Sometimes different is good, and friendship is better
357039
Another great Gross Gus storybook.  Telling a story like this without bashing everyone over the head with the moral is far more difficult than it might seem and Ms. Mayer excels at it. Not only does Gus learn tolerance and friendship for someone who is different, but his new friend saves him from the bullies. Your beginner reader will enjoy learning with Gus that different is sometimes good and bullies aren't as tough as they seem.
778044
Virgil & Owen is a simple story about friendship. Virgil and Owen are an unlikely pair (as in the wild polar bears eat penguins!) and in this it's not all that surprising that they do things differently. Owen's pace is just a bit slower than Virgil's and Virgil cannot help himself to "help" his friend along. That is until Owen has had enough and unleashes his bear's temper. In the end, the friends work things out sweetly. This is a great story starter on talking about dealing with friendship conflict.
1473313
This is a sad but sweet story about friendship, and how people aren't always what they seem.  If everyone were brave enough to take the kind of risk that Scott did, there might be less conflict and more understanding in the world.  In spite of its title, this isn't specifically a Christmas story... it's a book that can be enjoyed any time of the year.  A quick read, but a very worthwhile one.
3508736
The friendship adventures of Kate and Marylin continue in THE KIND OF FRIENDS WE USED TO BE.  The girls were in sixth grade in THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF GIRLS, and now they are in seventh.

Marylin continues to hang out with the cheerleaders, although she is gradually beginning to realize that the controlling Mazie does not always have her best interests in mind.  When Marylin meets Rhetta, the new girl, she never dreams that they could have so much in common.  Rhetta's gorgeous anime drawings of fairies remind Marylin of the stories she constantly imagines but never has the courage to put down on paper.  Their unlikely friendship gives Marylin the inspiration to stay a cheerleader but not follow the crowd just for the sake of following.

Kate also makes some new and different friendship connections.  Who would have guessed that Flannery, who just a year ago had made Kate feel so awful, could possibly become someone with whom she can share some of her most personal thoughts with?  When Kate decides to move from an interest in basketball to taking up the guitar, Flannery provides the support and encouragement Kate needs.  Kate also finds another musical kindred spirit when she meets Matthew Holler.  He is not like the other boys.  He recognizes her need to be something other than a girly-girl, and he really listens and cares about the song lyrics she feels driven to create.

Both Kate and Marylin realize their friendship will survive the test of time, but they also realize that they will both need other friends to support them as their interests and needs change.

Once again, Frances O'Roark Dowell tells a story that will connect with middle grade readers.  She covers the topics of struggling friendships, divorcing parents, and the need to be an individual - all subjects that complicate the growing up process.

Both THE KIND OF FRIENDS WE USED TO BE and THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF GIRLS would be excellent additions to any middle grade classroom or library.

Reviewed by:  Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"
273256
Ella comes from privilege, so when she finds Ayden, a homeless teen, living outside the coffee shop where she works, it's an experience she's not quite sure how to handle. Both empathy and guilt drive her to help him, and this leap leads to a true friendship and maybe more. But Ayden has a secret, one that may ruin their friendship and any chance at romance. Will Ella decide that Ayden is worth the effort?

Kai Strand's story Worth the Effort: Ella's Story is a journey of friendship and love. Even though it's a shorter piece, I still loved how well-developed and nuanced the emotions between Ella and Ayden are. As a reader, I enjoyed getting to know both characters as they got to know each other. Can't wait to read the next one!
4073424
Sometimes, when we meet a special someone, we feel a spark. We cannot explain the feeling. When we are together with that special someone we develop a friendship, a feeling of energy like we never never felt before and cannot explain. We become friends and the more that our friendship grows, the more our friendship changes, and sometimes, we realize we are becoming more than best friends. In his book "More than Best Friends," Author G.L. Snodgrass has combined his 'Best Friends' series into a vessel that takes readers on a journey reminding us of how friendships are made and lost, yet may reignate when the the time is right. The stories offered in, "More Than Best Friends," are all good storylines that stand on their own, but having them all in one vessel is truly a treat.
2615295
Pibbin is a little tree frog who lives in Friendship Bog. His turtle friend Sheera has been injured by a car, and Pibbin needs to find Sweetberry leaves to treat her. He's small and young and the Sweetberry leaves are a long way away. He consults the old Gaffer, who reminds him that "no one is too small to be brave", but also tells him, "what you really need is a pal". Can little Pibbin succeed in this demanding task? And there you have this book and, really, all of the Friendship Bog books. Bravery, friendship, steadfastness in the face of adversity and willingness to accept a great danger and a great adventure in order to help a friend.

Not to be a wise-guy about it, but I'd almost given up hope on finding engaging books on Kindle for my littlest readers. There are lots of books out there, but so often they come with a lot of baggage - an odd sense of humor, overwrought messages, weird snarkiness about siblings or parents, precious cutsiness or just not very accomplished grammar and word choice. I salute the people who have worked to produce these books, but that doesn't mean I want them in my library.

Then you find Gloria Repp and her amazing books; (this is book one of three so far). They are very reminiscent of Thornton Burgess and his library of "Old Mother West Wind", "Danny Meadow Mouse" and a score of other books from around 1910. As you might expect, Ms. Repp's books are a bit crisper, a bit shorter, and sometimes a bit more pointed, but they still have a lot in common with the Burgess classics.

The many characters are well developed and have individual personalities that are suggested by the type of animal they are, but not always. (For example, owls aren't always wise.) Most of the characters are ultimately kind and gracious, but individuals can be prickly, uncooperative, mildly threatening or less than forthright. The heroes, (Pibbin and Leeper and their friends), have to be alert to their surroundings, have to interact with a wide variety of characters and challenges, and have to keep their wits about them and be creative and resourceful.

There are some obvious and some subtle messages here - about honesty, bravery, loyalty, unselfish sacrifice, kindness, generosity - but they are not hammered home or set out in bold type, and they are natural outgrowths of the stories.

And, the adventures of our heroes are pretty exciting. Lots of times books with positive messages don't hold a youngster's attention because they are well intended but bland. Not so here. Friendship Bog is a varied, exciting, sometimes dangerous place. Villains may not be scary evil, but they are dangerous, just as a hawk is a threat to a mouse without being evil. Carelessness is apt to be punished; care is required. There are chases, hiding, arguing, recognizing and avoiding danger; characters are always trying to get home safe and sound after having an adventure. There are bruises and tumbles, and traps and escapes. This is stirring stuff.

So, these are very impressive, very satisfying books, with charm and appeal to burn. They look great in color, but they work fine on my grandkids-dedicated black and white Kindle Touch. If you want something on your Kindle for a little reader, any of the Friendship Bog books would be a good choice. They can be read in any order without much confusion. (For what it's worth, the samples offered on the Amazon book site are pretty extended and will give you a good sense of each book.)

Please note that I found this book while browsing Amazon Kindle freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
477730
Not enough books, movies and television shows are about friendship, in my opinion, so I enjoyed this tale of three life-long pals who were truly there for one another, in both personal and professional ways. I even felt a bit jealous! What a gift to have friends like that. And what a nice thing to read about. I also enjoyed the scenes of what I think of as "old" NYC---all those iconic venues. Yes, perhaps the male characters were a bit *too* good-to-be-true, but this is a book by and about and for women so it's normal that the men take second place. Have fun with it. You may even feel inspired to start your own business!
2350667
This is a heartwarming tale of two people from different worlds who found each other, and didn't let go.  They overcame many obstacles, despite which their friendship grew and prospered for each of them.  A lesson in goodness, generosity of spirit and endeavour.
1892017
I love this idea that we are all different and can still be friends. This is a great book for kids.
2705039
This is a wonderful story about friends and family. Sometimes it takes awhile to discover how and why you make friends with a stranger, and others become your good friend right away. Also, you learn that you need to be more aware of certain characteristics that those closest to you have and you overlook them instead of appreciating them.

I really enjoyed all the twists and turns that become a special way to look at strangers and family.
4469290
this story was fun and funny, a bit scary at times and sometimes touchy.

but the main thing was that sometimes, when you think your relationship don't work anymore, finding something you like to do together, discovering each other can help you understand whether the emotions are still there or not and whether you still fit each other.
2076237
This is a good story about best friends and how even if friends fight that they can come together when it counts. It's a good lesson for kids.
2576214
Funny, quirky, and all in all a good read about how friendships are formed.
989926
The people in book are great,they are  best friends, they pull together. They enjoy their time together. Enjoyed the support they have to each other.
1736180
The story starts on a beautiful day when four women, four friends meet to celebrate a birthday. They all appear to be happy with their life, but they all have issues that they keep from the others.
After the tragic accident that just about spares them they all decide to face their problems and try to find solutions.
I liked this story a lot although I must admit at first I was not very keen on any of the four main characters. However, later I warmed to them and rooted for them.
The novel has a very interesting plot that shows different relationships and problems the modern woman has to face. It is heartwarming to see the strong friendship between the four women.
My favourite character was the mother of the two sisters who is not your usual mumsy type. She was in the centre of some laugh-out-loud scenes in the otherwise rather bittersweet story.
I do recommend this book to mature women who appreciate stories about friendship and family.
3594861
Unlike the other books, this one leaves your mind full of questions about  life and gives you the opportunity to value  the love bond between two people and real friendship for their friends. I can't really say that it is a sad story. Sometimes life happens to be like this for some people but you must find the strength to go on. It's worth your time reading this book.