Imaginary: A Novel

by Lee Bacon, Katy Wu (Illustrator)

Lee Bacon’s poignant, humorous, and breathtaking Imaginary is an inventive story of friendship, loss, and growing up . . . as only an imaginary friend could tell it—featuring illustrations by Katy Wu.

Zach should’ve outgrown his imaginary friend by now. He knows this. He’s 11, long past the days when kids are supposed to go on epic make-believe adventures with their invisible friends.

But after the death of his father five years ago, all Zach wanted was an escape from the real world. So his imaginary friend, Shovel, hasn’t faded away like the other kids’ have. Their imaginary friendship grew stronger. Still, Zach’s now in middle school, and things are getting awkward. His best friend ditched him for a cooler crowd. His classmates tease him in the hallways. He still misses his dad. Reality is the worst. Which is why Zach makes regular visits to a fantasy world with Shovel.

But is Zach’s overactive imagination helping him deal with loss or just pushing people away?

“Spot art depicts a charmingly appealing Shovel and a racially diverse human cast . . . A witty, heartfelt, and sophisticated story about the consequences of grief.” — Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens, Grief, Magical Realism

320 pages, Hardcover

First published October 12, 2021

About the author

I grew up in College Station, TX and first began writing in elementary school. I would write stories and poems with the intention of making my classmates laugh. Twenty years later, I used this same technique to write my first kid’s book.

Over the years, I’ve worked a lot of different jobs—farm laborer, art gallery assistant, bartender, assistant literary agent—before settling on the two jobs that I currently hold: Writer and freelance translator. I now live in Brooklyn with my wife and two cats.

Reviews

[Renee Godding · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartfelt middle grade novel about an 11-year old boy who held on to his imaginary friend after the death of his father.
Wonderful, insightful and compassionate portrayal of grief, friendship and coming of age, combined with a splash of humor and adventure to prevent it from becoming unbearably heavy.

[Alisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story! It was super cute and told from the point of view of Zach's imaginary friend. I felt like this book dealt with grief and bullying very well. I can't wait to see a finished copy of the book because the illustrations so far were super adorable. I think this will be a big hit with middle schoolers. It was a quick easy read and fast paced with no slow spots. I really liked all the characters and thought it was very well written. It was funny and the writing wasn't dumbed down like middle grade books can be sometimes. I really enjoyed this story and defiantly recommend it! Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

[Amanda M (On The Middle Shelf) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun middle grade book about grief and how we deal with it. We hear the story of Zach as told my his imaginary friend Shovel. Zach is dealing with some grief and as a now middle schooler is facing life along side Shovel even though most kids would think he is too old for an imaginary friend. This is a book about changing friendships, grief, jealousy, bullying, and middle school life. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to kids in the target age range.

[Britt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a tale of grief narrated by the imaginary friend of an 11 year old who lost his dad to an illness when he was very young. It's a story of love, friendship, family and growing up. I think kids will love it - especially those that have lost a parent to COVID in the last year or so. I cried my face off. It's like reading a really good Pixar movie. For ages 8-12 and reluctant readers.

Thanks to Amulet Books and Netgalley for the eARC, which I received in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Where to start…
This is such a moving middle grade story about an imaginary friend and his boy, who’s lost his dad. The story is told through the imaginary friend’s perspective.
Sometimes when you start to read a story, you just know this is going to be one you’ll never forget, one you want on your bookshelf to share with friends.
I highly recommend this feel-good story, especially for any family dealing with loss. In a way it reminded me of Toy Story. It’s just hard to grow up….
Soo GOOD!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy.

[Katy Kelly]

Imaginary friend’s-eye view of child and life.

I always like this genre - I've read children's, YA and adult stories with imaginary friends at their heart, and it works well under different guises for all these audiences (much like Drop Dead Fred).

Here we have an 11 year old who should no longer really 'play' with his own friend, Shovel. But he does. We learn that Zach was devastated by the early loss of his much-loved father and took refuge in the constant companionship.

But now it's causing friction at school. Now this story gives us both perspectives - Zach's AND Shovel's. Which makes it rather interesting as we see the 'birth' of Shovel, and we see scenes at school from two perspectives. And then we think - just what is real? Shovel can't know these things through Zach's eyes only...

This tale is really one about growing up and letting go, as so many are. About accepting change and grief and moving on, about doing what's right for others.

And there's a lot of fun to be had along with the way, with some amusing school (and bullying) interactions and burgeoning friendships.

The most enjoyable parts for me were Shovel's, they made the story something slightly unusual, the story does follow well-worn paths but with different characters and the unknown element of the Imaginary Friend and how their world works.

Definitely a feel of Toy Story 3 in there too, you may have a lump in your throat.

Well narrated as an audiobook, easy to listen to in instalments and easy to follow.

For ages 9-13.

With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.

[Rebecca McPhedran · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Maine Student Book Award nominee for 2022|2023.

Imaginary friends have an expiration date. But what happens when your imaginary friend lives on past their expiration date. Zach is eleven, and shouldn’t technically have his imaginary friend Shovel still following him around. But Shovel is still there.

When Zach starts middle school, he is teased mercilessly about Shovel, and he has to come to terms with what life looks like without his constant companion.

This book is absolutely awesome. I loved the unique perspective (the story is told from Shovel’s POV). I loved how this book examines grief and growing up and identity. It was fantastic!

[Theresa Grissom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A big thanks to Netgalley for an eARC of this book.

I absolutely, positively LOVED this story from page one. Completely told from the imaginary friend's POV, who is adorable. I read this in basically one sitting. Will be buying this for my elementary library. I think students will love this one.

[Melanie McFarlane · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent story to help bridge the conversation with children about losing the people we love....even if they are imaginary friends ;)

[Em Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I often struggle with imaginary friend books. But I was drawn in by the beautiful cover (yes, this is how we judge books) and I'm so, so glad I gave IMAGINARY a chance! Lee Bacon has written a tender, subtle novel about grief, growing up, and letting go, and Shovel will forever have a place in my heart.

See, by middle school, most kids have outgrown their imaginary friends. But after his father died, Zach clings to Shovel (his imaginary friend) with renewed desperation, escaping to a fantasy world whenever reality gets too tough ... even when it snags the attention of a best-friend-turned-bully at his new school.

Bacon has NAILED the perfect balance of humor and heart in his writing. The illustrations are lovely, the tone is extremely accessible, and despite a healthy smattering of ~shenanigans~, IMAGINARY also sparks an extremely poignant conversation about coping with grief and facing up to tough realities. This book is going to mean a lot to many kids for many different reasons, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to have shared Zach & Shovel's world for a little while.

[Rajiv · Rating 5 out of 5]

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I never thought a story about an imaginary friend would make me emotional. The author did a remarkable job in telling the story. I feel a reader of any age would enjoy this tale, as it conveys topics such as bullying, loss of a family member, and making new friends.

The story’s highlight is the characters, and the author did a fantastic job in depicting them. My heart went out to Zach. He loses his self-confidence and shuts away everyone when he cannot cope with the loss of his father. I thought the author portrayed him wonderfully. Similarly, Anni is terrific! I loved the scenes where she attacks the Matts to help Zach. I was also surprised at Ryan. When the story started, I didn’t like him much at all. But it surprised me when the author spoke about his perspective as well, which made me understand why he did what he did. Likewise, even Shovel had me going through various feelings. At times, I hated him for controlling Zach, but at other times I thought he was adorable.

Speaking of Shovel, I also thought the author did a marvelous job narrating the story from Shovel’s perspective. It gave the plot a different angle and made it entertaining to read. The story reminded me a lot of the movie “The Breakfast Club” when the three characters spend time in detention.

Overall, “Imaginary” will make you laugh at places and also make you emotional with tears in others. It is an adorable middle-grade novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me a while to finish this. I felt like it was dull in some places. There’s so much that could be done with an imaginary character to really keep the plot exciting and moving! But the main character, dealing with the death of his dad, was obviously depressing, but also weighed down the plot. The imaginary character has potential to balance out the heavy/sad plot, but doesn’t do it enough. I did appreciate the ending, however, where Shovel, the imaginary friend, is passed along to the little girl who lives in his old house with her 2 dads. That was an unexpected twist. Overall, not a book I’d recommend to most kids. Maybe just to kids who’ve experienced a heavy loss in their life.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

God, I might cry, that book was so good.

I love the unconventional narrator. Having the book be told from the perspective of the imaginary friend was genius. It really gave such an interesting perspective on everything. Obviously mostly the differences in Zach before and after his dad passed, but even just the parallels between losing a loved one and losing an imaginary friend is just so ridiculously smart, I love it.

I'll admit that the way the book is written threw me off at first, because when Shovel talks about "you" growing up with an imaginary friend, it felt like he was talking to the reader, but he wasn't. He was talking to Zach. It didn't take me long to realize that, I just wonder now if maybe the first, like, two pages or so of the book would read differently to me had I known Shovel wasn't speaking to me the reader but to Zach.

This book reminds me of two (I guess technically three) different media: of course, the upcoming movie IF (the reason I recently picked up this book about imaginary friends to begin with) and William Joyce's book Ollie's Odyssey (which was adapted into the Netflix miniseries Lost Ollie). As I haven't seen IF yet, the only real comparisons I can draw there is the fact that both the film and this book cover this idea of imaginary friends actually existing (and, I think with the plot of the film, being passed from one grown kid to a new, younger kid) and the weird coincidence of both featuring purple fuzzy monsters as the main imaginary friend. I actually just watched a Tonight Show interview with IF director/screenwriter John Krasinski, who claimed that the idea for the film came to him 10 years ago but he didn't really sit down to write the film till the pandemic happened when he saw his daughters getting down about the state of the world we were in. According to the author's note, Imaginary was also an idea that came to Lee Bacon years ago and went through several different drafts before the final one was worked on also during the pandemic. Despite the coincidental timing of when both works were conceived and written, I can't really accuse one (mainly the film) of ripping off another (the book). I guess it really is merely a coincidence that they have similar themes, concepts, and main characters. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if while working on another draft of the script, Krasinski found this book (it was published in 2021), read it, and got inspired to develop his character Blue - or, at least, liked the character design so much that he used it as a basis for Blue - but I don't think he'd ever admit that. Not, at least, while he's promoting this film, which he claims is a wholly original idea. Again, I'm not accusing him of plagiarism; I just find the similarities between the two works to be interesting, and perhaps a little too similar (at least in terms of the characters) to be mere coincidences. But that's just a hunch I have for now, and I'll probably never get a definitive answer. I hope both Krasinski and Bacon admire each other's works. I'm especially interested to see what Bacon thinks of IF and if he picks up on the similarities between it and his book.

Okay, second comparison - Imaginary and Ollie's Odyssey. The similarities there are abstract regarding morals and themes, as both really tackle the experience of growing up and how it affects a child's sense of wonder and imagination. While Odyssey has more fantastical elements, the Netflix adaptation, Lost Ollie, has more parallels to Imaginary as main character Billy suffers a loss (his mom) that, like Zach losing his dad, kind of forces him to grow up really quickly. He too clings to his innocence through his bond with beloved stuffed animal Ollie, who he talks to and imagines (though it isn't actually all in his imagination) talks back to him. Like the title suggests, he does lose the doll and goes on this journey to find him again, all while Ollie too goes on a journey (or odyssey) to find Billy. The epilogue of this book really had me thinking back to Lost Ollie because [SPOILERS FOR THE SERIES IF YOU PLAN TO WATCH IT] Billy does find Ollie again years later as an adult, passing him on to his daughter, who is able to talk to him though Billy now can't. Imaginary also ends with Shovel getting passed to a new kid and Zach can't see him anymore - which made me really sad because I kinda hoped he'd still be able to, like I WANT more stories where teens/adults don't lose that childhood sense of wonder, but I understand why that choice was made, circling back to the whole theme of grief and acceptance and people living on in your memories and all that.

Yeah, those last lines in the book really hit me hard in the feels, same as I remember feeling when I got to the last page of Ollie's Odyssey!

I don't know where else to go with this review because it's late and my brain is running on fumes now but again, I must reiterate how much I love love LOVED this book and I'll definitely now be checking out more works from Bacon in the future.

Oh, wait, I remembered one more thing I wanted to say - I'm curious now to read those other, earlier drafts Bacon wrote of Imaginary. Because in his author's note and acknowledgements, he talks about elements changing and having to narrow his focus on what really mattered. Which obviously made for a really good book, but I'm so attached to it that I'm craving more, even if it's like side stories about Ryan's or Anni's home lives or their childhood imaginary friends or something. I don't care. I'll read it all!

[Amanda Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never had an imaginary friend. I wish I had,. I've wished that for a long time. At 45, I think I'm too late. If Zach was too old, I'm really too old. But now, thanks to Bacon I kind of do have one, don't I? Rose wasn't the only one Zach passed Shovel on to.

[Esmar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this book was written for kids ages 8 - 12 (according to Amazon), I still enjoyed this book. I'll be honest, it actually made me cry in the end, I got so invested in the story that I imagined myself in it (I guess I fit the title of the book, "Imaginary".) This book is an easy read and very enjoyable. It has themes of grief and acceptance.

(This section of my review might count as a spoiler) I want to mention two things that I didn't like, or disagreed with. First is a line found in the last chapter, it goes like this:
"Nothing lasts forever. People die. Imaginary friends fade. But that doesn't mean they're gone. Even after someone or something goes away, a part of them still remains. In the memories you keep. In the stories you tell around the dinner table and slip through locker doors. In this way, I'm still a part of you. And so is your dad. We were there BEFORE. And our light shines on AFTER. All you have to do is remember."
The quote sounds so good and in the context of reading the story, it sounds true. But I don't think this is accurate. I'm not saying that Lee Bacon intentionally lied or tried to deceive anyone, but I don't believe that memories are where people are kept alive, so to speak. Because think about it, at some point, the memories will fade away, and the person will be forgotten in history. I think that we should rather be thinking about these questions: Why are we here? Why do we exist? Is there someone out there who made us? Is there something after death? What is the truth about reality?
If we go and search out these questions, I'm certain we'll discover that we live in a world, made by God, his creation fell by our transgression, and He has made a plan to restore us to Himself.

There was also a second thing that I didn't like. At the end of the story, there apparently are two dads who are raising a girl named Rose. It's not important to the plot (Rose is important, but the fact that she has two dads is not), it's just thrown in there, written as if nothing is out of the ordinary. I didn't like that this was written in a kids' book, to make it seem normal to them. Again, this doesn't affect the plot, at all, I'm just mentioning this because it was just weird to me.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eleven-year-old Zach Belvin hasn't had the easiest time of it for the past few days. After his beloved father died, he increasingly turned inward, avoiding others and spending much of his time in a fantasy world with Shovel, his fuzzy imaginary friend. Shovel provides comfort, entertainment, and amusement. There's nothing wrong with having an imaginary friend. After all, many youngsters do. However, by middle grades, that isn't as likely. But when his former best friend, Ryan, and two boys named Matt, spot him laughing at nothing on the way to school--the first day of middle school, mind you--he becomes the butt of jokes and escalating harassment and violence. If it weren't for Anni, Zach would be completely alone. After a violent encounter leads to detention for Anni, Ryan, and Zach, things start to change as the truth about how the friendship between Zach and Ryan fractured is revealed. Since the story is told by Shovel, who is disappearing even while Zach is starting to find acceptance and entertainment with his real-life friends, there is a poignancy about these changes. As much as Shovel wants Zach to be happy and accepted, he also doesn't want to disappear and be forgotten. The ending is satisfactory, and the entire story will resonate with readers who have lost someone important to them while also losing their way. The fact that Zach gathered all his father's things and buried them, something his mother didn't even notice because of her distraction and grieving process, is quite telling. My heart ached for Zach, especially when middle school didn't start off so well. After all, he already had enough on his plate without adding bullying to the menu. And surprisingly, this book features a savvy, kind school leader in Principal Carter.

[Sally Kruger]

I have long been fascinated by imaginary friends. I've been told I had one as a child, but I don't recall any details. My daughter had two imaginary friends, one she called Adeladin, and the other was Candy Pink and Red. One day I realized she hadn't mentioned them in a while so I asked about them only to have her inform me that they had moved to California.

IMAGINARY by Lee Bacon is told from the POV of the imaginary friend making it a unique kind of tale. Shovel is a purple ball of fuzz with a talent for juggling. He met his boy Zach while Zach was in the backyard digging a hole. It was a project intended to create a hole to the other side of the earth. It wasn't a surprise when the project was not a total success.

As the story picks up, Zach is starting middle school when imaginary friends should be long gone, but Shovel has reappeared. He believes Zach needs his help. Zach's father recently died and he is having a difficult time adjusting. Shovel hopes to offer some consolation.

Middle school is not just the end of imaginary friends, but also sometimes the end of childhood friendships. Zach is discovering that his long time friend Ryan has moved on to a couple of new friends and their focus is sports. Zach isn't particularly interested in sports, and it seems he isn't wearing the right clothes or hairstyle for middle school either. This results in Ryan and his new buddies poking fun at Zach at just the time he needs support.

Author Lee Bacon and illustrator Katy Wu take readers on a journey led by an unusual narrator with only the best intentions for his old buddy Zach. IMAGINARY is perfect for ages 8-13 and anyone looking to remember the power of childhood.

[Justine Ridder · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I enjoyed this book way more than I was expecting to! A book about a fuzzy purple imaginary friend is usually not my cup of tea, but my heart was breaking Zach. Zach's father died when he was six years old, right about the time his imaginary friend, Shovel, was about to hit his expiration date. But because Zach was needing to live in an imaginary world instead of the real world because it was too hard for him, Shovel was back in full force. Something that I didn't like about the book was how Shovel was keeping Zach from growing and making new friends. You would think that the imaginary friend would be there to help him grow, but Shovel wanted him to stay where he was at so that he could live on. I also don't know what age range would be best for this book. Yes, Zach is in middle school, but I think most middle school students would think the book was too childish. I'll be interested to hear what other kiddos think of this book.

[Elizabeth Mellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Amulet Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a super cute middle grade story about loss, growing up, bullying, friendship and imagination from the viewpoint of an imaginary friend. Zach is 11, and his imaginary friend, Shovel should be a thing he’s outgrown, and he knows that. Shovel knows he’s lasted well past his expiration date, he’d started to fade once before, but after Zach’s Dad died he’d returned to his former opaque self. Zach is having a rough time at school after being caught laughing at nothing by a group of bullies, one of whom is his former best-friend. I think literature is a great way for kids to grapple with hard topics in a safe manner, and this book was no exception.

Only some of the final art was included in this ARC, and it was cute! I can’t wait to see the final product when the book is released.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This title is a Golden Sower nominee for the Chapter Book Category in 2023-24.

Imaginary tells the story of growing up and what happens when we cling to things that comforted us when we were little. Zach is heading into middle school and he still has an imaginary friend. He knows that that is weird, and he knows that nobody else his age still has one. But after his dad died 5 years ago, he didn't want to let go of Shovel (that's the friends name). So instead, Shovel became his go-to, his confidante, his best friend. But now, as middle school starts and he has to deal with kids who used to be his friend, but who now treat him like an outcast, he needs to try to figure out a way to survive middle school.

This was a lovely story about what it means to support someone, how we deal with grief, and what middle school can be like for many kids. Recommended for grades 4-6.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for an honest review.

I really liked the premise of this book...a story about grief narrated by the imaginary friend. Zach's dad passed away when he was 6 and he's struggled to manage the grief in the five years since then.. So he's kept his imaginary friend, Shovel, around long past the age when most kids abandon their imaginary friends.

I think this book is a great discussion starter for the tools we use to navigate grief, and how that can look different for everyone. I also think this book can be used as a discussion starter for conversations about bullying.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute story about a boy who still has his imaginary friend despite being a middle school student. It was hard for me to not compare the book to Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate. And I must admit, Crenshaw came out on top during the comparison. While Zach has his imaginary friend stick around so long because of the death of his father and in Crenshaw it was because of poverty, I was hoping for more from the story than what it delivered. Most of the story is about bullies and changed friendships. I didn't feel like I got to know Zach very much. And what little I did learn I didn't like very much. He was far more one-dimensional than the furry imaginary friend Shovel.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice story about an 11-year-old boy who still relies on his imaginary friend to help him manage his life. He prefers to escape into his imagination instead of facing the reality of his grief about losing his father five years earlier. I loved the premise, but I wish some parts of it had been developed more deeply, such as the emotional arc of the imaginary friend, since this really is his story, and he is the narrator. There were a few things about how the story played out that I wished I could have been different. I don't want to discuss it and give away spoilers, though. In general, a decent book.

[P.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

From pages 298-299:

"No matter how much we might want to, we can't change the past. All we can do is try to learn from it. To make the most of the time we have here. To appreciate the people we have around us. Our family and our friends.

Even after someone or something goes away, a part of them still remains. In the memories you keep. In the stories you tell around the dinner table and through locker doors."

These two quotes encapsulate this wonderful book which I loved. It even repeats Gandalf's advice to make the most of the time you have however much that is. A worthy goal for hobbits, dwarves, elves, and us.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zach is starting 6th grade, but something keeps holding him back. After the death of his father, everything changes. His friend Ryan is no longer friendly, other kids at school are cruel, and he feels he has no one to turn to…except for one friend. Even though he’s in 6th grade, he still sees his imaginary friend from his childhood. Narrated by this imaginary friend, this book is an exploration of how we cope with grief and find friendship in times of change.

I liked this—it felt like a combination of Bing Bong from Inside Out and one of the toys from Toy Story 3. I think that there are a lot of readers who will enjoy this one—especially at the elementary level.

[Lara the Smut Raider 🏹 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book alongside my daughter for her school book report. I say “alongside” but let’s be honest, I grabbed it from the mailbox at 4:30 PM and finished reading it before bedtime. YA books just hit different, and this one was no exception. The story is about Zach and his imaginary friend, Shovel, and told from the imaginary friend’s perspective. Zach lost his father 6 years ago, and now he’s starting middle school…and still playing in an imaginary world with Shovel. He has to navigate bullies and new friendships and real world emotions. And most of all process the grief that he’s carrying around. It was a tear-jerker with a wonderfully happy ending, and I highly recommend it 💗

[Jessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was fine. Kind of felt a little long for what the plot really was. Cute imagery, but some ‘jokes’ felt forced. Like the author just added them because 10yo boys probably like fart jokes. Had some good messages about dealing with trauma and about friendships. Symbolism is strong, but simple. Could be a good book to introduce that to students with. A slight LGBTQ aspect is snuck in there. I kinda like how casual and normal Bacon made that feel with the flow of the rest of the book. Sometimes I feel like LGBTO is forced or added as an afterthought because it’s being asked for more lately. This was well done. 2 stars because the story was just ok. Nothing new or overly exciting.

[Mark Piechowiak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Figured i should finish readin this as i hit the 3rd overdue library notice for it.
Nifty read on how pre-teen loses his dad, creates imaginary friend, thenbmoves thru some teen years slowly growing out of the phase.
The teen had buried a small box of dads favevthings in the backyard but he & his mom moved (she buried the past by moving them).
Neat watching thd teen grow, how the box figured in & how he tried reworking one friendship while adding another.
Though it's geared towards teens, if youve hit a Loss in life, you'll relate to the grief struggles he goes thru. Is there post-traumatic growth? Read it & find out cuz i ain't tellin ya 📚😎

[P.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

From pages 298-299:

"No matter how much we might want to, we can't change the past. All we can do is try to learn from it. To make the most of the time we have here. To appreciate the people we have around us. Our family and our friends.

Even after someone or something goes away, a part of them still remains. In the memories you keep. In the stories you tell around the dinner table and through locker doors."

These two quotes encapsulate this wonderful book which I loved. It even repeats Gandalf's advice to make the most of the time you have however much that is. A worthy goal for hobbits, dwarves, elves, and us.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book is like watching a Pixar movie, in the best way. It has that magical fantasy element with a lot of human pathos and coming-of-age emotion baked in. Instead of Andy the Cowboy, we get Shovel the Imaginary Friend. Instead of moving away and going to college, we have growing up and moving into middle school. And instead of Syd, we have the former friend who is now friends with the bullies. There’s also the father, who passed away, and the son that drew inward, and stopped hanging out with his former friend because of his grief. Make sure that you have a box of tissues handy.