cover image My Invisible Boyfriend

My Invisible Boyfriend

Susie Day, . . Scholastic Press, $16.99 (275pp) ISBN 978-0-545-07354-7

This over-the-top but entertaining British import follows 15-year-old Heidi, who has always had an active imagination. When everyone seems to be coupling off at the first party of the new school year, Heidi invents the perfect boy for her—Ed Hartley. But “imaginary boyfriend–construction is harder than it looks.” Heidi perpetuates Ed's existence by creating an online profile for him—he rides motorcycles, he writes poetry—and her friends think he's great, too. Day (Serafina67 *urgently requires life* ) intersperses Heidi's first-person narrative with invented conversations between Heidi and Mycroft Christie, a TV detective, as well as e-mails between “Ed” and Heidi's friends, who have their own quirks. While it's implausible that Heidi's friends would divulge their problems to someone they've never met, Heidi is thus able to learn some of their deepest secrets. And when she begins receiving mysterious e-mails from someone claiming to be “a real boy,” she worries that the gig is up. The sender's identity is predictable, but readers should still be satisfied with the outcome. Ages 13–up. (Apr.)