February is full of many fun holidays and themes that can be taught in the classroom! One of my favorite themes to talk about in the classroom in February was friendship. While this is a topic that is also great for anytime, with February having Valentine’s Day, it naturally lends to discussing what good friendships look like. There are many great books about friendship that you can read aloud that teach about kindness and friends. Let’s look at some great books that teach about friendship!
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This is a cute story about a guide dog and her human! The story is written by Ingrid’s human, Aria. The story is told from the point of view of the dog, Ingrid. It highlights the training Ingrid must learn before meeting her human and the special connection they share. Your class will love this book added to your collection fo books about friendship!
I love this book! It can be used as a Valentine’s read aloud but also as a book about friendship. In this book, lonely Mr. Hatch receives a Valentine’s gift with a note saying, “Someone loves you.” Although the gift is a mistake, his friends and neighbors show him they do indeed love him. One thing I really enjoy about the illustrations is that they change from grays to color throughout the book. This book is great for teaching your growing readers all about character traits and feelings.
One of my favorites because of the creative photographs that are the illustrations! In this story, Peanut Butter is lonely and looking for a friend. He meets many friends who are not the right match and who are all too busy to play with him. Peanut Butter finally finds a perfect match and friend in Jelly! This is a great story of friendship!
If your class loves animal stories, this is a great one! This is a real-life survival story about a blind cat and dog who are alone after Hurricane Katrina. The book highlights their bond, resilience and later adoption. My daughter was amazed that this is a true story! The illustrations are so colorful!
This is a cute story about an imaginary friend who has been waiting a long time for a real friend. Beekle decides to go on an adventure and find his perfect match. Your class will love Beekle and his quest for a friend!
At the beginning of this story, Stick and Stone are both alone and lonely. Stick stands up for Stone when he is made fun of and a friendship begins. This is a simple, sweet story of kindness and friendship that your class will love! It’s a great read aloud to use as a writing mentor text, too!
My kids and I love this book! The illustrations are colorful and so engaging! In this book, a girl named Hattie befriends a large, lake creature she names Hudson. Hattie befriends the creature and shows the town Hudson is not the scary creature people think he is. This is a must-add to your collection of books about friendship. It’s a great text for teaching students
This story is about two best friends who have a disagreement over their sandwiches. One of my favorite things about this story is it shows how the two friends reconcile. They later try each other’s sandwich and discover they both enjoy them. Your class will love this addition to your stash of books about friendship. It’s a wonderful text for teaching kids how to make predictions, too!
Katy Hudson is one of my favorite authors and illustrators. Her pictures are bright, colorful, and engaging. In this story, a girl named Sasha is waiting on her slow-moving friend Mr. Sloth to go swimming. Sasha gets frustrated at how slowly Mr. Sloth moves, but ultimately learns patience and how to appreciate the moment she is in. This read aloud is great for teaching kids story elements.
Are you looking for ready-to-go reading strategy lessons that go with some of these books? I have easy to use lessons that match a few of these books HERE in my shop. They include everything you need from vocabulary cards to differentiated reading response pages to a multi-day lesson plan to teacher sticky notes that let you know exactly where to stop and discuss.
Are there any books about friendship that you you enjoy reading in your classroom? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
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