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Real to Me

Author Minh Lê
Illustrated by Raissa Figueroa
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Hardcover
$18.99 US
RH Childrens Books | Knopf Books for Young Readers
11.38"W x 9.31"H x 0.38"D   | 16 oz | 24 per carton
On sale May 02, 2023 | 40 Pages | 978-0-593-37749-9
Age 4-8 years | Preschool - 3
Reading Level: Lexile AD650L | Fountas & Pinnell N
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An acclaimed author and a Coretta Scott King Honoree pair up for this tender story about friendship and accepting change. Two best friends (one of whom is imaginary) are inseparable until the day when one of them unexpectedly disappears.

Others tried to tell me that she wasn’t real, that she was just imaginary.

But what did they know? She was real to me.
Then one morning... she was gone.

What do you do when your imaginary friend goes away? Did you dream up the entire friendship? Maybe... But you miss her laugh, her comfort, and her silly mischief. It all feels so real... you couldn't have just imagined those things, right? 

Lush illustrations pair with touching text in this gentle picture book that illuminates the sweetness of first friendship, the sadness when it's lost, and the beauty in discovering new friends are just around the corner.
★ "Any youngster who has felt the pain of putting away childish things will find this an emotionally palpable, thoughtful story.” —The Bulletin, starred review

"Figueroa’s lush, electric, pulsating hues and colors bring the worldbuilding to life....the robust storytelling throughout will prove the book’s greatest lure." —Kirkus Reviews

"An insightful and delightful take on the imaginary-friend concept, while highlighting what it means to have—and be—a real friend." —Booklist

"This sweet story gently conveys the inevitable pains of changing relationships." —School Library Journal

“To Lê’s simply told, heartfelt reflection on childhood bonds, Figueroa adds two rich, unexpected dimensions: a dramatic, luminous visual universe, and a narrative twist likely to tweak readers’ initial assumptions about the imaginary.” —Publishers Weekly

"[A] heartwarming story." —The Horn Book
Minh Lê is the acclaimed author of several picture books. His projects with Dan Santat include The Blur, which Kirkus called "a must-purchase" in a starred review, Drawn Together, which won the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, and Lift, which received five starred reviews. Minh is also the author of  Let Me Finish! illustrated by Isabel Roxas, and The Perfect Seat, illustrated by Gus Gordon. Minh has written for the New York Times, the Horn Book, and the Huffington Post. He currently lives in San Diego, California with his wife and kids. View titles by Minh Lê
Raissa Figueroa View titles by Raissa Figueroa

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About

An acclaimed author and a Coretta Scott King Honoree pair up for this tender story about friendship and accepting change. Two best friends (one of whom is imaginary) are inseparable until the day when one of them unexpectedly disappears.

Others tried to tell me that she wasn’t real, that she was just imaginary.

But what did they know? She was real to me.
Then one morning... she was gone.

What do you do when your imaginary friend goes away? Did you dream up the entire friendship? Maybe... But you miss her laugh, her comfort, and her silly mischief. It all feels so real... you couldn't have just imagined those things, right? 

Lush illustrations pair with touching text in this gentle picture book that illuminates the sweetness of first friendship, the sadness when it's lost, and the beauty in discovering new friends are just around the corner.

Praise

★ "Any youngster who has felt the pain of putting away childish things will find this an emotionally palpable, thoughtful story.” —The Bulletin, starred review

"Figueroa’s lush, electric, pulsating hues and colors bring the worldbuilding to life....the robust storytelling throughout will prove the book’s greatest lure." —Kirkus Reviews

"An insightful and delightful take on the imaginary-friend concept, while highlighting what it means to have—and be—a real friend." —Booklist

"This sweet story gently conveys the inevitable pains of changing relationships." —School Library Journal

“To Lê’s simply told, heartfelt reflection on childhood bonds, Figueroa adds two rich, unexpected dimensions: a dramatic, luminous visual universe, and a narrative twist likely to tweak readers’ initial assumptions about the imaginary.” —Publishers Weekly

"[A] heartwarming story." —The Horn Book

Author

Minh Lê is the acclaimed author of several picture books. His projects with Dan Santat include The Blur, which Kirkus called "a must-purchase" in a starred review, Drawn Together, which won the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, and Lift, which received five starred reviews. Minh is also the author of  Let Me Finish! illustrated by Isabel Roxas, and The Perfect Seat, illustrated by Gus Gordon. Minh has written for the New York Times, the Horn Book, and the Huffington Post. He currently lives in San Diego, California with his wife and kids. View titles by Minh Lê
Raissa Figueroa View titles by Raissa Figueroa

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Real To Me

An acclaimed author and a Coretta Scott King Honoree pair up for this tender story about friendship and accepting change. Two best friends (one of whom is imaginary) are inseparable until the day when one of them unexpectedly disappears. Others tried to tell me that she wasn’t real, that she was just imaginary. But what did they know? She was real to me. Then one

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