The ‘imaginary friend’ can be a powerful visual metaphor in illustrated narratives—a phenomenon born from the imaginary and the unconscious mind—illuminated by picture book makers and their uncanny creations. Following a thread of scientific theory into artistic practice, while analyzing the benefits of imaginative play and fantasy in readers, this presentation explores the value of the liminal nature of the imaginary friend in children’s literature. Through this research, paired with an accompanying thesis project, “Home is a Dream,” as case study, the author argues for the imaginary friend as a doorway for young readers to engage with the world of picture books in unique and insightful ways.