Pobby and Dingan

#39, 2006

This is an amazing story. Very short, it only took me about 45 minutes to read, but it was very powerful and incredibly moving. It's about a young girl who has two imaginary friends, and what happens when they turn up missing and the whole town gets involved in trying to find them again. It's a beautifully-written book, set in Australia, and one of the really lovely things about it is the PoV: it's told by Kellyanne's brother, and it's amazing to see how his perception changes, and also how much he loves his sister, and the great lengths to which he goes to help her when she needs him. The book had me by the first page, and I knew I was in trouble when I was in tears by page four.

SPOILER AHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want to write show more some things for the benefit of those who read this book before me, and I can't do this without discussing the ending. SO IF YOU INTEND TO READ THIS BOOK, PLEASE SKIP THE REST OF THIS ENTRY!!!!!!

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The ending of this book hit me like . . . well, like nothing has hit me in a very long while. I think it's possible that I haven't cried that hard since I experienced a real-life tragedy about five years ago. (Of course I didn't cry anywhere near as *long* as a result of reading the book, but my gut reaction to this story was one of pure anguish, as it was back then). I was crushed - WHY OH WHY OH WHY OH WHY?!?!?!?!?!?! Ashmol did this stuff to SAVE HER!!!!!!!!!! *sobs* And the amazing thing about it, is that I was brought to this point in such a short time. What a masterfully-written story to bring me so completely in to it in so few pages. (Ninety, altogether).

But, as tragic as the ending was, after I thought about it for a bit, I found that it's really more exquisite than I'd realized . . . perhaps the message here isn't the tragedy, but the beauty in thinking that Kellyanne is STILL THERE, even though they can't see her. A spiritual message reminding us that death really isn't the end, and that the ones we love are always with us. Or maybe I'm just reading that in because it's too tragic for me to think about any other way. I do wonder what life was like for the family afterwards, though. Ashmol didn't sound devastated or resentful that all his efforts weren't "successful" (in keeping her alive, which was obviously his goal). On the contrary, he sounded amazingly calm about the whole thing. And their mum was so optimistic at P&D's funeral, but how could she not have been crushed by what happened afterwards? Or was the reality of Kellyanne's spirit (and we know that, wherever she is, P & D are there with her), was that enough to sustain the family afterwards? *more tears* In the end, I can't decide whether I found it more crushing or more uplifting. Right now, I still feel drained and a bit numb, but in a good way (if that makes ANY sense whatsoever).

LJ Discussion show less

Ashmol is the brother of Kellyanne. She doesn't have any friends, other than her two imaginary friend pobby and dingan.
The story is told in Ashmol's voice. They live in an opal mining town in Australia.
Life is normal until pobby and dingan go to work with their dad in the mine and don't return.

The story is odd, but thought provoking which is why I liked it. It's interesting to see what brings people together.

Came across this book on a list, I think it was on Kirkus, detailing the small books one should not miss. I loved this little story, about a 8 yr. old girl who lives with her family in New South Wales, Australia. Her father was digging for opals and the little girl had two imaginary friends called Pobby and Dingan. Reminded me of the saying that if a tree falls and no one is near does it still make a sound. If not everyone can see the imaginary friends does this mean they do not exist? This is a story of a town that pulled together to help save a little girl. It is also about what being family means, not just someone saying brother or sister, but going above and beyond, even if it means suspending one's belief. As her brother says, show more "Because they are all just fruit loops who don't know what it is to believe in something which is hard to see, or to keep looking for something which is totally hard to find." Wonderful little story. show less

There are two novellas in this book but Pobby and Dingan is the reason to buy it. It's very short but incredibly beautiful. I sobbed when I read it.

What an utterly delightful little book. I had an imaginary friend as a child. His name was Rudi and he was my husband. I was 3. He only showed up when I was in the bathtub. My brothers used to tease me.

Now I have an imaginary friend. I'm 53. Her name is Ruthe (or bumma). She's my mom and she's still teaching me how to live a good life.

A sad story with a lot of hope to it. Could have been trimmed down into a short story (or expanded into a novel) without harm, probably, but at 92 pages, right now it's not either one.

Friends may be imaginary, but that doesn't mean they aren't real.