The Imaginary by A. F. Harrold

Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN: 9781408852460
(Age: 8+) Recommended. The Imaginary is a fiction story about loss, friendship, determination and imagination. Amanda Shuffleup is an extremely imaginative young girl; she can turn her ordinary back yard into a whole new world. All of her friends think she is a bit weird especially when she introduces them to Rudger, her imaginary friend. No-one can see Rudger apart from Amanda . . . and Mr. Bunting. Mr. Bunting is an imaginaries hunter, and when he finds them he eats them. Soon Mr. Bunting has found Rudger and he's hunting him down. Unfortunately Amanda is in an accident and she forgets all about Rudger. What happens to imaginaries when they don't have any one to dream them up? Now Rudger is fading and he needs to find Amanda again, before Mr. Bunting finds him. A mysterious talking cat shows Rudger to a safe place full of other imaginaries, but Rudger is not happy without Amanda. He has to find her before its too late. Rudger finds someone that might help lead him to Amanda. But will his plan go as he wants or will he fade completely?
When I read The Imaginary I was with the story the whole time. It is a great book to read. It is quite different to other stories because the main character is not even real, he's imaginary. It made me think if I ever had an imaginary friend. I would recommend this book to kids aged 8+. I definitely enjoyed reading The Imaginary.
Jasmin Grist (Student)