Imaginary Fred
Author: Eoin Colfer
Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers
Publisher: HarperCollins
Fred is an imaginary friend, poised in the ether, waiting for the magic moment when a lonely child will need him. Eventually, though, each child makes a real friend and Fred finds himself fading. When Fred meets Sam and they discover how much they have in common, everything seems perfect. What will happen when Sam makes a real friend?
Oliver Jeffers’ minimalist black and white drawings are immensely expressive with colour used to bring imaginary friends into prominence, while the use of a dotted pattern suggests their impermanence.