3/5 - Full review at emileereads: http://emileereads.com/blog/2017/2/28... 
 There was enough imagination put into the world of Fantastica that I can give this book a 3 out of 5, but I would've enjoyed this way more about fifteen years ago. I can see why it's often a childhood favorite. I enjoyed parts of it, but disliked Bastian more and more as the story went on. 
 Some of my favorite parts were Ende's creative descriptions about the many different creatures. I'd still like an explanation for how the Tiny and his snail made it to the Childlike Empress before the rest of the messengers at the beginning of the novel. Grograman and his rainbow desert sounded like something people see when tripping on drugs. (I wouldn't know from personal experience. I limit my drugs to probiotics and wine.) The Shlamoofs - both the dreary and excitable versions - were hilarious. Cool creatures aside, this book certainly lived up to its name...at times, I was convinced it was never going to end. It was too long for what the characters were trying to accomplish. 
 Shoutout to Atreyu for rescuing Bastian and the book itself. Atreyu's got my vote to replace the Childlike Empress.