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imaginary-friendship
Scarlett's parents perceive Bod as an imaginary friend, highlighting themes of childhood imagination and the intersection of reality and fantasy.
1 chapter across 1 book
The Graveyard Book (2009)Neil Gaiman
Chapter 3
In this chapter, Bod, a quiet and curious boy living in a graveyard, learns to read and write by tracing letters on gravestones with the help of his guardian Silas. Bod meets Scarlett, a lively and colorful girl from the outside world, who becomes his friend despite the boundary between their worlds. Their friendship grows as they explore the graveyard together, sharing stories about the dead and the living, while Scarlett's parents rationalize Bod's presence as an imaginary friend.