Different imagination, yes. Because why is it going to be important that MickySam can turn into a horse? How many times in one novel can MickySam's ability to turn into a horse and run really fast, or eat grass to save on rations, save the day without losing the reader? There's no real angst in "I turned into a horse and ran around the pasture really fast!" as there is in "I turned into a wolf and ate the neighbor's pet!"

It might work for a children's story, too.