Children’s Literature

Final Project

By

Katy Kellner

Books on Friendship


1. Bernstein’s, The. The Goofy, Goony, Guy. Random House: New York, 2001. Herbert Harold Armfoot is a goofy, goony guy who’s ears stick out, teeth stick out, and hair sticks out. He is best friends with his sister and all the other cubs tease him about it. Herbert’s sister gets really mad from all of the teasing and so she tries to get even with her own brother for bringing on all of this teasing! 2. Bynum, Janie. Otis. Harcourt Inc: New York, 2000. Otis is a clean pig from a sloppy family. He hates the mud and all sloppy things. He has a hard time making friends because all the other pigs like to play in the mud and get dirty. One day Otis comes across a frog who hates getting dirty as well and they become great, clean friends.


         3. Chambers, Veronica. Quinceanera Means Sweet 15. Hyperion: New York, 2001.

Marisol and Magdalena are busy making plans for their quinceanera parties, the fifteenth birthday celebration that they have been waiting for their entire lives. Before their fifteenth birthdays, Marisol goes away for a year in Panama and Magdalena has become best friends with Marisa and Elizabeth, two girls that Marisol cannot stand. Marisol begins to wonder if her year in Panama has changed her. She thinks that maybe she is not cool or rich enough to be Magdalena’s friend anymore.  Multicultural Fiction 4. Eige, Lillian. Dangling. Atheneum Books for Young Readers: New York, 2001. Ben is an eleven year-old boy who has a bird crazy best friend named Ring. One day Ring decides to wade into a river while no one is playing attention to him and just disappear. Ben is crushed and each day is more agonizing than the pervious. Ben is convinced that Ring is still alive and swears he will not stop investigating until he is found. 5. Farrell, Mame. And Sometimes Why. Farrar Straus Giroux: New York, 2001. Chris, who is a girl, and Jack, who is a boy, have been best friends for seven years. From the beginning they have had their differences, but now Chris is blossoming into a real beauty. She is becoming more popular than Jack as well and he not only is falling behind her, but also in love with her.


6. Jones, Elizabeth McDavid. Mystery on Skull Island. Pleasant Co. Publications: Middleton, WI, 2001.

In 1724 Rachel Howell moves in with her rich father in Charles Town, South Carolina, where she becomes friends with Sally, the girls find a secret meeting place, a deserted island in the Ashley River. They find a pirates’ hiding place and they suspect it may be connected to the woman who will soon become Rachel’s stepmother. Historical Fiction


7. Kellogg, Steven. Best Friends. Dial Books for Young Readers: New York, 1986.

Kathy and Louise are next door neighbors and best friends. They do everything together from sharing their chocolate milk at lunch to riding Golden Silverwind, their make believe horse. But Louise has to go away on vacation with her aunt and uncle all summer. The neighborhood is so lonely for Kathy without Louise there to play with and Louise writes Kathy to say that she is having a wonderful time. When she finally comes back, Kathy forgives Louise for having fun without her and they get a dog together.


       8. Rowling, J.K. Harry Patter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Warner Brothers, 1998.

Harry Potter lives with his horrible aunt and uncle. On his birthday he finds out that he is a wizard and is taken to Hogwarts, a school for wizards. While he is at Hogwarts, he makes some amazing friends. Ron, Hermonine, and Harry get into all kinds of mischief around the school trying to catch Snape causing trouble.  Fantasy
 
  9. Tafuri, Nancy. Will You Be My Friend? Scholastic Press: New York, 2000. Bunny and Bird live in an old apple tree. Bunny wants to be friends, but bird feels too shy. One night, Bird’s nest is ruined in a rainstorm. Bunny helps Bird rebuild her nest. Bird overcomes her shyness and finds out what friendship is all about.


10. Thesman, Jean. In the House of the Queen’s Beasts. Penguin Putnam, Inc: New York, 2001.

When Emily and her family move into a new house, she is immediately drawn to the tree house in the backyard. It is more than a child’s playhouse, it is beautiful and old fashioned and perfect for drawing and reading. Rowen, her next door neighbor uses her tree house as a refuge to keep her distance from her difficult dad. Rowen is like no other friend Emily has had and the two change each other’s lives.            11. Wiles, Deborah. Freedom Summer. Athenum Books for Young Readers: New York, 2001. Joe and John Henry are young boys who are best friends. Joe is white and John Henry is black and in 1964 that means John Henry cannot do everything his best friend can. Then a law is passed that forbids segregation and opens the town pool to everyone. Joe and John Henry are so excited that they race over there, only to discover that is takes more than a new law to change people’s hearts.  Historical and Multicultural Fiction


            12. Zelonky, Joy. My Best Friend Moved Away. Raintree Children’s Books: Milwaukee, WI, 1980.

Brian is sad because is best friend Nick, who all the kids make fun of because he has a leg brace, is moving away. Nick does not seem very sad, so that makes Brian even sadder. When Nick Finally moves, Brian realizes that he can make friends with other fun kids in the neighborhood.  Disability Fiction