We rarely think of friendship as a learned skill, but children will benefit from this presentation that defines four simple, yet vital, principles of being a good friend. Listening, showing empathy, thinking before you act, and sticking up for a friend are all briefly introduced and illustrated. Children comment on aspects of friendship, and live-action vignettes show the principles in practice. The multiethnic cast provides a clear, positive approach to an important life skill. The program can be viewed in its entirety or specific segments can be shown. This would be an excellent tool to use in classrooms when issues arise, and would lead naturally into a discussion of interpersonal relationships.

– Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary School, Federal Way, WA
School Library Journal

Recommended Being a good friend is an invaluable trait, but one that needs to be learned, and this DVD provides students with those skills. Hosted by young teens, the program models situations where friends aren’t getting along and illustrates how to deal with problems that may arise. Viewers see elementary students in a number of scenarios. Students will learn the principles of being a good friend; each scenario illustrates these principles. The teacher guide includes a pre/post test, check lists for determining if a student is a good listener, worksheets on empathizing with a friend, and fact sheets summarizing the skills discussed. The most useful aspect of this video is that it offers students concrete ideas how to deal with difficult situations and address them as they occur. The presentation can easily be navigated via the main menu where users can watch the show in its entirety or choose to jump to a chapter.

– Allison L. Bernstein, Educational Materials Reviewer, Cortlandt Manor, New York
Library Media Connection