Jacques Papier is a charming new voice in fiction ~ whimsical and philosophical by turns, making his memoir the perfect book for any age reader. CONFESSIONS OF AN IMAGINARY FRIEND makes me wish I still had littles around to read stories to.
As the book says on the back cover, poor “Jacques has a sneaking suspicion that nobody like him. Teachers ignore him when he raises his hand, he is never chosen for sports teams, and Francois the family dog won’t stop barking at him! Thank goodness for Fleur, his sister and constant companion, who knows what he’s thinking even before he does. Then Jacques discover a devastating truth: He isn’t Fleur’s brother; he is her imaginary friend!”
This shocking discovery sends Jacques on an existential, life-changing journey of discovery to learn what makes us us? What is important? Braided with simple yet clever observations and naïve interpretations are mature insights.
As I share a few of my favorite morsels, I don’t have to worry about spoiling your experience when you read the story. This book is chock full of delight, whimsy, and wisdom.
Jacques says our world has a deficit of words. He gives us a list of things he’s observed that have no word. Like Jacques, they exist but somehow they are also lacking identification. Such things as “a square of light on a floor made by the moon … secret messages in alphabet soup … ships that want to stay sunken.” And this snippet shows just how much he loves his sister (despite his being imaginary): “There also is no word for … when someone has a smile that looks so lit up, there must be a lightning bug caught in their head. (For the record, I would petition this word be called Fleur.)”
In chapter 53 Jacques ponders what makes people different and/or valuable. He comes to the conclusion that every person is amazing ~ and most people don’t realize that about themselves because of their perspective, “like a flower that looks down and thinks it is just a stem.”
This story is delightfully creative and filled with things we adults, busy with important stuff as we are, don’t take time to notice. Sounds, for instance. Jacques remembers “the hum of Father’s lawnmower, ticking of clocks, sizzling pans and clicking spoons … the sound of my parents’ voices through the floorboards.” And light, “the shapes of the sleeping furniture.”
Kudos to Michelle Cuevas for bringing readers this book (and humbly taking second billing to Jacques). The cover so aptly portrays the essence of the story. Probably the best I’ve seen! CONFESSIONS OF AN IMAGINARY FRIEND is captivating. I enjoyed it twice: Once as I read it and another as I shared story and quotes with my husband. Jacques may be imaginary, but he has come to live at our house.
I was going to bundle the review of this short book (168 pages) with a couple others, but it is too good for that, It deserves its own space!