Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by the Broke and the Bookish, posts a book-related topic every Tuesday for bloggers to share their top ten lists around. I wasn’t even planning to participate this week, but I couldn’t resist today’s topic: Books about friendship! Which I’ve slightly reinterpreted as my favorite book friendships…
1) The Little White Bird by J. M. Barrie – First on the list because it’s one of my very favorite books. It centers on an unconventional friendship, between the kindly old gentleman (unnamed, so I like to call him that) and a little boy, David. They each provide the key for the other into a world of wonder and magic (I mean that metaphorically, mostly…) It’s pretty clearly autobiographical, about J. M. Barrie and the Davies boys.
2) The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean – Another favorite and another unconventional friendship, considering Titus is Sym’s imaginary friend. But it’s beautiful.
3) Anne of Green Gables, Emily of New Moon and Pat of Silver Bush by L. M. Montgomery – On one line because they’re all in the same mold. Where would Anne be without Diana, Emily without Ilse, or Pat without Bets?
4) The Bruno and Boots series by Gordon Korman – A hilarious series of books, centering around roommates at boarding school. Together, Bruno and Boots just can’t seem to avoid chaos, and they usually drag all of their other friends along.
5) Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey – Second book in the Masterharper of Pern series, lonely Menolly sets down at the Harper Hall, and for the first time finds friends who accept and value both her and her musical talents.
6) The Jacky Faber series by L. A. Meyer – There’s plenty of romance in this one too, and Jacky sparks with lots of men…but my favorite relationships in the series are her friendships. Especially Jacky’s friendships with Amy, a Puritan who frequently shakes her head in horror at Jacky’s hijinks but loves her fiercely anyway; and with the ever-faithful Higgins, always ready with clean clothes, a spot of tea and a comb, not to mention well-deserved scolding.
7) Star Trek: Prime Directive by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens – My favorite friendship in all of fiction is the triumvirate of Kirk, Spock and McCoy. Almost any (well-done) Star Trek book could be here to represent that, but this one is particularly good at depicting the bond, as well as the friendships between the rest of the regular characters.
8) The Squire’s Tale and The Squire, His Knight and His Lady by Gerald Morris – This series is a delightful retelling of Arthurian legends. The first two books (and some later ones) focus on Squire Terrence and his knight, Sir Gawain. They start out largely in the traditional, class-based roles, but through adventures together they come to trust and regard each other as equals, friends, and even brothers.
9) The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint – The friendship between Imogene and Maxine is the driving force of this story. Both girls also have boyfriends by the end of the novel, but those relationships are secondary compared to the friendship story. This is a nice example too where each girl balances and helps the other–wild child Maxine grows more responsible, while shy Imogene becomes more confident.
10) The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares – I’m listening to the audiobooks of this series, so it’s top-of-mind right now. I do enjoy the way each girl has her own adventure every summer, involved in drama around boys or family or goals, but the friendship of the four girls (linked together by the pants, of course!) is bedrock of their lives.
I love finding new books with wonderful friendships in them! There are so many romances in stories, it’s nice to see friendships highlighted. So–what are your favorites?
Frodo and Sam in The Lord of the Rings have got to be my favourite literary friends 🙂
I am not familiar with the books in your list but I do recognize The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants although I haven’t read it. I heard great things about it though 😀
my top ten tues: http://wp.me/p3v5T1-qi
OH MY GOSH, yes, I love the Bruno and Boots books. I forgot all about them. I had Anne of Green Gables on my list as well.
I’m just thrilled someone else has read them! I rarely run across people who know Gordon Korman’s books, which is such a shame because they’re so funny!
Great list! I find myself wishing I’d included Anne of Green Gables and Dragonsinger, both of which I considered. And I must get around to the Jacky Faber series at some point! And you’re absolutely right about the Kirk-Spock-Bones triumvirate. I almost included My Enemy, My Ally, which (if you haven’t read it) is a Star Trek TOS novel by Diane Duane in which Kirk forges an unlikely alliance edging toward reluctant friendship with a Romulan commander.
If you try Jacky Faber, I highly recommend the audiobooks! They’re excellent, and let me re”read” them despite all the other books I’m trying to get to…
I don’t think I’ve red My Enemy, My Ally, though I’ve definitely heard of it…one to look into!
I think my sister has some of the audiobooks, so I may borrow them next time I’m out there.
Some great choices – I almost picked the Charles de Lint book as well! I do this though, go backwards and forwards delete things, add them back, delete them again. Nothing like a good bit of decisiveness.
Lynn 😀
Ah yes, I know just what that’s like… 🙂
These are awesome picks! Great post 🙂
My Top Ten this week!
Some great selections (and suggestions) on this list! Since I loved Peter Pan (and “Finding Neverland,” though full of creative license), you’ve whet my appetite for THE LITTLE WHITE BIRD, too! lol I’ll add, of course, the Harry Potter series, (can’t italicize here, but don’t want to capitalize such a running list) Charlotte’s Web, Because of Winn Dixie, The Secret Garden, Boy & Bot, The Story of Fish and Snail, Bink and Gollie, The Underneath, Flora and the Flamingo…Batman and Robin 😉 Had to throw that in lol Those are some of the ones that popped out at me from my bookshelves, but I know there are many more!
Finding Neverland is lovely…if not very historically accurate…
Great choices! I always peruse my bookshelves and see what pops out for this kind of thing too. 🙂
L. Frank Baum’s Oz series about Dorothy and her friends comes to mind for me.
Great example of books focused on friendship! There are very few romances in the Oz books, but many lovely friendships.
Great examples. I would certainly include Anne of Green Gables and all the “Anne” books in my list. Also Lord of the Rings. The books especially show the friendship between the Hobbits, and the friendship that develops between Legolas and Gimli is great to see.
I’ve always been very fond of the friendship of Han and Chewie in the three novels set in a pre-A New Hope timeline written by Brian Daley. Their bond is especially strong in these books.
Excellent, bringing the geekiness with Lord of the Rings and Star Wars! 🙂 I should have thought of LOTR, and now you’ve made me curious about the Daley books…