Making Friends Is an Art! Paperback – March 12, 2012

I usually don't purchase new books without seeing reviews but I immediately bought this one and I wasn't disappointed. Julia Cook's books have been useful. As an elementary school counselor I'm always searching for books on friendship. There don't seem to be many out there on how to make friends and what to do if you have friendship problems. Although I also recommend "How to be a friend" by Marc Brown and "My friends and me" by Pat Thomas. I look for books that will appeal to 6-8 year olds. I've already used this book with groups and it's worked out well.So for the plot: The Brown colored pencil feels alone and left out. A few of the other colored pencils tell him he needs to be a good friend to make friends. Each of the colors has a specific positive quality. Brown is a combination of all the other colors so he has those qualities within him. He takes their advice and begins to recognize his own strengths. He changes his ways and does things to try and help out the other pencils. He feels better about himself and now has friends.The story did repeat some things to try and make the story hit home but I'm not sure it was necessary. A couple of pages almost felt out of place and were a little too long. For instance, towards the end Brown listens to a presentation on how to take over the art supply market. He was doing this to support his friend but I don't think the audience this is geared to would understand the situation, nor did it add to the story.Overall, the book has a good message that resonates with children. It is easy to use in discussion regarding friendship and self esteem and I would buy it again.

I bought this for my 5 year old. He has some issues with empathy and thinking about other people, so I'm concerned that he is going to have trouble making real friends in school. He does NOT have any issues with self esteem, if anything he has the opposite problem.I thought this was a book about how to make friends. But really, it's a book on why friends are important and that you are special and deserve to have friends. The book is very very wordy. There are a couple of entire pages that could easily be removed from the book without affecting the storyline. It's just too long for young children.Also, there's no real practical information. The first half of the book covers how the brown crayon doesn't have any friends and basically hates himself. Then by talking to a bunch of other crayons, he discovers that he is worthwhile after all, and he starts to make friends. But I didn't feel there were enough details in actually helping a young child make friends. One of the themes was "to make friends you need to be a good friend", which is awesome! but the examples and guidance were terrible. There are extremely specific examples - like the brown crayon listens to another crayon's crazy business plans. My son is too young to understand that this is trying to say that you should think of others and listen, even if you aren't super-interested. Honestly I would have been better off just making a list of friend-making skills and reading them to him and giving him some general examples.I actually felt that improving your self esteem was discussed more than making friends. Accepting who you are and learning to like yourself were major themes. If that's what you are looking for - I still can't hardily recommend this book because I feel it is too long unless your child is a bit older, in which case they might find the characters too childish. 3 stars is listed as "It's ok" and that's exactly how I would describe this book.

I loved and still love this book. After reading it I wished that the author would have used a non skin color. I think some might take it as brown people have bad attitudes and are negative if they don’t allow themselves to look at it overall. I have shared the story with some classes in my internship and I didn’t have any negative responses. In hindsight, I still wish a different color could have been the main character.

Perfect book for my 6 year old in first grade. He has had trouble making friends at school. This book goes over how to be a good friend and what makes each crayon in the pencil box unique. Brown learns what is unique about him and what he can do to help the other crayons. Brown use to complain and carry around a lot of negative energy that the other crayons didn't like. This book is perfect for our situation!!Some of the reviews said this book is racist. ABDOLUTELY NOT!!! I would honestly ignore the one racist comments when choosing this book. All of the colors in the are talked about. Brown is the main character.The book goes over negative energy and how to be positive. I love this book! I was skeptical about the reviews that said it was A racist book I bought this book half thinking I may need to return it. This book beyond surpassed my expectations. Very happy with this book.

I read a lot of reviews before purchasing this particular book. It’s laughable that someone suggested that it was racist. Clearly they don’t remember Kindergarten and that all colors make up brown thus making the story relevant.This book is fantastic for that kid that tries so hard but can’t figure out how to be social with peers. My kid is looks normal but has autistic tendencies, major ADHD and emotional Disregulation. Social skills are really difficult but school work is a breeze. She reads this at least twice a night and once before school in the morning.I also read a review that Brown was just a jerk. Look, not everyone who looks normal can function normally. No wonder kids are so unaccepting and unloving! They are little and learning.

Some children struggle to make friends, they feel left out, different, rejected and sad.Author: Julia Cook (a former US teacher and school counsellor) teaches children that everyone is different, but can have the same assets and opportunities as everyone else if they change some small characteristics. This book is in story format but the bullet points that children need to learn about are in rhyme so it's easier for them to understand and remember.Brown is a pencil who feels left out, feels unloved and in turn is a loner, bossy, rude at times, often frowns and struggles to smile, He doesn't feel he fits in with the other pencils and often looks in on the other pencils having fun from the outside, he sees good qualities in the others and that they are liked but he doesn't understand why the others don't play with him.Brown soon realises in order to make friends he has to learn to smile, listen, accept and not dominate a game with his agenda or opinion. he starts to understand that things are not going to be exactly as he wants them to be all the time but realises that everyone feels the sad and lonely sometimes in their life, they just learn to deal with it in a different way.The books from Julia cook are often aimed at young children and those with special educational needs. they are a good reference tool and are humorous to the child and often the adult.The books my child owns and loves are:Making friends is an art!It's hard to be a Verb ( very Funny and aimed at children with ADHD)My mouth is a volcano! ( for those little interrupters)the worst day of my life Ever! ( about listening, understanding rules and following instructions)I'm sorry I Forgot! ( Choices excuses and consequences) .After buying these very humorous books I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the authors books as all morals are taught with humour and Rhyme, the aren't taught in a middle class english do as you are told way. My child loves to re-read these books and loves them read to him reiterating the messages behind the stories.

My child is 4 years and a half and he really enjoys this book.. I also believe is a book for years to come.. The messages are so nice and for all ages! It is one of my favourite books now and I am buying as presents for friends too :)

Very good!

I have now bought about half of Julia Cook's books. Beware that as an American counsellor/writer the book does contain some Americanisms, so best shared with a class, rather than children reading the text directly.

Lovely book with a good story. My 4 year old granddaughter loves it. She can relate to the characters and it is providing an opportunity for discussion and understanding at just the right level.