Gremlin-esque Pingo is the best imaginary friend a boy could have. But as Chad grows older, he tires of being teased about Pingo. Pingo follows Chad throughout his adolescence and adulthood until the two friends are reunited in old age. The story is a little message-y and light on kid-appeal. Caricature illustrations show the two main characters in humorous situations.

Mull's (the Fablehaven series) mischievous story introduces a boy named Chad with a furry, goblinlike imaginary friend, Pingo, who sports polka-dotted boxers and a striped scarf. For a time, Pingo and Chad happily battle ninjas and concoct magical potions, but in adolescence Chad decides it's time to leave his pal behind, claiming, “If I stop believing in you, you'll disappear!” Not so. Undaunted, Pingo becomes Chad's “imaginary enemy,” leading nighttime “pirate raids” and filling his backpack with maple syrup and peanut butter while the teen flirts with a girl. As a lonely elderly man, Chad relents and tells a delighted Pingo that he wants to be friends again, leading to another round of adventures (the final illustration, which echoes the book's first, shows the duo playing in a tent fashioned from a blanket as a doctor pushes a wheelchair past Chad's room). The message about hanging onto the magic of childhood comes through clearly (indeed, Pingo even bears a strong resemblance to Chad), and Dorman's brassy, exaggerated cartoon art should have kids giggling over Pingo's antics. Ages 3–up. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Aug.)

K-Gr 2 An imaginary friend becomes a spiteful foe when a child's attention wavers. At first Chad and his buddy Pingo fight against ninja armies and create magical potions, but the child eventually outgrows his rambunctious cohort when his classmates ridicule him for playing with an invisible friend. As Chad matures into adulthood, he becomes more interested in girls than in his confidant. Mischievous Pingo retaliates by leading pirate attacks in the middle of the night, filling Chad's backpack with a sticky maple syrup and peanut butter concoction, and eating his work reports. Years later, confined to a rest home, solitary Chad reunites with his rowdy companion, and the duo continues their rollicking adventures. Pingo's gremlinlike appearance enhances his elfish antics; his oversize ears, furry body, and long tail provide humor throughout. Colorful mixed-media spreads effectively use shadow and perspective to maintain the tale's energetic focus. The result is an interesting look into the everlasting world of the imagination. Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC