Best Bookish BFF’s and Fictional Friends Everyone Should Have

From Anne Shirley to Dr. Watson to Winnie the Pooh, our favorite fictional characters bring a special something to the relationship that makes us wish they could be our friends in real life. So in honor of Friendship Week, I am breaking down what we love about our favorite bookish BFF’s and fictional friends and why we totally need friends just like them in our lives.

#1. Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery) – Life is never dull when you have a friend like Anne! Creative and imaginative, she brings out the magic in everyday life. She can be a bit dramatic at times and her romantic and whimsical outlook on life may get her into trouble but ultimately her good sense and ability to laugh at herself sees her through every scrape.

#2. Samwise Gamgee (Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien) – Loyal and dedicated to a fault, a Samwise Gamgee is the type of friend who has been with you since the beginning and will stay with you to the bitter end. Friends like Sam would walk through hell for you, encourage you every step of the way and will literally carry you when things gets too hard.

(Bonus – Since Sam is a gardener, you can totally call him up the next time you are going away and need someone to water your plants!)

#3. Sancho Panza (Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes) – Everyone needs a Sancho, the kind of friend who is willing to go along for the ride – no matter how crazy your latest scheme seems to everyone else. A Sancho never stops believing in you, no matter how many windmills knock you on your butt and is always game for the next adventure!

#4. Mary Lennox (The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett) – While the Sams and Sanchos of the world are great friends to have, you also need a Mary Lennox. Mary is the type of friend who will tell you the straight truth when you are acting like an ass. She will crash your pity party and call you on your nonsense. She may seem a bit harsh but she will always have your back, Not only can you trust Mary to tell it like it is, she will also help you get back on your feet when you are ready to stop complaining and start trying.

#5. Charlotte (Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White) – Not only is Charlotte a creative problem solver who is always there to help you with your problems but I like to think that, if Charlotte was a person, all that terrific web spinning would translate into hand-knit sweaters.

#6. Jay Gatsby (The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald) – Everyone needs at least one friend who really knows how to have a good time and Gatsby, with his larger than life parties, more than fits the bill. (See also Falstaff).

#7, Winnie the Pooh (Winnie the Pooh by A, A, Milne)  –  But when all is said and done, it’s great to have a comfortable friend like Pooh who is always there with some laid back conversation and a little smackerel of something sweet to snack on.

#8. Dr. Watson (Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle) – Work is always better when you have a Watson in the office. So much more than a co-worker, a Watson is always there for you to bounce ideas off of. You may be a pretty big deal in your workplace, but the truth is, you wouldn’t shine half as brightly without the loyalty and support that you get from him.

Speaking of Sherlock and Watson, did you hear that now you can have tea with Sherlock Holmes with the latest addition to my Novel Tea Necklace series? Check it out here!

There are so many other great friendships from books and literature that I could have written about (Harry, Hermione, and Ron from the Harry Potter series, Huck and Finn, Jo and Laurie, just to name a few), but I  want to hear from you.  Which of your favorite fictional friends do you think should have made the list? Let me know in the comments!