Good Books About Building Friendships
These books are not only heartwarming, but remind us that our next great friendship could be sparked by an act of generosity, embracing a new idea, or making room for others.
If you've struggled to find your tribe post-pandemic, you're not the only one. Working from home, back-to-back pregnancies, and moving several hundred miles with a toddler and newborn destroyed my social life. When I eventually emerged from my postpartum fog, the world felt a lot more, well, lonelier.
I don't want to explain how difficult it can be to forge relationships as an adult, but my own awkwardness has strengthened my resolve to show my girls the importance of building community and ways to do it. I often find inspiration in children's books because the simplest advice is often the best—whether you're three or 35. These books are not only heartwarming, but remind us that our next great friendship could be sparked by an act of generosity, embracing a new idea, or making space in our lives for someone new.
One Small Thing
Words: Marsha Arnold
Art: Laura Watkins
When raccoon experiences a loss, the animals of Brightly Wood are unsure what to do. Feeling sad and a little bit defeated they each retreat home. But it doesn't take long for them to realize they can each do one thing to help raccoon feel whole again. It's a great story about the power of small acts and how they build strong bonds.
The Mouse Who Carried a House on His Back
Words: Jonathan Stutzman
Art: Isabelle Arsenault
Vincent is a traveler with "boots on his feet, a hat on his head, and a house on his back." Each day, he invites someone new—often in need—into his life and makes space for them in his tiny home. The mouses' interpretation of the book's title is both striking and whimsical. More importantly, it shows the power of hospitality and reminds us that people and things are not always what they seem.
Swashby and the Sea
Words: Beth Ferry
Art: Juana Martinez-Neal
Swashby is an old, some might say, crotchey fisherman who lives a quiet life by his first love and only friend: the sea. So when a bubbly little girl and her grandma move into the house next door, he's reluctant to embrace them. The neighbors share a series of messages that get muddled on their way to one another, allowing them to forge an unexpected friendship.
