A stick is a sword, a fishing rod, or a very small dragon, depending on the hour. The dog is a horse. There is someone at the dinner table nobody else can see, and he would like a plate. Imagination is the one skill children are unarguably better at than the adults raising them: give them a hallway, a bedspread, and forty-five unsupervised minutes and they will furnish an entire country, complete with laws — then leave it standing when they are called in to eat.
Drawing from Bookroo’s collection of 1,926 books about imagination, our editors looked for stories where the imagining itself is the plot: the friend only one person can see, the backyard that becomes a civilization, the map that feeds a hungry child better than supper. Start with our shortlist of 12 favorites, then browse by age — from first books for toddlers to middle grade about the worlds children build and eventually have to leave.
A young imaginary friend sets out on a journey to find a child to imagine him.
A grown-up keeps insisting the thing is a stick. The pictures know better.
One boy says he owns the best horse in the world. A classmate is determined to prove he does not.
A girl adopts a squash from the farmers market, names it, and will not let anyone cook it.
An outcast boy plants one unknown seed and grows an entire civilization in his backyard.
A young girl dreams of freedom and discovers the magic of flight over 1939 Harlem.
There is no supper, because the money went on an enormous map instead of bread.
A boy’s nursery toys keep their own forest, their own opinions, and a serious honey problem.
A game inspired by ancient Egypt turns mysterious when strange events unfold.
A bored boy assembles the tollbooth that turns up in his bedroom and drives into a kingdom at war over words and numbers.
A boy and the tiger only he sees as alive conduct science, warfare, and philosophy in a suburban backyard.
First books about seeing something that isn’t quite there — cloud shapes, dress-up, small daydreams, and toys with opinions, for ages 0–4.
Discover how lines form the universe's intricate tapestry.
Kids find a mysterious creature napping in their tree. What is it, and where does it belong?
Animals load a dream train with whimsical cargo before bedtime.
From moon-strumming baboons to rainbow forts, a whimsical journey through the wonder of dreams and love.
A child's blankie transforms into magical adventures before bedtime.
Explore colors and shapes with Mouse and Little Bear's imaginative journey.
Tiny Cat's playful dress-up turns into a wild adventure. Can it handle the beast within?
Mog the cat faces Christmas chaos and unexpected surprises.
Discover how imagination shapes identity and empathy in young minds.
Help characters achieve dreams with interactive fun and surprises.
Join Peter Pan on a magical adventure to Neverland with interactive surprises.
Journey through Wonderland with interactive adventures and whimsical surprises.
Imaginary friends, invented countries, and everyday objects that flatly refuse to stay ordinary — read-alouds for ages 3–8.
On Octember the First, all your wildest wishes come true. What will you wish for?
Explore a world of whimsical and real careers in a rhyming adventure.
A house is inhabited by strange creatures.
Can Gerald embrace Piggie's surprising new identity?
A person thinks about various things, from colors and animals to fantastical creatures and scenarios.
Can Harold and Hog's friendship endure a game of pretend?
Explore the alphabet with playful word pairings and whimsical illustrations.
A young boy searches for his missing dinosaur.
An imaginary unicorn makes school magical.
A boy imagines animal features but learns self-acceptance.
This book uses wordplay and simple sentences to explore basic concepts such as location, size, and relationships.
A boy's invisible horse sparks a heartwarming dilemma about freedom and friendship.
Longer stories about invented worlds, companions nobody else can see, and what it costs to grow out of them — ages 6–12.
A young boy must navigate a magical world to rescue his friend and defeat an evil wizard.
A cyclone whisks Dorothy to Oz. Can she find her way home amidst magical chaos?
A hobbit's unexpected journey to reclaim stolen treasure leads to a life-altering discovery.
Orphan Peter's voyage turns perilous with a mysterious trunk and dangerous foes.
A poor boy finds a golden ticket to visit a mysterious and magical chocolate factory
Three children embark on a magical quest to find a legendary creature in a hidden land.
A narwhal befriends a jellyfish and they go on adventures together.
A friendship forged in imagination faces a tragic test, altering two worlds forever.
Siblings enter a magical land trapped in winter, facing a powerful witch and awaiting a lion's return.
A new student, Gooney Bird Greene, joins Mrs. Pidgeon's second-grade class and captivates her classmates with her unusual clothes, hairstyles, and stories.
A boy with cystic fibrosis befriends a mysterious girl, challenging his sheltered life.
In 2045, a virtual treasure hunt turns deadly as rivals vie for control of a digital empire.
