Best friends Books for Kids
156 books in best friends. Every book rated for reading level and content intensity.
Best friends books for kids span a wider readiness range than parents usually expect. The same genre category contains gentle picture books and high-intensity middle-grade novels — Lexile and grade-level scores measure text complexity, not what's actually in the story. A best friends title appropriate for a confident 8-year-old reader could still cover themes a sensitive 12-year-old isn't ready for.
Across HootRated's 156 best friends titles, books span picture books through Grade 8. About 82% are rated Gentle or Mild — safe picks for sensitive readers and kids reading ahead of their emotional readiness. 0% sit at the Intense or Very Intense end. Average content intensity is 1.7/5.
Use the intensity badges (green → red, low → high) to filter by emotional readiness rather than just age. For deeper detail on how we rate, see our rating methodology.
Cirque du Freak
Darren Shan
Cirque du Freak
Darren Shan
The Great Greene Heist
Varian Johnson
The Great Greene Heist
Varian Johnson
Bella Tabbypaw in trouble
Daisy Meadows
Bella Tabbypaw in trouble
Daisy Meadows
Owen Foote, Mighty Scientist
Stephanie Greene
Owen Foote, Mighty Scientist
Stephanie Greene
Cork and Fuzz
Dori Chaconas
Cork and Fuzz
Dori Chaconas
The end or something like that
Ann Dee Ellis
The end or something like that
Ann Dee Ellis
Diario de Greg
Jeff Kinney
Diario de Greg
Jeff Kinney
Maddi's fridge
Lois Brandt
Maddi's fridge
Lois Brandt
Best friends.
Kate Gleeson
Best friends.
Kate Gleeson
Where are You, Blue Kangaroo?
Emma Chichester Clark
Where are You, Blue Kangaroo?
Emma Chichester Clark
When pirates came to Brooklyn
Phyllis Shalant
When pirates came to Brooklyn
Phyllis Shalant
The Boys Team
Amy Schwartz
The Boys Team
Amy Schwartz
Drawn by a China moon / by Dave & Neta Jackson ; illustrated by Anne Gavitt.
Dave Jackson
Drawn by a China moon / by Dave & Neta Jackson ; illustrated by Anne Gavitt.
Dave Jackson
Invisible
Pete Hautman
Invisible
Pete Hautman
Agnes Parker-- girl in progress
Kathleen O'Dell
Agnes Parker-- girl in progress
Kathleen O'Dell
Robert and the great escape
Barbara Seuling
Robert and the great escape
Barbara Seuling
Doggone-- third grade!
Colleen O'Shaughnessy McKenna
Doggone-- third grade!
Colleen O'Shaughnessy McKenna
That crazy Eddie and the science project of doom
Judy Cox
That crazy Eddie and the science project of doom
Judy Cox
Charlotte's choice
Cathleen Twomey
Charlotte's choice
Cathleen Twomey
Love rules
Marilyn Reynolds
Love rules
Marilyn Reynolds
Summer secrets
Angie Bates
Summer secrets
Angie Bates
River rescue
Summer Waters
River rescue
Summer Waters
Ostrich boys
Keith Gray
Ostrich boys
Keith Gray
The New Girl #3 (The English Roses)
Madonna
The New Girl #3 (The English Roses)
Madonna
A Rose By Any Other Name #4 (The English Roses)
Madonna
A Rose By Any Other Name #4 (The English Roses)
Madonna
Big Sister Blues #5 (English Roses, The)
Madonna
Big Sister Blues #5 (English Roses, The)
Madonna
Being Binah #6 (English Roses, The)
Madonna
Being Binah #6 (English Roses, The)
Madonna
The English Roses
Madonna
The English Roses
Madonna
Runway Rose
Madonna, Amy Cloud
Runway Rose
Madonna, Amy Cloud
The English Roses
Madonna
The English Roses
Madonna
American dreams
Madonna
American dreams
Madonna
Catch the bouquet!
Madonna
Catch the bouquet!
Madonna
Best Friend Emma
Sally Warner
Best Friend Emma
Sally Warner
I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend
Author
I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend
Author
Andi under pressure
Amanda Flower
Andi under pressure
Amanda Flower
Shades of Doon
Carey Corp
Shades of Doon
Carey Corp
Snail mail no more
Paula Danziger
Snail mail no more
Paula Danziger
Splendor
Elana K. Arnold
Splendor
Elana K. Arnold
Tattoo
Jennifer Barnes
Tattoo
Jennifer Barnes
Hot Mess
Julie Kraut
Hot Mess
Julie Kraut
It's a fair day, Amber Brown
Paula Danziger
It's a fair day, Amber Brown
Paula Danziger
Saving Baby Doe
Danette Vigilante
Saving Baby Doe
Danette Vigilante
Wanted
A. M. Monson
Wanted
A. M. Monson
Magenta and Me (Blue's Clues)
Deborah Reber
Magenta and Me (Blue's Clues)
Deborah Reber
All Alone in the Universe
Lynne Rae Perkins
All Alone in the Universe
Lynne Rae Perkins
It's Justin Time, Amber Brown
Paula Danziger
It's Justin Time, Amber Brown
Paula Danziger
Valley of the Wolves
Laura Gallego
Valley of the Wolves
Laura Gallego
Granny Torrelli
Sharon Creech
Granny Torrelli
Sharon Creech
Kiss Me Tomorrow
Susan Shreve
Kiss Me Tomorrow
Susan Shreve
Heartbeat
Sharon Creech
Heartbeat
Sharon Creech
Best Friends (Main Street)
Ann M. Martin
Best Friends (Main Street)
Ann M. Martin
Three's A Crowd (Catkid Book)
Brian James
Three's A Crowd (Catkid Book)
Brian James
Loves Me, Loves Me Not (In Or Out)
Claudia Gabel
Loves Me, Loves Me Not (In Or Out)
Claudia Gabel
Nothing scares us
Frieda Wishinsky
Nothing scares us
Frieda Wishinsky
Girl 15, Charming but Insane
Sue Limb
Girl 15, Charming but Insane
Sue Limb
Fun with Mo and Ella (First Friends)
Tui T. Sutherland
Fun with Mo and Ella (First Friends)
Tui T. Sutherland
Pins & Needles share a dream
Stephen Krensky
Pins & Needles share a dream
Stephen Krensky
The great sockathon
M. C. Delaney
The great sockathon
M. C. Delaney
Petal and Poppy and the Mystery Valentine
Lisa Jahn-Clough
Petal and Poppy and the Mystery Valentine
Lisa Jahn-Clough
The great egghead challenge
Barbara Seuling
The great egghead challenge
Barbara Seuling
Browse all 156 best friends books
- Ghost in the machine
- My last best friend
- Best friend Emma
- Violet Raines almost got struck by lightning
- Wish You Were Here, Liza (Candy Apple #24)
- What's your status?
- Unfriended
- Now you see me--
- Confetti girl
- The cat-astrophe
- The kind of friends we used to be
- Partners In Crime
- Ivy + Bean
- I repeat, don't cheat!
- Battle of the brightest
- The Swift boys & me
- Jewel Society #3
- The Liberators
- Pire des Meilleurs Amis
- Wanted--best friend
- Max Malone makes a million
- Set Me Free
- The English Roses, Too Good to be True
- Sonys and the Chain Letter Gang Best Friends #5
- Whirlwind World Tour (Polly Pocket)
- Pocket Lodge
- I Definitely Don't Like the Dark (eBook)
- Space Race (Disney Junior: Miles from Tomorrowland)
- All those broken angels
- Girl 15, charming but insane
- Friends
- Desires of the Dead
- The terror of Black Eagle Tavern
- My Best Friends
- Forever in Blue
- My totally sweet ninja girl
- Miss Bindergarten and the best friends
- Poe Park
- Magic and misery
- I like you the best
- Our Friendship Rules
- Meet the Beacon Street girls.
- Promises, promises
- Lilly and Lucy's shadow
- The Wandora unit
- Basic training
- Oranges and giraffes
- Unschooled
- Eden summer
- See you on a starry night
- Listen to your heart
- Let's Have a Sleepover!
- The demon notebook
- This Careless Life
- Puffin Peter
- Bink & Gollie
- Cordelia Codd : 3
- Seaside Fun
- Ruby Riddle (Secret Kingdom) Paperback – August 7, 2014
- The secret of Ferrell Savage
- My side
- Once upon a dork
- The big lie
- Petal and Poppy and the spooky Halloween!
- Clover time
- Mysterious Makers of Shaker Street
- Lucy, kung-fu queen
- Lucy in a jam
- Noob, the Boy who Could Fly
- Princess Posey and the Perfect Present
- The Cherry-Pit Princess
- My Friend Jamal (My Friend)
- Princess Protection Program
- Top secret tiaras
- Sanctum
- Yo ho no!
- Rock & roll!
- Horsenapped!
- Chasing the baton
- Diario de Greg 13
- Forever in Blue
- Little lies
- Penelope Perfect
- The big book of Billie
- Bicycling to the Moon
- Little Grey Donkey
- Take two
- Missing Ellen
- Alice next door
- Alice and Megan Forever
- Dora's I Love You Book
- There's a Hamster in My Pocket!
- Terrifying toys of Tennessee
- Riding the storm
- Accomplice
- Emma and the Rain
Questions parents ask about best friends books
- What are the best best friends books for kids?
- HootRated catalogs 156 best friends children's books spanning picture books through Grade 8. Each is rated on reading level and content intensity. The picks above are sorted by quality signals — hook factor, discussion potential, and content appropriateness.
- Are best friends books appropriate for sensitive readers?
- 128 books (82%) are rated Gentle or Mild — safe for sensitive readers. 0 (0%) are rated Intense or Very Intense. Average intensity is 1.7/5. Filter by intensity badge to match your child's emotional readiness.
- What reading level are best friends books?
- Best friends books in our catalog span picture books through Grade 8. The typical reading level lands around Grade 5. Reading level measures text difficulty — separate from content intensity, which measures emotional weight. The two often don't track together for gifted readers — the Gifted Kid Paradox.