Best friends Books for Kids
77 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 77 best friends titles, books span picture books through Grade 8. About 86% 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
Bella Tabbypaw in trouble
Daisy Meadows
Bella Tabbypaw in trouble
Daisy Meadows
Cork and Fuzz
Dori Chaconas
Cork and Fuzz
Dori Chaconas
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
The Boys Team
Amy Schwartz
The Boys Team
Amy Schwartz
Doggone-- third grade!
Colleen O'Shaughnessy McKenna
Doggone-- third grade!
Colleen O'Shaughnessy McKenna
Charlotte's choice
Cathleen Twomey
Charlotte's choice
Cathleen Twomey
Love rules
Marilyn Reynolds
Love rules
Marilyn Reynolds
Runway Rose
Madonna, Amy Cloud
Runway Rose
Madonna, Amy Cloud
American dreams
Madonna
American dreams
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
Snail mail no more
Paula Danziger
Snail mail no more
Paula Danziger
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
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
Loves Me, Loves Me Not (In Or Out)
Claudia Gabel
Loves Me, Loves Me Not (In Or Out)
Claudia Gabel
Girl 15, Charming but Insane
Sue Limb
Girl 15, Charming but Insane
Sue Limb
Ghost in the machine
Patrick Carman
Ghost in the machine
Patrick Carman
Wish You Were Here, Liza (Candy Apple #24)
Robin Wasserman
Wish You Were Here, Liza (Candy Apple #24)
Robin Wasserman
What's your status?
Katie Finn
What's your status?
Katie Finn
Unfriended
Katie Finn
Unfriended
Katie Finn
Partners In Crime
Kim Harrington
Partners In Crime
Kim Harrington
I repeat, don't cheat!
Margery Cuyler
I repeat, don't cheat!
Margery Cuyler
The Swift boys & me
Kody Keplinger
The Swift boys & me
Kody Keplinger
The Liberators
Chris Lynch
The Liberators
Chris Lynch
Pire des Meilleurs Amis
Alexis O'Neill
Pire des Meilleurs Amis
Alexis O'Neill
Wanted--best friend
A. M Monson
Wanted--best friend
A. M Monson
Set Me Free
Eva Gray
Set Me Free
Eva Gray
Sonys and the Chain Letter Gang Best Friends #5
Tom Smith
Sonys and the Chain Letter Gang Best Friends #5
Tom Smith
Whirlwind World Tour (Polly Pocket)
Alrica Goldstein
Whirlwind World Tour (Polly Pocket)
Alrica Goldstein
Pocket Lodge
Alrica Goldstein
Pocket Lodge
Alrica Goldstein
I Definitely Don't Like the Dark (eBook)
Fiona Barker
I Definitely Don't Like the Dark (eBook)
Fiona Barker
Space Race (Disney Junior: Miles from Tomorrowland)
Lauren Forte
Space Race (Disney Junior: Miles from Tomorrowland)
Lauren Forte
Friends
Leon Read
Friends
Leon Read
Desires of the Dead
Kimberly Derting
Desires of the Dead
Kimberly Derting
The terror of Black Eagle Tavern
Megan Atwood
The terror of Black Eagle Tavern
Megan Atwood
My Best Friends
Anna Nilsen
My Best Friends
Anna Nilsen
My totally sweet ninja girl
Emily Horner
My totally sweet ninja girl
Emily Horner
I like you the best
Carol Thompson
I like you the best
Carol Thompson
Lilly and Lucy's shadow
Christopher Aslan
Lilly and Lucy's shadow
Christopher Aslan
Basic training
Mary Reiss
Basic training
Mary Reiss
See you on a starry night
Lisa Schroeder
See you on a starry night
Lisa Schroeder
Let's Have a Sleepover!
Norman Feuti
Let's Have a Sleepover!
Norman Feuti
This Careless Life
Rachel McIntyre
This Careless Life
Rachel McIntyre
Puffin Peter
Petr Horáček
Puffin Peter
Petr Horáček
Bink & Gollie
Kate DiCamillo
Bink & Gollie
Kate DiCamillo
Cordelia Codd : 3
Claire O'Brien
Cordelia Codd : 3
Claire O'Brien
Seaside Fun
Rosie Banks
Seaside Fun
Rosie Banks
Ruby Riddle (Secret Kingdom) Paperback – August 7, 2014
Rosie Banks
Ruby Riddle (Secret Kingdom) Paperback – August 7, 2014
Rosie Banks
Once upon a dork
Rachel Renée Russell
Once upon a dork
Rachel Renée Russell
The big lie
Julie Mayhew
The big lie
Julie Mayhew
Browse all 77 best friends books
- Mysterious Makers of Shaker Street
- Lucy, kung-fu queen
- Noob, the Boy who Could Fly
- Princess Posey and the Perfect Present
- The Cherry-Pit Princess
- Diario de Greg 13
- Forever in Blue
- Little lies
- Penelope Perfect
- Take two
- Alice next door
- Alice and Megan Forever
- Dora's I Love You Book
- There's a Hamster in My Pocket!
- 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 77 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?
- 66 books (86%) 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.