by Dan Santat
First published 2014
On a remote island, an imaginary friend comes into existence and waits patiently for a real child to choose him. Day after day passes as other imaginary friends get selected, but he remains behind. When no child picks him, he decides to take matters into his own hands. He embarks on a journey across the ocean to a busy city filled with children and possibilities. In this new place, he searches for the right match. His adventure leads him through unfamiliar streets until he discovers a child who needs him just as much as he needs to be needed. Together, they form the special bond he has been waiting for. The child gives him something precious he never had before: his own name, Beekle. Their friendship becomes real through this act of naming and mutual choosing.
Genres: fiction, adventure, fantasy
Vibes: emotional, intimate, whimsical
Tropes: found-family, journey
Setting: City, Island
40 pages · Hardcover · Little, Brown Books for Young Readers