For our younger selves, books about friendship resonated most closely because as a little girl and preteen, your best friends were everything. Starting a babysitting service with your BFFs sounded like the greatest idea in the world, and even if you weren't yet old enough to worry about high school drama, you secretly wanted to know what that was like.
To take a trip down memory lane, we dug up nine popular books from our early childhoods [1] all about best friends. You'll definitely remember reading or at least seeing the covers ahead back in the day. Get ready for some major nostalgia!
The Baby-Sitters Club
Four preteen friends have the genius idea of starting a babysitting service together in their neighborhood. The girls of The Baby-Sitters Club [3] learn about growing up and friendship as their group grows along the way.
Gossip Girl
Best friends Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf have their fair share of drama in New York's Upper East Side, where they live, go to school, and break hearts. But no matter what Gossip Girl [4] stirs up, their group of friends always seems to have each other's backs, especially S and B.
Girl Talk
Four American teen girls experience the pains of junior high together. And of course, each Girl Talk [5] book included their phone conversations.
Calvin and Hobbes
The adventures of Calvin and Hobbes [6], a young boy and his stuffed-tiger sidekick, are never short of excitement and imagination. These partners in crime fight aliens and cause trouble at home without ever leaving each other's side.
The Boxcar Children
The Boxcar Children [7] is made up of four close orphaned siblings who solve mysteries together. Whether it's in their backyard or neighborhood, they always find adventure.
Anne of Green Gables
Orphan Anne Shirley is mistakenly sent to a couple who requested a boy but ends up living with them. The books detail her life in the Green Gables, her school life, and friendship with the neighboring girl, Diana Barry, and others. Anne of Green Gables [8] makes a name in the village community as a talkative and imaginative girl.
The Saddle Club
The Saddle Club [9] is made up of best friends Stevie, Carole, and Lisa, who ride at Pine Hollow Stables and share adventures in their town of Willow Creek, VA.
Little Women
A tale of sisterhood as much as friendship, Little Women [10] is a classic novel that follows four sisters as they transition to womanhood.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Even though these four best friends are spending their first Summer apart, what seems like an ordinary pair of jeans magically fits each of the girls, keeping them together on their separate adventures. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants [11] is a coming-of-age story about true friendship, love, and family.