All Booked Up | Friendship (Sept 2025)

A few of our favorite books about friendship for this month's All Booked Up reading challenge. Not seeing anything you like? Browse more books about friendship in the library catalog (in español, русский язык, or українська мова) or request a personalized recommendation from library staff.

BONUS! Let us know what book you read for a chance to win free ice cream from Mike's Drive In and a book to keep.

All Booked Up is a partnership between the Oregon City Public Library and OCSD connecting literacy, family engagement, and school attendance for student success.


Updated August 21, 2025
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
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El deafo
Bell, Cece
Paper Book
Cece Bell's #1 New York Times Bestseller graphic novel El Deafo is the origin story of a student with hearing loss and a hearing aid becoming a superhero. A John Newbery Medal Winner Now an Apple+ Animated TV Series! ...

The author's story of navigating a new school and finding friendship in the hearing world. (Children's Graphic Novel)

Also available as an e-book & digital audiobook in the Libby app.

You will be my friend!
Brown, Peter
Paper Book
From #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Wild Robot comes a cheerful story about persistence and friendship Today is the day the exuberant Lucy is going to make a new friend! But she finds it's harder than she...

An overbearing bear struggles to find a friend who doesn't run away. (Picture Book)

Also available as a Readalong.

Nick and Nack build a birdhouse
Budzi, Brandon.
Paper Book
Stories + Puzzles = Reading Success! Highlights Puzzle Readers offer an innovative approach to learning to read that integrates puzzles and stories to develop motivated, confident readers. Nick and his robot pal Nack love to build things. As they build a birdhouse in this Level 1...

Solve the puzzles to help Nick and his robot pal Nack build a birdhouse in this interactive series. (Early Reader Level 2)

Ly-LAN and the New Class Mix-Up
Dinh, Ha
Paper Book
Sometimes things don't turn out the way we plan! In this chapter book series about a daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, Ly-Lan navigates her life as a new third grader--complete with old and new friends, unexpected (and disappointing) changes at home and school, and finding a way to...

A third grader uses her faith to navigate friendship challenges when she and her bestie are placed in different classes. (Bridging Fiction)

Stick and Stone
Ferry, Beth.
Paper Book
New York Times best-selling duo Stick and Stone are STICKing together in this hilarious and heartwarming picture book that proves once and for all why best friends ROCK! From beloved picture book creators Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld, perfect for fans of Kelly...

A punny story of the ups and downs of true friendship. (Picture Book)

Real friends
Hale, Shannon
Paper Book
"Fresh and funny." --New York Times Book Review Over 2 million copies of the Real Friends series sold! Newbery Honor author Shannon Hale and New York Times bestselling illustrator LeUyen Pham join forces in this graphic memoir about how hard it is...

A true story of how friendships change in the turbulence of middle school. (Young Teen Graphic Novel)

Kitty and Dragon
Hashimoto, Meika
Paper Book
When Kitty looks for the perfect home, she makes an unlikely best friend--Dragon! From Epic! Originals, Kitty and Dragon is a lovable early reader series about finding true friendship when you least expect it. Book 1 of this early reader series features three adorable...

Three stories about new friends Kitty and Dragon, perfect for bedtime reading and sharing together. (Bridging Fiction)

Bear and bird : the picnic and other stories
Jarvis
Paper Book
Picture-book maven Jarvis brings his subtle wit and charm to the chapter-book realm with this set of stories about a most endearing pair. Bear didn't really like the painting. I mean, look at it. But he liked Bird a lot, and it would remind him of her . . .

Four short stories about friends for Elephant & Piggie fans ready to tackle more complex stories. (Early Reader Level 4)

Growing feelings : a kids' guide to dealing with emotions about friends and other kids
Kennedy-Moore, Eileen
Paper Book
Children's biggest emotions often come up about friends and other kids. In this funny and useful book, authors Eileen Kennedy-Moore and Christine McLaughlin help kids understand and cope with feelings in ways that build strong friendships. 2023 NATIONAL PARENTING PRODUCT...

Cartoon stories and coping strategies address the many emotions growing kids feel about friendships and other childhood relationships. (Children's Nonfiction)

Growing friendships : a kid's guide to making and keeping friends
Kennedy-Moore, Eileen
Paper Book
From psychologist and children's friendships expert Eileen Kennedy-Moore and parenting and health writer Christine McLaughlin comes a social development primer that gives kids the answers they need to make and keep friends. Friendships aren't always easy for kids. Almost every...

Friendship experts offer cartoon stories to demonstrate 5 essential skills to build friendships. (Children's Nonfiction)

April & Mae and the book club cake : the Monday book
Lambert, Megan Dowd
Paper Book
Fans of King & Kayla and Charlie & Mouse will love this delightful beginning chapter book series that celebrates friendship every day of the week! It's Monday, and April and Mae aren't prepared for book club. To save time, April reads the book aloud while Mae bakes...

A fast reader and a talented baker team up to get ready for their weekly book club meeting in this series opener. (Early Reader Level 3)

Built to last
Lê, Minh
Paper Book
Meet two friends who think they're building imaginative worlds with blocks but come to realize they've been building something far greater--a sturdy, solid friendship--in this picturebook by award-winning creators. Two kids build entire worlds out of blocks, cardboard, and...

Picture book duo Lê and Santat build a story about two boys who build a friendship that can withstand the collapse of their many creations. (Picture Book)

Emma Mckenna, full out
Messner, Kate
Paper Book
Meet the kids in Mrs. Z's wacky and wonderful third-grade class! Cheerleader Emma McKenna is thrilled for the first day of school... until her frenemy shows up and all of Emma's plans for a social do-over take a tumble! Emma McKenna can't wait for third grade at the...

Every kid in Mrs. Z's class gets their own book, each written by a different author. (Children's Fiction)

Magnolia Wu unfolds it all
Miller, Chanel
Paper Book
A Newbery Honor book and instant New York Times, USA Today, and indie bestseller! Award-winning author and artist Chanel Miller tells a fun, funny, and poignant story of friendship and community starring Magnolia Wu, a ten-year-old sock detective bent on...

A Newbery Honor Book with a spot-on sense of humor. (Children's Fiction)

Also available as an e-book & digital audiobook in the Libby app.

Team up
Raúl the Third
Paper Book
An ALA Best Graphic Novels for Children Selection "Fantastically fun! Kids will drink in every imaginative detail in El Toro's wild world!" --Jeff Kinney, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series From New York Times bestselling,...

A friendship story in Spanish and English featuring Raul III's El Toro & Friends luchadores. (Early Reader Level 2)

BFF or NRF (not really friends) : a girl's guide to happy friendships
Speer, Jessica
Paper Book
2021 Royal Dragonfly Book Award Silver Medal Winner Finalist for Kids Choice Book Awards Friendships are tough to navigate, even for adults. The preteen years can be particularly sticky, but we've got your back! Packed with fun quizzes,...

Quizzes, comics, and stories to help preteen girls build true friendships. (Children's Nonfiction)

Smile
Telgemeier, Raina
Paper Book
Raina just wanted to be a normal girl, but one night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls severely injuring her two front teeth. What follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of...

A true story of the author's quest to find true friendship during her middle school years amidst over-the-top orthodontia struggles. (Children's Graphic Novel)

Also available as an e-book in the Libby app.

Walter had a best friend
Underwood, Deborah
Paper Book
From the bestselling author of The Quiet Book comes an honest and touching new picture book about the ups and downs of friendship. Walter and Xavier are best friends. They do everything together! But then...quietly...slowly...Xavier becomes best friends with someone else....

Sometimes friendships don't last forever, but new friends may be waiting just ahead. (Picture Book)

Monster friends
Vandorn, Kaeti
Paper Book
Two friends- one big, one little. One old, one young. One grumpy, one cheerful. Both- MONSTERS! From the author of Crabapple Trouble comes a sweet and fun-filled chapter-book graphic novel, with a charming cast of adorable monsters. Reggie's plan is to spend the whole...

Neighbors--and monsters--become friends over a summer full of adventures. (Children's Graphic Novel)

Bad badger : a love story
Wood, Maryrose
Paper Book
For fans of Odder and Skunk and Badger comes a heartwarming story of an unlikely friendship between a gull and a badger. Septimus is not good at being a badger. He adores the sunset. He dreams of going to Venice. And he lives alone in a charming...

This sweet story of animal friendship is well on its way to being a modern classic. (Children's Fiction)

Also available on Playaway and as an e-book & digital audiobook in the Libby app.

Unschooled
Woodrow, Allan
Paper Book
Allan Woodrow is back with another pitch-perfect middle-grade novel full of hilarious antics, epic arguments, and a fifth grade that just doesn't get along!This year's fifth graders are the worst Principal Klein has ever seen. But he's hoping that Spirit Week can teach them teamwork, with a top...

Can good friends learn to be good sports when they're placed on opposing teams for Spirit Week? (Children's Fiction)

Séance tea party
Yee, Reimena
Paper Book
Lora wants to stay a kid forever, and she'll do anything to make that happen . . . including befriending Alexa, the ghost who haunts her house. A middle-grade graphic novel about growing up that's perfect for fans of Ghosts and Making Friends. Growing up sounds...

A girl struggles to maintain friendships as her group grows older, so she makes friends with a household ghost who has plenty of time to play. (Young Teen Graphic Novel)


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