Suitabook

The Adventures of Beekle

Dan Santat

Reading: Pause over the illustrations and invite your child to spot what changes from scene to scene. Let them lead the pace, especially during Beekle’s lonely or frightening moments.
Themes: Waiting to be chosen: Beekle waits on an island as other imaginary friends leave, and worries he will not be picked or given a special name. The story makes the experience of waiting and feeling overlooked visible, but the plot alone does not establish a broader judgement about it.
Finding connection: After searching the real world, Beekle meets Alice; they get to know one another and the world feels less strange to him. Their meeting is presented as a positive beginning to friendship, while the story’s ending beyond that new connection is not established here.
Worth knowing: Beekle is overlooked, feels lonely and sad, and faces frightening things on his journey. These moments are part of a hopeful search for connection; the intensity may be worth gauging together.