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This magical story begins on an island far away where an imaginary friend is born. He patiently waits his turn to be chosen by a real child, but when he is overlooked time and again, he sets off on an incredible journey to the bustling city, where he finally meets his perfect match and-at long last-is given his special name: Beekle.
Bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator Dan Santat combines classic storytelling with breathtaking art, creating an unforgettable tale about friendship, imagination, and the courage to find one’s place in the world.
PRAISE & ACCOLADES
Winner of the 2015 Randolph Caldecott Medal
★ “Santat’s attention to detail in the mixed-media illustrations shares a child’s eye for laughter and movement on full-bleed spreads with strategically placed text. Gazes of wonderment, broad smiles, and changes in perspective ensure an easy transition from page to page… Like Beekle’s new friend, there’s something here that feels just right as an ‘unimaginaru’ friendship creates a joyous, recognizable bond. A terrific addition to any library.” —School Library Journal
“How does an imaginary friend feel before he’s been imagined? In Santat’s sweet, mind-bending gumdrop of a tale, Beekle lives on a rainbow-hued island, ‘hoping for his turn to be picked by a child.’ Eventually, like Max in Where the Wild Things Are, he takes to the seas and soon lands in the real world — which looks a lot like Manhattan. Though this island seems awfully drab, Beekle and his friend find each other at last. She’s everything he’s ever dreamed of, and the feeling is mutual.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Dan Santat is one of the hardest working people in the industry today. And while his immense talent was always evident, Beekle takes his artistry to a new level. The story (which is just bursting at the seams with charm) begins on an island of colorful creatures, each waiting to be imagined by a special child and thus transported to the real world…. As with all great books, Beekle has an air of inevitability about it. As if somewhere out there is an island of perfect stories just waiting for the right person to come along and imagine it into being. We should all be grateful that Santat, with his brilliant use of color and humor, was here to bring Beekle to life.” —The Huffington Post
dventures of Beekle