{"product_id":"9780733334894","title":"My Real Friend","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIT'S NOT EASY BEING IMAGINARY ...\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eRupert isn't real, but he has a real friend, William. They both love sport, painting and music and have amazing adventures together in William's imagination.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut why can't they have the adventures that Rupert wants?  And what will happen if William no longer wants an imaginary friend?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA heartwarming story of friendship, identity and the power of imagination from bestselling author David Hunt and award-winning illustrator Lucia Masciullo.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePRAISE FOR \u003cem\u003eMY REAL FRIEND\u003c\/em\u003e:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'... With its \u003cstrong\u003eclever text and expressive illustrations\u003c\/strong\u003e this is a quality book. The contrast between the friends and their lifestyles is \u003cstrong\u003ehilarious \u003c\/strong\u003eand the pictures of their respective families are a \u003cstrong\u003edelight\u003c\/strong\u003e. Hunt has made Rupert real as he addresses the reader directly and his comments are unintentionally humorous as he complains about the roles he has to assume. His sudden rejection by William still comes as a shock and the illustration of William with his new, real friend shows a Rupert shadow attached to the new friend's skateboard.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMascuillo's use of collage (including pieces of music and cuttings in foreign languages) is intriguing and \u003cstrong\u003eRupert is an endearing creation\u003c\/strong\u003e, especially in his roles as the Black Knight and a teapot. His expressions are \u003cstrong\u003ea joy to behold\u003c\/strong\u003e and his longing to be real brilliantly conveyed. There is so much illustrative detail on each page that \u003cstrong\u003ethere is a lot for young readers to explore and enjoy\u003c\/strong\u003e. The joys and sadness that accompany friendships are conveyed through Rupert's increasingly wistful expressions and the change in the narrative from first person to third person. The power of a child 's imagination is well depicted as the reader is drawn into William's world. This is \u003cstrong\u003ea heartwarming celebration of friendship\u003c\/strong\u003e, with all its highs and lows. Best of all, this book is \u003cstrong\u003efun to read\u003c\/strong\u003e and should provoke lots of discussion. Recommended.' -- \u003cem\u003eMagpies\u003c\/em\u003e magazine\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'\u003cem\u003eMy Real Friend\u003c\/em\u003e qualifies as \u003cstrong\u003eone of the most imaginative picture books around\u003c\/strong\u003e, with concepts that will put young readers' minds into a spin. Bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThe Nose Pixies\u003c\/em\u003e, David Hunt, and highly acclaimed illustrator, Lucia Masciullo, work brilliantly as a pair to bring about \u003cstrong\u003ea wildly explosive combination of heart, humour and energy\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRupert is the imaginary friend to young William. They have a lot in common, including music, sport, and painting. They both have parents (Rupert's mum is the one with the beard), and live in houses (William's is the weird one!). However, despite Rupert being the one in William's head, he has a mind of his own and sometimes wants different things. Like, how many times does he have to lose the battle of SIR WILLIAM OF THE ROUND TABLE VERSUS THE BLACK KNIGHT? But Rupert's greatest fear is that of fading; that is, no longer being a figure of William's imagination. Until one day, this actually comes true. Will Rupert be replaced, and does he is still exist?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere are loads of visual elements in the \u003cstrong\u003evivacious, multi-media illustrations\u003c\/strong\u003e to explore, ponder and have a good giggle about. The colour palette of teal blues and lemon yellows are perfect for this story \u003cstrong\u003ecombining effervescence and tenderness \u003c\/strong\u003eat the same time. \u003cem\u003eMy Real Friend\u003c\/em\u003e is a \u003cstrong\u003eclever narrative\u003c\/strong\u003e asking readers to consider differing perspectives, as well as \u003cstrong\u003einviting thought on the power of friendship and its effect on one's identity\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cstrong\u003eHeart-warming, funny and brilliant\u003c\/strong\u003e. Highly recommended for children aged three and up.' --  CBCA \u003cem\u003eReading Time\u003c\/em\u003e magazine\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e' ... visual cues keep the reader oriented and bring out many of the punchlines the text leaves space for ... \u003cstrong\u003eIdeal to share\u003c\/strong\u003e with children aged 4-7 ... can easily be imagined onto the shelves of any library or lower primary classroom.' -- \u003cem\u003eBooks+Publishing\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"David Hunt","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46897388978325,"sku":"9780733334894","price":24.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0484\/3175\/9509\/files\/9780733334894_d5d5da8b-794f-4209-8b19-a316bf2ed6fe.jpg?v=1776888373","url":"https:\/\/harpercollins.com.au\/products\/9780733334894","provider":"HarperCollins AU","version":"1.0","type":"link"}