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Catherine spends the majority of her summer vacation caring for David, her brother who has autism. In doing so, she develops rules for him to follow, such as saying "excuse me" after he burps, chewing with his mouth closed, and not opening doors in other people's houses. Catherine attends David's occupational therapy with her mom because she feels it is the only time she gets her mom to herself. Then Kristi moves next door and they develop a friendship. Catherine also meets Jacob, a boy who attends occupational therapy with David. He is confined to a wheelchair and cannot speak, so he points to cards with words on them in order to communicate. Catherine decides to draw a few word cards for Jason, and they become friends. However, Catherine is worried about how Kristi will react to Jason's handicap, so she keeps it a secret. Jacob senses Catherine's uneasiness when he asks her to the dance and becomes enraged. Eventually, Catherine decides to go to the dance with Jason and Kristi is snotty and unapproving, so Catherine decides to dance with her true friend, Jason.

This story explores sibling friendship, what it means to be a real friend, and the role of friendship in finding your own identity. David and Catherine also talk by reciting lines from Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad, one book of which is included in this text set.

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/rules-by-cynthia-lord/

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The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

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The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

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It is 1958 in Little Rock, Arkansas, also known as the "Lost Year": the year when schools were closed to challenge desegregation. Marlee doesn't talk. She is close to her friend Sally, her older sister Judy, and the lions at the zoo. That is, until she meets Liz, a confident girl who seems to be Marlee's complete opposite. She approaches Marlee and they develop a friendship. Liz becomes determined to help Marlee conquer her fear of speaking and overcome her shyness, so she convinces her to participate in an oral presentation with her. But on the day of the presentation, Liz doesn't show up because she was pulled out of school for "passing" as a white girl. This tempts Marlee to retreat back into herself, but conversations with her family and Sunday school teacher inspire her to continue seeing Liz. Although her father doesn't' approve, Marlee is determined to fight against segregation. One day, the older brother of one of Marlee's friends threatens Liz and her family bombs the home of a black civil rights activist. Eventually, Marlee and her family are able to trick the bomber into revealing his identity. Liz's family do not want her to see Marlee anymore, but Liz gives Marlee her new phone number and their friendship continues.

This story explores the intricacies of interracial friendship during the civil rights era. It shows how far a true friend is willing to go to keep their friendship and how friends can change us and support our personal growth.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/308836/the-lions-of-little-rock-by-kristin-levine/

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Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

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Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

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Jess loves to run, and he dreams of being the fastest runner in the fifth grade. He feels very insecure, as he is one of 6 siblings and his family does not have a lot of money. Then he meets Leslie, the girl who just moved next door. They instantly form a friendship and build a secret fantasy land across the creek in the woods that they call Terabithia. In Terabithia, they have deep conversations, tell each other stories, and play fantastic games. However, their friendship isn't as carefree in the real world. They are teased for being friends because they are of different genders. One day, the music teacher at school, Miss Edmunds, invites Jess to explore the art galleries in Washington, making Jess feel the way he only feels with Leslie. When he returns from the trip, he finds out that Leslie has drowned in the creek trying to swing to Terabithia on the rope they put up. Devastated and lost, Jess regresses to his previously insecure ways. He continues the fantasy of Terabithia, bringing his sister May Belle there to keep Leslie's legacy.

This story shows how friendship can completely transform how you feel about yourself. It explores personal growth, the power of confiding in someone, and the devastation that comes with losing a friend.

https://www.harpercollins.com/products/bridge-to-terabithia-katherine-paterson?variant=32129200390178

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August Pullman (Auggie) was born with severe facial defects, including mandibulo-facial dystosis which has left his entire face disfigured, so he was homeschooled his entire childhood. However, as he nears the fifth grade, his mother decides he should attend a real school. Auggie is worried about how the other kids will react when they see him, but he also wants to be "normal". When he starts school at Beecher Prep, he is treated insensitively by his new classmate, Julian and no one wants to sit next to him... Except for Jack. They start to talk, but Auggie still finds himself alone at lunch. Then a girl named Summer approaches him and they become friends. On Halloween, Auggie overhears Jack tell Julian and some other boys that he would kill himself if he looked like Auggie, which results in Auggie crying and deciding not to be friends with Jack anymore.
The story then switches to Olivia's (Via's) perspective, Auggie's older sister who has just started high school. Via feels neglected because her parents put Auggie before her and her best friends have stopped talking to her. When Auggie comes home upset on Halloween, she tells him that he needs to move past it.
The story then switches to Summer's perspective, Jack's perspective, Via's new boyfriend Justin's perspective, back to Auggie's, then Via's friend Miranda's, and finally back to Auggie. Auggie goes to his first sleepaway retreat, and some kids try to hurt him in the woods. To Auggie's surprise, some boys who are usually mean to him come to his rescue. This incident makes Auggie extremely popular and he starts to make more friends. He also finds out that Julian will not be coming back to school, and he wins a special award for his courage and kindness.

This story demonstrates why you should not judge someone for how they look, and that friendship can make you feel confident and comfortable with yourself. It also shows that pretending to not like someone the way Jack pretended he didn't want to be Auggie's friend can be hurtful and harm the people you care about, and that such behavior is not that of a good friend.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/208913/wonder-by-r-j-palacio/

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Olive enjoys school and has a lot of friends, but when it comes time for the Fifth Grade Variety Show, no one invites her to be in their act. Her mom encourages her to ask to join in an act, but Olive feels like she will never totally fit in. Olive's aunt sees that she is upset and tells her how she did a solo act when she was in school. She borrows some variety show videos from the library for Olive to watch, and Olive decides to host the variety show. However, her mother is less than thrilled with the idea because she thinks Olive is isolating herself. Then Olive is finally invited to join an act, but she declines because she has her heart set on hosting. Her friends are initially surprised that she declines to join their act, but they all ultimately support her and are eager for her to host the show.

This graphic novel explores young friendship as Olive questions what real friendship is. She feels bad about herself when her friends don't invite her to be part of their act, but she is able to find strength in acting alone and her friends admire her for it.

https://www.hmhbooks.com/shop/books/Click/9781328911124

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The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Macksey

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The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Macksey

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A boy meets a mole, and they share their thoughts and feelings about life, fear, and success. Then the boy and the mole encounter a fox in a snare, who says he would kill the mole if he weren't trapped. The mole reminds the fox that he will die if he stays in the snare and sets him free. Then they meet a horse who says the greatest thing he has done is ask for help. The boy fears that the mole, the fox and the horse will see him as merely ordinary, however the mole assures him that love doesn't need him to be extraordinary. Together, they all share their thoughts and develop an unconditional love for each other.

This story is a beautiful homage to the human condition. At times we all feel unsure of ourselves and unlovable, but friends are those who show us our worth and love us unconditionally. This is an incredibly thought-provoking and inspiring story about how friendship can transform the way you feel about yourself.

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/1117718/the-boy--the-mole--the-fox-and-the-horse/9781529109443.html

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Shannon and Adrienne are inseparable, until Adrienne and her family move away. Shannon becomes friends with a new girl named Tammy, but she can't stop thinking about Adrienne. Tammy wants to be closer, but Shannon wishes she were Adrienne. Then, Adrienne comes back... but she has a new friend, Jen. Shannon is jealous, because Jen seems talented and popular, but she is glad she is part of their group of friends: The Group. The problem is that everyone wants to be Jen's #1, and the lineup keeps changing. Shannon's life becomes like sailing on a stormy sea, causing her to be anxious and sick as her "friends" battle their way to the top- including bullying Shannon. Then she meets Zara and Veronica, two 6th grade girls who were kind and accepting and lifted each other up. But Zara and Veronica are leaving for junior high, and Shannon didn't want to be alone. Then, unexpectedly, Jen asks to be part of Shannon's group. They form a new friendship circle, ditching the "lineup" and being nice to others. Soon, another group member named Jenny asks to be in Shannon's group, but Shannon tells her no because of how mean she had been previously. Shannon's sister Wendy decides to move out, and Shannon and Wendy have a deep conversation about life and friendship, and she writes to Wendy that it's no one's destiny to be alone.

This graphic novel explores the idea of what it means to be a real friend. It also shows how cliquey friendships can be and how your group of friends (or "friends") can impact how you feel about yourself.

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781626727854

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Bob and Otto are very good friends. Bob is a caterpillar and Otto is a worm. They look alike and do many of the same things, like digging in the dirt, playing in the grass, and eating leaves. One day, Bob decides he wants to see the world from the top of a tree. Otto wants him to stay on the ground, but Bob insists it is important. Bob becomes a cocoon and transforms into a butterfly. Then, Bob and Otto both realize how much they miss each other, so they find each other again. Otto is envious of Bob's wings and wishes that he followed Bob up the tree so maybe he could grow wings too. Otto feels discouraged and like a "big fat worm", but Bob tells him he is not just a worm, he is Bob's best friend.

This story shows how friends can go their separate ways and still remain friends. It also shows how valuable friendship can be and how important and valued it can make you feel.

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781596432031

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When Lily's blind dog, Lucky, runs away, a girl named Salma catches him and Lucky eats her lunch. Determined to make it up to Salma, Lily brings her food to the migrant camp in which she works with her parents picking blueberries. Soon Salma and Lily form a friendship and paint bee houses together that Lily is selling to raise money for surgery for Lucky. But when Salma decides to run for the Blueberry Queen Pageant, their friendship becomes strained. Lily's estranged friend Hannah was the winner of the pageant last year, and Lily is uneasy about how people will respond to an outsider like Salma- including Hannah. Although Salma doesn't win the pageant, she does get a gift certificate that she gives to Lily and tells her she has done research and that it would be good for Lucky to have a companion dog to serve as his eyes. Lily is distraught at the thought of not helping Lucky see for himself and she takes it out on Salma, but when she sees Lucky having fun with another dog, she eases up and apologizes to Salma. Then, Salma has to move away with her family and they promise to always remember each other because "star friends" will never truly be apart if they're looking up at the same night sky.

This story shows how it can be difficult to be a good friend when you are unsure of yourself. It also navigates making a new friend from a very different background.

https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/book/a-handful-of-stars-by-cynthia-lord/

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I'll Walk With You by Carol Lynn Pearson

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I'll Walk With You by Carol Lynn Pearson

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Sometimes, when you don't walk or talk or look the same way as others, do, they don't want to walk with you, but it's important to show love and be friendly to people who are different than you. This book shows the importance of being there for others, accepting and embracing their differences, and learning from them. It explores the differences people have that can make them judge others, such as race, religion, immigration or economic status, and even sexual orientation.

This book explores meeting people who are different and responding with love and friendliness, not fear. It demonstrates that being a good friend involves supporting people, not judging or fearing them.

https://carollynnpearson.com/store/ill-walk-with-you

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When a boy discovers an airplane in his closet, he flies it into space. But when it runs out of fuel, the boy is stuck, alone, and afraid. Meanwhile, a martian was also in trouble because his engine broke down. Both the boy and the martian fear the worst, but they come to realize they'd met someone else in trouble and they weren't alone anymore. Together, they figure out how to fix their machines and both head home.

This story shows how similar two people can be, even if they are from "different worlds". It shows that helping others is part of being a good friend and can even be the start of a new friendship.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/302739/the-way-back-home-by-oliver-jeffers-illustrated-by-oliver-jeffers/

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My Friends is a simple story of a little girl who has learned a variety of things from the different animals and people in her life. She has learned to climb from her friend the monkey, to nap from her friend the crocodile, to watch the night sky from her friend the owl, to read from her friends the books, and most importantly to love "from a friend like you".

This story shows that you can learn something from everyone you meet, and that being a good and loving friend is also learned.

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/my-friends-by-taro-gomi/

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Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems

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Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems

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Leonardo was a terrible monster. He couldn't scare anyone! He compared himself to the other monsters who were bigger, hairier, and had more teeth. Then, he decides he will find the most "scaredy-cat" kid and scare him. When he scares a boy named Sam, Sam starts to cry... but not because of Leonardo. Sam is upset because his big brother was mean to him and he doesn't have any friends. So Leonardo makes a decision: to be a wonderful friend instead.

This story shows what it means to be compassionate and become friends with others who are feeling ostracized. It also shows how being a good frien can make you feel better about yourself.

http://pigeonpresents.com/books/leonardo-the-terrible-monster/

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When Maya arrives at her new school, Chloe and the rest of the students don't talk to her. Instead, they whisper about Maya, laughing about her clothes and shoes and the weird food she brings for lunch. Maya approaches them on the playground to see if they would like to play games with her, but they decline each time. Then one day, Maya doesn't show up to school. The lesson that day is about kindness, and when the teacher asks the students to name something kind they have done, Chloe cannot think of anything. She wishes Maya would come back and promises herself she will be kind to her when she does, but Chloe soon finds out that Maya has moved away. She regrets that she had not shown kindness to Maya.

This story shows the importance of being kind and friendly towards others, even if they are different from you. It also shows how Chloe ends up feeling bad about herself because of how she treated Maya.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/299101/each-kindness-by-jacqueline-woodson-illustrated-by-e-b-lewis/

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Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship by Irene Latham and Charles Waters

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Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship by Irene Latham and Charles Waters

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Can I Touch Your Hair? is a book of poetry that touches on the issue of race in friendship. Irene is a white girl, Charles is a black boy, and they are both paired to work on a poem project in school. Both Irene and Charles write poems about the same topics from their own perspectives, including shopping, hair, church, dinner conversations, and even police brutality and racism. Through their poems, they are able to develop and understanding of each other's similarities and differences and ultimately form a friendship.

This book of poems is a powerful example of how simply getting to know someone can completely change your perspective. Friendship is about seeing each other as individuals and respecting the things you have in common and working to understand the things that you don't.

https://lernerbooks.com/shop/show/14624

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Growing Friendships by Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore and Christine McLaughlin

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Growing Friendships by Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore and Christine McLaughlin

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This nonfiction book, accompanied with cartoons, teaches children how to reach out to others, handle conflict, and navigate friendships. It covers reaching out to make friends, stepping back to keep friends, handling stressful situations, joining in on already established friend groups, speaking up to share with friends, staying true to yourself, handling teasing and bullying, being a good sport, respecting others' choices, handling conflict, and so much more.

This guide outlines basically every scenario children encounter as they make and maintain friendships. It helps children understand why we have friends and how to be a good friend.

https://eileenkennedymoore.com/books-videos/growing-friendships/

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How to be a Friend by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown

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How to be a Friend by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown

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This nonfiction book explains why we have friends, that friends can be different from each other, and that friends have one thing in common: they feel the same way about each other. It also explains how to show that you want someone to be a friend and the ways in which you can be a good friend, including sharing toys, cheering up a friend who is sad, and doing special things for them. The book also addresses how to deal with feeling shy and asking others to play. Ways not to be a friend are covered as well, such as calling people names, ignoring them, not letting them play with anyone else, and being bossy or a bully. There are also great tips on how to talk out an argument and make up with a friend.

This book is a great resource for teaching children how to be good friends, how to overcome shyness when making friends, and how to successfully resolve arguments with friends. It provides a variety of typical scenarios that friends encounter.

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/how-to-be-a-friend-by-laurene-krasny-brown/

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Amos, a mouse, lives by the ocean and decides to build a boat and set sail to explore the great big sea. Then, mesmerized by the whales he sees, he accidentally rolls right off the boat. Soon he meets Boris, a giant whale who was headed to a meeting of whales from all the seven seas, and Boris agrees to take Amos home. Over their week of travel, Amos and Boris become close friends despite how different they are in size, purpose, and power. Amos learned of life in the sea and Boris learned of life on land. Amos tells Boris that he would be glad to help him if ever he needs it, although Boris thinks there is no way a little mouse could help a mighty whale. However, years later, a big storm flings Boris onto the shore near Amos's home. Amos finds two elephants and they push Boris back into the ocean. Although Amos and Boris knew they may not meet again, they both will always remember and love each other.

This story shows how two very different people can become friends, learn from each other, and support each other. It also shows how you can help others even when you don't think it's possible.

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780312535667

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Frog and Toad Together consists of five stories about best friends, Frog and Toad. In A List, Toad adheres to a strict list of things to do, but when his list flies away,  he is lost. Frog runs after his list but is unsuccessful, so he sits with him until they go to sleep- the last thing on Toad's list. In The Garden, Frog gives Toad flower seeds to plant in his garden, but Toad grows impatient while waiting for the seeds to sprout. He reads, sings, and plays music to his seeds because he thinks they are afraid to grow, but at last they do. In Cookies, Toad bakes delicious cookies that Frog and Toad cannot stop eating! They try to stop themselves, but are unsuccessful. Then they decide to give the cookies to the birds. In Dragons and Giants, Frog and Toad read a book together about brave people who fight dragons and giants, causing them to question whether or not they are brave. They set out to find out, and ultimately discover that they are both brave and lucky to be friends with one another. In The Dream, Toad dreams that he is putting on a series of performances. During each one, he asks Frog if he is able to do the same things and Frog says he is not. He keeps shrinking until he can't be seen. Then, he wakes up and Toad is normal sized again.

This series of stories captures the ups and downs of friendship and demonstrates simply what it means to be a good friend.

https://www.harpercollins.com/products/frog-and-toad-together-arnold-lobel?variant=32207359279138

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Harbor Me will serve as the main text for this unit on friendship.

Haley and five of her classmates are all part of a special class for students with learning differences. They are given a place to talk, like a support group, with no adults present which they call "ARTT": A Room To Talk. After visiting her dad in prison, Haley is inspired to start recording their conversations. She starts by recalling a history lesson about the Lenape Indians in which her teacher asked if they would have helped the Lenape or taken the land for themselves. She told them to always protect others and be a harbor for those who need it. Esteban, Amari, Ashton, Tiago, and Haley all share their stories about dealing with a variety of social issues such as racism, immigration, and incarceration. The ARTT room and the students inside become a harbor; a safe place to express themselves and be protected from their sometimes harsh realities. Haley finally musters up the courage to talk about her father being incarcerated and her mother's death, and she comes to realize that forgiveness is one way to be someone's harbor as she learns to forgive her father.

This story is a moving testament to the power of sharing your traumas. Having other people to talk to about what you keep inside is crucial to how you feel about yourself and how you are able to show friendship to others. Friendship is being someone's harbor and having someone to be your harbor.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/304852/harbor-me-by-jacqueline-woodson/

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1. Why do we have friends?
2. What does it mean to be a good friend?
3. How can friendship (or lack thereof) influence the way we feel about ourselves?

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Cognitive Learning Objective: Students will explain in their own words what it means to harbor someone and what it means to be someone’s harbor after reading Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson.
Psychomotor Learning Objective: Students will draw a picture that represents a person or group of people that harbor them and/or vice versa and connect it to Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson and their own drawings after reading the book.
Affective Learning Objective: Students will capture the feeling and experience of being a harbor and/or being harbored through art and writing.
Activity Directions:
At the end of the book Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson, Amari shares a drawing that represents the group and a harbor. Draw a picture that represents a person or group of people that you feel “harbor” you and/or vice versa. Then, write a short essay about what it means to “harbor” someone and what it means to be someone’s harbor. Make sure to reference examples from the book and to explain your drawing.

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Cognitive Learning Objective: Students will identify and list qualities they desire and do not desire in a friend after examining the characteristics of characters in the texts.
Psychomotor Learning Objective: Students will design a “Want ad” including characteristics they desire and do not desire in a friend.
Affective Learning Objective: Students will conclude which qualities they want and do not want in a friend by creating a “Want ad” for a friend.
Activity Directions: Brainstorm and write a list of characteristics that are important for a potential friend to have. Think back to the texts we read for some ideas. Who did you feel was a good friend? Why? Those characteristics are what you want to include in your ad. On the contrary, who wasn’t a good friend? Why? Those characteristics are what you want to advertise that you do not want. Once you have your lists, create a “Want Ad” for a friend as if you were posting it online or in a newspaper. Then, write a brief explanation of why each characteristic is important to you. Finally, identify the characters we read about that possessed (or didn’t possess) those qualities.