My Best Friend and Other IllusionsMy Best Friend and Other Illusions

"What if your imaginary friend from childhood suddenly reappeared . . . except this time he's no figment of your imagination, but an actual living person. For thirteen-year-old Charlotte "Charlie" Dickson, the shocking arrival of her imaginary friend, Rudy, seems to be the answer to all her problems--until his presence starts unleashing a storm of mayhem. Charlie, a budding acrobat, is desperate to attend a gymnastics camp that will qualify her for a spot in the renowned travelling circus Circo Circo. Her mom can barely make ends meet so Charlie's eleven-year-old brother Miles is resorting to questionable means of raising the funds, even though Child Protective Services is already on his tail. Charlie has no choice but to find a way to earn the money on her own. The solution seems to come when the perfect gymnastics partner mysteriously appears and they can put on shows. Rudy is athletic, attractive and enthusiastic, and he seems to know what Charlie is going to do almost before she knows herself. They can perform amazing feats in tandem with an effortless, unspoken understanding that draws a huge and receptive crowd. There's just one small thing though . . . Rudy is Charlie's childhood imaginary friend, but this time he's real. And the problem with imaginary friends is that they know things about you. Rudy's familiarity with the Dickson family secrets causes a trail of chaos that not only jeopardizes Charlie's acrobatic dreams but threatens to tear her family apart. In My Best Friend and Other Illusions, Rosen beautifully constructs an engaging, often funny, story where the fantastical elements allow painful truths to be faced. The power of the writing and characters will make a strong emotional connection with her readers in this truthful middle grade novel about memory, forgiveness and the search for love."--