Annie is a distraught little girl who’s upset because her family had recently moved away to a new home on the beach. She’s upset because she misses her house, yard, and school that she used to live at. She tells her grandma that she has no friends here at the new place. Her grandma then tells her that everyone has a box a friends with them . She then shows Annie a box full of different nick nacks of things that has a memory from someone important in her grandmas life. Then after her grandma is telling her the different stories of each thing in her box, Annie decides she wants to have her own box of friends. She then starts showing her grandma different sentinmental items a person has given to her. At one point Annie gives her grandma something to put in her box and her grandma does the same. Annie gets invited to a birthday party from a new gorl and is told she can bring a friend, and she picks her grandma. This story shows the struggles of a young child having to move to a new place and not knowing anyone there. Change is hard for anyone, but for kids especially. I loved that she had her grandma there to help her understand that you can have friends near and far away and no matter what they will still be your friends, that it’s also okay to make new friends too! ( )

Moving to a new town is hard, especially for Annie. Annie has just moved to the beach with her mom, dad, and grandma, and she does not know anyone who is there. Annie misses her friends and the life that she is used to. All Annie wants is to go home, or at least make some friends while she is here. Annie's grandma shows her a little secret, and its her friends in a box. Grandma shows her all of the trinkets that give her memories of her friends, and she helps Annie build one of her own. Annie doesn't feel so lonely with her friends box, and makes sure to give her grandma something to put in the box herself. Many kids move to different places for a variety of reasons, and moving can cause an emotional toll of a child who has to completely start their life over. Annie grows personally in her willingness to be in a new home, and in her willingness to make friends. This book would be great to read to students, especially if there is a new student who recently moved in the class. Every child is different, but making friends is something we all have to go through. ( )

Annie is a sad little girl. She is sad because she recently moved with her mother and grandmother to a new place where she does not have any of her friends and will be attending a new school. Luckily, Annie has a wise grandmother who puts her fears at ease by showing her how to make her own 'box of friends'. By putting mementos of loved ones and fun times into a box she can look through any time, Annie feels confident enough to accept the party invitation she's been extended and attends with her grandmother. ( )

After moving to a new town, a young girl is sadden by the aspect of not meeting new people and making friends. Her grandmother helps her to cope with her lost by teaching her how to make a memory box where she can remember all her old friends and the good times they had together. This book helps to teach children about how memories may lat forever, and to cherish them. No matter where we go, our memories of the people and places we have been will always be with us. ( )

Ryan, Pam Munoz. A Box of Friends. 2003.

Annie is adjusting to her new home by the shore without her old friends. At her grandmother's suggestion, she creates a box full of memories of her old friends.

This story is a great introduction for young adults to the concept of symbolism in literature. Each item going into the box represents a time, person, or place special to the the creator, something they want to remember forever. Creating a box of friends would also be a neat activity for students. ( )