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The Imagitorium
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#1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst takes readers on an unforgettable journey full of whimsy and adventure as a young girl and her imaginary friend set off to save a magical factory full of fantastic creatures.
It’s really very impolite to ask anyone to risk life, limb, and extra limbs without giving them a choice.
Shy daydreamer Amelia has been looking forward to this day for as long as she can the day she, as a ten-year-old, finally gets to enter the magical Imagitorium and create her very own imaginary friend.
But when she walks out of the Creation Room with Ruru, a fluffy, bearlike being with butterfly wings who gives excellent hugs, and into a scene of pure chaos, she quickly realizes that something’s gone very wrong. The Imagitorium is so much bigger than anyone outside knows, filled with dragons and sea monsters and candy cyclones, and now it’s starting to fall apart. The Caretaker is missing, and it’s up to Amelia to find her.
Amelia knows that she’s never been a hero, but… maybe she can still help?
It’s really very impolite to ask anyone to risk life, limb, and extra limbs without giving them a choice.
Shy daydreamer Amelia has been looking forward to this day for as long as she can the day she, as a ten-year-old, finally gets to enter the magical Imagitorium and create her very own imaginary friend.
But when she walks out of the Creation Room with Ruru, a fluffy, bearlike being with butterfly wings who gives excellent hugs, and into a scene of pure chaos, she quickly realizes that something’s gone very wrong. The Imagitorium is so much bigger than anyone outside knows, filled with dragons and sea monsters and candy cyclones, and now it’s starting to fall apart. The Caretaker is missing, and it’s up to Amelia to find her.
Amelia knows that she’s never been a hero, but… maybe she can still help?
Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 2, 2027
About the author
Sarah Beth Durst
58 books10.5k followersSarah Beth Durst is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty-five books for adults, teens, and kids, including cozy fantasy The Spellshop. She's been awarded an American Library Association Alex Award, as well as a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Several of her books have been optioned for film/television, including Drink Slay Love, which was made into a TV movie and was a question on Jeopardy! She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat. Visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
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October 18, 2026Review based on a free 40-page chapter sampler from Netgalley, courtesy of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Feiwel & Friends.
Somehow I've read the original title as "The Imaginatorium" but it doesn't have the -na- in the middle. Weird.
It's a middle grade adventure similar to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, except instead of a chocolate factory, we have an imaginary friend factory.
However, after our lead, Amelia, obtains her imaginary friend, suspicious things start happening in the factory and she feels compelled to right the wrongs.
I must say, the sampler was too short to really get engrossed in the story. It was mostly exposition about Amelia, her fears, and the factory itself. I couldn't even figure out what's the main plot goal except "something's wrong in the factory".
Sometimes it also felt like the prose was talking down to the reader and overexplaning things instead of leaning into the sense of wonder more, which I'd prefer in a children's story.
However, the imaginary friends were quite creative and mostly taking form of fantastical animals. I thought Amelia will make a unicorn, because she loved them so much, but alas, it's not (it's portrayed on the cover btw).
I'd rate it 3.5-3.75 based on the sample, but I think it was too short to really pass a fair judgement.
Somehow I've read the original title as "The Imaginatorium" but it doesn't have the -na- in the middle. Weird.
It's a middle grade adventure similar to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, except instead of a chocolate factory, we have an imaginary friend factory.
However, after our lead, Amelia, obtains her imaginary friend, suspicious things start happening in the factory and she feels compelled to right the wrongs.
I must say, the sampler was too short to really get engrossed in the story. It was mostly exposition about Amelia, her fears, and the factory itself. I couldn't even figure out what's the main plot goal except "something's wrong in the factory".
Sometimes it also felt like the prose was talking down to the reader and overexplaning things instead of leaning into the sense of wonder more, which I'd prefer in a children's story.
However, the imaginary friends were quite creative and mostly taking form of fantastical animals. I thought Amelia will make a unicorn, because she loved them so much, but alas, it's not (it's portrayed on the cover btw).
I'd rate it 3.5-3.75 based on the sample, but I think it was too short to really pass a fair judgement.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐ 4.5 (tentative rating based off of a 3 chapter teaser)
This middle grade book was written by cozy adult fantasy author of The Spellshop. Imagine Fourth Wing’s Threshing Day except packaged for younger kids: what if kids, upon their 10th birthday, got tested and had a chance to create and bond their own imaginary friend ala Build-A-Bear, who is perfectly suited for them?
As a parent to a preschooler, I can imagine him and his friends really taking to this whimsical story as a read aloud. The prose is descriptive, lyrical, and polished while remaining appropriate for a Middle Grade reader.
I could see the main character, Amelia, 10, who looks up to her big sister and is still trying to understand herself, being relatable to kids with her mix of wonder, enthusiasm, and the innocence and trust of a child.
I was left with a lot of unanswered questions that I would hope get addressed by the end of the book, as I suspect these are the same questions that my son and his friends would be asking too.
This is a cute, sweet story with a promising start. I would recommend to parents of imaginative kids, who would find the idea of glitter exploding out of one’s nose to be hilarious.
This review is based on an ARC provided by Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan Children's Publishing Group) via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This middle grade book was written by cozy adult fantasy author of The Spellshop. Imagine Fourth Wing’s Threshing Day except packaged for younger kids: what if kids, upon their 10th birthday, got tested and had a chance to create and bond their own imaginary friend ala Build-A-Bear, who is perfectly suited for them?
As a parent to a preschooler, I can imagine him and his friends really taking to this whimsical story as a read aloud. The prose is descriptive, lyrical, and polished while remaining appropriate for a Middle Grade reader.
I could see the main character, Amelia, 10, who looks up to her big sister and is still trying to understand herself, being relatable to kids with her mix of wonder, enthusiasm, and the innocence and trust of a child.
I was left with a lot of unanswered questions that I would hope get addressed by the end of the book, as I suspect these are the same questions that my son and his friends would be asking too.
This is a cute, sweet story with a promising start. I would recommend to parents of imaginative kids, who would find the idea of glitter exploding out of one’s nose to be hilarious.
This review is based on an ARC provided by Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan Children's Publishing Group) via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A beautiful middle-grade fantasy about the power of creativity and imagination! This book follows Amelia, who's just turned ten years old, which means that she'll finally be allowed into the Imagitorium to create her very own imaginary friend. But soon, it is revealed that something is wrong in the Imagitorium -- the magical places inside are falling apart, the Caretaker is missing, so Amelia and her newly created imaginary friend, Ruru, must embark on a quest to find her.
I had such a fun time reading this book! It is so full of wonder and whimsy, and I think it's exactly the kind of book ten-year-old me would've fallen in love with! Amelia and Ruru's friendship is lovely, and I think Sarah Beth Durst perfectly captures the magic of imaginary friendships and being a child. Amelia is a great protagonist! She doesn't think she's a hero or that she's good enough, so I loved seeing her confidence and belief in herself grow throughout the story! The Imagitorium is such a fun place too! It's got exactly the right amount of strange magic to it: doors that lead from one world to the next, wars in the kitchens between gingerbread cookies and sugar cookies, candy cyclones, and kingdoms made of ice. The plot flows really well, and I was always excited to see what fascinating place the characters stumbled upon next!
All in all, I absolutely LOVED this story, and it's one I'd certainly recommend to any middle-grade reader!
(Longer blog review to come!)
I had such a fun time reading this book! It is so full of wonder and whimsy, and I think it's exactly the kind of book ten-year-old me would've fallen in love with! Amelia and Ruru's friendship is lovely, and I think Sarah Beth Durst perfectly captures the magic of imaginary friendships and being a child. Amelia is a great protagonist! She doesn't think she's a hero or that she's good enough, so I loved seeing her confidence and belief in herself grow throughout the story! The Imagitorium is such a fun place too! It's got exactly the right amount of strange magic to it: doors that lead from one world to the next, wars in the kitchens between gingerbread cookies and sugar cookies, candy cyclones, and kingdoms made of ice. The plot flows really well, and I was always excited to see what fascinating place the characters stumbled upon next!
All in all, I absolutely LOVED this story, and it's one I'd certainly recommend to any middle-grade reader!
(Longer blog review to come!)
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Cozy middle grade fantasy adventure.
I received a free copy of an ARC of this book from the publisher and author at NYCC this year. Sarah Beth Durst is just as nice as you would imagine.
I read this within a few days, a good chunk of that was waiting for my delayed flight back home. It was an adorably fun read.
If I ran across this plot summary from any random author that I wasn't familiar with I likely wouldn't have given it a shot. But I've read many other books by this author and I generally really like her.
This book is clearly targeted as a younger audience, yet as an adult I still quite enjoyed it. It was well written and fast paced.
While it was a book about a 10 yr old girl and her imaginary friend (who is both real and imaginary), it also kind of felt like a commentary on growing up and not having to grow out of your imagination just because people tell you you are too old for something.
I received a free copy of an ARC of this book from the publisher and author at NYCC this year. Sarah Beth Durst is just as nice as you would imagine.
I read this within a few days, a good chunk of that was waiting for my delayed flight back home. It was an adorably fun read.
If I ran across this plot summary from any random author that I wasn't familiar with I likely wouldn't have given it a shot. But I've read many other books by this author and I generally really like her.
This book is clearly targeted as a younger audience, yet as an adult I still quite enjoyed it. It was well written and fast paced.
While it was a book about a 10 yr old girl and her imaginary friend (who is both real and imaginary), it also kind of felt like a commentary on growing up and not having to grow out of your imagination just because people tell you you are too old for something.
October 13, 2026
The Imagitorium is such a fun and sweet adventure! The whole cast of characters and setting is an imagination explosion in the best way. It is a celebration of friendship, bravery, and imagination that remind us all to keep believing in the fantastical.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Three-Chapter Sampler
I've been looking forward to reading more from Sarah Beth Durst since falling in love with her Spellshop series, so when I saw that a three-chapter sampler of The Imagitorium was available on NetGalley, I figured I'd give it a shot! I'm completely caught up with the series and absolutely love how cozy her writing is, so I was curious to see what she would do with a middle-grade fantasy.
One of the first things that caught my attention was the cover. The walking factory with its chicken-like legs immediately gave me Howl's Moving Castle vibes, which, admittedly, is a classic I still haven't gotten around to reading. I really need to fix that!
Interestingly enough, once I started reading, the setting and some of the family dynamics also reminded me a little of The Giver. Not necessarily because the story feels dystopian, but because of how this society has normalized something that, from an outside perspective, is pretty bizarre. Every third Monday of the month, a magical factory called the Imagitorium arrives in town, and children who have recently turned ten are invited inside to create their very own imaginary companions. These companions stay with them through childhood before eventually fading away during their teenage years. It's treated as a perfectly ordinary rite of passage, even though the entire concept raises quite a few questions.
Our main character, Amelia, has just turned ten and has been waiting practically her entire life for her chance to enter the factory. Her older sister, Isabella, recently lost her own imaginary companion, and I thought their relationship was particularly sweet. There's already something rather bittersweet about the idea of creating your perfect friend while knowing that one day you'll have to say goodbye to them.
Of course, when Amelia's big day finally arrives, things don't go quite as expected. The caretaker who normally welcomes the children into the factory is nowhere to be found, and Amelia and four other children are left to figure things out for themselves.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of the factory's interior, especially the room where Amelia gets to design her imaginary friend. Imagine a magical Build-A-Bear workshop with enormous rotating conveyor belts full of different eyes, ears, fur, wings, and just about every fantastical creature feature you could think of. Amelia eventually creates Ruru, an enormous, fluffy, bear-like creature with a unicorn horn and butterfly wings, who turns out to be just as sweet and slightly ridiculous as he looks. I already love their interactions!
Spoilers for the end of the three-chapter sampler!
Obviously, three chapters aren't nearly enough to judge the entire story, but I think this is a promising beginning! There's already a nice balance of whimsy, humor, mystery, and some potentially emotional themes surrounding friendship, imagination, and growing up. I'm particularly curious about the missing caretaker, the creatures inside the factory, and why Amelia seems to be different from everyone else.
I'm looking forward to seeing where Sarah Beth Durst takes this when The Imagitorium releases on March 2, 2027!
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Feiwel & Friends for providing this three-chapter sampler in exchange for my initial impressions.
I've been looking forward to reading more from Sarah Beth Durst since falling in love with her Spellshop series, so when I saw that a three-chapter sampler of The Imagitorium was available on NetGalley, I figured I'd give it a shot! I'm completely caught up with the series and absolutely love how cozy her writing is, so I was curious to see what she would do with a middle-grade fantasy.
One of the first things that caught my attention was the cover. The walking factory with its chicken-like legs immediately gave me Howl's Moving Castle vibes, which, admittedly, is a classic I still haven't gotten around to reading. I really need to fix that!
Interestingly enough, once I started reading, the setting and some of the family dynamics also reminded me a little of The Giver. Not necessarily because the story feels dystopian, but because of how this society has normalized something that, from an outside perspective, is pretty bizarre. Every third Monday of the month, a magical factory called the Imagitorium arrives in town, and children who have recently turned ten are invited inside to create their very own imaginary companions. These companions stay with them through childhood before eventually fading away during their teenage years. It's treated as a perfectly ordinary rite of passage, even though the entire concept raises quite a few questions.
Our main character, Amelia, has just turned ten and has been waiting practically her entire life for her chance to enter the factory. Her older sister, Isabella, recently lost her own imaginary companion, and I thought their relationship was particularly sweet. There's already something rather bittersweet about the idea of creating your perfect friend while knowing that one day you'll have to say goodbye to them.
Of course, when Amelia's big day finally arrives, things don't go quite as expected. The caretaker who normally welcomes the children into the factory is nowhere to be found, and Amelia and four other children are left to figure things out for themselves.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of the factory's interior, especially the room where Amelia gets to design her imaginary friend. Imagine a magical Build-A-Bear workshop with enormous rotating conveyor belts full of different eyes, ears, fur, wings, and just about every fantastical creature feature you could think of. Amelia eventually creates Ruru, an enormous, fluffy, bear-like creature with a unicorn horn and butterfly wings, who turns out to be just as sweet and slightly ridiculous as he looks. I already love their interactions!
Spoilers for the end of the three-chapter sampler!
Obviously, three chapters aren't nearly enough to judge the entire story, but I think this is a promising beginning! There's already a nice balance of whimsy, humor, mystery, and some potentially emotional themes surrounding friendship, imagination, and growing up. I'm particularly curious about the missing caretaker, the creatures inside the factory, and why Amelia seems to be different from everyone else.
I'm looking forward to seeing where Sarah Beth Durst takes this when The Imagitorium releases on March 2, 2027!
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Feiwel & Friends for providing this three-chapter sampler in exchange for my initial impressions.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets Labyrinth meets Return to Oz in this joyful, imaginative adventure that reminds readers of all ages that growing up doesn't mean leaving wonder behind.
📚 Pre-Reading Thoughts
Sarah Beth Durst has become one of my favourite authors for stories about rebuilding, belonging and finding hope after everything seems lost. I was excited to see what she would do with middle grade fantasy - and, unsurprisingly, she delivered something packed with imagination, heart and just the right amount of delightful weirdness.
📖 Post-Reading
As I thought...
Sarah Beth Durst has an incredible gift for creating magical worlds that feel as though they've always existed, just around the next corner. Every room in the Imagitorium is its own complete world, filled with creatures, rules and surprises, and because the doors constantly move, neither Amelia nor the reader ever knows what they'll discover next.
Amelia is a wonderful heroine. She doesn't think of herself as brave, clever or particularly heroic. She's clumsy, often uncertain, and would much rather someone else took responsibility. But when the moment comes, she steps forward anyway. The book quietly reminds us that heroes aren't the people who never feel afraid - they're the people who do what needs to be done because they're the ones who are there.
The imagination on display is extraordinary. Butterfly-winged bears with unicorn horns, pirate gorillas enthusiastically singing about how evil they are, sea turtles carrying rabbits, dragons, penguins skating across the ice...every chapter introduces another creature or corner of the Imagitorium that feels as though it has wandered out of someone's happiest daydream.
It surprised me by...
How thoughtful its message is beneath all the spectacle. The story explores the idea that imaginary friends don't disappear because we grow up - they disappear because we've been told that's what happens. Nothing magical has changed except what people believe.
How perfectly it captures the feeling of Labyrinth without copying it. There are moments where Amelia realises that her own fears are shaping the world around her, and she has to consciously choose hope over fear. It's a beautiful reminder that imagination can comfort us just as easily as it can frighten us.
Just how much heart sits underneath all the whimsy. Beneath the colourful creatures and impossible rooms is a gentle argument that we don't have to pack away the joyful, imaginative parts of ourselves simply because we've grown older.
In her author's note, Sarah Beth Durst writes that she loves writing because it's like playing with imaginary friends, and she created the Imagitorium so readers could always have imaginary friends to visit whenever they wanted. That generosity shines through every page.
This is a book that celebrates creativity, kindness and courage in equal measure. It delights in impossible creatures and magical adventures, but its greatest magic is reminding readers that wonder is something we choose to keep.
🎧 Music Pairing
🎵 Featured Song: Rainbow Connection – Kermit the Frog
🎶 Vibe Album: The Muppet Movie soundtrack
🎧 Artist Recommendation: They Might Be Giants – playful, clever and endlessly imaginative.
🌈 Vibe Check
Colour Palette: bright primary colours, emerald green, sunshine yellow, candy red, sky blue
Soundtrack: joyful choruses, puppet theatre overtures, impossible adventures and songs that make you grin
Season: every season at once
Mood: magical, hopeful, delightfully bonkers
Scent: peppermint, ginger biscuits, spun sugar, feathers, fur and fresh paper
🃏 Tarot Pull
Six of Cups
The Six of Cups celebrates imagination, childhood wonder and remembering that joy isn't something we have to leave behind as we grow older. Like Amelia, it reminds us that believing in impossible things isn't childish - it might just be the bravest thing we can do.
👀 For fans of
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Labyrinth
Return to Oz
magical portal fantasies
stories that celebrate imagination and growing up without growing old
If this ever finds its way to the screen, and I really hope it does, I hope someone calls the Jim Henson Creature Shop. These creatures deserve to feel gloriously, tangibly real.
📚 Pre-Reading Thoughts
Sarah Beth Durst has become one of my favourite authors for stories about rebuilding, belonging and finding hope after everything seems lost. I was excited to see what she would do with middle grade fantasy - and, unsurprisingly, she delivered something packed with imagination, heart and just the right amount of delightful weirdness.
📖 Post-Reading
As I thought...
Sarah Beth Durst has an incredible gift for creating magical worlds that feel as though they've always existed, just around the next corner. Every room in the Imagitorium is its own complete world, filled with creatures, rules and surprises, and because the doors constantly move, neither Amelia nor the reader ever knows what they'll discover next.
Amelia is a wonderful heroine. She doesn't think of herself as brave, clever or particularly heroic. She's clumsy, often uncertain, and would much rather someone else took responsibility. But when the moment comes, she steps forward anyway. The book quietly reminds us that heroes aren't the people who never feel afraid - they're the people who do what needs to be done because they're the ones who are there.
The imagination on display is extraordinary. Butterfly-winged bears with unicorn horns, pirate gorillas enthusiastically singing about how evil they are, sea turtles carrying rabbits, dragons, penguins skating across the ice...every chapter introduces another creature or corner of the Imagitorium that feels as though it has wandered out of someone's happiest daydream.
It surprised me by...
How thoughtful its message is beneath all the spectacle. The story explores the idea that imaginary friends don't disappear because we grow up - they disappear because we've been told that's what happens. Nothing magical has changed except what people believe.
How perfectly it captures the feeling of Labyrinth without copying it. There are moments where Amelia realises that her own fears are shaping the world around her, and she has to consciously choose hope over fear. It's a beautiful reminder that imagination can comfort us just as easily as it can frighten us.
Just how much heart sits underneath all the whimsy. Beneath the colourful creatures and impossible rooms is a gentle argument that we don't have to pack away the joyful, imaginative parts of ourselves simply because we've grown older.
In her author's note, Sarah Beth Durst writes that she loves writing because it's like playing with imaginary friends, and she created the Imagitorium so readers could always have imaginary friends to visit whenever they wanted. That generosity shines through every page.
This is a book that celebrates creativity, kindness and courage in equal measure. It delights in impossible creatures and magical adventures, but its greatest magic is reminding readers that wonder is something we choose to keep.
🎧 Music Pairing
🎵 Featured Song: Rainbow Connection – Kermit the Frog
🎶 Vibe Album: The Muppet Movie soundtrack
🎧 Artist Recommendation: They Might Be Giants – playful, clever and endlessly imaginative.
🌈 Vibe Check
Colour Palette: bright primary colours, emerald green, sunshine yellow, candy red, sky blue
Soundtrack: joyful choruses, puppet theatre overtures, impossible adventures and songs that make you grin
Season: every season at once
Mood: magical, hopeful, delightfully bonkers
Scent: peppermint, ginger biscuits, spun sugar, feathers, fur and fresh paper
🃏 Tarot Pull
Six of Cups
The Six of Cups celebrates imagination, childhood wonder and remembering that joy isn't something we have to leave behind as we grow older. Like Amelia, it reminds us that believing in impossible things isn't childish - it might just be the bravest thing we can do.
👀 For fans of
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Labyrinth
Return to Oz
magical portal fantasies
stories that celebrate imagination and growing up without growing old
If this ever finds its way to the screen, and I really hope it does, I hope someone calls the Jim Henson Creature Shop. These creatures deserve to feel gloriously, tangibly real.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
📝 ARC Review: As someone in my 30s, I have no problem saying that I whole-heartedly loved this story! Although it’s more designed for Middle-Grade readers, it was still super fun and kept my interest from start to finish!
A Magical building where kids can create an imaginary friend who only they can see. But for Amelia, things go awry when it’s her turn for an imaginary friend. The Caretaker is missing and Amelia is locked inside the building with the task of finding the caretaker in order to fix everything that’s falling apart inside the building. It’s a somewhat perilous adventure, but also a way to learn things about herself that she didn’t realize, with a little help from her new friend, Ruru, who is a fluffy Bearicorn!
The underlying vibe of this story, that even when we grow up, we don’t have to expunge every part of our childish imagination, the parts of us that make things creative and fun. - I absolutely loved this because it resonated… I love reading because it takes me to so many places, including fantastical ones that give me a reprieve from the harsh realities of day to day life in this world. That being said, I am also a mature adult who gets frustrated with her boyfriend because he still clings to childhood in ways I can’t understand. He always says that people would be so much happier if they just allowed themselves to imagine and believe in crazy things and not take everything so seriously… and while I feel a balance is needed in real life, this story made me think of him so much. His childlike enthusiasm and joy for nature and the idea of fairies and mushroom ring portals and fairy traps etc. He finds so much joy in things that so many people take for granted or don’t notice. I felt like this story helped me see things a bit clearer from his perspective and I do agree that a bit of childlike imagination can help make life a bit more fun! Kudos to the author for once again writing a story that made me feel so many things and see things in a new way!
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy
POV: Third Person; Single
Release Date: March 2, 2027
Vibes: Adventure; Imagination & A Whole Lotta Heart!
Tropes 👇
- Magical Building
- Childhood Imagination
- Adventurous Rescue Mission
- Fantastical Imaginary Friends
- Build-A-Bear Vibes, but make it sentient!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
A Magical building where kids can create an imaginary friend who only they can see. But for Amelia, things go awry when it’s her turn for an imaginary friend. The Caretaker is missing and Amelia is locked inside the building with the task of finding the caretaker in order to fix everything that’s falling apart inside the building. It’s a somewhat perilous adventure, but also a way to learn things about herself that she didn’t realize, with a little help from her new friend, Ruru, who is a fluffy Bearicorn!
The underlying vibe of this story, that even when we grow up, we don’t have to expunge every part of our childish imagination, the parts of us that make things creative and fun. - I absolutely loved this because it resonated… I love reading because it takes me to so many places, including fantastical ones that give me a reprieve from the harsh realities of day to day life in this world. That being said, I am also a mature adult who gets frustrated with her boyfriend because he still clings to childhood in ways I can’t understand. He always says that people would be so much happier if they just allowed themselves to imagine and believe in crazy things and not take everything so seriously… and while I feel a balance is needed in real life, this story made me think of him so much. His childlike enthusiasm and joy for nature and the idea of fairies and mushroom ring portals and fairy traps etc. He finds so much joy in things that so many people take for granted or don’t notice. I felt like this story helped me see things a bit clearer from his perspective and I do agree that a bit of childlike imagination can help make life a bit more fun! Kudos to the author for once again writing a story that made me feel so many things and see things in a new way!
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy
POV: Third Person; Single
Release Date: March 2, 2027
Vibes: Adventure; Imagination & A Whole Lotta Heart!
Tropes 👇
- Magical Building
- Childhood Imagination
- Adventurous Rescue Mission
- Fantastical Imaginary Friends
- Build-A-Bear Vibes, but make it sentient!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
An Exciting, Quite Exceptional Middle-Grade Fantasy That Will Appeal to Children and Adults
Much to her credit, noted fantasy writer Sarah Beth Durst has written yet another compelling fantasy novel that will interest children and their parents, "The Imagitorium". Conceived by Durst as her "love letter to creativity", "The Imagitorium" reads like a Homeric fantasy written for a Middle Grade audience. Durst does a superb job keeping readers' attention in her latest spellbinding fantasy novel, taken readers on an epic fantasy quest that draws favorable comparisons not only with Homer, but also with King Arthur and his Roundtable. Starting with her heroine, Amelia, Durst has done an exceptional job creating a memorable cast of characters, taking them on an epic quest through the various rooms of The Imagitorium, which are in many respects, their own distinct, often quite different, worlds.
An immense factory, the Imagitorium, visits new towns daily, taking visitors inside its vast collection of rooms, letting young children have their imaginations run wild and to create their own companions, "imaginary friends". When the Imagitorium opens to the public, the children are greeted by the Caretaker, a woman with rainbow-colored hair. However, when the Imagitorium arrives at Amelia's town of Lessingville, things aren't what they should be. The Caretaker isn't there to greet her and other children and to escort them inside. Instead, Amelia ventures on her own inside the vast building, finding that the rooms are changing, at times drastically changing, for reasons that bode ill for the Imagitorium's future. Making and meeting a new friend, Ruru, Amelia embarks on an epic journey, hoping to find the Caretaker, before the building and its future become so imperiled, that there may be a strong possibility that it will cease to exist. Along the way she makes friends and allies, and traces the likely route that led to the Caretaker's disappearance. Without question, "The Imagitorium" will be a delightful, often engrossing, read, destined to please its middle grade audience and even the parents who might choose to read it in the company of their children, or alone, by themselves.
Much to her credit, noted fantasy writer Sarah Beth Durst has written yet another compelling fantasy novel that will interest children and their parents, "The Imagitorium". Conceived by Durst as her "love letter to creativity", "The Imagitorium" reads like a Homeric fantasy written for a Middle Grade audience. Durst does a superb job keeping readers' attention in her latest spellbinding fantasy novel, taken readers on an epic fantasy quest that draws favorable comparisons not only with Homer, but also with King Arthur and his Roundtable. Starting with her heroine, Amelia, Durst has done an exceptional job creating a memorable cast of characters, taking them on an epic quest through the various rooms of The Imagitorium, which are in many respects, their own distinct, often quite different, worlds.
An immense factory, the Imagitorium, visits new towns daily, taking visitors inside its vast collection of rooms, letting young children have their imaginations run wild and to create their own companions, "imaginary friends". When the Imagitorium opens to the public, the children are greeted by the Caretaker, a woman with rainbow-colored hair. However, when the Imagitorium arrives at Amelia's town of Lessingville, things aren't what they should be. The Caretaker isn't there to greet her and other children and to escort them inside. Instead, Amelia ventures on her own inside the vast building, finding that the rooms are changing, at times drastically changing, for reasons that bode ill for the Imagitorium's future. Making and meeting a new friend, Ruru, Amelia embarks on an epic journey, hoping to find the Caretaker, before the building and its future become so imperiled, that there may be a strong possibility that it will cease to exist. Along the way she makes friends and allies, and traces the likely route that led to the Caretaker's disappearance. Without question, "The Imagitorium" will be a delightful, often engrossing, read, destined to please its middle grade audience and even the parents who might choose to read it in the company of their children, or alone, by themselves.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I absolutely adore the worlds Sarah Beth Durst creates and her latest children's book is no exception. The Imagitorium is a factory where when kids turn 10 years old they can go and build an imaginary friend. Our main character, Amelia, goes to create her own friend, but things are amiss on the day she ventures out. The caretaker who normally greets the children is nowhere to be found. After Amelia creates her new friend Ruru they are thrust into an adventure to find the caretaker. Along the way we meet many a creature, such as a sea monster, pirates, dragons, ice skating penguins, fairies, cookies at war, and more.
All the rooms described in The Imagitorium are equal parts whimsical and wacky. It reminded me a bit of Willy Wonky. I think kids in the 6-10 age range would especially get a kick out of all the fantastical scenery and creatures. All of the rooms and creatures are made up of the excess unused creativity from the world. That was one aspect I loved about this book- the reminders to embrace art and your creative spark.
Also, I really enjoyed the sisterhood dynamic between Amelia and her older sister Isabella. Though we are physically away from Isabella from much of the story, she is a strong presence. She is very kind and she motivates Amelia when she feels like she's not enough or like she isn't strong enough to take something on. I found this to be a heartwarming story about fighting your insecurities and finding your power to mold the world around you.
Thank you to Macmillian Children's Publishing Group and Netgalley for this ARC!
All the rooms described in The Imagitorium are equal parts whimsical and wacky. It reminded me a bit of Willy Wonky. I think kids in the 6-10 age range would especially get a kick out of all the fantastical scenery and creatures. All of the rooms and creatures are made up of the excess unused creativity from the world. That was one aspect I loved about this book- the reminders to embrace art and your creative spark.
Also, I really enjoyed the sisterhood dynamic between Amelia and her older sister Isabella. Though we are physically away from Isabella from much of the story, she is a strong presence. She is very kind and she motivates Amelia when she feels like she's not enough or like she isn't strong enough to take something on. I found this to be a heartwarming story about fighting your insecurities and finding your power to mold the world around you.
Thank you to Macmillian Children's Publishing Group and Netgalley for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a book aimed at about 10 years old; which is the age of the protagonist in this story. However, it can be enjoyed by other ages as well. This story reads a lot like a Dahl book in that it is extremely fantastical and whimsical. Almost like a mash up of James and the Giant Peach, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
The plot is about a little girl who has been waiting a long time to create and make her imaginary friend. In this story, there is a factory that comes by once a month and kids are able to go in and create their new friend. When it is her turn, though, the factory shows up, but no caretaker to greet and welcome them. She and her fellow 10 year olds go into the factory anyway to select their friends. When done, they all turn to leave. Though the other children make it out, the doors close, trapping our heroine inside.
This is when the adventure begins as she and her imaginary friend work to find the caretaker and make things right again so she can go back to her family.
Very enjoyable story that I have already recommended to my local librarian as well as fellow educators. It would make a great read aloud, or addition to the classroom libraries.
I highly recommend to fans of this author as well as Dahl. It would make a great gift for young readers. Although I was given a copy to review from NetGalley, I think I may buy a copy for my grandson when it is available in hardback. Again, highly recommend.
The plot is about a little girl who has been waiting a long time to create and make her imaginary friend. In this story, there is a factory that comes by once a month and kids are able to go in and create their new friend. When it is her turn, though, the factory shows up, but no caretaker to greet and welcome them. She and her fellow 10 year olds go into the factory anyway to select their friends. When done, they all turn to leave. Though the other children make it out, the doors close, trapping our heroine inside.
This is when the adventure begins as she and her imaginary friend work to find the caretaker and make things right again so she can go back to her family.
Very enjoyable story that I have already recommended to my local librarian as well as fellow educators. It would make a great read aloud, or addition to the classroom libraries.
I highly recommend to fans of this author as well as Dahl. It would make a great gift for young readers. Although I was given a copy to review from NetGalley, I think I may buy a copy for my grandson when it is available in hardback. Again, highly recommend.
October 6, 2026
Sarah Beth Durst is a master storyteller. Her descriptions perfectly illustrate every scene. I can see everything so vividly, even an imaginary friend factory that sits atop six chicken legs.
In the author’s acknowledgments she says she likes to tell people her job is to make up imaginary friends and then hang out with them. I know she doesn't have rainbow hair, but I imagined her as the caretaker even before I read the acknowledgements.
This book won me over, I love books that show kids having courage and sometimes making not the best choice, but always trying. Being the best person for the job, doesn't mean that you are always perfect in the position, but that you actively try.
I tell you what it reminds me of – The Muppet Babies! They started every day off in the nursery, but the nursery housed every world imaginable. I am in my 40s and still to this day can remember the way that show made me feel… and I felt the same sense of adventure and wonder in the worlds of the factory.
While middle grade fantasy is probably not something I would pick up all the time, I know that I would have loved this book as a child, because even now I can appreciate the imagination packed into every page.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this eARC.
In the author’s acknowledgments she says she likes to tell people her job is to make up imaginary friends and then hang out with them. I know she doesn't have rainbow hair, but I imagined her as the caretaker even before I read the acknowledgements.
This book won me over, I love books that show kids having courage and sometimes making not the best choice, but always trying. Being the best person for the job, doesn't mean that you are always perfect in the position, but that you actively try.
I tell you what it reminds me of – The Muppet Babies! They started every day off in the nursery, but the nursery housed every world imaginable. I am in my 40s and still to this day can remember the way that show made me feel… and I felt the same sense of adventure and wonder in the worlds of the factory.
While middle grade fantasy is probably not something I would pick up all the time, I know that I would have loved this book as a child, because even now I can appreciate the imagination packed into every page.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What a fun, imaginative beginning! I was completely hooked and disappointed when it ended. I wanted more!
Sarah Beth Durst’s writing gives off strong Roald Dahl vibes, especially Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She builds a world where anything feels possible. I can easily picture The Imagitorium as a Studio Ghibli film, especially due to the vibrant descriptions of all the whimsical creatures.
In just three chapters, we can see Amelia’s personality and her family dynamics. I’d love to see how her relationship with her sister develops.
As a parent whose oldest is about to turn ten, Amelia hitting that same milestone hit close to home. It’s special when a book captures and celebrates a child’s imagination at that exact age.
It’s definitely a middle-grade adventure, but it’s filled with promise, heart, and creativity. I can already tell how much fun it’s going to be reading this with my kid.
My only real complaint? The chapter sampler promised four chapters but only included three! I was not ready to leave the Imagitorium yet. I can’t wait to read the rest!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc chapter sampler.
Sarah Beth Durst’s writing gives off strong Roald Dahl vibes, especially Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She builds a world where anything feels possible. I can easily picture The Imagitorium as a Studio Ghibli film, especially due to the vibrant descriptions of all the whimsical creatures.
In just three chapters, we can see Amelia’s personality and her family dynamics. I’d love to see how her relationship with her sister develops.
As a parent whose oldest is about to turn ten, Amelia hitting that same milestone hit close to home. It’s special when a book captures and celebrates a child’s imagination at that exact age.
It’s definitely a middle-grade adventure, but it’s filled with promise, heart, and creativity. I can already tell how much fun it’s going to be reading this with my kid.
My only real complaint? The chapter sampler promised four chapters but only included three! I was not ready to leave the Imagitorium yet. I can’t wait to read the rest!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc chapter sampler.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
So imaginative! And perfect for those who want a less competitive and punishing Willie Wonka-type book.
Amelia doesn't quite fit in and meeting her imaginary friend is something she's been looking forward to for years; less exciting is the knowledge that when that friend fades it will be emotionally very painful. But Amelia doesn't really care, since she's eager to have a friend. The problem is that the Imagitorium's Caretaker seems to have disappeared, and after meeting RuRu, her new friend (a bearicorn), Amelia is trapped inside. She is then asked if she can help find the Caretaker, because the rooms/spaces inside the Imagitorium are starting to malfunction... so off she and RuRu go to save the factory, the Caretaker and future imaginary friends.
Those rooms/spaces are wonderfully described and inventive. The answers to what happened, and what will happen with Amelia and Ruru, not to mention her sister Isabella and her faded friend, are wonderful and will not just bring joy but also make readers think.
eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
Amelia doesn't quite fit in and meeting her imaginary friend is something she's been looking forward to for years; less exciting is the knowledge that when that friend fades it will be emotionally very painful. But Amelia doesn't really care, since she's eager to have a friend. The problem is that the Imagitorium's Caretaker seems to have disappeared, and after meeting RuRu, her new friend (a bearicorn), Amelia is trapped inside. She is then asked if she can help find the Caretaker, because the rooms/spaces inside the Imagitorium are starting to malfunction... so off she and RuRu go to save the factory, the Caretaker and future imaginary friends.
Those rooms/spaces are wonderfully described and inventive. The answers to what happened, and what will happen with Amelia and Ruru, not to mention her sister Isabella and her faded friend, are wonderful and will not just bring joy but also make readers think.
eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher for a 3 chapter view of this new book releasing by author of The Spellshop!
This book seems very sweet and has a very promising start setting out what I think would be a very gripping and lovely story for young readers.
Amelia is 10 years old, and upon her 10th birthday, kids get tested and have the chance to bond their own imaginary friend who is perfectly suited to them in every way. I can imagine this being an absolute hit with readers, as who wouldn’t want this?
I think this will be a great read for those young kids to start thinking about who they are as they’re still growing and trying to understand who they are whilst they look at older people for influence
This book seems very sweet and has a very promising start setting out what I think would be a very gripping and lovely story for young readers.
Amelia is 10 years old, and upon her 10th birthday, kids get tested and have the chance to bond their own imaginary friend who is perfectly suited to them in every way. I can imagine this being an absolute hit with readers, as who wouldn’t want this?
I think this will be a great read for those young kids to start thinking about who they are as they’re still growing and trying to understand who they are whilst they look at older people for influence
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
When a child reaches their 10th birthday, they are permitted to enter the Imagitorium and choose an imaginary friend. But there’s something wrong there—the caretaker is missing. Amelia is the one who is chosen to set things right with the help of her imaginary friend Ruru. I read and enjoy a lot of fantasy, including books by this author, but I had a very hard time suspending disbelief and accepting this world. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
This is sweet -- I love it as an adventure for learning your own bravery and as a celebration of imagination. The idea of a factory where 10-year-olds get to create their imaginary friend is just delightful. The interior of that factory is where it gets really interesting, and I really enjoyed both Amelia and Ruru.
Advanced Reader's Copy Provided by Edelweiss.
Advanced Reader's Copy Provided by Edelweiss.
October 14, 2026
A fantastical story about imaginary friends, believing, creativity, and what it means to grow up.
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