I’m Going to Make a Friend

As human beings we are social creatures, and learning to make and keep friends is a crucial part of childhood. This book, with its simple but accessible text, diverse characters, and bold yet clear illustrations, captures perfectly the emotions young children experience when faced with making new friends.

The unnamed main character is essentially “every child,” expressing in straightforward language the questions and worries that come with forming new friendships. They feel it is taking too long to make a new friend after moving, so they create a model friend, asking themselves questions such as: Will my friend like noisy fun? Or prefer cosy corners? Will they play the games I like? Or share new games? Will they already have other friends? Or even like me at all? These are all questions young children can relate to, and they offer a safe space for discussion both at home and in school.

The story shows the main character pondering over their model friend and then eventually sharing it with a real friend. It touches gently on ideas such as giving people space and asking before giving hugs — again providing a safe, accessible framework for conversation, and one that will be particularly valuable in supporting awareness of neurodivergent children’s needs.

This cleverly written, expressively illustrated picture book packs a punch in its ability to reach the core of children’s emotions and encourage meaningful talk around them.