’re the spice to my life that makes everything nice.

Good titles for long-distance friends

Long-distance friendship is hard in itself. Your best friend is miles apart but you’re still thankful for having them in your life.

Because of that, you want to remind them of all of the love you feel for them, but you don’t know what to say. Well, here’s what you could write them.

1. Side by side or miles apart, we’ll still be best friends connected by the heart.

2. Friends are connected heart to heart. Distance and time can’t break them apart.

3. True friendship isn’t about being inseparable. It’s about being separated and having nothing changed.

4. Even though we’re far apart, you’ll always be in my heart.

5. Distance doesn’t change the amount of love I feel for my best friend.

6. I don’t need to be right next to you to know that you’re my best friend.

7. Even though we’re far apart, our hearts still can talk.

8. The bond between us is unbreakable, even though we’re far apart.

9. Friendship ties that bind

10. When friends become family

11. Friendship keeps our hearts in touch

12. Real friends are like angels. You don’t have to see them but you know they’re by your side.

13. It means to me so much that we still keep in touch.

14. You’re like a ray of sunshine to me. You might be far away but I still feel your presence.

15. Phone calls are visits when friends are apart.

16. Miles can’t break real friends apart.

17. You may be on the other side of the globe, but the place you have in my heart will always stay yours.

18. They said that we’d forget about each other, but the bond between us only strengthened.

Remember: Friends are priceless!

Once you surround yourself with real friends, don’t ever let yourself lose them. Keep them in your heart and cherish every moment you get to spend with them.

When life gets hard and you feel like you can’t take it anymore, your friends will be there for you . They will help you move through the dark times and give you a hand to cross all obstacles.

They don’t say it in vain that friends are the bridges over troubled waters. Real friends always help you overcome every problem you stumble upon.

True friends teach you to believe in yourself. They’re your biggest and loudest cheerleaders.

They show you different parts of yourself that you didn’t even know about. With their help, you learn to see yourself in your best light, for who you truly are.

They teach you about your good sides and help you grow as a person. As a result, you become the best version of yourself.

Sometimes, the bond that you create with your real friends can get stronger than the one you share with your family.

And how couldn’t it? Your friends know everything about you, from your strongest desires to the darkest secrets no one else knows about.

So, you should always take care of your friends because it’s as if you’re taking care of yourself.

Always show them how much you love them and how much you need them in your life. Show them that you recognize all the effort they’re putting into your friendship.

Write them a paragraph or two and express your love for them, make them an album with all of the memories you’ve shared, and never stop telling them how much you love them.

To have a good friend, you need to be a good friend

If you want to have great friends around you, you have to be a great friend yourself. You have to be a person others can confide in – someone others can trust because they know that you won’t hurt them.

Once you learn how to do that, you’ll show your friends that you’re there for them as well. You’ll show them that you’ll be their shoulder to cry on the same way they are yours.

And once you see how much happiness you bring into lives of others, you’ll feel proud of yourself.

But while the world is filled with good people whose intentions are pure, there’s also a lot of those whose only wish is to hurt you.

They will try to portray themselves as your real friends while the reality will be far different. They will bring poison into your life, manipulate you to get whatever they want, and then toss you to the side like you mean nothing to them.

So, be careful. Surround yourself with those who always keep showing you that they are trustworthy and don’t want to hurt you, no matter what.

Your friends have a huge impact on both your life and your personality. They shape you and have the power to change you. Looking back in time, you won’t be able to recognize the older version of yourself.

Now, it’s up to you to choose wisely.

Do you want them to shape you into the best person you could be or do you want them to negatively affect you? Because friends can do both, so it’s up to you to make the right choice .

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What’s a Good title for an Enemies to Lovers trope?

I’m currently working on outlining a new story but I’m blanking when it comes to a title. Any help or ideas would be appreciated!

For some reference, the story is based around a the main character’s best friend’s wedding, which subsequently means the brother of the best friend will be there. The main character has had a crush on him since she’s known him, but hides her attraction to him behind snarky and sarcastic remarks since he shows no interest in her and they’re always bickering or pranking each other. But during pre-wedding festivities the best friend’s brother and main character eventually fall for each other.

I have a couple title ideas, like To Fall For Him, Disastrously Beautiful, or Hating to Love, but I’m not sure any of them sound good. Thoughts?

42 Picture Books That Will Teach Your Child How to Be a Good Friend

Inside: These picture books about friendship teach kids how to be a good friend and how to handle friendship problems. Add these titles to your collection of the best picture books .

My preschooler was eerily quiet while we all sat at the breakfast table. She ate her oatmeal, spoonful by spoonful, but she stared past everything and didn’t say a word as the rest of us chit-chatted.

But she’s a talkative 4-year-old who loves to ask why every chance she gets, so I tried to read her face a couple times. I knew she must be mulling something over.

And then during a break in the conversation, finally : “Mommy? Yesterday at the park, Alex told me I’m not his friend.”

Oh no, I thought. We’re starting friendship drama already?

When Parenting Lectures Don’t Work

I reached out to rub my daughter’s shoulder. “I’m sorry that happened. How did you feel when he said that?”

“I felt sad.” She ate another bite of oatmeal, the corners of her mouth turned down.

I waited, not sure what to say.

“He is my friend,” she said. “Friends shouldn’t say things like that to each other.”

I nodded. “You’re right. That’s not a nice thing to say to a friend.”

But then the image of my kid ghosting another kid at the park popped into my head, so I kept going. “But sometimes even friends say not-nice things to each other. What’s important is to talk about it after. You can tell him his words made you feel sad. Maybe he’ll say he’s sorry and make it right.”

She nodded, but I could tell my mini-lecture hadn’t quite made it through to her. She was stuck in the hurt.

But Here’s What Does Work

Lectures don’t work with kids.

Deep down, I know that. But in the moment, I wanted to fix my child’s hurt heart. So I resorted to busting out some parental wisdom she didn’t ask for – and wasn’t ready to hear.

But after four kids, I’ve finally learned what does get through to kids.

Because I can talk to my kid until I’m blue in the face about what it means to be a good friend, but it won’t get through to her the way a story about friendship will get through.

Research shows this isn’t just in my head – when reading fiction, your brain reacts the same way as if you were living the story in real life . In other words, reading fiction about something your child is struggling with is like setting up a virtual reality simulation where they can fully enter the experience and understand different perspectives.

So after that conversation with my daughter, I set off on a new parenting mission: Find all the picture books about friendship I can get my hands on.

But not the sickeningly sweet stories that go in one ear and out the other. The juicy ones my kids can sink their teeth into. The picture books about friendship that will lead my children down the path of understanding how to be a good friend, what to do in tricky situations with friends, and how to tell when someone’s a true friend.

Related: The Secret to Raising Your Kids to Be Kind {Printable}

The Best Picture Books to Teach Your Child How to Be a Good Friend

For months, I made it my my job to research children’s book titles that tackle friendship. Every week, I put 20 books on hold at the library, plus at every visit I browsed the shelves for even more picture books about friendship.

Together, my kids and I read hundreds of picture books on the topic of friendship.

The list below is the cream of the crop from those hundreds of books: the books I loved reading, and the books my kids asked me to read again and again. But more importantly, these are the best picture books about friendship that kicked off the most powerful conversations about what it means to be a good friend.

Related: 10 Picture Books About Love That Will Make Your Kids Feel Absolutely Loved

42 Best Picture Books About Friendship, Approved by Kids And Parents

Enjoy this list of the absolute best picture books about friendship! We read a lot of picture books in our house, so if you’re looking for more great recommendations for books that will become treasured favorites, check out The All-Time Best Picture Books Most Loved by Kids And Parents .

Note: indicates my family’s absolute top favorites on the list. These are the books my kids can’t get enough of!

For When It’s Hard to Make New Friends †

† This site is reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

If your child is starting a new school year or you’ve moved to a new area, share one of these picture books about friendship with your child to help them understand and cope with the emotions they might feel.

1. The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend

2. Big Friends

For When a Friend Is Upset

Even some adults aren’t sure how to handle it when a friend is upset. Help your child learn how to be a good friend in that situation by reading them these children’s books about friendship. For more books like this, check out 50+ Children’s Books About Empathy to Help You Raise Kind Kids .

4. A Ball for Daisy

5. Boy + Bot

6. Hooray for Hat!

7. My Friend Is Sad

8. Oliver and Patch

10. Stick and Stone

11. Wilfred

For when a friend is moving away.

A close friend moving away can be an intensely upsetting event in a child’s life. These picture books about friendship will help your child get through that difficult time.

12. Before I Leave

13. City Dog, Country Frog

14. Sophie’s Squash

For when you’re not getting along with a friend.

Tiffs between friends are normal, but it’s not always clear to a child how they can move past the conflict and get back to having fun together. These picture books about friendship will teach your child important lessons they’ll be able to use in any relationship.

15. Enemy Pie

16. Good News, Bad News

17. Hector and Hummingbird

About the importance of being an includer.

If you want to raise your child to be kind, they need to understand what it looks like to be an includer. These children’s books about friendship will give your child powerful, tangible examples of how to be an includer.

18. Each Kindness

19. Leonardo, the Terrible Monster

20. Quackers

21. Ribbit!

22. Strictly No Elephants

The best all-around picture books about friendship.

These are the best picture books about friendship to show your child what it means to be a good friend and to give them examples of how to handle various friendship problems.

23. The Bear and the Piano

24. George and Martha

25. The Girl and the Bicycle

26. The Happy Lion

27. Hooray for Amanda & Her Alligator!

28. Horrible Bear

29. Horsefly and Honeybee

30. I Will Not Eat You

31. Library Lion

32. The Lion and the Bird

33. Lost and Found

34. The Old Woman Who Named Things

35. Orion and the Dark

36. Penguin and Pinecone

37. Sad, the Dog

38. Scrawny Cat

39. A Sick Day for Amos McGee

41. Those Pesky Rabbits

42. Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge

Related: The Ultimate List of the Best Picture Books, Endorsed by Kids And Parents

Before you go, get my FREE cheat sheet: 75 Positive Phrases Every Child Needs to Hear

For more books about being a good friend, check out these lists:

• The Best Children’s Books About Empathy
• The Best Children’s Books About Kindness

Which are your favorite picture books about friendship? Share in a comment below!

I'm a mom of four, a Certified Parent Educator, and the author of Happy You, Happy Family . I believe if you want a loving parent-child relationship that will last into the teenage years and beyond, the time for nurturing that kind of relationship is now . The good news? All you need is 10 minutes a day. Start here »

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16 Comments

I like the sand and stone. It’s about forgetting the bad things and remembering the good ones.

What a wonderful post! I’ll make sure to check these books to find new addition to our collection.

Thank you! I’m so glad to find this and try them out to see if it’ll help my little boy.

I absolutely love City dog Country frog. It is such a good book to read, but I will admit to tearing up the first time I read it. Okay…I teared up a lot when I read it.

Let’s make a friend is a great book too! Written by Dr. Christy Cugini

Niko Draws a Feeling- About not being understood as well as discovering friendship. Very important for kids who SEE/FEEL life differently. This book is magic at showing that you are not alone.

My preschoolers love Ping and Pong Are Best Friends (Mostly) by Tim Hopgood

I’m looking for a book for an 8 year old girl struggling with emotions. She can’t understand why friends don’t want to do what she wants all the time and gets very frustrated. She struggles to see things from others points of view and spends a lot of time alone. She is like an 8 yr old moody teenager. She may already be in puberty and is starting to develop physically. She is also very intelligent and very sweet.

Marie, you may be interested in checking out a FANTASTIC series by American Girl that has nothing to do with dolls. They have many books in the series that covers Friends, What to do about Rumors and Secrets, A Smart Girl’s Guide for What to Say, Emotions, Worry, etc. They also have books about body changes that may apply – The Care and Keeping of You. These cover SO MANY great topIcs.Hope this helps!

These are incredible books. We discovered them last year and both my girls 9 and 11 love them. They are a referral as well – they actually go back to them when issues crop up. Highly recommend.

im a mother of 3 and love how powerful books are for encouraging great habits in your kids! Kindness Starts With You by Jacquelyn Stagg is one of our favorites! It will have your little ones spreading kindness and repeating the phrases after reading it once!! I highly recommend it!!

I just found this on Pinterest! I can’t thank you enough (and the other mom bloggers out there). You cut the research and work in half by sharing everything so freely. Thanks so much!

Great list! Which book would you recommend with a good story about a friend saying not so nice things or doing things you don’t like (like throw a snowball at you)? (A la the situation that prompted this great research!)

One of our favorites is Lily and Bear

Hi have you got a childrens book recommendation about when one of your friends is periodically mean to you or manipulation? Thanks

We love penguin and pinecone and a sick day for Amos McGee. Excited to check out the others! Thank you! I would also suggest Hello, My Name is Ruby. Both my kids (2 & 4) love it and it helped my older one, who often feels shy, practice how to approach new friends and that sometimes someone may not be interested in playing (it was kind though, that bird just said no thank you) and that’s ok too.

You can nurture a warm + loving relationship with your child—in just 10 minutes a day.

I’m Kelly—a mom of four, a Certified Parent Educator, and an author.

If you want to nurture a loving parent-child relationship that will last into the teenage years and beyond, the time for nurturing that kind of relationship is  now .

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5 Comforting Books About Friendship Breakups

Arvyn Cerézo

Arvyn Cerézo is an arts and culture writer/reporter with bylines in Book Riot , Publishers Weekly , South China Morning Post , PhilSTAR Life , the Asian Review of Books , and other publications. You can find them on arvyncerezo.com and @ArvynCerezo on Twitter.

View All posts by Arvyn Cerézo

Sure, romantic breakups hurt, but people don’t talk enough about how friendship breakups are earth-shattering as well. There’s a lot of self-care tips around how to move on from an ex, but there are fewer guides on how to get our shit together when our best friends — who might be as close as family members — part ways with us. I had my fair share of friendship breakups over the years, and I still wonder what became of those I shared memories with. For those whose friendships died a slow painful death, who fell out of love with their friends, and who got ghosted when you needed friends, here are five books about friendship breakups that might give some comfort, especially in these trying times:

Swing Time by Zadie Smith

Smith’s coming-of-age novel explores the complicated friendship of two brown girls.

Set in London, it follows Tracey and an unnamed narrator who are both dancers (thus making them fast friends). However, there are a lot of differences in their personalities, and there’s animosity as well. As they reach adulthood, they eventually go their separate ways: the unnamed character becomes an assistant to a pop star while Tracey remains stuck in her life.

Complex and sophisticated, I recommend Swing Time for those who lost their friends due to personal differences.

Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Though the book shares the same title with a Kelly Clarkson song, it isn’t about moving on from a toxic, romantic relationship.

Since You’ve Been Gone follows two friends named Emily and Sloane. When Sloane ghosts Emily one day — just vanishing without a trace — Emily is puzzled. A few weeks have passed when Emily receives a mysterious to-do list from Sloane, somewhat similar to this generation’s TikTok challenges. These are things that Sloane wants Emily to do like “kiss a stranger, “go skinny-dipping,” and “steal something.” Along the way, Emily meets Frank, who helps her tick off the items on the list during the summer.

Those who were ghosted by their best friends should pick up this charming and delightful young adult novel.

Sula by Toni Morrison

This coming-of-age novel by the Nobel prize–winning author Toni Morrison explores female friendship.

Set in a Black neighborhood called Bottom in Ohio during the early 1900s, it centers around two Black girls named Nel Wright and Sula Peace who have opposing personalities. As they grow up, Nel stays in the Bottom while Sula leaves for the city, parting ways with each other. As years pass, their relationship goes through ups and downs: they reconcile, argue, and then reconcile again.

Dramatic and poignant, I recommended this book for those who lost their friends after a huge fight.

We Used to Be Friends by Amy Spalding

“It was easy to believe that romance was the only heartache out there,” Spalding writes as the character James.

Told in two perspectives, We Used to Be Friends focuses on the failed friendship of James and Kat, who met each other during kindergarten. Though they have different personality types, they still clicked with each other. During the start of their senior year, they are as thick as thieves. But at the end of the school year, things start to fall apart.

This is a good read for those whose friendships slowly fizzled, and it may remind them that the only permanent thing in life is change.

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The Friend by Sigrid Nunez

Winner of the National Book Award in Fiction in 2018, The Friend is about friendship, grief, and healing.

It follows an unnamed female character who loses her best friend and mentor, a novelist who dies by suicide. Said friend leaves a dog, a Great Dane named Apollo, but his wife is unable to look out for it. Still grieving, the female narrator takes care of Apollo instead as she starts the healing journey along with the dog.

The book is introspective and unpretentious — perfect for those mending their broken hearts after a painful friendship breakup.

The takeaway is that, as the saying goes, if one door closes, another one opens. There are plenty of fish in the sea, so cheer up!

Are the books above not enough? Well, here are “ 3 of the Best YA Books About Best Friend Breakups .”

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Five Books for People Who Really Love Books

These five titles focus on the many connections we can form with what we read.

My dad likes to fish, and he likes to read books about fishing. My mom is a birder; she reads about birds. There are plenty of books on both subjects, I’ve found, when browsing in a gift-giving mood. These presents don’t just prove I’m familiar with their interests. They’re a way to acknowledge that we read about our pastimes to affirm our identity: Fly-fishers are contemplative sorts who reflect on reflections; birders must cultivate stillness and attention. What we choose to read can be a way of saying: I am this kind of soul.

For my part, I like reading more than I like almost anything else. And so, in the manner of my parents, I like to read books about books . Writers who write about writing, readers who write about reading—these are people I instantly recognize as my kind. We’re people who are always in the middle of a chapter, who start conversations by asking, “What are you reading right now?” For us, a meta-book is like coffee brewed with more coffee. It’s extra-strength literature.

If you really love books, or you want to love them more, I have five recommendations. None of these are traditional literary criticism; they’re not dry or academic. They take all kinds of forms (essay, novel, memoir) and focus on the many connections we can form with what we read. Those relationships might be passionate, obsessive, even borderline inappropriate—and this is what makes the books so lovable. Finishing them will make you want to pick up an old favorite or add several more titles to your to-read list.

U and I , by Nicholson Baker

I can now say that I’ve been reading Baker for more than 20 years, or more than half my life. But I didn’t know that would happen when I found U and I in a college friend’s car, borrowed it, and never returned it. The subject, not the author, appealed to me then—I loved John Updike. And so did Baker, though love is probably not the right word. This book-length essay is not quite, or not merely, an appreciation of Updike; it’s a hilarious confessional “true story” of Baker’s anxieties, ambitions, competitive jealousy, and feelings of inadequacy in the face of Updike’s abundant body of work. It’s rich too, with wonderful observations on reading and writing in general, as in a passage considering how much more affecting a memoir becomes once the author is deceased: “The living are ‘just’ writing about their own lives; the dead are writing about their irretrievable lives , wow wow wow.”

A poem by John Updike: 'Half Moon, Small Cloud'

Dayswork , by Chris Bachelder and Jennifer Habel

I almost prefer to keep certain books on my to-read list forever, where they remain full of magical possibility and cannot disappoint me. Moby-Dick is one of them. What if, God forbid, I chance to read it at the wrong time or in the wrong place and it doesn’t change my life? So I turn to Dayswork instead, which feels like cheating—you get some of the experience of reading Moby-Dick without any of the risk. This very novel novel, written collaboratively by a novelist and a poet who happen to be married, is sort of a sneaky biography of Herman Melville, framed by a meta-narrative about a woman writing a book during lockdown. This narrator delivers a parade of delightful facts and quotes and anecdotes, which she’s been collecting on sticky notes. You could think of it also as a biography of Melville’s most famous novel, which has had its own life after his death and touched so many other lives. Dayswork is fragmentary, digressive, and completely absorbing.

Read: The endless depths of Moby-Dick symbolism

Written Lives , by Javier Marías, translated by Margaret Jull Costa

Marías is one of my favorite novelists, but I only recently encountered this work, a collection of short, dubiously nonfictional biographies in a very specific style. In the prologue, Marías explains that he had edited an anthology of stories by writers so obscure, he was forced to compose their biographical notes using odd, scanty evidence that made it all sound “invented.” It occurred to him that he could do the same thing for authors much more famous (Henry James, Thomas Mann, Djuna Barnes), treating “well-known literary figures as if they were fictional characters, which may well be how all writers, whether famous or obscure, would secretly like to be treated,” he explains. The result is marvelously irreverent, packed with unforgettable details (Rilke, supposedly, loved the letter y and used any excuse to write it) and endearing patterns (Marías would have us believe that many writers loathe Dostoyevsky). Written Lives immediately earned a spot on my shelf of most treasured objects, and every friend I’ve recommended it to has been equally enchanted.

Read: An introverted writer’s lament

Dear Friend, From My Life I Write to You in Your Life , by Yiyun Li

This sad and incredibly beautiful memoir from a writer best known for her fiction takes its title from a line in a notebook by the New Zealand author Katherine Mansfield. For Li, correspondence, diaries and journals, and literature in general are forms of consolation and companionship that make life worth living even in times of overwhelming despair. The memoir is a record of the reading experiences that saved Li from a dangerous depression. It made me want to dig more deeply into the work of all her favorite writers—Thomas Hardy, Ivan Turgenev, Elizabeth Bowen, William Trevor—because she describes them so warmly and affectionately, as if they were friends. Here, as in her novels, Li is philosophical, with a gift for startling aphorisms: “Harder to endure than fresh pain is pain that has already been endured,” she writes. And “One always knows how best to sabotage one’s own life,” or “What does not make sense is what matters.” Li’s work is so moving and so very wise.

Madness, Rack, and Honey , by Mary Ruefle

The American poet Mary Ruefle is one of those writers people like to call a “national treasure,” which always has to do with something beyond brilliance or talent, an additional spectacular charm that makes you wish you knew them in “real life.” This collection of lectures on poetry and topics adjacent to poetry (sentimentality, theme, the moon) is the perfect introduction to Ruefle’s particular charisma. She’s unabashedly devoted to poets and poems, but you don’t have to love poetry to fall in love with her voice. She’s plainspoken yet mysterious, always asking curious questions, about death and fear and secrets, and then answering herself with surprising authority. Ruefle is inclined toward quirky asides, but all roads lead back to books: “I offer my dinner guest, after dinner, the choice between regular and decaf coffee, when in fact I don’t have any decaf in the house,” she writes. “I am so sincere in my effort to be a good host that I lie; I think this probably happens all the time in poetry.” Ruefle offers a beautiful example of how a life filled with reading opens and alters the mind.

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