At the beginning of this month I felt overwhelmed with resolutions and reading goals for the new year, yet couldn’t seem to get myself out of a reading rut. I DNF’d (did not finish) three books in a row, which is very unlike me as I tend to like most books.
That is to say, until I picked up Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks. In December I read and enjoyed Twenty-One Truths About Love by Dicks, a local author and teacher in my hometown. Memoirs was even more captivating and heart-warming all at once. It is a story of an eight-year-old boy named Max who isn’t quite like other kids his age. For one thing, he still has an imaginary friend, Budo, who is our trusty narrator.
As a reader I got to see the dichotomy between how the world sees Max-- as a child with autism, and how Budo sees him.
Budo understands Max like no one else, and describes him to the reader in a way that leaves no other choice but to love him. Although only Max and other imaginary friends can technically see and hear Budo, it ends up being he who helps get Max out of a very sticky situation in the book. The way that Budo encourages Max constantly to be brave is so touching and really opened my eyes to how neuro-diverse individuals may have to put on a brave face for things I may not have considered.
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend is an action-packed story of friendship and empathy. Seeing the world through Budo’s eyes is beautiful and touching- I was teary-eyed more than once while reading this book! It really made me reflect on how I think about and categorize people I don’t know. The way that Budo valued every experience in his little life was so admirable- he saw everything as a blessing and everyone as a friend. To see Max grow with Budo’s help left me feeling warm and fuzzy- I was rooting for Max all the way.
This was such a great read, with a perspective on neuro-diversity that I have only seen in one other novel- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon. I urge you to pick it up.
Rating: 5/5 bonus poops (if you know, you know!)
Happy reading!
xx, Lauren
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