Making Friends Is an Art discusses the challenges of making friends through the perspective of a lonely colored pencil. This is a great resource to use with children who have difficulties making friends. I would use this in the classroom during the beginning of the school year and as needed when individuals need reminders or new students join the class. ( )

The author uses pencils and crayons as an expressive form in making friends which is a good concept for young children to grasp when doing something new

Making Friends Is An Art is another great story about acceptance and friendship. Using a concrete representation of colored pencils and how much they are used, young children will relate well with this book. It has fun illustrations and a great message that everyone can have a friend if everyone is willing to be a friend. Like The Rainbow Fish it promotes community and branching out of one's comfort zone.

Red is always the shining crayon. Brown is a little jealous of the crayon because he feels like he is not capable of doing everything that red and the other crayons can do. Brown feels like the outcast of the crayon box, until one of his crayon friends shows him how truly special he is. ( )

I love Julia Cook's stories as they are great resources to use with children. As a Child Psychologist I am often working with younger children who have difficulties making friends and/or who see themselves as not fitting in - being different. This is a lovely story that addresses both. There is lots to talk about with the children after you've finished the story, but as always there is a tips page for parents/teachers - they make great handouts for the session. I totally got Red being so popular and I loved Brown in the end. ( )