TheGold Shelf

Friendship books for ages 3 to 5

72 award-winning books for ages 3 to 5. Making friends, keeping them, and being kind.

Babies and toddlers0–2Ages 3 to 53–5Ages 6 to 86–8Ages 9 to 129–12TeensTeen
Animals317Adventure19Fantasy and magic77Funny books213Family152Friendship72History and real people59Nature and science129Folktales and fairy tales130Poetry and rhyme103Feelings and big moments84Bedtime62First chapter books76

72 books

Cover of Worm and Caterpillar Are FriendsHonor2024Worm and Caterpillar Are FriendsKaz Windness2024 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Fish and WaveHonor2023Fish and WaveSergio Ruzzier2023 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Owl and PenguinHonor2023Owl and PenguinVikram Madan2023 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Bear Came AlongHonor2020Bear Came AlongLeUyen Pham2020 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Thank You, Omu!Honor2019Thank You, Omu!Oge Mora2019 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The Fox on the SwingWinner2019The Fox on the SwingEvelina Daciūtė2019 Batchelder Award winnerCover of My Kite Is Stuck! And Other StoriesHonor2018My Kite Is Stuck! And Other StoriesSalina Yoon2018 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Snail & Worm AgainHonor2018Snail & Worm AgainTina Kügler2018 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of My Two BlanketsWinner2015My Two BlanketsIrena Kobald2015 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary FriendWinner2015The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary FriendDan Santat2015 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Waiting Is Not Easy!Honor2015Waiting Is Not Easy!Mo Willems2015 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of A Big Guy Took My Ball!Honor2014A Big Guy Took My Ball!Mo Willems2014 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Rabbit & Robot: The SleepoverHonor2013Rabbit & Robot: The SleepoverCece Bell2013 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of A Bus Called HeavenWinner2012A Bus Called HeavenBob Graham2012 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of A Sick Day for Amos McGeeWinner2011A Sick Day for Amos McGeeErin E. Stead2011 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Maudie and BearWinner2011Maudie and BearJan Ormerod2011 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of Bear & Chook by the SeaWinner2010Bear & Chook by the SeaLisa Shanahan2010 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of Mouse and Mole: Fine Feathered FriendsHonor2010Mouse and Mole: Fine Feathered FriendsWong Herbert Yee2010 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week EverHonor2009A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week EverMarla Frazee2009 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Are You Ready to Play Outside?Winner2009Are You Ready to Play Outside?Mo Willems2009 Geisel Award winnerCover of Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken IdentityHonor2008Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken IdentityMo Willems2008 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Pearl Barley and Charlie ParsleyWinner2008Pearl Barley and Charlie ParsleyAaron Blabey2008 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of There is a Bird on Your Head!Winner2008There is a Bird on Your Head!Mo Willems2008 Geisel Award winnerCover of A Splendid Friend, IndeedHonor2006A Splendid Friend, IndeedSuzanne Bloom2006 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Cat and FishWinner2004Cat and FishJoan Grant2004 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of My Friend RabbitWinner2003My Friend RabbitEric Rohmann2003 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of FoxWinner2001FoxMargaret Wild2001 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of Pumpkin SoupWinner1998Pumpkin SoupHelen Cooper1998 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of Josepha: A Prairie Boy's StoryWinner1994Josepha: A Prairie Boy's StoryJim McGugan1994 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of Yo! Yes?Honor1994Yo! Yes?Christopher Raschka1994 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Rose Meets Mr WintergartenWinner1993Rose Meets Mr WintergartenBob Graham1993 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of Felix & AlexanderWinner1986Felix & AlexanderTerry Denton1986 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of Frog and Toad TogetherHonor1973Frog and Toad TogetherArnold Lobel1973 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Frog and Toad Are FriendsHonor1971Frog and Toad Are FriendsArnold Lobel1971 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Alexander and the Wind-Up MouseHonor1970Alexander and the Wind-Up MouseLeo Lionni1970 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Goggles!Honor1970Goggles!Ezra Jack Keats1970 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Thy Friend, ObadiahHonor1970Thy Friend, ObadiahBrinton Turkle1970 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Charley, Charlotte and the Golden CanaryWinner1967Charley, Charlotte and the Golden CanaryCharles Keeping1967 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of SwimmyHonor1964SwimmyLeo Lionni1964 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Finders KeepersWinner1952Finders KeepersNicholas Mordvinoff1952 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of The Two RedsHonor1951The Two RedsNicholas Mordvinoff1951 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Song of the SwallowsWinner1950Song of the SwallowsLeo Politi1950 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of MarshmallowHonor1943MarshmallowClare Turlay Newberry1943 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Andy and the LionHonor1939Andy and the LionJames Daugherty1939 Caldecott Medal Honor BookEarl and Worm: The Big Mess and Other StoriesGreg PizzoliHonor2026Earl and Worm: The Big Mess and Other StoriesGreg Pizzoli2026 Geisel Award Honor BookMy Friend FredFrances WattsWinner2020My Friend FredFrances Watts2020 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerFox + Chick: The Party and Other StoriesSergio RuzzierHonor2019Fox + Chick: The Party and Other StoriesSergio Ruzzier2019 Geisel Award Honor BookJerome by HeartThomas ScottoHonor2019Jerome by HeartThomas Scotto2019 Batchelder Award Honor BookBig Wolf and Little WolfNadine Brun-CosmeHonor2010Big Wolf and Little WolfNadine Brun-Cosme2010 Batchelder Award Honor BookCollecting ColourKylie DunstanWinner2009Collecting ColourKylie Dunstan2009 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerAmy and LouisLibby GleesonWinner2007Amy and LouisLibby Gleeson2007 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerRabbit IslandJörg SteinerWinner1979Rabbit IslandJörg Steiner1979 Batchelder Award winnerCover of LostShortlist2024LostMariajo Ilustrajo2024 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of The SuitcaseShortlist2020The SuitcaseChris Naylor-Ballesteros2020 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Albert's Quiet QuestFinalist2019Albert's Quiet QuestIsabelle Arsenault2019 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of BirdsongFinalist2019BirdsongJulie Flett2019 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of OokoFinalist2016OokoEsmé Shapiro2016 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of The Good Little BookFinalist2015The Good Little BookKyo Maclear2015 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of OliverShortlist2014OliverBirgitta Sif2014 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Puffin PeterShortlist2012Puffin PeterPetr Horáček2012 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of The Way Back HomeShortlist2009The Way Back HomeOliver Jeffers2009 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of PenguinShortlist2008PenguinPolly Dunbar2008 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Lost and FoundShortlist2005Lost and FoundOliver Jeffers2005 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Crispin: The Pig Who Had It AllCommended2000Crispin: The Pig Who Had It AllTed Dewan2000 Carnegie Medal for Illustration commendedCover of Each One SpecialFinalist1999Each One SpecialFrieda Wishinsky1999 Governor General's Award (text) finalistCover of Voices in the ParkShortlist1998Voices in the ParkAnthony Browne1998 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Something ElseCommended1994Something ElseKathryn Cave1994 Carnegie Medal for Illustration commendedCover of When Jeremiah Found Mrs. MingFinalist1992When Jeremiah Found Mrs. MingSharon Jennings1992 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistThe PlaydateUje BrandeliusShortlist2026The PlaydateUje Brandelius2026 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedThe Rock and the ButterflyKathy StinsonFinalist2025The Rock and the ButterflyKathy Stinson2025 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistWolf and BearKate RolfeShortlist2025Wolf and BearKate Rolfe2025 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedBeyond the FenceMaria GulemetovaShortlist2019Beyond the FenceMaria Gulemetova2019 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlisted