Beekle is an imaginary friend awaiting his destined real friend. Every imaginary friend comes into existence in a faraway fantasy land. It lives there until it's imagined by a small child in the real world. Beekle is not so lucky to be imagined by a real friend. Instead of worrying away his life, Beekle takes his life into his own hands and sets off for the real world in search of his real friend. Looking up and down and all around, Beekle is just about to give up hope when he hears a quiet voice and finds an unexpected, but perfect, best friend.
Santat, D. (2014). The adventures of Beekle: The unimaginary friend. New York, NY: Hachette Book Group
Review: School Library Journal
How long would you wait and how far a journey would you
make to find your truest friend? Born on an island for imaginary friends,
Beekle waits to be “imagined by a real child.” He waits and waits, but his turn
never comes. Filled with impetuous courage, Beekle does the unimaginable and
heads out across deep waters until he reaches the real world. He finds that
life there is so harried that no one notices him. Eventually, as he waits at
the top of a star-leafed tree, a small girl with a friendly face calls out to
him with a picture in her hand. They learn to be friends, share adventures and
snacks, joke, “and together they did the unimaginable.” Santat’s attention to
detail in the mixed-media illustrations shares a child’s eye for laughter and
movement on full-bleed spreads with strategically placed text. Gazes of
wonderment, broad smiles, and changes in perspective ensure an easy transition
from page to page. Beekle’s round white visage and taped orange paper crown are
immediately identifiable in each scene, a sharp contrast to his surroundings
against variations of dark neutrals on a city street or the brightly colored
dragons of a child’s imagination. Like Beekle’s new friend, there’s something
here that feels just right as an “unimaginary” friendship creates a joyous,
recognized bond. A terrific addition to any library.
Elam, M. (2014). The adventures of Beekle: The unimaginary friend. School Library Journal, 60(4), 134.
My Impressions:
I love this story from cover to cover and want to read it over and over again. I agree entirely with Beekle receiving the Caldecott Award because the brilliance and livelihood of the illustrations jump off the page at every turn and create a beautiful depiction of what the imagination is capable of in children and adults alike. Beekle's determination and unlikely journey shows people of all ages the value in working to get what you want and looking in unconventional places to find it. Beekle contains a perfect blend of whimsy and reality that makes the journey of Beekle all the more enjoyable and ultimately rewarding. The vivid colors and contrast of environment throughout the story illuminates Beekle's feelings and fully expresses his emotions without adding unnecessary words which is a great use of the picture book format.
Library Use:
Beekle as a story and with its particular images could be used on a large scale in the library as a theme for working hard and seeking out the unknown to find your purpose. I could see using Beekle's illustration in an elementary school, but also in a middle school. The bright colors and relatable aspects of the story make it applicable and approachable for many ages. Beekle himself could be used as an inspirational character or idea in a school library that encourages and reminds kids of what they can accomplish when they work hard. You could even create a library award around the character, Beekle to highlight student achievement.
No comments:
Post a Comment