The Magic Friend Maker

by Gladys Baker Bond, Mary E. Olson

This is a sweet story about a little girl, who doesn't have a friend. She has a rock, that she found in a river, which becomes a friend-maker, when it is shared. The illustrations of the little girls are very cute. The pictures illustrate many ways children play together.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

aka Holly Beth Walker.

Gladys Baker Bond was a prolific author of at least thirty-five books, most published by Western Publishing. Many of her Whitman books were Authorized Editions based on popular television series. Mrs. Baker wrote seven books under the pseudonym of Jo Mendel. She wrote three Trixie Belden books under the pseudonym of Kathryn Kenny. A 1981 volume of Contemporary Authors lists only one Meg book among Gladys Baker Bond's writings. It is not known who wrote the other five books.

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been one of my favorites since I read it as a 9 year old...I still have the original hardcover edition ..Its about the difficulties in making friends, especially when your family moves away and you have to start over and meet people again or if you are just a shy child and its difficult to push yourself...I was the latter, quite shy and more comfortable with my nose in a book than the playground among hordes of kids..The story felt like a kindred spirit to me reading the loneliness of playing alone and spoke of what I most longed for as a child: to make friends easily and effortlessly. ..The use of a transitional object in breaking the ice of friend making is beautifully depicted.

[Findlay Pennekamp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my mom's favorite books. To this day, she still has her "magic friend maker" on the bookshelf. It's a beautiful book about making friends. Maybe a little girly, but still, lovely.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book for Christmas from my Grandmother when I was to so I don't remember not having it and I don't remember not loving it. The story is heartwarming and the pictures are very cute.

[Elizabeth]

The magic friend-maker by Gladys Baker Bond (1966)

[Karla Renee Goforth Abreu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had this book in large hardcover for 40 years. It was one of my favorite children's books and I have read it to my children. It is touching, sweet, sad, and hopeful.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book in my basement, that I used to read to my children, which was many years ago. It has lovely illustrations of children playing, and expressing loneliness and joy. A rock turns out to be the means for making friendships, when it is shared.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The simplest connection between people can grow into friendship.

[Tonya Gagnon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up in the 70s and loved this book when I was little.