We Are Best Friends: A Touching Story for Kids (Ages 4-8) About When Your Friend Moves Away

by Aliki

When his best friend Peter moves away, Robert has no one to play with, no one to fight with, and no fun at all. Then he meets Will -- and finds he's not the only one who needs a new best friend.

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Classics, Storytime

32 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1982

About the author

Aliki has written and illustrated many books, both fiction and nonfiction, loved by readers throughout the world. The books were inspired by a word, an experience, or the desire to find out. Aliki lives in London, England.

Reviews

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert learns an important lesson: friends are replaceable.

[Kary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about dealing with the sadness that comes from a best friend moving away, and the joy of finding a new friend.

[Nichole · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I'm embarking on a journey to read as many of the books in our school library as I can because I know nothing about our collection. So here goes.

I literally just started with the As in the fiction and so this book is first. I didn't have a lot of hope for it. It looks like a really old and hokey book about friendship that won't actually say anything. And then I started reading and the language was really stilted and formal. (My kid is weird and doesn't use a lot of contractions, but is that normal? It felt weird.) But then as you move on, it's a book about being the friend left behind when one friend moves. It's about the hesitance to get another new friend. I felt like it was really nice and offers some guidance for those kids stuck in that situation. I don't think it's a book that any kid is going to feel compelled to pull off the shelf, but it's something I'll remember to be able to recommend when a child is having this issue.

[Annelisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was buried deep, deep in the recesses of my mind since the first grade, but I recognized it instantly when I saw the cover. I've always thought about it fondly, (especially the "I don't like freckes!" portion,) but I couldn't remember the name of it for anything. Imagine my pleased surprise to find out that it was written by Aliki! Whoop-whoop! Anyway, I'm extremely happy to have the title this time.

[Dana Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

My family is preparing to relocate in the spring, so we've started reading an occasional book here and there about moving. This is a great story about two friends that are separated by a move and how they manage to maintain their friendship from afar and also make new friends.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Make new friends and keep the old!

[Mellanie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet little story about best friends separated by a move.

[karen vega puga · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has lots of emotions. It also helps that when a friend is gone you can make a new one. You will never be lonely.

[Cassidy Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

We Are Best Friends is a short picture book about friendship. A boys best friend moves away, and he's upset because he has no one to play with anymore. But a new boy comes and at first, Robert didn't like Will, but after awhile, and knowing that Peter had made new friends but that Robert was still his best friend, Robert was willing to hang out with Will and show him all the things he and Peter had done together. Best suited for k-2nd grade

[Anna Summers · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the book, We Are Best Friends, Robert is sad and lonely when his best friend, Peter, moves away. Robert and Peter continue to keep in touch by writing letters to each other. A new boy, Will, moves into the neighborhood, but Robert is reluctant about being his friend because he misses Peter. Meanwhile, Peter makes a new friend at his school. Robert eventually allows Will into his heart and they become friends. This book’s theme is friendship. I love how both boys realize that they can keep their old friends and make new ones too. I think many children would be able to identify with this book, especially children who have moved schools. Although I like the message of this book, the plot was hard to follow. The book had a lot of back and forth dialogue between the characters which made it difficult to keep track of who was saying what. Some of the dialogue was not tagged which made it even more difficult to figure out which character was speaking. I had to carefully read the book twice to understand what was going on. I would only use this book to read to an individual child. While reading, I would point to the characters as I read their lines to help clarify which character was speaking.

[Ashlynn Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Peter moved away Robert got very upset because he had no one to do anything with anymore. One day a new boy, Will, moved to his school. Peter sent a letter to Robert to tell him about his new school and how he is doing. Robert decides to befriend Will, and learns that it is okay to have more than one best friend.

This book was very cute. I loved the innocence of the writing as well as the innocence of the pictures. It was a good read.

This book would be great to let a child read in class when their best friend moves away to see it's okay to make friends because that does not mean you won't be friends with the former friend.

[Cailean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Aliki. So I look for her? his? books at the library whenever we go. It helps that the A-authors are right by the toy/table area. Anyway, this book is cute. It's about a boy whose best friend moves away and how he finds another best friend. It actually made me sad, thinking about best friends of mine who have moved away my whole life. Aliki has a simple drawing and writing style. Recommended for preschool-age and up.

[Kenia Soto · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great for children who are shy or for those who are afraid of making new friends. In this book two children lives are changed when one move away. Both friends go through a rough patch but eventually make new friends while keeping up their friendship through letters and conversing about the new friends they've made. I would use this book in the beginning of the school year to encourage children to talk to one another.

[Callie Risse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter and Robert are best friends, and it shakes their world when Robert moves away. Throughout the story, the boys learn how to deal with losing a friend. Eventually, they learn that they can make new friends and still manage to keep old ones, too.

[Miss Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

GR Level: H

Elementary: E ALI

Peter has to move and that makes Robert sad. They are best friends. Robert gets a letter from Peter telling of a new friend and so Robert becomes friend with the new kid, Will. Peter and Robert are still best friends.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peter has to move and that makes Robert sad. They are best friends. Robert gets a letter from Peter telling of a new friend and so Robert becomes friend with the new kid, Will. Peter and Robert are still best friends

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Older. Colorful, animated illustrations. Peter moves away and Robert is upset and angry. Peter sends Robert a letter and Robert replies. Robert makes a new friend, Will, who doesn't like his new home. Very simplistic.

[Jennifer Ho · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the message this book brings out. It lets children know that if their close or good friend moves away, they will always be friends even if they are far away from each other.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story about friends who leave, making new friends, and not judging others until you get to know them.

[Sarah Stumphf · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story lacked depth of any kind, but my two year old was satisfied with it.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple story about losing a friend and how hard it can be to make new ones.

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

The text and dialogue in this story are very stilted and simple, like they would be in an easy reader, but this is not an easy reader, just a badly written picture book.

[Kye Jenkins]

We are best friends tells the story of two friends who move away from each other and through the experience of losing a friend to distance, these kids learn that its okay to have more than one friend.