In no particular order …

* Richard Parker, the tiger in Life of Pi … by the end of that long boatride, RP feels like your reason to live

* Mr. Tumnus, the faun from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe … I mean, OF COURSE.  He is Lucy’s oldest Narnian friend.  Who can forget that image of him with the scarf, umbrella, and parcels beneath the lamp-post?

* Hedwig, Harry Potter’s owl, who has so much personality and spunk

* Hwin, the mare from The Horse and His Boy … “You may eat me, if you’d like.  I’d sooner be eaten by you than fed by anyone else.”  How could you not love her?!

* Puddleglum, the marshwiggle, as he put his webbed foot into the fire and declared he was on Aslan’s side even if Aslan didn’t exist

* Jewel, the unicorn of The Last Battle, who was just as rash and passionate as his bestie, King Tirian

* Beatrice and Virgil, the howler monkey and donkey featured in Yann Martel’s fascinating book … your heart goes out to them as they detail the “Horrors”

* Lady Amalthea, or rather Lady Amalthea-bef0re-she-was-a-woman

* Magnus Bane … do warlocks count?  “Even the Inquisitor’s eyebrows shot up when Magnus strode through the gate.  The High Warlock was wearing black leather pants, a belt with a buckle in the shape of a jeweled M, and a cobalt-blue Prussian military jacket open over a white lace shirt.”

* Reepicheep, so valiant, so martial!

* The Skin Horse, from The Velveteen Rabbit

* Old Yeller, Old Dan, and Little Ann, best dogs in the whole world

* Winnie-the-Pooh

* the Wild Things

* Cinnamon, Stargirl’s sweet little rat

and last but certainly not least …

* Charlotte A. Cavatica, a good friend and a good writer, the most incredible spider ever