Dragon's A Friend for Dragon

Reach for this book when your child is experiencing the intense feelings of a first friendship or the confusing ache of a first loss. It is a gentle, slightly absurd, and deeply empathetic tool for children who have lost a pet, moved away from a friend, or are struggling to understand why some things do not last forever. Through the eyes of a sweet, naive dragon, the story explores what it means to care for something and how to process the quiet sadness that follows a goodbye. Dragon finds an unlikely best friend in an apple, and though the premise is humorous, the emotional weight is very real. Dav Pilkey uses simple text and expressive illustrations to validate a child's right to feel big emotions over things that might seem small to adults. It is perfectly pitched for preschoolers and early elementary students, offering a safe space to discuss loneliness and the cyclical nature of grief and hope. You might choose this book as a soft entry point for talking about death or simply to celebrate the joy of finding companionship in unexpected places.