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That's What Friends Are For
"Kids will take comfort in this endearing — and enduring — tale of friends helping friends." — BOOKLIST
Theodore the elephant has hurt his leg and can’t meet his cousin at the end of the forest. What a pity! Of course, all the other animals are more than willing to give him advice. After all, that’s what friends are for — isn’t it? Enhanced by Holly Meade’s vivid collages, Florence Parry Heide’s dry wit rings through this cumulative tale of a long-suffering elephant, his well-meaning friends, and a straight-talking opossum who shows them all what being a REAL friend means.
Theodore the elephant has hurt his leg and can’t meet his cousin at the end of the forest. What a pity! Of course, all the other animals are more than willing to give him advice. After all, that’s what friends are for — isn’t it? Enhanced by Holly Meade’s vivid collages, Florence Parry Heide’s dry wit rings through this cumulative tale of a long-suffering elephant, his well-meaning friends, and a straight-talking opossum who shows them all what being a REAL friend means.
40 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1971
8 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Florence Parry Heide
129 books40 followers"What do I like about writing for children? Everything," says Florence Parry Heide, the award-winning author of more than sixty children’s books, including the classic THE SHRINKING OF TREEHORN, illustrated by Edward Gorey. "I like the connection with children," the author says. "I like the connection with all kinds of book people. And I like the connection with my childhood self, which is the most of me. It is the most welcome and familiar of worlds. There miracles abound--indeed it is magical that something I might think of can be put into words, stories, ideas, and that those words end up in the heads of readers I will never meet."
Florence Parry Heide wrote SOME THINGS ARE SCARY, a humorous look at childhood bugaboos, more than thirty years ago. "I had finished another book and was in the mood to write something else," she says. "I decided to get some kindling from the garage, reached into the kindling box and--good grief!--grabbed something soft and mushy. I fled back to the house, scared to death." A brave return visit to the kindling box revealed the object of terror to be nothing more than a discarded wet sponge, but the thought remained: some things are scary. As she recalls, "What scared me as a child was that I’d never learn how to be a real grownup--and the fact is, I never did find out how it goes."
One thing Florence Parry Heide does have a good handle on is the concept of friendship, in all its humorous manifestations. THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR, a tongue-in-cheek tale cowritten with Sylvia Van Clief in 1967, pokes at the tendency of well-meaning friends to offer advice instead of help, and presents a valuable lesson about what true friendship means. "One of my many (true) sayings is ‘A new friend is around the corner of every single day,’ " the author declares. "Also true: Friendships last. And last."
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Florence Parry Heide worked in advertising and public relations in New York City before returning to Pittsburgh during World War II. After the war, she and her husband moved to Wisconsin, where they raised five children, two of whom have cowritten critically acclaimed books with their mother. Florence Parry Heide now lives in Wisconsin.
Florence Parry Heide wrote SOME THINGS ARE SCARY, a humorous look at childhood bugaboos, more than thirty years ago. "I had finished another book and was in the mood to write something else," she says. "I decided to get some kindling from the garage, reached into the kindling box and--good grief!--grabbed something soft and mushy. I fled back to the house, scared to death." A brave return visit to the kindling box revealed the object of terror to be nothing more than a discarded wet sponge, but the thought remained: some things are scary. As she recalls, "What scared me as a child was that I’d never learn how to be a real grownup--and the fact is, I never did find out how it goes."
One thing Florence Parry Heide does have a good handle on is the concept of friendship, in all its humorous manifestations. THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR, a tongue-in-cheek tale cowritten with Sylvia Van Clief in 1967, pokes at the tendency of well-meaning friends to offer advice instead of help, and presents a valuable lesson about what true friendship means. "One of my many (true) sayings is ‘A new friend is around the corner of every single day,’ " the author declares. "Also true: Friendships last. And last."
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Florence Parry Heide worked in advertising and public relations in New York City before returning to Pittsburgh during World War II. After the war, she and her husband moved to Wisconsin, where they raised five children, two of whom have cowritten critically acclaimed books with their mother. Florence Parry Heide now lives in Wisconsin.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 21, 2017
Good tip: thank your friends for their advice, but persist until y'all come up with a plan that will actually *help*. Bonus point for the cumulative pattern which is so good for developing readers. A bit preachy, yes, but since it's funny, and the new edition has such cool pix, I do recommend it to families.
September 9, 2013
I laughed out loud the first time I read this to my son. My husband did the same when I read it to our son again deliberately in his hearing. I'm not usually a fan of stories with morals, but I couldn't help but cheer for the opossum and the way he calls the other animals on the carpet for their flagrant stupidity. "Friends are supposed to HELP, not merely give advice."
I also enjoyed the unorthodox mix of animal friends in this book - my 2 year old particularly enjoyed finding the daddy longlegs spider in every picture.
I also enjoyed the unorthodox mix of animal friends in this book - my 2 year old particularly enjoyed finding the daddy longlegs spider in every picture.
Want to read
October 27, 2015I do like this book because it describes different kinds of animals that share their experience in order to help an elephant to get along to his cousin on the other end of the forest. This would teach children how important it's to help a friend in need, or in difficulty. Furthermore, it focuses on the idea of divergence and unity. Children can succeed better if they are able to do team work, and help each other to solve a problem.
May 20, 2012
GREAT book! I read it in 3rd or 4th grade,way back in the 70s,AND STILL REMEMBER THE LITTLE POEM AT THE END...
The book touched me.Thanks to the authors!
God BLESS.
The book touched me.Thanks to the authors!
God BLESS.
October 8, 2018
That's What Friends Are For by Florence Parry Heide is about an elephant named Theodore hurt his leg on the way to see his cousin, so he is sitting alone in the forest. He decides to ask his other animal friends for advice, but unfortunately their suggestions do not work for him due to their differences. After many of his friends attempt to give him advice, the opossum comes along and says that a real friend would go bring the Theofore's cousin here, so thats what they set out to do. The book has a happy ending with the two elephants playing together and the quote, "To give advice is very nice, but friends can do much more. Friends should always help a friend. Thats what friends are for!"
The major theme in this book is taking action when a friend is in need of help.
I personally have never read a children's book with this message in it so I thought it was interesting how the story addressed words versus taking action. I also enjoyed the illustrations in the story with all of the vibrant colors and the simple style they are in. However, I am not very impressed with the story itself. It is very drawn out with all of the animal's advice and a bit random at times. I felt like it speeds through the most important lesson of the story and focuses on irrelevant things.
Overall I would not recommend this book because I feel like the story and message might go over young children's head. The main lesson was not really a part of the story but more just a random quote at the end. I would rather choose a book that talked about all the ways to be a good friend instead of this book that focuses on comparing advice versus taking action. I understood the intention, I just think kids would understand and enjoy a more simple story.
The major theme in this book is taking action when a friend is in need of help.
I personally have never read a children's book with this message in it so I thought it was interesting how the story addressed words versus taking action. I also enjoyed the illustrations in the story with all of the vibrant colors and the simple style they are in. However, I am not very impressed with the story itself. It is very drawn out with all of the animal's advice and a bit random at times. I felt like it speeds through the most important lesson of the story and focuses on irrelevant things.
Overall I would not recommend this book because I feel like the story and message might go over young children's head. The main lesson was not really a part of the story but more just a random quote at the end. I would rather choose a book that talked about all the ways to be a good friend instead of this book that focuses on comparing advice versus taking action. I understood the intention, I just think kids would understand and enjoy a more simple story.
April 20, 2016
Theodore is a big elephant who is supposed to go meet his cousin at the other end of the forest by cannot because he has a hurt leg. His friends come along and ask what’s wrong with him and he explains he has hurt his leg and cannot walk. His friends suggest for him to try the way they walk but it never works out for Theodore. In the end of the story his friends go looking for his cousin and brings Theodore his cousin so that they can finally meet.
This book has a theme of helping others and friendship. It is a great book to have in your classroom for your students to see how they are supposed to help their peers. The bright colored illustrations also help grasp the reader’s attention and keep them hooked throughout the book. The end of the book states that it is always nice for friends to give advice but they can always do more than that. Theodore’s friends showed that friends should always help when in need. I want my students to understand that they should always be helping out not only their friends but as well as their peers in the classroom.
This book has a theme of helping others and friendship. It is a great book to have in your classroom for your students to see how they are supposed to help their peers. The bright colored illustrations also help grasp the reader’s attention and keep them hooked throughout the book. The end of the book states that it is always nice for friends to give advice but they can always do more than that. Theodore’s friends showed that friends should always help when in need. I want my students to understand that they should always be helping out not only their friends but as well as their peers in the classroom.
February 6, 2012
This is nice cumulative tale about advice, helping and friendship. The elephant, Theodore, has hurt his foot and is unable to walk so cannot visit his cousin at the other end of the forest. A succession of different animal friends give elephant advice as to what they would do if they were in the same situation. However, not all animals are the same, and what works for his friend will not (necessarily) work for elephant. As each friend visits, elephant explains what he cannot do, with the list getting longer and longer. Finally lion comes up with a good solution, and all ends happily. Other animals mentioned are: bird, daddy-long-legs, monkey, opossum and crab.
August 7, 2009
Elephant has a problem - he hurt his leg and can't go visit his cousin. Some of his forest friends have advice for him, but unfortunately none of them can help him with his problem. Finally (!) the opossum comes by and reminds elephant's friends what being a friend is all about. It's not about giving advice - "Friends are to help."
October 13, 2012
A great predictable book with adorable, colorful illustrations. It is about an elephant who wants to meet his cousin at the end of the forest, but he can't get there because he as a hurt foot. He asks his friends for advice on how to get to his cousin, and they try to problem solve to figure out how to get to him. All-in-all, this book is about how friends help friends.
April 5, 2018
This is such a cute book! I love the themes it has, for example being there for friends and not being afraid to ask for help. I hadn't heard of it before taking children's literature, but I really liked it when I read it! I could definitely use this in my future classroom if I am teaching a younger grade and I really think they will like it.
July 9, 2011
In my recent tour through several children's books, I read some on pretty serious subjects. This one deals with the serious subject of friendship in a very humorous way. Do friends give advice? Or what are they for? Recommended. 3 and up.
April 17, 2009
I like the illustrations, the story and moral is a bit trite.
Read
October 11, 2009how friends help solve a problem
November 21, 2011
As revealed in the title, this book will help establish a sense of community in younger grade classrooms which is viewed by many as equally as important as content.
April 30, 2013
I liked how the definition of friendship grew as the story went along. The lion was always positive and the day ended well. I liked all of the colors used for the illustrations.
December 30, 2014
ADORABLE. I loved this one! And I enjoyed the sentiment, too. It's a good thing to keep in mind, if you ask me.
September 8, 2016
4.25 Stars I loved the pictures, Loved the story, loved the message! All the way around good book! Needed the smile today! Talk is cheap, actions speak louder than words!!!
October 24, 2017
What friends are really for! Delightful...
January 29, 2021
It is told in present tense. I am NOT a fan of this writing technique-especially for children's picture books.
I enjoyed the way the story was set up, with repeating things along the way. I also liked the lesson that friends help each other.
I enjoyed the way the story was set up, with repeating things along the way. I also liked the lesson that friends help each other.
April 25, 2021
When an elephant hurts his leg, various creatures come by and give him advice which is not useful for him. In the end, everyone learns "To give advice is very nice, but friends can do much more. Friends should always help a friend. That's what friends are for!"
April 16, 2018
I love this book! The story is great, & the collage illustrations are stunning!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews