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Title details for Imaginary by Lee Bacon - Available

Imaginary

by Lee Bacon
Ramón de Ocampo
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
1 of 1 copy available
Zach should've outgrown his imaginary friend by now. He knows that ...
Zach's eleven, long past the days when kids are supposed to go on epic, makebelieve adventures with their invisible friends. But after the death of his father five years ago, all Zach has wanted is an escape from the real world. So his
imaginary friend, Shovel, hasn't faded away like the other kids' have.
Shovel tries his best to lift his spirits, but now that Zach's in middle school, things are getting a little 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 still 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? Moving and heartfelt, Imaginary is the story of a boy and his imaginary friend—told as only an imaginary friend could.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    October 12, 2021

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781705043936
      • File size: 165102 KB
      • Duration: 05:43:57

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      August 30, 2021
      When Zach loses his father at age six, the boy reacts by burying some of his dad’s things deep in the backyard, saving only a knight with a green sword, the result of a memorable afternoon the two spent together. To help cope with his father’s death, Zach also maintains a relationship with fuzzy purple imaginary friend Shovel, shown cartoonishly cute in b&w art by Wu (Sylvia’s Bookshop). Five years later, middle school looms large and uncomfortable for the now-11-year-old, who must navigate his lingering heartache as well as endure bullying from former best friend Ryan, the only other person who knows about Shovel. When a fight between the assumed-white former friends lands them in detention along with Zach’s new compatriot Anni, cued as being Asian American, the three reluctant companions find themselves struggling to determine whether Zach and Ryan’s relationship is salvageable. Employing Shovel’s narration, which is directed at Zach, Bacon (The Last Human) tells a familiar story of deep loss and friendship that combines gentle humor and ardent wistfulness, making the themes of trauma suppression and the reluctance to move on feel both personal and universal. Ages 8–12. Agent: Sarah Burne, the Gernert Company.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Narrator Ramon de Ocampo draws listeners into this bittersweet story with his gentle handling of adolescent fears and the challenges of growing up and letting go. Shovel has been Zack's large, purple, furry imaginary friend since he was 5. Shovel was there to help Zack escape the grief of losing his father and the loneliness that followed. Now, six years later, Shovel helps him with the anxiety of middle school, including coping with bullies and making new friends. But their fantasy world of knights and magic is fading away, as is Shovel's dwindling connection with this boy too old for make-believe. De Ocampo captures the humor that lightens this narrative and creates relatable voices for each of the characters. His portrayal of Shovel--whose very existence depends on believability--is particularly engaging. S.A.A. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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