pminkler's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
libroschidos's review against another edition
4.0
El principio fue lento lento, hasta que apareció Oswald ya no pude parar de leer, sin duda fue mi personaje favorito, el final me gusto mucho, me hizo feliz,feliz.
itisbrittany's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
jmschnepp's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend follows the experiences of Budo and his real life boy, Max. Max is a high-functioning autistic 3rd grader. Budo spends a lot of time focusing on what that means and looks like for Max and the people in his life. Part way through the book, Budo gets separated from Max. While Budo is certain he knows where Max is and what is happening, as an imaginary friend, he can't tell anyone what he thinks he knows.
Budo shares some similarities with Max's personality. If I hadn't had experiences with ASD and a variety of students on the spectrum, I think that the idea of Budo being more grown up than most 3rd graders are would have made me uncomfortable. That being said, I think that the book is well written and the cast of characters are believable, even the imaginary friends. Matthew Dicks also did a fantastic job of creating guidelines that dictate how imaginary friends arrived at our sides, why they look and act the way they do, and how and why they go away.
Budo shares some similarities with Max's personality. If I hadn't had experiences with ASD and a variety of students on the spectrum, I think that the idea of Budo being more grown up than most 3rd graders are would have made me uncomfortable. That being said, I think that the book is well written and the cast of characters are believable, even the imaginary friends. Matthew Dicks also did a fantastic job of creating guidelines that dictate how imaginary friends arrived at our sides, why they look and act the way they do, and how and why they go away.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Bullying, Child death, and Confinement
eclever's review
5.0
I thought this book was cleverly narrated because instead of having a third person or a human tell the story, the author utilized his imagination and made the imaginary friend, Budo, narrate the story. Before I even read this book, I was hooked because I thought it to be a pure stroke of genius to have Budo narrate the book. It was interesting to read this author’s interpretation of the imaginary friend world and how it connects to the real world. Although I was excited to be reading such a novel, I was still a bit unsure on how the story would be laid out and if it would even make sense. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the author really gave me a new meaning of what imaginary really is. Budo was created by his human, Max, and Budo has been alive for 5 years. This is a long time for most imaginary friends because usually once they hit a certain age, they disappear. The reason Budo had lived for so long was because Max was what they called “on the spectrum” (which usually means autistic or challenged in some way) so Budo was someone who helped him get through the day. When the unthinkable happens to Max, it is up to Budo alone to save him because he was the only knew what happened. This book will make you believe in what you can’t see, but most importantly, help you discover what being imaginary really means.
aurinkotuuli's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Death
Moderate: Ableism, Terminal illness, Child death, and Car accident
Minor: Injury/injury detail
heatherstar626's review
5.0
I just loved everything about this book. I loved reading about Max, because I have not had much of an understanding about kids "on the spectrum" before, and this was eye-opening for me. I also loved reading about imaginary friends. It brought me back to childhood, and reminded me to use my imagination a little more. I wish everyone would read this book.
kelliepalmer's review
3.0
Kind of a weird book having an imaginary friend be the narrator. I would have found the book more interesting without the imaginary friend aspect of the book. It was a tad boring reading Budo’s experiences without Max. The conflict regarding Max was unexpected to me which helped me continue the book.
potaylachips's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
morgangoesbam's review
4.0
This was a really unique perspective into the life of a boy who is not like everyone else. He needs his imaginary friend, Budo, to cope with things that are hard for him to deal with. it tells the story of a loyal imaginary friend who is there to protect his human friend, whatever the cost.