Skip to main content
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend: A Novel

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend: A Novel

Current price: $17.99
Publication Date: May 7th, 2013
Publisher:
St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN:
9781250031853
Pages:
336
Usually Ships in 1 to 5 Days

Imaginary friend Budo has been protecting his human friend, Max, for five years from everything from the class bully to awkward situations in public bathrooms. He worries about the day when Max will stop believing in him, and he will disappear forever. When Max is suddenly in danger, Budo must decide between Max's happiness and his own existence in order to save his friend. It doesn't take much imagination to know that this is a great read!

Grace Firari, The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop, Fort Atkinson, WI
September 2012 Indie Next List

Description

I am not imaginary...

Budo is lucky as imaginary friends go. He's been alive for more than five years, which is positively ancient in the world of imaginary friends. But Budo feels his age and thinks constantly of the day when eight-year-old Max Delaney will stop believing in him. When that happens, Budo will disappear.

Max is different from other children. Some people say he has Asperger's, but most just say he's "on the spectrum." None of this matters to Budo, who loves Max unconditionally and is charged with protecting him from the class bully, from awkward situations in the cafeteria, and even in the bathroom stalls. But he can't protect Max from Mrs. Patterson, a teacher in the Learning Center who believes that she alone is qualified to care for this young boy.

When Mrs. Patterson does the unthinkable, it is up to Budo and a team of imaginary friends to save Max—and Budo must ultimately decide which is more important: Max's happiness or his own existence.

Matthew Dicks' Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend is a triumph of courage and imagination that touches on the truths of life, love, and friendship as it races to a heartwarming . . . and heartbreaking conclusion.

About the Author

MATTHEW DICKS is a writer and elementary school teacher. His articles have been published in the Hartford Courant and he has been a featured author at the Books on the Nightstand retreat. He is also a Moth storyteller and a two-time StorySLAM champion. Dicks is the author of the novels Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, Something Missing, and Unexpectedly Milo. He lives in Newington, Connecticut, with his wife, Elysha, and their children, Clara and Charlie.

Praise for Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend: A Novel

“A novel as creative, brave, and pitch-perfect as its narrator, an imaginary friend named Budo, who reminds us that bravery comes in the most unlikely forms. It has been a long time since I read a book that has captured me so completely, and has wowed me with its unique vision. You've never read a book like this before. As Budo himself might say: Believe me.” —Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Sing You Home

“Wholly original and completely unputdownable. MEMOIRS OF AN IMAGINARY FRIEND is a captivating story told in a voice so clever and honest I didn't want it to end. The arresting voice of THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME with the emotional power of ROOM and the whimsy of DROP DEAD FRED, but in a class of its own.” —Eleanor Brown, New York Times bestselling author of The Weird Sisters

“An incredibly captivating novel about the wonder of youth and the importance of friendship, whether real or imagined. Delightfully compelling reading.” —Booklist

“[A] fun read and engaging exploration of the vibrant world of a child's imagination.” —Publishers Weekly

“Quirky and heartwarming” —Kirkus

“Funny, poignant . . . Budo's world is as realistic as he is imaginary. We would all be lucky to have Budo at our sides. Reading his memoir is the next best thing.” —Library Journal