The story of Ojos Grandes and el Señor de mis Sueños has deep roots in my childhood. The character of the Lord of My Dreams was born in my imagination when I was eight years old. To me, he was as real as the people around me; a companion who accompanied me and spoke to me every day.
As I grew up, I wondered: can anything from the imagination be as real as life itself? That question led me to write down everything I remembered about that character and my dreams about him. That is how the first manuscript that would give rise to my Ojos Grandes collection was born.
When my daughters began to take an interest in stories, I decided to submit the manuscript to a public competition. The surprise was enormous: Ojos Grandes y el Señor de mis Sueños won! Thus, an imaginary world that had lived quietly for years began to spark the imagination of other children.
🧠 Imaginary friends according to psychology
You may have heard that children with imaginary friends are “loners”. Science says otherwise.
Key facts:
- Many children create imaginary companions between the ages of 3 and 8; this is normal and healthy. (ParentTrust)
- Imaginary friends encourage creativity, empathy, and social skills. (CreativeChild)
- Talking to an invisible friend helps practise language, emotional understanding, and conflict resolution. (ScienceDaily)
- They also offer emotional support and comfort, helping the child process feelings and fears. (BMC Psychiatry)
Myths vs reality:
“Having imaginary friends is a sign of loneliness.” → Most children with imaginary friends are socially active.- “Children cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality.” → Most recognise that their imaginary friends do not physically exist. (GreaterGood Berkeley)
✨ How to support a child with an imaginary friend
Accompanying a child with an imaginary friend is not about controlling them, but rather offering support and guidance.
Listen without judging
Allow the child to talk about their friend and tell stories. Questions such as:
What a fun adventure! What did your friend do today?
validate their inner world and strengthen communication.
Encourages creativity
Drawing, writing, role-playing: all these activities help develop language, imagination and social skills.
It integrates fantasy and reality in a healthy way.
If imagination interferes with routine, help them differentiate between play and reality, without diminishing the value of their inner world.
Watch for warning signs
Intense anxiety, prolonged isolation, or relationship problems may require professional counselling.
Celebrate imagination
Recognising and valuing their creative world strengthens self-esteem, empathy and emotional security.
Why imaginary friends are a gift
Far from being a sign of loneliness, an imaginary friend is a tool for growth:
- Develop creativity and divergent thinking.
- Improves empathy and understanding of emotions.
- It allows you to experiment and practise social relationships.
- It offers comfort and a safe space to explore emotions.
In my case, the Lord of My Dreams not only accompanied me throughout my childhood: he inspired me to create Ojos Grandes y el Señor de mis Sueños (Big Eyes and the Lord of My Dreams), a book that celebrates imagination, dreams, and children's ability to create worlds full of adventure and excitement.
Un personaje imaginario, una historia compartida
Podéis inventar un personaje que todavía no haya aparecido en ningún libro. No hace falta que se parezca a una persona: quizá sea una piedra que guarda canciones, una nube que colecciona preguntas o un animal que lleva una maleta vacía.
Dibujadlo y elegid tres detalles: cómo se llama, qué le gusta y qué desea descubrir. Después, imaginad un lugar al que le gustaría ir. Cada participante puede añadir una frase a la aventura y dejar que el siguiente proponga qué ocurre después.
Si una idea no encaja con lo que alguien había imaginado, podéis deteneros y buscar otro camino. También es posible escribir dos versiones de la misma escena. La historia pertenece a quienes la están creando y puede cambiar tantas veces como quieran.
Esta es una propuesta de juego literario: no es necesario tener un amigo imaginario ni contar experiencias personales para participar. Guardad el dibujo junto al relato y ponedle fecha. Otro día podréis volver a ese personaje y descubrir qué nueva pregunta trae en su maleta.
Conocer el origen del Señor de mis Sueños
Explorar los libros de Rosa Deledda en Amazon