epic-hugs-friends-minion

Picture books about friendship, love and kindness are, I think, always welcome! We get a lot of questions at our library regarding the aforementioned themes, and I’ve slowly been cultivating my list of favourites over the a number of years.

Here, in no particular order, are my favourite picture books about love and friendship. (…This list could also come in handy for any Valentine’s Day themed storytimes…!)

scrawnycat11449531Scrawny Cat by Phyllis Root, illus. Alison Friend
Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illus. Peter H. Reynolds
Chopsticks by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illus. Scott Magoon
Katie Loves the Kittens by John Himmelman
Chick ‘n’ Pug by Jennifer Sattler
Say Hello to Zorro! by Carter Goodrich
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, illus. E.B. Lewis
Bear’s New Friend by Karma Wilson, illus. Jane Chapman
Gossie and Gertie by Olivier Dunrea
mrpusskinds369353Mr. Pusskins: A Love Story by Sam Lloyd
The Bear Who Shared by Catherine Rayner
A Kiss Like This by Mary Murphy
Oliver by Birgitta Sif
Henry in Love by Peter McCarty
I’m Not. by Pam Smallcomb, illus. Robery Weinstock
City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems, illus. Jon J. Muth
Boy & Bot by Ame Dyckman, illus. Dan Yaccarino
Friends by Eric Carle
Enemy Pie by Derek Munson, illus. Tara Calahan King
south3485600South by Patrick McDonnell
Hug Machine by Scott Campbell
The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat
Jennifer Jones Won’t Leave Me Alone by Frieda Wishinsky, illus. Neal Layton
A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead, illus. Erin E. Stead
Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers
The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers
The Farmer and the Clown by Marla Frazee
princesshyacinth6321821Princess Hyacinth: The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated by Florence Parry Heide, illus. Lane Smith
A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, illus. Anita Jeram
Very Special Friends by Jane Chapman
Boot & Shoe by Marla Frazee
A Home for Bird by Philip C. Stead
My Friend is Sad by Mo Willems
sylviaandbird6258757Sylvia and Bird by Catherine Rayner
Harris Finds His Feet by Catherine Rayner
Forever Friends by Carin Berger
Owl Babies by Martin Waddell, illus. Patrick Benson
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, illus. Ruth E. Harper, illus. Nancy M. Leak
Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend by Melanie Watt
The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems
Hooray for Amanda & Her Alligator! by Mo Willems
You Will Be My Friend! by Peter Brown

5 responses to “Picture Book Picks: Friendship, Love & Kindness”

  1. This is a great list! Sylvia and Bird looks especially enticing! Thank you for taking the time to put this together!

    Like

    1. I hope you enjoy Sylvia and Bird! I am such a fan of Catherine Rayner’s titles- her illustrative style is (I think!) so gorgeous and warm, and this story is just lovely. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  2. […] The Farmer and the Clown by Marla Frazee I have said it before and I will say it again: I am in awe of authors/illustrators who can convey story and range of emotion in wordless picture books. Frazee is a marvelous story-teller and here, in her brand new book, we’re treated to the story a lonely farmer and what happens when he meets a little lost clown. This picture book is gorgeous, the palette feels appropriately subdued; it’s a story full of warmth and a touch of melancholy. I so immediately loved this title that I added it to my book list for Picture Book Picks: Friendship, Love and Kindness. […]

    Like

  3. […] Valentine’s Day is indeed coming up, and it’s typically a time when picture books with themes about friendship, meditations on love, and stories being kind to one another, are often in higher than usual demand! I thought now would be a great time to look at some new picture books fitting the themes above, as well as update one of my booklists: Picture Book Picks: Friendship, Love & Kindness. […]

    Like

  4. […] Valentine’s Day is indeed coming up, and it’s typically a time when picture books with themes about friendship, gentle meditations on love, and stories about being kind to one another are often in higher than usual demand! I thought now would be a great time to look at some new picture books fitting the themes mentioned above, as well as make some updates to one of my book lists: Picture Book Picks: Friendship, Love & Kindness. […]

    Like

Leave a reply to The Picture Book Review Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Trending