[Monday Reading] Friends ‘Til the End: Picture Books That Celebrate the Magic of Friendship

Fats here.

It’s Monday, What are You Reading is a meme hosted by Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers (new host of Monday reading: Kathryn T at Book Date). Since two of our friends, Linda from Teacher Dance and Tara from A Teaching Life have been joining this meme for quite awhile now, we thought of joining this warm and inviting community.

If you like reading books about friendship, check out the titles below. A few of them were published recently. As you read these books, think about the fun times you’ve had with your friends. Here’s to all the friends who keep us sane in this crazy world!

Lottie and Walter by Anna Walker
Published by Clarion Books (2019)
ISBN-13: 9781328470386

Lottie and Walter is about a girl named Lottie who was convinced that there was a shark in the swimming pool that wanted to eat her and only her. When she was invited for a pool party, Lottie dreaded it. She stared at her reflection in the water and saw something staring back at her: Walter! Walter was not a shark; he was a walrus. Will Walter help Lottie overcome her fear of the shark in the pool?

The Old Woman Who Named Things by Cynthia Rylant and Kathryn Brown
Published by Voyager Books (1996)
ISBN-13: 9781442011052

There was an old woman who kept herself from being lonely by naming things. She named her old car, her old chair, her old bed, even her old house. The things around her kept her company and knew she would not outlive them the way she outlived all of her friends. One day, while cleaning her car, Betsy, a brown puppy appeared by the wooden gate. The woman tried to shoo the puppy away but every day the puppy came back. This is a heartwarming story about two lonely souls who found each other.

Square Cat by Elizabeth Schoonmaker
Published by Aladdin Books (2011)
ISBN-13: 9781442406193

Disclaimer: I picked this title because I love cats. Surely, there’s nothing more fun than being a square cat, right? Well, Eula, a square cat living in a round world, did not think so. Life wasn’t easy for Eula. Mouse holes? Forget it! A circle skirt? No can do! And the worst part? When Eula tipped over, it was hard to get back up. It would be up to Patsy and Maude, Eula’s round cat friends, to make Eula feel special. Square Cat is a good story about empathy.

My Friend Maggie by Hannah E. Harrison
Published by Dial Books for Young Readers (2016)
ISBN-13: 9780525429166

Paula the beaver and Maggie the elephant have been friends forever. Paula thinks that Maggie is the best. But what happens if Veronica, the most popular girl at school doesn’t think so? My Friend Maggie discusses bullying, peer pressure, and what it truly means to be a friend to someone.

Pepper and Frannie by Catherine Lazar Odell
Published by Page Street Kids (2019)
ISBN-13: 9781624146602

Pepper and Frannie are best friends. Frannie is carefree while Pepper always sticks to a plan. They are very different yet they always support each other. One day, thanks to Frannie’s persistence and encouragement, Pepper decides to go out of her comfort zone and try something new: skateboarding! No matter how many times Pepper stumbles, Frannie is always there to help. This is for the people who continue to believe in us when we forget to believe in ourselves.

The Girls by Lauren Ace and Jenny Lovlie
Published by Rodale Kids (2018)
ISBN-13: 9781984896513

I saved this book for last because it is the embodiment of our current theme on sisterhood and female bonds. The Girls tells the story of four friends named Sasha, Lottie, Alice, and Leela. They are as rooted in their friendship as their “Secret Meeting Place” tree is rooted in the ground. The book described how different the girls are from each other but how they love each other nevertheless. Their friendship is not perfect but there is nothing that would tear them apart. The book follows the girls as they grow into young women. They may have taken different paths in life, but their friendship lasts forever.