The Invisible Boy
Trudy Ludwig, Author
Patrice Barton, Illustrator
Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House for Kids, Fiction, Oct. 8, 2013
Suitable for Ages: 6-9
Themes: Feeling invisible and left out, Popularity, Friendship, School
Opening: “Can you see Brian, the invisible boy? Even Mrs. Carlotti has trouble noticing him in her classroom. She’s too busy dealing with Nathan and Sophie.”
Synopsis: Brian feels invisible to his teacher and friends at school. He is with them, but not really. At lunch he eats alone. At recess the other kids don’t pick him to play on their kick-ball team. During class when the other children play board games and read, Brian draws dragons, pirates, space aliens and super heroes. When Mrs. Carlotti introduces Justin, a new student to the class, the other kids poke fun at his Korean lunch. Brian draws Justin a special picture to make him feel better. Justin invites Brian to work with him on a school project. Brian’s artwork shows his unique talent and the students notice.
What I like about this story: What child has not felt invisible at some time in school. Trudy Ludwig masterfully tells a heartfelt story about a boy who wants to belong, but is ignored by others. Even his teacher doesn’t pay a lot of attention to Brian because she has to deal with other high-maintenance children in the classroom. Brian is kind-hearted and finds his own way to make a friend and gain the acceptance of the other students. Ludwig’s book is an excellent resource for any parent or teacher looking for material that addresses shy and quiet students. It is isn’t preachy and Brian solves his own problem. Patrice Barton’s artwork is creative and perfect for the book. The cover is in muted pastels which sets the tone for the story. In the beginning pages, Brian is a black and white sketch, while the classroom is shown in full color. When Justin befriends Brian, a little color begins to appear. As Brian asserts himself in the class project he is revealed in full color. This a great collaborative effort between Ludwig and Barton.
Resources: Ludwig has included a backpage of questions for classroom discussion and suggested reading lists for adults and children. I received a poster with an educator’s guide, activities and questions for group discussions and goal-setting. Ludwig is a nationally known author whose work focuses on helping children cope with and thrive in the social world. She is an active member of the International Bullying Prevention Association and a sought-after-speaker. Visit Trudy Ludwig at her website. Random House has created a free Bullying Discussion Guide for teachers and librarians to use with Ludwig’s books. It includes ready-made lesson plans and activities that follow the common core state standards.
Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Books.
Children's Books Heal 
This is a creative book to deal with being left out. I love that the author mainly deals with bullying, what a wonderful example to us all.
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Yes, Trudy is a master with writing the books that help children cope. I like this book because the child figures a way to shine on his own.
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This sounds cute. I was that child in the earliest grades. I was so painfully shy. I had to learn to make friends. Great choice!
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It’s a book that empowers children. Many kids and adults will see themselves in this story. I like that you worked at making friends. I wasn’t shy as a young child, only when I reached about 6th grade and the “mean girl” began to form. I felt like a wall flower.
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Your review is thorough like usual and much appreciated. I will remember this book when my grandson comes to visit because he says he is bullied by older kids in school. I am familiar with Random House’s bully ing page and web site from some books I reviewed a long time ago about it. This is a good refresher.
thanks as always for introducing another valuable book to add to Susanna’s collection. 🙂
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I’m glad Trudy chose a boy for this story — usually we think of girls. Good book to share with your grandson. And, you are right about the Random House’s anti-bullying page — it’s great. Trudy is among the champion writers for this cause and I appreciate her work.
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Thanks, Patricia. 🙂
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I’ll admit that I wasn’t familiar with Trudy Ludwig and appreciate the introduction. Thanks, Pat!
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Trudy has written many bullying books. I’ve reviewed many of them: My Secret Bully, Trouble Talk and Confessions of a Former Bully, Better Than You, Just Kidding and Sorry. She is such a champion for helping students, parents, teachers and schools, to find methods for dealing with bullying.
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This is great, thank you! It is interesting to hear that the teacher was overwhelmed by more attention-grabbing children… teaching is an amazing career.
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Beverly, I’m glad you enjoyed the book. You sound as if you may be a teacher. Trudy has written many books (I listed below) to help kids cope with feeling left out to bullying.
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I’m not a teacher but I have a very soft-spoken child. Like me, when he speaks he is often not heard. Everyone is used to a lot of noise.
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I don’t like noise — and I’m soft spoken too. It may or may not be a problem for him if he has a group of friends. Maybe this book would help him. It’s very well done and fun.
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This sounds sweet, and is a good lesson for us all. Thank-you.
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It is a lovely story. Good partnership between the author and illustrator as we watch Brian emerge.
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I just brought this home yesterday – so I am skipping your review until after I’ve read it – excited!
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What a great book!! I watch this happening in classrooms all the time. I notice those kids who are kind of wallflowers. I usually seek them out and make friends. Some of my best buddies are those quiet shy ones. I like the way you say the illustrations are done. I’ll be looking for this one for sure!
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Yes Rhythm, this would be a great book for you to share on your school visits. Great subject to discuss with children.
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I love the powerful message accentuated by the transition in the illustration.
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Yes, you woud really enjoy the artwork in this book Joanna. The book carries a powerful message.
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What an appropriate description for one who is being ignored, Patricia. . .good one!
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Glad you like Trudy’s book, Jarm!
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It’s so awful to feel left out. It is one of my childhood enduring memories. Brilliant that it is being written about.
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Yes, I know the feeling too. I was very happy that Trudy addressed this subject in a book for kids.
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So many of us can relate to this book. I’m pleased the author tackled this subject in such a meaningful way.
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Thank you Darlene for the tweet. Glad you liked the book. Yes, she did tackle this subject in a meaningful way for kids and parents.
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What a great book. I like the cover, the boy does look see-through on it. I think most kids feel invisible at some point (maybe adults too). This is a very cool idea for a book!
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I’m glad you approve, Erik. I agree, I think we’ve all been through this, even as adults. It is a great book. Great collaboration between author and illustrator.
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Wish the book had been around when I was younger. I was painfully shy in school.and when I first started work. This will be a very popular book! Great choice, Pat.
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Glad you enjoyed the book, Diane. It is a great book that even as adults, we can relate to. Many of us were shy. Trudy did a spectacular job with this story.
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