Le, Minh. Real to Me. Illustrated by Raissa Figueroa. Alfred A. Knopf, 2023. 978-0-593-37749-9. $18.99. Unpaged. Grades PreK-2.

A young girl and a furry, green creature share a special friendship. Everyone tells the creature that the girl is imaginary, but this doesn’t stop the two from making many wonderful memories together. Then, one day, the girl vanishes unexpectedly, and the creature is devastated. Eventually, the creature makes new friends, but it still thinks about its old friend and wonders what she is up to. Rich digital illustrations complement this magical, dramatic tale of friendship.

THOUGHTS: This delightful story about the evolution of friendships over time will resonate with any child who has struggled with a changing relationship. The message that friendships – old or new, real or imagined – are always impactful is extremely positive and encouraging. Pair this with other titles about imaginary friends, such as Patricia Polacco’s Emma Kate (2005) or Dan Santat’s Beekle (2014).

Picture Book