Try these other early reader books about friendship. Although a little longer than the popular Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems, Frog and Toad stories by Arnold Lobel also feature short sentences and vocabulary for children beginning to read independently.


Compiled by:
Lisa Champelli
Annie and Snowball and the Dress-Up Birthday

Cynthia Rylant
(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Ryl)
Series: Annie and Snowball

Annie and her pet rabbit, Snowball, invite Henry and Mudge to a dress-up birthday party, but there is some confusion about what the guests are supposed to wear.


Cork and Fuzz

Dori Chaconas
(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Cha)

A possum and a muskrat become friends despite their many differences. 


Fox and His Friends

Edward Marshall
(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Mar)

In three separate episodes Fox wants to play with his friends, but duty in one form or another interferes.


Frog and Friends

Eve Bunting
(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Bun)

Frog and his friends are alarmed by a strange object that appears on his pond, share a thoughtful—if scratchy—gift, and meet a hippopotamus that has run away from the zoo.


Frog and Toad are Friends

Arnold Lobel
(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Lob)

From writing letters to going swimming, telling stories to finding lost buttons, Frog and Toad are always there for each other—just as best friends should be.


George and Martha
(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Mar)

Relates two episodes in the friendship of two hippopotamuses.


Henry and Mudge in puddle trouble : the second book of their adventures

Cynthia Rylant
(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Ryl)

For Henry and his big dog Mudge, spring means admiring the first show glory, playing in puddles in the rain, and watching the five new kittens next door.


Hi! Fly Guy

Tedd Arnold
(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Arn)

When Buzz captures a fly to enter in The Amazing Pet Show, his parents and the judges tell him that a fly cannot be a pet, but Fly Guy proves them wrong.


Hot Rod Hamster and the Wacky Whatever Race

Cynthia Lord
(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Lor)

Hot Rod Hamster enlists the help of his friend Dog to build a super sleek soap box racer for the Wacky Whatever Race.


Mac and Cheese

Sarah Weeks
(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Wee)

Two cats who are as different as night and day are nevertheless best friends.


Monkey and Elephant

Carole Schaefer
(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Sch)

In three episodes two friends cool off on a hot day, sing songs, and outsmart some riffraff wildcats.


My friend is sad

Mo Willems
(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Wil)

When Gerald the Elephant is sad, Piggie is determined cheer him up, but finds after many tries that it only takes the simplest thing to change Gerald's mood.


New Pig in Town

Lisa Wheeler
(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Wh)

Fitch the wolf and Chip the pig strike up an unlikely friendship because they discover something in common.


Pearl and Wagner: Two Good Friends

Kate McMullan
(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER McM)

Pearl and Wagner, a rabbit and a mouse, work together to build a robot for their science project.


Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover

Cece Bell
(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Bel)

Rabbit is excited about the sleepover he has carefully planned for his friend Robot, but Robot has some different ideas about how things should go.


Upstairs Mouse, Downstairs Mole

Wong Yee
(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Yee)

Mouse and his downstairs neighbor, Mole, discover that when they help each other, housecleaning and other daily tasks are much easier.