Whether friendships are new, old, unlikely, or meant-to-be, we can always count on our best pals to stick with us no matter what. Perfect for social-emotional learning, conversations about empathy, and more, share these adorable stories of best friends, animal friends, and everything in between with any little bookworms and picture book fans dealing with isolation, a recent move, or making new friends.

Best Friend In Whole World

Best Friend in the Whole World
by Sandra Salsbury

Roland lives a quiet life filled with books, music, and tea parties for one, but sometimes he feels rather lonely. So when he finds the perfect companion in Milton, he is overjoyed. It’s okay that Milton is just a pine cone; they have so much in common. But clues start popping up in the woods, suggesting someone else might be missing their best pine cone friend. Roland must decide if it’s worth leaving someone else in their loneliness to keep Milton in his life. In this sweet picture book about friendship and compassion, debut author-illustrator Sandra Salsbury’s endearingly classic illustrations bring a charming forest world to life.

Get a copy today from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org or your local indie.

A Friend for Mole

A Friend for Mole
by Nancy Armo

An accidental encounter throws Mole and Wolf together. One is afraid of the light, the other is afraid of the dark. Together they learn that things aren’t so scary when you have a friend to keep you company. Nancy Armo’s humorous story, with adorable illustrations, explores fear and friendship to show how opposites can complement, strengthen, and support each other.

Get a copy today from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org or your local indie.

Snow Lion

The Snow Lion
by Jim Helmore
illustrated by Richard Jones

After moving to a new home, Caro wishes she had a friend, but she’s too shy to meet the neighborhood kids. With a little imagination, however, she finds the Snow Lion. They have all kinds of fun together, but when the boy next door asks Caro to come play, Caro isn’t so sure. Then, the Snow Lion has an idea! This powerful, yet gentle story from the author-illustrator team behind Paper Planes celebrates the comfort of an imaginary friend amid a tale of moving and loneliness. Ideal for social emotional learning collections.

Get a copy today from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org or your local indie.

Pig and Small

Pig and Small
by Alex Latimer

Pig and Bug just want to be friends. But their size difference is proving to be a BIG problem. Pig wants to play games—but Bug is too small. Bug wants to make things for his friend—but Pig is too big! Just as they’ve given up all hope for their friendship, Pig has an idea… But will it work? A hilariously quirky tale filled with visual puns and wordplay, Alex Latimer combines his bold visual style with an entertaining and unique message to teach readers about making friends and finding common ground.

Get a copy today from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org or your local indie.

When Edgar Met Cecil

When Edgar Met Cecil
by Kevin Luthardt

When Edgar’s family moves to a new town, everything seems strange and scary. The kids look different. They dress weird. They listen to bizarre music. They eat strange food. And the biggest, weirdest looking kid keeps staring at Edgar. What does he want? As Edgar soon learns, sometimes you have to rise above your fears to make a new friend. And sometimes that friend may be the last person—or alien—you’d expect. Kevin Luthardt’s highly expressive, comical, full-color illustrations and minimal text poignantly and humorously dramatize this tale of friendship found in unexpected places.

Get a copy today from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org or your local indie.

Ebenezer Has a Word for Everything

Ebenezer Has a Word for Everything
by Chelsea H. Rowe
illustrated by Frank Dormer

Ebenezer collects words, but it’s hard to find someone who understands his passion… Until he meets Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald doesn’t have a word collection—but he does have lots of ideas. And together, they can make stories. Chelsea H. Rowe’s offbeat story about friendship, collaboration, and a love for both language and stories is perfectly depicted by Frank Dormer’s quirky illustrations. Perfect for vocabulary building, this book also includes a list of words and definitions in the back.

Get a copy today from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org or your local indie.