Scurvy Goonda

The mischievous title character in McCoy’s wacky debut is a pirate obsessed with bacon; he’s also the imaginary friend—or, to use the proper term, “abstract companion”—of 14-year-old Ted Merritt. When Ted, fed up with Goonda’s shenanigans, agrees to take experimental medicine to rid himself of his visions, he gets caught up in a war among the abstract companions. The skeletal bird Persephone has taken over the kingdom of the companions, and her plans include world domination and marriage to the very unwilling Goonda. Only Ted and a handful of rebels can help fight against Persephone’s oppressive new regime. McCoy provides heaps of surreal humor, from wildly original companions with bizarre quirks to Ted’s own family, particularly his loud-mouthed and inappropriate grandmother, who shouts things like, “CAPE COD NEEDS TO GET RID OF ALL THIS SAND!” The trope of imaginary friends who actually exist is well-worn, but McCoy breathes new life into it with his charming writing style and characters. There are a few missteps (notably an underestimation of children’s ability to use their imaginations), but the book remains satisfying. Ages 10–up. (Nov.)