The Bench

Even the very best friends have bad days.

Four girls. Four unique personalities. One special bench where they've shared laughter, encouragement, heart-to-heart talks, and the everyday ups and downs of friendship.

Usually, when one friend arrives at the bench having a hard day, the others are there to listen, encourage, and help her feel better. But one day, something is different.

They're ALL having a bad day.

Frustrations turn into hurt feelings. Hurt feelings turn into an argument. And before long, all four friends walk away from their beloved bench even more upset than when they arrived.

After walking away hurt and frustrated, each girl has some thinking to do. Can four good friends find their way back to the bench—and back to each other?

The Bench by multi-award-winning children's book author Ruthie Godfrey is a heartfelt picture book about friendship, conflict, forgiveness, empathy, and the courage it takes to say, "I'm sorry."

Through the experiences of four very different friends, children discover that disagreements don't have to end a friendship—and that healthy friendships aren't the ones that never experience conflict, but the ones that learn how to repair it.

Perfect for families, elementary classrooms, homeschool lessons, school counselors, therapy settings, and libraries, this relatable story opens meaningful conversations about managing big feelings, resolving conflict, apologizing, forgiveness, communication, empathy, and supporting our friends through good days and hard ones.

Also check out other fan favorites from best-selling author Ruthie Godfrey. Great for bedtime reading, anytime reading, classroom lessons, homeschool lessons, school library collections, and more!