BKMT READING GUIDES
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend
by Matthew Dicks
Hardcover : 320 pages
46 clubs reading this now
4 members have read this book
Imaginary friend Budo narrates this heartwarming story of love, loyalty, and the power of the imagination—the perfect read for anyone who has ever had a friend . . . real or otherwise
Budo is lucky as imaginary friends go. He's been alive for more than five years, which is positively ...
Introduction
Imaginary friend Budo narrates this heartwarming story of love, loyalty, and the power of the imagination—the perfect read for anyone who has ever had a friend . . . real or otherwise
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 that he has Asperger’s Syndrome, but most just say he’s “on the spectrum.” None of this matters to Budo, who loves Max 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, the woman who works with Max in the Learning Center and who believes that she alone is qualified to care for this young boy.
When Mrs. Patterson does the unthinkable and kidnaps Max, it is up to Budo and a team of imaginary friends to save him—and Budo must ultimately decide which is more important: Max’s happiness or Budo's very existence.
Narrated by Budo, a character with a unique ability to have a foot in many worlds—imaginary, real, child, and adult— Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend touches on the truths of life, love, and friendship as it races to a heartwarming . . . and heartbreaking conclusion.
Excerpt
oneHere is what I know:
My name is Budo.
I have been alive for five years.
Five years is a very long time for someone like me to be alive.
Max gave me my name.
Max is the only human person who can see me.
Max’s parents call me an imaginary friend.
I love Max’s teacher, Mrs. Gosk.
I do not like Max’s other teacher, Mrs. Patterson.
I am not imaginary.
two
I am lucky as imaginary friends go. I have been alive for a lot longer than most. I once knew an imaginary friend named Philippe. He was the imaginary friend of one of Max’s classmates in preschool. He lasted less than a week. One day he popped into the world, looking pretty human except for his lack of ears (lots of imaginary friends lack ears), and then a few days later, he was gone. ...
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Discussion Questions
From the publisher:1.“I am not imaginary,” says Budo.
Do you believe him?
2. Max’s mother wants desperately to understand
what is wrong with Max, while his father wants
desperately to believe that there is nothing wrong.
Who do you side with?
3. Budo seems to watch a lot of television. How do
his viewing habits shape his perception of the
world?
4. Budo straddles many worlds: child and adult; real
and imaginary. Could the same be said for other
characters in this book?
5. Mrs. Patterson did a terrible thing. But is there
any way in which her actions may have been
beneficial to Max?
6. What does Budo fear most? Why does he think
that Max’s mom and dad are his biggest danger?
7. The author, Matthew Dicks, is an elementary
school teacher. In what ways can you see the
influence of this “day job” on his writing?
8. Did you have an imaginary friend as a child, and
if so, which imaginary friend from the book most
resembles your imaginary friend? If you didn’t
have an imaginary friend, do you wish you had
one? Who from the book would you have chosen
to be your imaginary friend?
9. What is your interpretation of the epilogue
of the book?
10. Did you ever have a teacher as important to
you as Mrs. Gosk is to Max and Budo?
Who was your Mrs. Gosk?
Suggested by Members
Notes From the Author to the Bookclub
Praise: “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 JournalBook Club Recommendations
Recommended to book clubs by 3 of 3 members.
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