Human characters default to White.Ĭomplicated emotions and difficult family conversations are bracketed with kindness in this unusual book.Įleven-year-old Brooklynite Genie has “worry issues,” so when he and his older brother, Ernie, are sent to Virginia to spend a month with their estranged grandparents while their parents “try to figure it all out,” he goes into overdrive.įirst, he discovers that Grandpop is blind. The writing style, with its repetitive cliffhangers and complex dialogue, could be confusing for some readers. For some readers, extremely painful scenes of child abandonment and parents in crisis may need to be mediated by a trusted adult. Emphasizing that all people cope in different ways, the story leaves room for a range of strong feelings as readers follow George and Jack on their adventures. This book addresses difficult topics, including mental health crises, family tumult, divorce, and forgiveness. Magic and imagination come into play as George and Jack each realize their strengths and gain a sense of being believed in. As Jack’s situation changes, George faces his own challenge: He finds that he is physically disappearing as Jack needs him less. In a story narrated in alternating first-person chapters from Jack’s and George’s points of view, readers follow along as George and Jack navigate what it means to be seen. One day Jack’s mother drops him on the road near his aunt’s house, leaving him to be taken in by his aunt, uncle, and cousins.

Ten-year-old Jack’s father has left the family, and his mother struggles with bipolar disorder George, his part-human/part-walrus imaginary friend, comes and goes from his life.

Imaginary friend book review