The Adventures of Beekle, The Unimaginary Friend tells the story of Beekle, an adorable little marshmallow-looking character who is in search of a real child. You see, Beekle comes from a faraway land, where day after day he patiently awaits for a child to imagine him. After waiting for many nights he decides to do the unimaginable: embark on a journey to the real world. This short story is full of bright, beautiful illustrations and will undoubtedly capture the hearts and imaginations of young readers. Many children will be able to connect with the story by relating an imaginary friend that they once had (or have) with Beekle. 

After reading the story aloud I would discuss the themes of friendship and bravery. ("Beekle faced many scary things on his quest to find his friend...what are some ways that you show courage?") Another way to follow up the story would be to have students design their own imaginary friend. Since Beekle resembled a cute marshmallow puff, give students marshmallows (both jumbo and small), toothpicks, a sharpie, foil paper, scissors, and tape and let them go to town crafting their new friend! I also love the idea of connecting the story to Maurice Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are. In what ways are the stories alike? In what ways are they different? Students could draw a Venn Diagram to show the relationship between the two.

Recommended for Ages: 5-7

Lexile Level: AD480L 

Everyone around him wants Owen to grow up. Owen is not ready to let go of his beloved blanket,Fuzzy, yet. In this story the characters learn that it is okay to embrace the old with the new. I would implement this book in the classroom as a way to help younger students adjust to the changes they must face when they start school. This book is intended for K, 1st, and 2nd graders.

by Jon J Muth

I liked the zen shorts that were interwoven in the stories of the siblings. I also enjoyed the different styles Muth used in the siblings' stories versus the zen shorts.