Hank and Fergus

Susan Cleyle is associate university librarian, QE II Library, Memorial
University of Newfoundland.

Hank has an imaginary dog named Fergus who assumes different shapes,
sizes, and colours according to how Hank is feeling. Fergus not only
makes Hank feel safe from the stares of strangers who are curious about
his birthmark but also allows him to avoid “real” friendships. When
another young boy, Cooper, moves in next door, Hank is not impressed.
Even though Cooper has a scar on his tummy, he doesn’t understand
Hank’s imaginary dog. His comments about the string that serves as
Fergus’s leash anger Hank and the two end up calling each other names
and avoiding one another. Hank begins to reflect on his friendship with
Fergus and realizes that he can, in fact, have two best friends. The two
boys eventually settle their differences by exchanging gifts and thus
start off on a wonderful friendship.

Hank and Fergus is an excellent story about learning to break away from
our childhood insecurities, about trusting others, and about finding our
way in the world. The one problem is the potentially negative influence
of the language. The boys call each other “stupidhead,” for example,
and Hank tells Cooper to “shutup.”

Louise-Andrée Laliberté’s expressive pencil-and-crayon
illustrations parallel the tone of the story, nicely conveying the
boys’ emotions. Also, just as Hank has a distinctive facial mark, his
imaginary Fergus has one, too: a big dark spot around his left eye. Hank
and Fergus is recommended.