Posts

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Gabrielle

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a cute and helpful book for young children to learn how to make new people. Showing the reader that different approaches may be needed and that what seems harmless to you may come off as different to others. It was nice to see Donut learn from the mistake and try again with each new approach. Peanut also learns to understand someone else’s way of friendliness. With the help of Bobo, the two become friends and even include Bobo in that friendship. I like the message that this tale has for young reader.

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Dawn Daughenbaugh

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Stars
Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills is a cute children’s book that children ages 4-8 can enjoy. My six year old son loved reading this book and he did a fantastic job doing it by himself. This is a cute story about Donut the Dog and Peanut the Squirrel and their journey to friendship. What I as a parent loved about this story was the message it teaches children. It teaches them Social Skills, how to embrace being different, compassion, not to judge, being responsible when making decisions, self awareness and so much more. Follow along with Donut the Dog as he learns to be patient while trying to make new friends with Peanut the Squirrel. Can he convince peanut to be his friend and can they overcome differences? I highly recommend reading this book and it look forward to reading more from this Author.

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Ayla Phipps

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Colorful, beautiful illustrations gave me Clifford feels while reading this one. Wonderful life lessons in easy-to-understand ways. Just because Donut knew what he was doing, to little Peanut he came off as very scary. Sometimes being still, calm, and quiet when talking is best. Great easy to read book for growing readers.

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Michelle Mulvey

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading this book to a 4 year old and 2 year old. Donut is a dog who is missing her best friend who moved away and keeps trying to befriend peanut the squirrel but peanut is t being very receptive. Finally peanut and donut become friends. The kids enjoyed the book and are not getting the actual book so they don’t have to wait for me when I have my kindle on. Bright, colorful photos

Review by @xchellex

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Debbie Best

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a beautifully written (Debbie Sullivan) and illustrated (Soraya Tavakoli) book that is perhaps best read first, by the parent. Immediately following the story of Donut and Peanut, is a well written explanation of the importance of a child’s Social Emotional Learning: Self-awareness, Social awareness, Responsible decision making, Self-management and Relationship skills. This book could be especially helpful if you have a child who is struggling with developing appropriate play and friendship skills.

Donut the dog misses his friend who moves away, and wants to find another friend to play with, but goes about it in an awkward manner. Instead of responding as he would like, his potential playmate, Peanut runs in the opposite direction! It takes the intervention of a third party, Bobo the bird to smooth the pathway to eventual success. Appropriate for ages 1-5 with easy text and beautiful watercolors, I wish I’d had this book when my own children were small!

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Deb Robinson

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a story of Donut’s best friend moving away and how he tries to befriend someone new. Making new friends is not always easy as Donut finds out in this wonderful story. The author is able to make trying to make friends humorous while still showing the struggle. Sometimes another perspective is all you need to be on the same page. A delightful and learning book that little ones will love.

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Crystal Brehant

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What an adorable story! A puppy trying so hard to be friends with a squirrel! The puppy, Donut, doesn’t understand why the squirrel keeps running away. Should she smile more? Does her breath stink? Should she do a little dance? Can she figure out a way to be friends with Peanut? Read to find out! I read this with my 7yo son and we both enjoyed it.

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills Review By Krista Moulthrop

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Donut the dog is sad because her best friend had to love away and now she has nobody to play with. She sees a squirrel and decides she wants to be friends but she keeps scaring the squirrel away. Donut learns how to be calm and quiet and finally become friends with the squirrel. A great kid story that teaches a lesson about thinking of the other persons feelings.

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Kerry Baker

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is a great story about unlikely friendships and how they can develop once you learn how to communicate. It was so lovely to watch Donut and Peanut develop their social skills as the story went on. The whole book has such a sweet feel about it and is great for teaching kids about the importance of learning about other people and seeing past their differences.
It was also then a bonus for me that my kids loved this book. They thought it was so entertaining and loved the idea of a dog and squirrel becoming friends. We get a lot of squirrels in our back garden and they have spend the last few days watching them to see if they make friends with any of the dogs who live nearby. This is a fun and educational story and is one I would highly recommend.

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Paula R Sayers

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a cute book about forming friendships. Donut is lonely and wants to make a friend. Donut tries again and again to reach out to Peanut the Squirrel with no success. When Donut finally learns why Peanut runs away, she is able to form a friendship with Peanut. Love this book and plan to buy the physical copy for my grandkids.

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Carrie Reed

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved the art in this book, Donut and Peanut are so sweet. Poor Donut just wants to make friends and Peanut is terrified. Talking through the misunderstanding together makes them both happy. I like the end with the description of social emotional learning and where you can see it throughout the story. I can’t wait to see what Donut and Peanut get up to.

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Kelli Harper

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wonderful illustrations and a great story about how to make new friends. Making them comfortable even though there are differences and overcoming those differences.

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Jaimie Salmon-Colburn

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Finally Friends is such a cute book. A great story and fun illustrations. Inspired by the author’s dog you follow along with Donut while she tries to befriend a squirrel. In the beginning Donut is sad because her friend moves away and she has no one to play with. Laying in her dog house she is sad, but then she hears a noise, Peanut the squirrel! She decides to befriend Peanut. She cleans her teeth with her bone the next more and makes sure her breath isn’t stinky. She wants to make a good impression with a big smile. But Peanut sees it and runs. Thinking of trying again, Donut makes up a silly dance to win over Peanut. Peanut jumps over the fence and runs away. Donut doesn’t understand. She decides just to say hi and see with Peanut will talk back. When Peanut makes it over the fence again she doesn’t see Donut. She barks a hi and scares Peanut so bad that she falls over before getting back up and running up the tree. Donut feels lonely and she doesn’t know why Peanut won’t be her friend. More happens but I don’t want to give it all away. It’s a super cute book that I enjoyed reading with my daughter. This book is a wonderful SEL (Social Emotional Learning) book. It helps kids learn at the same time reading a fun book. This author did so great with this book. I can’t wait to get some of her other ones!!

View all my reviews

@jaimie0459

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Carrie Cross

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Debbie Sullivan’s Finally Friends is a heartwarming children’s story that explores the importance of social skills and friendship. The book follows Donut Dog and Peanut the Squirrel as they navigate their differences and learn to become friends.

Sullivan’s engaging storytelling and vibrant illustrations make this book a delightful read for young children. The characters are relatable and easy to root for, and the story’s message about kindness, understanding, and cooperation is both relevant and valuable.

Finally Friends is a wonderful resource for parents and educators looking to teach children about social skills. It’s a fun and engaging way to help young readers understand the importance of being a good friend and treating others with respect.

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Shannen Kern

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I hadn’t read anything by this author before, but I’m always looking for new books to read with my kiddos so we gave it a shot. I’m beyond happy that I picked it up because it is fabulous! The illustrations are fun, vivid, and eye-catching. They helped hold my youngest kiddos attention really well as he tends to wander. We get to learn about Donut, who has been sad since her best friend moved away. She notices a neighbor squirrel, Peanut, and wonders if they can be friends. Every time she tries to start a conversation, the squirrel doesn’t give her a chance and just runs away. Bobo the Bluebird comes by to give Donut some sage advice and it is so good that it might be enough to turn everything around! This book sparked some beautiful conversations around behavior and how perception changes from person to person. I truly loved the information about Social Emotion Learning in the back of the book because it is very helpful. This is a cute and educational addition to your library!

Reviewed by @shannlynn

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Ayla Eddy

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An enjoyable bedtime read. It tells the tale of Donut trying to make a new friend after their best friend moved away. Each day Donut tries a new way to befriend Peanut the squirrel. Each day Peanut runs away making Donut sad. Later a bird named Bobo speaks with Donut to share how Peanut is actually scared of them and why. In the end Donut finally makes friends with not only Peanut but Bobo too!

This book breaks down how sometimes our best intentions can be viewed differently from another person. We might not always see this and sometimes looking at it differently can help us.

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection Book #1) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Angela Hayes

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 Stars

 

Finally Friends by Debbie Sullivan is a cute little children’s story book that my grandson loved reading with me. It has a sweet story about Donut the dog and Peanut the squirrel (and Bobo the bird) as they go about becoming friends, learning social skills, and embracing their differences.
Donut has been very lonely since his best friend moved away. He would love to be friends with Peanut the squirrel, only all his attempts to be friends only seem to scare Peanut away. What will Donut do to convince Peanut to be his friend?
This sweet story comes with many messages along the way, such as:
-preconceived notions and not to ‘judge a book by its cover’.
-appearances can be deceiving
-social and emotional learning
-self-awareness/social-awareness
-responsible decision making
-overcoming/looking past fear
-self-management
-relationship skills
-the importance of communicating
This appears to be the first book in a new series- looking forward to seeing what adventures Donut, Peanut, and Bobo have in the next instalment/s.
Happy Reading…

 

Reviewed by @angelahayes

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Micalah Weatherholtz

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a cute story. The illustrations were beautiful as well. Donut’s best friend moved away, so she finds a new neighbor to call her friend, but can Peanut, the squirrel, ever overcome her fear and really be Donut’s friend? I think there was a very valuable lesson to be learned from this book, for example, no matter how hard Donut tried to be friendly, clean, and polite she was always just a little bit scary to little peanut because Peanut interpreted her behavior to be menacing. Thank goodness for little Bobo who made everything better by helping Donut and Peanut change their behavior and learn how to approach others.

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Krystal Compton

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Finally Friends by Debbie Sullivan Artwork by Soraya Tavakoli – 5 stars

Donut the dog misses her best friend and decides to befriend Peanut the squirrel. She tries so many ways but scared the fuzzy squirrel instead. Learn how they both work together on their socializing skills with the help of Bobo.

This is a super cute book that my 6 year old daughter enjoyed reading to me. Little giggles and awww how cutes throughout. Her favorite part was seeing them play and becoming friends. Some bigger words for a new reader, however easy enough for her to sound out. Adorable book! She gives 2 thumbs up!
I also love how it shows little ones to understand their feelings, social awareness, and how to build a friendship!

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Megan Rea

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a really cute story about a making friends and how you may have to work a little harder to do so. Donut the dog is sad because her friend moved away and she’s lonely, but Peanut the squirrel is there and Donut really wants to be her friend. But everything Donut does scares Peanut and Donut doesn’t understand why. This is a great story to teach kids that making friends can be hard but it’s okay to keep trying and to talk to the person they are trying to be friends with to see what is going on. I really loved the illustrations and the storytelling. This is a great read for kiddos and adults alike.
Reviewed by @meggs1717

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Jennifer Crain

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finally Friends is a delightful children’s book that masterfully intertwines a charming narrative about two unlikely friends with essential lessons in social-emotional learning. The story revolves around Donut the Dog, who longs for companionship, and Peanut the Squirrel, who initially struggles with the idea of building a friendship.

The book’s strength lies in its poignant themes of patience, communication, and understanding. Donut’s persistent yet gentle approach to making friends with Peanut serves as an excellent example for children navigating their own social interactions. The narrative demonstrates that friendships can take time to develop and that overcoming fear and misunderstanding is part of the process.

View all my reviews

@bookwrom1909

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Jenni Bishop

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finally Friends is a heartwarming story about patience, courage, and friendship. Donut is eager to find a friend, but Peanut is hesitant. Peanut must conquer their fears and learn to trust Donut, while Donut learns patience and understanding with Bobo’s help. This children’s picture book carries important messages for both children and adults. The story is beautifully complemented by Soraya Tavakoli’s wonderful illustrations, making it a great book for any child.

Reviewed by @jennadb

View all my reviews

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Shelly Kittell

Donut is trying so hard to be friends with Peanut but nothing works. With a little help from another friend, Donut is able to learn that if she calms down then it will work out better. Peanut is scared of her because she looks pretty scary. Lovely story wih bright and colorful pictures that are fun to look at. It’s a delightful story that I loved reading to my grandchildren. They are all autistic and I thought it did a wonderful job to help teach some social skills about how being calm is better than hyper when apporaching new people. We will be adding this to our library due to it’s nice flow and wonderful characters. We look forward to new books in this series.

Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan


Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills
Donut the Dog just wants a friend, and she’s found the perfect playmate in Peanut the Squirrel. But every time she tries to get close, Peanut scurries away!
Will Donut and Peanut figure out how to become friends, despite their differences?
Join these lovable characters on a heartwarming journey as they learn patience, communication, and understanding.
This delightful story teaches valuable social skills in a fun and engaging way, perfect for young readers learning how to make and keep friends.
Parents and Educators Will Love:
* Social-Emotional Learning: Teaches children the importance of communication, empathy, and perseverance in building friendships.
* Overcoming Differences: Encourages acceptance of others despite initial misunderstandings or fears.
* Conflict Resolution: Demonstrates how to navigate conflicts calmly and find common ground.
* Character Growth: Highlights the importance of personal growth through kindness and patience.
* Engaging Illustrations: Beautiful, vibrant illustrations that keep young readers engaged and excited about the story.
Discover the magic of friendship in Finally Friends, a perfect story for teaching social skills at home or in the classroom.
Grab your copy today and share the joy of friendship with your little one!

~ AMAZON ~

Click here to view the Book Trailer for Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan

Click here to experience a Chapter Reading of Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan

Debbie Sullivan is a children’s author who released her first book at the age of 49. She truly believes it’s never too late to follow your dreams! Debbie is happily married with one beautiful son (who has inspired many of her stories), and a lovable cavapoo. Debbie started Little Pumpkin Publishing, Inc. in 2023, with a mission to create books that parents can relate to, and children love.

Author Interview with Debbie Sullivan

FACEBOOK ~ INSTAGRAMPINTEREST ~

WEBSITE ~ FACEBOOK ~ TWITTER ~ PINTEREST ~ YOUTUBE ~ INSTAGRAMFACEBOOK GROUP ~ TIKTOK ~