Books with Friends

Friendship plays a big role in picture books for children. Here are a few of my favorites this month. 

 

Little Elliot:  Big Family by Mike Curato

Mouse and Elliot, a tiny mouse and a small polka-dotted elephant,  are old friends. When Mouse goes off to his family reunion, Elliot is lonely and notices families all over the city. Curato does an excellent job of showing different ethnicities and genders in both his words and his pictures, while focusing on the central point: family members enjoying themselves and one another. Will Elliot get to experience what it is like to be a part of a big family? Read it and see.

Little Elliot: Big Fun by Mike Curato

Little Elliot and Mouse head out for an amusement park on the edge of the City, depicted like Coney Island of bygone days. The rides overwhelm Elliot and they have a hard time finding something that is not too fast, or wet or dizzy. But, when they finally take a chance on the giant Ferris Wheel, they (and the reader) are rewarded with a stupendous view of the city from the top. But, the best is when Little Elliot asks Mouse what his favorite part of the day is, and Mouse replies, “Being with you.” True friends, nothing better!

Best Frints in the Whole Universe by Antoinette Portis

What is a frint, you may ask? While this book will give you some hints, the answer lies in the mind of the reader. Best frints on Planet Bobarp do not act like best friends on Planet Earth, which this book makes perfectly clear. For all those parents and teachers who are dealing with friends and siblings who are sometimes enemies, this might be a lighthearted way to start a conversation without making a big deal about childish behaviors.

Bossy Flossy by Paulette Bogan

What happens when Bossy Flossy meets Bossy Edward on the school playground? Do they both stop their bossy ways and become best friends? Well, not exactly, but they do start to recognize what it feels like to be bossed around. Which is always a good thing and maybe a friendship does develop. Have fun reading and hope you don’t recognize yourself in this book!

Hill and Hole are Best Friends by Kyle Mewburn, illustrated by Vasanti Unka

Hill and Hole live side by side and talk to each other about the world around them. When the time comes that they want to experience the world from another perspective, they enlist the help of Mole who moves the earth to make Hole a hill and Hill a hole. And that’s where it gets a little confusing as Hill the hole talks to Hole the hill.. How many friends want to be just like their best friend and experience life as their friend does? How many of us actually get to do this? While Hill and Hole enjoy switching roles, they soon want to switch back, asking now for the help of Wind, who wisely says, “Sometimes it is easier to do things than to undo them once they’re done.” How true! What appears as a simple story is a metaphor that could be used with children at almost all grade levels. Deep!

Maggie and Michael Get Dressed by Denise Fleming

Fleming is one of my favorite illustrators for children’s books these days. Her drawings are realistic, yet appear to be simple and are amazingly easy to imitate, making me feel like an artist myself! Michael is a toddler who is supposed to be dressing himself, but instead is helping his puppy, Maggie, put on all his clothes. Toddlers who hear this story are learning colors, names of clothing and some body parts. Clever!