Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend

I could not stop listening to this book, both the story and the reader were exceptional. Matthew Brown was able to capture the inventive and creative personalities of each imaginary friend and to make the childlike personalities sound "normal" rather than contrived. The innocence of Max and all the imaginary friends shone through. The author was able to take the serious subjects of autism and child abduction and combine them with a fantasy background that was brilliant and magical. The insight into an autistic child's thought process were excellent, as well as his parents struggles and those of the caring teacher who tries so hard to help Max learn and relate to his peers. The imaginary friends belong in a Spielberg or Scorcese film, I truly hope that happens one day as I would love to see them come to life. I believe this story will appeal to young and old alike and would be a great YA read. I can't wait to share this touching, magical,inventive and brilliant story!"

This is a story of a little boy. The little boy's name is Max. Max is special and smart but he is different from other kids. Max has an imaginary friend named Budo. Nobody else can see Budo. Max gets into trouble. Budo finds ways to help Max. Budo can talk to other imaginary friends. Some adults that seem nice are really not nice. Max has trouble knowing when he is in danger. Budo must find a way to save Max. If you like very short sentences, then you will like this book.

Seriously - that is how the entire book is written and read. I thought "ROOM" was about as simple and close to a child's writing as a book could get but this book drops down several more levels and the story isn't strong enough to make up for it. I found myself wishing that an adult would take over parts of the story to break the monotony of the robotic child-like delivery but that didn't happen.

I found this book to be too slow & boring. Parts of the narration is annoying to listen to. Two thumbs down for me.

By "strictly medicinal" I mean that after a few chapters this book became just another background chat rather than the inventive and engrossing story that was promised by the book's title and by its many enthusiastic reviews, including a blurb by Jodi Picoult. I think the unusual perspective on a person's world as seen through the eyes of an imagined character, or characters, has terrific potential but with this novel that potential was only partially realized.

While I thoroughly enjoyed Budo and Max's perspective on the adult world around them I didn't think these observations were developed enough, and instead the book went off on other tangents such as the interactions amongst his peer imaginaries, including a pointless shape-shifting caper which lasted for most of the second half of the book.

I also wanted a more developed exploration of Max's place "on the spectrum", further description and stories of incidents relating to his actual autism/asperger's situation and how it affected his parents and their interactions. I wanted more from Max's inner landscape and more insight into how he saw the world around him.

Yet the book was enjoyable enough, just not up to my expectations.

Even tho this was "written" by a completely fictional character, you never get the impression that it isn't real.

I'm not sure that I've EVER come across a book comparable to this book. Sure, I've read and listened to some other great books. It's just that none of them came from this perspective. :-)

Nothing about his narrative took away from the storyline. It just flowed as a good story should. His performance was "spot-on". You're never distracted by thoughts of how bad or how good the narrator is. It's after you've listened to a truely great performance that you can fully appreciate just how well the narrator did.

"and you thought imaginary friends aren't real..."

If this book ever makes it to the big screen, I will DEFINITLY be going to the theater. No waiting around for it to be out on DVD.

This book had humor as well as sadness in it but in the end, you come away from it with that warm, fuzzy feeling.

Too bad about the spotty language throughout although I understand. I was truly hoping to be able to allow my kids to listen to it. What a great idea in regards to narration. Very clever and insightful to bring one into the mind of a child with autism and/or asbergers.

Didn't we all have an imaginary friend or two growing up? Almost re-living my childhood but I had no clue about all that my iFriend could do.

You knew that in the end, from the very start, Budo was going to take the fall. But that was a real part of the intrigue: How would he "disappear"? Was there an iFriend heaven? Did it hurt to disappear? Could an iFriend save another iFriend from disappearing? And like every good book should do, you get all the answers in due time.

Matthew Brown's performance was integral to selling all the concepts that the rest of us grew out of. Through his timing and a true commitment to closing the deal, he pursuades us to drop those walls we had constructed at 11, 10, 9 or maybe even 8 years old, in order to grow up. Matthew Brown's storytelling transported me back to days long past, to the hot, muggy summer days in South Carolina where, all a 10 year old Southern boy had to do to take an ok sort of day all the way up to a day to never forget, was stay out of Moma's way, playing the day away with your most reliable pal. 3333

Yes, I loved the storyline and thought the narration was perfect--you really feel like Budo is sitting next to you talking to you!

It's going to draw obvious comparisons to Room because of the child-like narration and the "child in jeopardy" storyline, but I think Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend is a quirkier and sweeter book (though not obnoxiously so).

I absolutely loved this book, and would recommend listening to it on audio if at all possible--the narration was great! The story is told by Budo, the imaginary friend of eight-year-old Max. Budo has a surprising preoccupation with his own mortality, as he's lived a lot longer than most imaginary friends he's met and has watched some of his closest friends disappear once their children no longer need them. Max's Asperger's Syndrome has led him to continue to rely on Budo for years, but Max's parents and teachers are constantly pushing Max to engage more with the "real" world, and this makes Budo very nervous. He absolutely loves Max and wants the best for him, but is terrified by the prospect of "poofing" out of existence and being forgotten. When Max is placed in extreme jeopardy and seems to need Budo more than ever, Budo faces some VERY tough choices about what to do. The book is incredibly imaginative and Budo's world is peopled with a wide range of memorable friends, both imaginary and real. And it's a tearjerker...I think I cried throughout the entire final hour of the audiobook!

The most novel approach thus far, I loved the perspective of an imaginary friend. I also felt that the author's background (teacher) provided a unique insight to on children that are often difficult to love because they do not respond in predictable ways.

Indomitable Will a biography of LBJ by Mark Updegrove (sp?). Both books use creative approaches in assiting the reader in gaining insights on the mindset of the main character. Mark's book provides insights on LBJ via the impressions of the participants engaged with LBJ. Dickes book uses the suppositions of the imaginary friends regarding the motivations of thier human friends. I felt Dickes book humanized that spectrum of autisim. I thought it also makes a compelling argument regarding the beneficial societal aspects of thoughtful approaches to mainstreaming children with challenges while at the same time providing a cautionary tale regarding the special protections required for the most vuneralbe children.

I loved the narrator.

The book opened me up to the wonder and magic of childhood imagination. It is also a caution regarding how we must really touch back with young ones to ensure that we understand how they are processing confusing experiences.

The characters are a little lilmited and stilted but I suspect this is to remind us that the worldview of a child is simplistic.

The story was somewhat suspenseful but too easy to predict the ending.

I would probably consider it depending on the subject. He has a good imagination.

He successfully reminded me the way the way a child thinks

It is interesting and pretty fast paced. The author took enough time to make me feel something for the characters.

I enjoyed the story even though its a little schmaltzy.