The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend
By Dan Santat
The Story
An imaginary friend waits and waits to be chosen by a child, and when no one picks him, he does the unimaginable — he leaves his island to find his perfect match himself.
Why It's Special
For the kid who's ever felt left out of a game or overlooked in a crowd, Beekle's search for someone who truly sees him lands right in the heart.
- Big idea: Sometimes you have to go looking for the place — and the person — where you belong.
- Vibes: Tender, quietly funny, and visually inventive, with a warmth that builds toward something quite moving.
Perfect For Kids Who
- are working on understanding what it means to belong
- enjoy imaginative characters and imaginary worlds
- respond well to quiet, emotionally honest stories
- love looking closely at richly detailed illustrations
Ask Your Little Reader
- Story & problem-solving: Why do you think Beekle decided to leave his island and go looking for a friend himself?
- Feelings & empathy: How do you think Beekle felt every time he was overlooked and not chosen?
- Real-life connection: Have you ever felt left out, like nobody picked you? What did you do?
- Imagination: If you could invent your own imaginary friend, what would they look like and what would you name them?
- Story & problem-solving: What do you think made Beekle's match with his child the right one at last?
