a book review

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


4.5 stars

At 6 years old, Budo is the oldest Imaginary Friend he knows. But that's OK because he adores his human friend Max. Budo's job is to help 8 year old Max navigate the world because Max is special. He needs help with dealing with other people, hiding from the school bully, even going to the restroom during the school day. Max is on the spectrum and is able to do many things only because of Budo's help.

But Budo fears the day that Max stops believing in him. Because that's when he will go like so many of the other Imaginary Friends he knew... he will fade away and be forgotten.

But things change when Max is abducted by one of his teachers. She believes she is the only one who can properly care for Max. It suddenly is up to Budo to get help from other Imaginary Friends to get Max back, and in the process help Max reach the point where he isn't needed any more.

****

I discovered Matthew Dicks earlier in the year after winning a copy of his book Twenty-One Truths About Love and started seeking out other books by him.

I found this a lovely, touching story, told from the viewpoint of Budo. It would make a great answer to the 2020 PopSugar Reading Challenge for "a bildungsroman" as both Max and Budo make great emotional growths over the course of the book.

Also this book was only hightened by Matthew Brown's narration.



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