When You Meet My Friend

4.5 (2)

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Author(s)

Mark Sperring

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Marisa Morea

Publisher

Tiger Tales

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

May 05, 2026

ISBN

978-1664300880

Buy This Book

It’s a young boy’s first day at a new school, and he’s feeling a little lost. This lyrical, reassuring story takes us through the boy’s day and all the ways the other children make him feel welcome, from showing him where to hang up his coat to saving him a seat at lunchtime. This sweet story illustrates the ripple effect of friendship as the boy is welcomed in and the narrator shows that he will also be a great friend to them.

And at the end of the school day, there’s someone very special waiting for him….

Editor reviews

2 reviews

sweet book with a great message

July 12, 2026 (Updated: July 12, 2026)

Overall rating

5.0

Plot

5.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

WHEN YOU MEET MY FRIEND is a sweet picture book about kindness and friendship. A little boy is new at school, and the text asks that when the other kids meet him that they help to show him around, include him in their activities, and generally be kind to him. At the end, we get to see that the narrator of the book is the boy's dog.

What I loved: This is such a sweet way to introduce kindness and inclusion for young readers. Everyone they meet is cared for by someone else, and they can choose to reach out with kindness and friendship to welcome them into their school/group. This is a great message for young readers, and it would work especially well when there might be a new student in class.

The rhyming text rolls smoothly off the tongue and makes for a pleasing read when shared aloud. It has a great rhythm and will make for a read that children will want to share again and again. The illustrations are lovely with lots of detail and a focus on how children can help new friends to feel comfortable. The pages turn quickly with the brief text on each page, but there is plenty to visually explore throughout as well.

Final verdict: WHEN YOU MEET MY FRIEND is a lovely picture book with an important message of kindness and inclusion that is perfect for young readers!

Olivia Farr, Staff Reviewer Top 10 Reviewer 2412 reviews

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Good Advice for Good Friends

June 03, 2026 (Updated: July 12, 2026)

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

4.0

A little boy starts at a new school, and is a little apprehensive. A voice over asks the students in his class to look out for him in specific ways. It's hard to know where everything is, so new classmates should help him find where to hang his coat. It's helpful to be welcoming and to make him feel at home. Including a new student in activities makes everyone happy, and introducing him to others widens his circle of friends. Ask others to play and work together, since this is a great way to make new friends. The old friend also asks that the little boy is reminded that after school is over, the two can be together again, since the old friend is... the little boy's dog!

Good Points

Aside from the happy surprise ending, this is a helpful book to teach young children how to interact with others. For years, it seems like it was assumed that children just knew instrictively how to make friends; I can't think of any books like this when I was young! My own children struggled to make friends a little, since they were quiet and shy, but it seems like the need for instruction on how to make and support friendships is growing. I loved that the classmates were friendly and helpful, and provided good examples for the little boy of how he should act.

There are lots of fun activities in the classroom, and the pastel illustrations are comforting. There are lots of good details, like flower gardens, music classes, and books to be read, that make school seem like an exciting place. The classmates show a range of skin tones and body types.
I plan on reading my grandson a LOT of books about being at school so that when he finally is able to go, he will be looking forward to the experience. It's also a good idea to start teaching children how to conduct positive friendships early with books like this as well as Brozo and Deas' The Buddy Bench, Bush and Friedman's The Little Book of Friendship, Bailey and Song's A Friend for Henry, or Brooks and Ferrero's A Book About Friends.