Imagine Harry
PreSchool-Grade 1—Little Rabbit and his imaginary best friend do everything together until the youngster starts school. While Harry's status is never explicitly stated, he is represented by a blank space, and the bunny's friends call him "ImagineHarry." The text strikes a balance between humor and understanding without patronizing Little Rabbit. His mother is good-natured about her son's request for two lemonades and four cookies so that he can share with his companion, but her patience begins to wears thin after he says he cannot go to bed, wash his hair, or eat Brussels sprouts because of Harry. As Little Rabbit adjusts to school and his life begins to fill up with new friends and activities, Harry fades away until one day he is startled to realize that he has not seen his imaginary playmate in weeks. The acrylic illustrations reflect the gradual change, as the empty spaces become less prominent and eventually disappear. Warm tones of apricot, blue, and brown infuse the pictures, reinforcing the themes of acceptance and love. Detailed settings emphasize the importance of home and school in the rabbit's life, such as multiple family photos hanging on the walls. The family is composed of himself and his mother, a fact that is never mentioned but will be appreciated by single parents looking for books that reflect their own lives. Make room on the shelf for this warm, funny story.—Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, ORCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.