Don’t Need Friends

02.26.2016
FOR THE WEEKEND, share this fun title with your child! 


Don’t Need Friends is appropriate for children age 4-8.

Summary:
In Don’t Need Friends Rat prefers to keep to himself, he stays in his crate, on his side of the junk yard, declines dinner invitations from Raccoon, and often grumbles that he ‘don’t need friends.’ Then Dog moves in to the junk yard too. Dog prefers to keep to himself, he stays in his barrel, on his side of the junk yard, declines lunch invitations from Mouse, and howls at the moon every night. Until one very cold night when Dog doesn’t howl at all.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Retelling:
As you read Don’t Need Friends ask your child questions about what is happening. This will help to engage their interest in the story, and further their connection with the book. Once you have read through the book, ask your child to take a turn retelling the story to you. They will flip through the pages and use the pictures to give clues to what they are able to recall from the story. It is okay if they stray from the original story line!

Do this with your child:
February is a month full of promoting love and friendship. Don’t Need Friends is proof that everyone can use a friend. Ask your child who their friends are and what they like about them. 

If you’re interested in sharing Don’t Need Friends with your child you can find it from Dragonfly Books here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Learn more about author Carolyn Crimi.

Related Posts

12.22.2025 Featured

Building Healthier Futures Through Reading: Valleywise Health and Raising a Reader

At Valleywise Health, caring for families means looking beyond clinical care to what truly supports lifelong health. As Arizona’s only public teaching health system—and the state’s largest safety-net provider—Valleywise Health serves communities where access, equity, and opportunity matter deeply. Through eight Family Resource Centers located within Federally Qualified Health Centers, Valleywise Health helps families reduce barriers and strengthen stability. These centers ...

Read More
11.19.2025 Events

Celebrating Family Engagement Month: Small Reading Moments, Big Impact

November is Family Engagement Month, a perfect reminder that the most powerful learning doesn’t just happen in classrooms—it happens at home, in small, joyful moments families create together. At Raising a Reader, we’ve spent 25+ years helping families build reading routines that spark curiosity, strengthen relationships, and set children on a lifelong path to learning and academic success. When families read ...

Read More