# Books about friendship assigned in US schools

**157** books in the US-school assigned-reading canon explore _friendship_. Sourced from state ELA standards, AP/IB syllabi, and Common Core exemplar lists.

**Lexile range:** 330L–1010L
**Grade span:** K–12
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/theme/friendship
**Wikipedia (entity):** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## Authors who explore friendship

- [Dav Pilkey](https://readinglist.school/author/dav-pilkey) (3 books)
- [Gordon Korman](https://readinglist.school/author/gordon-korman) (3 books)
- [Kate DiCamillo](https://readinglist.school/author/kate-dicamillo) (3 books)
- [Arnold Lobel](https://readinglist.school/author/arnold-lobel) (2 books)
- [Bruce Coville](https://readinglist.school/author/bruce-coville) (2 books)
- [Christopher Denise](https://readinglist.school/author/christopher-denise) (2 books)
- [E.B. White](https://readinglist.school/author/eb-white) (2 books)
- [Erin Entrada Kelly](https://readinglist.school/author/erin-entrada-kelly) (2 books)

## friendship canon

- [A Boy Named Queen](https://readinglist.school/book/a-boy-named-queen) by Sara Cassidy _(Grades 3–8)_
- [A Lot to Like!](https://readinglist.school/book/a-lot-to-like) by Derek Anderson _(Grades 2–5)_
- [A Mischief of Mice](https://readinglist.school/book/a-mischief-of-mice) by Christie Matheson _(Grades K–3)_
- [A Royal Conundrum](https://readinglist.school/book/a-royal-conundrum) by Lisa Yee _(Grades 3–6)_
- [A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall](https://readinglist.school/book/a-strange-thing-happened-in-cherry-hall) by Jasmine Warga _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Because of Winn-Dixie](https://readinglist.school/book/because-of-winn-dixie) by Kate DiCamillo _(610L · Grades 3–5)_
- [Big Nate: In a Class by Himself](https://readinglist.school/book/big-nate-in-a-class-by-himself) by Lincoln Peirce _(500L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Bink & Gollie](https://readinglist.school/book/bink-gollie) by Kate DiCamillo _(Grades 2–8)_
- [Blubber](https://readinglist.school/book/blubber) by Judy Blume _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Bridge to Terabithia](https://readinglist.school/book/bridge-to-terabithia) by Katherine Paterson _(810L · Grades 4–6)_
- [Buffalo Fluffalo](https://readinglist.school/book/buffalo-fluffalo) by Bess Kalb _(Grades K–2)_
- [Charlotte's Web](https://readinglist.school/book/charlottes-web) by E.B. White _(680L · Grades 3–5)_
- [Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody](https://readinglist.school/book/chronicles-of-a-lizard-nobody) by Patrick Ness _(Grades 4–8)_
- [City of Ghosts](https://readinglist.school/book/city-of-ghosts) by Victoria Schwab _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Class Act](https://readinglist.school/book/class-act) by Jerry Craft _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Closed for the Season](https://readinglist.school/book/closed-for-the-season) by Mary Downing Hahn _(Grades 3–8)_
- [Confessions of a Class Clown](https://readinglist.school/book/confessions-of-a-class-clown) by Arianne Costner _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Control Freaks](https://readinglist.school/book/control-freaks) by J.E. Thomas _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Corduroy](https://readinglist.school/book/corduroy) by Don Freeman _(600L · Grades K–3)_
- [Countdown to Yesterday](https://readinglist.school/book/countdown-to-yesterday) by Shirley Marr _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Crash](https://readinglist.school/book/crash) by Jerry Spinelli _(Grades 3–8)_
- [Curveball](https://readinglist.school/book/curveball) by Pablo Cartaya _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Diary of a Wimpy Kid](https://readinglist.school/book/diary-of-a-wimpy-kid) by Jeff Kinney _(950L · Grades 3–7)_
- [Dog Man](https://readinglist.school/book/dog-man) by Dav Pilkey _(390L · Grades 2–5)_
- [Dog Man Unleashed](https://readinglist.school/book/dog-man-unleashed) by Dav Pilkey _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Dogtown](https://readinglist.school/book/dogtown) by Katherine Applegate & Gennifer Choldenko _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life](https://readinglist.school/book/dork-diaries-tales-from-a-not-so-fabulous-life) by Rachel Renée Russell _(890L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Drama](https://readinglist.school/book/drama) by Raina Telgemeier _(Grades 5–9)_
- [Eight Keys](https://readinglist.school/book/eight-keys) by Suzanne M. LaFleur _(Grades 4–6)_
- [El Deafo](https://readinglist.school/book/el-deafo) by Cece Bell _(420L · Grades 4–6)_
- [Fablehaven](https://readinglist.school/book/fablehaven) by Brandon Mull _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Fish in a Tree](https://readinglist.school/book/fish-in-a-tree) by Lynda Mullaly Hunt _(550L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Flowers for Algernon](https://readinglist.school/book/flowers-for-algernon) by Daniel Keyes _(910L · Grades 8–11)_
- [Four for the Road](https://readinglist.school/book/four-for-the-road) by K.J. Reilly _(Grades 9–12)_
- [Fourth Grade Rats](https://readinglist.school/book/fourth-grade-rats) by Jerry Spinelli _(Grades 4–6)_
- [Fox Has a Problem](https://readinglist.school/book/fox-has-a-problem) by Corey R. Tabor _(Grades 2–5)_
- [Framed!](https://readinglist.school/book/framed) by James Ponti _(Grades 3–8)_
- [Frog and Toad Are Friends](https://readinglist.school/book/frog-and-toad-are-friends) by Arnold Lobel _(350L · Grades 1–2)_
- [Frog and Toad Together](https://readinglist.school/book/frog-and-toad-together) by Arnold Lobel _(330L · Grades 1–2)_
- [Geronimo Stilton: Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye](https://readinglist.school/book/geronimo-stilton-lost-treasure-of-the-emerald-eye) by Geronimo Stilton _(530L · Grades 2–5)_
- [Gibberish](https://readinglist.school/book/gibberish) by Young Vo _(Grades K–3)_
- [Goosebumps: Welcome to Dead House](https://readinglist.school/book/goosebumps-welcome-to-dead-house) by R.L. Stine _(Grades 3–7)_
- [Grounded](https://readinglist.school/book/grounded-airport) by Aisha Saeed, S.K. Ali, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow & Huda Al-Marashi _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Growing Home](https://readinglist.school/book/growing-home) by Beth Ferry _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Hannah Sharpe, Cartoon Detective](https://readinglist.school/book/hannah-sharpe-cartoon-detective) by Janet Tashjian _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Harriet the Spy](https://readinglist.school/book/harriet-the-spy) by Louise Fitzhugh _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone](https://readinglist.school/book/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone) by J.K. Rowling _(880L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Hello, Universe](https://readinglist.school/book/hello-universe) by Erin Entrada Kelly _(690L · Grades 3–7)_
- [Heroes](https://readinglist.school/book/heroes) by Alan Gratz _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Holes](https://readinglist.school/book/holes) by Louis Sachar _(660L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Hoot](https://readinglist.school/book/hoot) by Carl Hiaasen _(760L · Grades 4–7)_
- [How This Book Got Red](https://readinglist.school/book/how-this-book-got-red) by Margaret Chiu Greanias _(Grades K–2)_
- [How to Eat Fried Worms](https://readinglist.school/book/how-to-eat-fried-worms) by Thomas Rockwell _(Grades 3–6)_
- [I Lived Inside a Whale](https://readinglist.school/book/i-lived-inside-a-whale) by Xin Li _(Grades K–3)_
- [Impossible Creatures](https://readinglist.school/book/impossible-creatures) by Katherine Rundell _(Grades 4–8)_
- [It Came from the Trees](https://readinglist.school/book/it-came-from-the-trees) by Ally Russell _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Ivy and Bean](https://readinglist.school/book/ivy-and-bean) by Annie Barrows _(580L · Grades 2–4)_
- [J vs. K](https://readinglist.school/book/j-vs-k) by Kwame Alexander & Jerry Craft _(Grades 3–5)_
- [James and the Giant Peach](https://readinglist.school/book/james-and-the-giant-peach) by Roald Dahl _(870L · Grades 3–6)_
- [Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher](https://readinglist.school/book/jeremy-thatcher-dragon-hatcher) by Bruce Coville _(Grades 4–6)_
- [Just Keep Walking](https://readinglist.school/book/just-keep-walking) by Erin Soderberg Downing _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Just Like Millie](https://readinglist.school/book/just-like-millie) by Lauren Castillo _(Grades K–3)_
- [Just a Pinch of Magic](https://readinglist.school/book/just-a-pinch-of-magic) by Alechia Dow _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Keeper of the Lost Cities](https://readinglist.school/book/keeper-of-the-lost-cities) by Shannon Messenger _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Knight Owl](https://readinglist.school/book/knight-owl) by Christopher Denise _(Grades K–3)_
- [Knight Owl and Early Bird](https://readinglist.school/book/knight-owl-and-early-bird) by Christopher Denise _(Grades K–3)_
- [Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All](https://readinglist.school/book/magnolia-wu-unfolds-it-all) by Chanel Miller _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Mercy Watson to the Rescue](https://readinglist.school/book/mercy-watson-to-the-rescue) by Kate DiCamillo _(450L · Grades K–3)_
- [Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25](https://readinglist.school/book/michael-vey-the-prisoner-of-cell-25) by Richard Paul Evans _(Grades 6–9)_
- [Mid-Air](https://readinglist.school/book/mid-air) by Alicia D. Williams _(Grades 5–8)_
- [Million-Dollar Throw](https://readinglist.school/book/million-dollar-throw) by Mike Lupica _(Grades 5–8)_
- [Misfit Mansion](https://readinglist.school/book/misfit-mansion) by Kay Davault _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism](https://readinglist.school/book/molly-moons-incredible-book-of-hypnotism) by Georgia Byng _(Grades 3–8)_
- [My Robot Buddy](https://readinglist.school/book/my-robot-buddy) by Alfred Slote _(Grades 4–6)_
- [My Teacher Is an Alien](https://readinglist.school/book/my-teacher-is-an-alien) by Bruce Coville _(Grades 3–6)_
- [My Ántonia](https://readinglist.school/book/my-antonia) by Willa Cather _(1010L · Grades 10–12)_
- [New Kid](https://readinglist.school/book/new-kid) by Jerry Craft _(Grades 4–8)_
- [No Cats in the Library](https://readinglist.school/book/no-cats-in-the-library) by Lauren Emmons _(Grades K–2)_
- [Not Nothing](https://readinglist.school/book/not-nothing) by Gayle Forman _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Number the Stars](https://readinglist.school/book/number-the-stars) by Lois Lowry _(670L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Of Mice and Men](https://readinglist.school/book/of-mice-and-men) by John Steinbeck _(630L · Grades 8–11)_
- [Operation Final Notice](https://readinglist.school/book/operation-final-notice) by Matthew Landis _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Out of My Mind](https://readinglist.school/book/out-of-my-mind) by Sharon M. Draper _(700L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Pax](https://readinglist.school/book/pax) by Sara Pennypacker _(760L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Pink and Say](https://readinglist.school/book/pink-and-say) by Patricia Polacco _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet](https://readinglist.school/book/planet-omar-accidental-trouble-magnet) by Zanib Mian _(820L · Grades 3–6)_
- [Posted](https://readinglist.school/book/posted) by John David Anderson _(Grades 6–9)_
- [Powerless](https://readinglist.school/book/powerless-matthew-cody) by Matthew Cody _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Real Friends](https://readinglist.school/book/real-friends) by Shannon Hale _(Grades 2–8)_
- [Roll for Initiative](https://readinglist.school/book/roll-for-initiative) by Jaime Formato _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Roller Girl](https://readinglist.school/book/roller-girl) by Victoria Jamieson _(440L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Rules](https://readinglist.school/book/rules) by Cynthia Lord _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Sal and Gabi Break the Universe](https://readinglist.school/book/sal-and-gabi-break-the-universe) by Carlos Hernandez _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Save Me a Seat](https://readinglist.school/book/save-me-a-seat) by Sarah Weeks _(780L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Saving Winslow](https://readinglist.school/book/saving-winslow) by Sharon Creech _(Grades 3–8)_
- [Scare School Diaries: Welcome to Scare School](https://readinglist.school/book/scare-school-diaries-welcome-to-scare-school) by Jarrett Lerner _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Shoeshine Girl](https://readinglist.school/book/shoeshine-girl) by Clyde Robert Bulla _(Grades 4–6)_
- [Shut Up, This Is Serious](https://readinglist.school/book/shut-up-this-is-serious) by Carolina Ixta _(Grades 9–12)_
- [Simon Sort of Says](https://readinglist.school/book/simon-sort-of-says) by Erin Bow _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Skyriders](https://readinglist.school/book/skyriders) by Polly Holyoke _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Smile](https://readinglist.school/book/smile) by Raina Telgemeier _(410L · Grades 4–8)_
- [Stepping Up](https://readinglist.school/book/stepping-up) by Mark Fink _(Grades 3–8)_
- [Stuart Little](https://readinglist.school/book/stuart-little) by E.B. White _(920L · Grades 3–5)_
- [Swim Team](https://readinglist.school/book/swim-team) by Johnnie Christmas _(Grades 3–7)_
- [Swindle](https://readinglist.school/book/swindle) by Gordon Korman _(Grades 4–7)_
- [The 13-Story Treehouse](https://readinglist.school/book/the-13-story-treehouse) by Andy Griffiths _(560L · Grades 2–5)_
- [The Adventures of Captain Underpants](https://readinglist.school/book/the-adventures-of-captain-underpants) by Dav Pilkey _(720L · Grades 2–5)_
- [The Agathas](https://readinglist.school/book/the-agathas) by Kathleen Glasgow _(Grades 9–12)_
- [The BFG](https://readinglist.school/book/the-bfg) by Roald Dahl _(720L · Grades 3–6)_
- [The Book Thief](https://readinglist.school/book/the-book-thief) by Markus Zusak _(730L · Grades 8–11)_
- [The Boy at the Back of the Class](https://readinglist.school/book/the-boy-at-the-back-of-the-class) by Onjali Q. Raúf _(Grades 3–6)_
- [The Cay](https://readinglist.school/book/the-cay) by Theodore Taylor _(Grades 5–8)_
- [The Cricket in Times Square](https://readinglist.school/book/the-cricket-in-times-square) by George Selden _(780L · Grades 3–5)_
- [The Cybil War](https://readinglist.school/book/the-cybil-war) by Betsy Byars _(Grades 3–6)_
- [The Dragonet Prophecy](https://readinglist.school/book/the-dragonet-prophecy) by Tui T. Sutherland _(Grades 3–7)_
- [The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza](https://readinglist.school/book/the-first-cat-in-space-ate-pizza) by Mac Barnett _(Grades 2–5)_
- [The First State of Being](https://readinglist.school/book/the-first-state-of-being) by Erin Entrada Kelly _(Grades 6–8)_
- [The Giving Tree](https://readinglist.school/book/the-giving-tree) by Shel Silverstein _(530L · Grades K–5)_
- [The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1)](https://readinglist.school/book/the-guardian-test) by Christina Soontornvat _(Grades 2–5)_
- [The Indian in the Cupboard](https://readinglist.school/book/the-indian-in-the-cupboard) by Lynne Reid Banks _(Grades 3–6)_
- [The Kite Runner](https://readinglist.school/book/the-kite-runner) by Khaled Hosseini _(840L · Grades 10–12)_
- [The Last Dragon on Mars](https://readinglist.school/book/the-last-dragon-on-mars) by Scott Reintgen _(Grades 4–8)_
- [The Last Musketeer](https://readinglist.school/book/the-last-musketeer) by Stuart Gibbs _(Grades 4–7)_
- [The Liars Society](https://readinglist.school/book/the-liars-society) by Alyson Gerber _(Grades 3–6)_
- [The Lifters](https://readinglist.school/book/the-lifters) by Dave Eggers _(Grades 3–8)_
- [The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)](https://readinglist.school/book/the-lightning-thief) by Rick Riordan _(740L · Grades 4–7)_
- [The Lost Library](https://readinglist.school/book/the-lost-library) by Rebecca Stead & Wendy Mass _(Grades 4–8)_
- [The Mark of Athena](https://readinglist.school/book/the-mark-of-athena) by Rick Riordan _(Grades 5–9)_
- [The Maze Runner](https://readinglist.school/book/the-maze-runner) by James Dashner _(Grades 7–12)_
- [The Mouse and the Motorcycle](https://readinglist.school/book/the-mouse-and-the-motorcycle) by Beverly Cleary _(860L · Grades 2–4)_
- [The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien](https://readinglist.school/book/the-mythmakers-lewis-tolkien) by John Hendrix _(Grades 4–8)_
- [The Outsiders](https://readinglist.school/book/the-outsiders) by S.E. Hinton _(750L · Grades 7–9)_
- [The Parker Inheritance](https://readinglist.school/book/the-parker-inheritance) by Varian Johnson _(610L · Grades 6–8)_
- [The Perks of Being a Wallflower](https://readinglist.school/book/the-perks-of-being-a-wallflower) by Stephen Chbosky _(720L · Grades 9–12)_
- [The Pinballs](https://readinglist.school/book/the-pinballs) by Betsy Cromer Byars _(Grades 4–6)_
- [The Season of Styx Malone](https://readinglist.school/book/the-season-of-styx-malone) by Kekla Magoon _(510L · Grades 3–7)_
- [The Sherlock Society](https://readinglist.school/book/the-sherlock-society) by James Ponti _(Grades 4–8)_
- [The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants](https://readinglist.school/book/the-sisterhood-of-the-traveling-pants) by Ann Brashares _(Grades 7–10)_
- [The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale](https://readinglist.school/book/the-skull) by Jon Klassen _(Grades 3–5)_
- [The Stranger Next Door](https://readinglist.school/book/the-stranger-next-door) by Peg Kehret _(Grades 3–8)_
- [The Superteacher Project](https://readinglist.school/book/the-superteacher-project) by Gordon Korman _(Grades 3–6)_
- [The Whipping Boy](https://readinglist.school/book/the-whipping-boy) by Sid Fleischman _(Grades 3–7)_
- [The Witch of Blackbird Pond](https://readinglist.school/book/the-witch-of-blackbird-pond) by Elizabeth George Speare _(850L · Grades 5–8)_
- [Three Times Lucky](https://readinglist.school/book/three-times-lucky) by Sheila Turnage _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Trading Places with Tank Talbott](https://readinglist.school/book/trading-places-with-tank-talbott) by Dori Hillestad Butler _(Grades 4–6)_
- [Under the Surface](https://readinglist.school/book/under-the-surface) by Diana Urban _(Grades 7–12)_
- [Ungifted](https://readinglist.school/book/ungifted) by Gordon Korman _(Grades 5–8)_
- [Walk Two Moons](https://readinglist.school/book/walk-two-moons) by Sharon Creech _(770L · Grades 5–7)_
- [Wayside School Is Falling Down](https://readinglist.school/book/wayside-school-is-falling-down) by Louis Sachar _(Grades 3–5)_
- [When You Reach Me](https://readinglist.school/book/when-you-reach-me) by Rebecca Stead _(750L · Grades 4–8)_
- [When Zachary Beaver Came to Town](https://readinglist.school/book/when-zachary-beaver-came-to-town) by Kimberly Willis Holt _(Grades 2–8)_
- [Wild Wings](https://readinglist.school/book/wild-wings) by Gill Lewis _(Grades 4–6)_
- [Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy](https://readinglist.school/book/wings-of-fire-the-dragonet-prophecy) by Tui T. Sutherland _(720L · Grades 3–7)_
- [Witchlings](https://readinglist.school/book/witchlings) by Claribel A. Ortega _(Grades 2–5)_
- [Wonder](https://readinglist.school/book/wonder) by R.J. Palacio _(790L · Grades 3–7)_
- [You're So Amazing!](https://readinglist.school/book/youre-so-amazing) by James Catchpole _(Grades K–2)_
- [Yuna's Cardboard Castles](https://readinglist.school/book/yunas-cardboard-castles) by Marie Tang _(Grades K–2)_

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