A level-headed, independent child with a streak of adventurousness, Amanda has found the perfect best friend in Rudger, a small boy who is up for anything. The fact that no one else can see Rudger doesn’t bother Amanda a bit. Then a man named Mr. Bunting shows up at their door conducting a survey and oozing creepiness. It turns out Mr. Bunting hunts down imaginary friends and feeds on them in order to prolong his own life. When Rudger starts fading after Amanda is hit by a car running away from Mr. Bunting, he’s rescued by a cat before Mr. Bunting can find him. The cat leads Rudger to the public library—the haven for imaginary friends without humans. Rudger is supposed to choose a new child, but he’s determined to make his way back to Amanda, who is lying unconscious in the hospital. The perfect blend of funny (often), tender, and scary (truly!), A. F. Harrold’s fresh, original tale is a tribute to the bold spirit of possibility in childhood and features perfect, moody black-and-white illustrations by Emily Gravett. (Ages 7–10)