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Things #1
Things Not Seen
Bobby Phillips is an average fifteen-year-old boy. Until the morning he wakes up and can't see himself in the mirror. Not blind, not dreaming. Bobby is just plain invisible...
There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to Bobby's new condition; even his dad the physicist can't figure it out. For Bobby that means no school, no friends, no life. He's a missing person. Then he meets Alicia. She's blind, and Bobby can't resist talking to her, trusting her. But people are starting to wonder where Bobby is. Bobby knows that his invisibility could have dangerous consequences for his family and that time is running out. He has to find out how to be seen again before it's too late.
There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to Bobby's new condition; even his dad the physicist can't figure it out. For Bobby that means no school, no friends, no life. He's a missing person. Then he meets Alicia. She's blind, and Bobby can't resist talking to her, trusting her. But people are starting to wonder where Bobby is. Bobby knows that his invisibility could have dangerous consequences for his family and that time is running out. He has to find out how to be seen again before it's too late.
251 pages, Paperback
First published March 4, 2002
688 people are currently reading
11864 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Clements
191 books2,197 followersI was born in Camden, New Jersey in 1949 and lived in Oaklyn and Cherry Hill until the middle of sixth grade. Then we moved to Springfield, Illinois. My parents were avid readers and they gave that love of books and reading to me and to all my brothers and sisters. I didn’t think about being a writer at all back then, but I did love to read. I'm certain there's a link between reading good books and becoming a writer. I don't know a single writer who wasn’t a reader first.
Before moving to Illinois, and even afterwards, our family spent summers at a cabin on a lake in Maine. There was no TV there, no phone, no doorbell—and email wasn’t even invented. All day there was time to swim and fish and mess around outside, and every night, there was time to read. I know those quiet summers helped me begin to think like a writer.
During my senior year at Springfield High School my English teacher handed back a poem I’d written. Two things were amazing about that paper. First, I’d gotten an A—a rare event in this teacher’s class. And she’d also written in large, scrawly red writing, “Andrew—this poem is so funny. This should be published!”
That praise sent me off to Northwestern University feeling like I was a pretty good writer, and occasionally professors there also encouraged me and complimented the essays I was required to write as a literature major. But I didn’t write much on my own—just some poetry now and then. I learned to play guitar and began writing songs, but again, only when I felt like it. Writing felt like hard work—something that’s still true today.
After the songwriting came my first job in publishing. I worked for a small publisher who specialized in how-to books, the kind of books that have photos with informative captions below each one. The book in which my name first appeared in print is called A Country Christmas Treasury. I’d built a number of the projects featured in the book, and I was listed as one of the “craftspeople”on the acknowlegements page, in tiny, tiny type.
In 1990 I began trying to write a story about a boy who makes up a new word. That book eventually became my first novel, Frindle, published in 1996, and you can read the whole story of how it developed on another web site, frindle.com. Frindle became popular, more popular than any of my books before or since—at least so far. And it had the eventual effect of turning me into a full-time writer.
I’ve learned that I need time and a quiet place to think and write. These days, I spend a lot of my time sitting in a small shed about seventy feet from my back door at our home in Massachusetts. There’s a woodstove in there for the cold winters, and an air conditioner for the hot summers. There’s a desk and chair, and I carry a laptop computer back and forth. But there’s no TV, no phone, no doorbell, no email. And the woodstove and the pine board walls make the place smell just like that cabin in Maine where I spent my earliest summers.
Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life.
Before moving to Illinois, and even afterwards, our family spent summers at a cabin on a lake in Maine. There was no TV there, no phone, no doorbell—and email wasn’t even invented. All day there was time to swim and fish and mess around outside, and every night, there was time to read. I know those quiet summers helped me begin to think like a writer.
During my senior year at Springfield High School my English teacher handed back a poem I’d written. Two things were amazing about that paper. First, I’d gotten an A—a rare event in this teacher’s class. And she’d also written in large, scrawly red writing, “Andrew—this poem is so funny. This should be published!”
That praise sent me off to Northwestern University feeling like I was a pretty good writer, and occasionally professors there also encouraged me and complimented the essays I was required to write as a literature major. But I didn’t write much on my own—just some poetry now and then. I learned to play guitar and began writing songs, but again, only when I felt like it. Writing felt like hard work—something that’s still true today.
After the songwriting came my first job in publishing. I worked for a small publisher who specialized in how-to books, the kind of books that have photos with informative captions below each one. The book in which my name first appeared in print is called A Country Christmas Treasury. I’d built a number of the projects featured in the book, and I was listed as one of the “craftspeople”on the acknowlegements page, in tiny, tiny type.
In 1990 I began trying to write a story about a boy who makes up a new word. That book eventually became my first novel, Frindle, published in 1996, and you can read the whole story of how it developed on another web site, frindle.com. Frindle became popular, more popular than any of my books before or since—at least so far. And it had the eventual effect of turning me into a full-time writer.
I’ve learned that I need time and a quiet place to think and write. These days, I spend a lot of my time sitting in a small shed about seventy feet from my back door at our home in Massachusetts. There’s a woodstove in there for the cold winters, and an air conditioner for the hot summers. There’s a desk and chair, and I carry a laptop computer back and forth. But there’s no TV, no phone, no doorbell, no email. And the woodstove and the pine board walls make the place smell just like that cabin in Maine where I spent my earliest summers.
Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,144 reviews
January 17, 2011
It never stopped being weird to me that the invisible teenager spends most of the book hanging around naked in public next to a girl he has a crush on.
The other interesting detail that stuck with me: invisible poo only stays invisible for a little while. Does that count as a spoiler?
The other interesting detail that stuck with me: invisible poo only stays invisible for a little while. Does that count as a spoiler?
November 22, 2024
Such a cool and unique story! Bobby waking up invisible is wild, and the way he handles it feels so real. I loved his connection with Alicia....it’s heartfelt and relatable. The mix of mystery and real-life struggles kept me hooked, even though some parts felt a bit slow. Overall, it’s a fun, thought-provoking read. Totally worth checking out!
August 5, 2007
This is an imaginitive modern day science fiction story (more science than fiction) about a boy who wakes up one morning to find himself invisible and befriends a recently blind girl who can relate to this newfound unusual disability.
I found this a great book overall. Unlike some books for young adults, this book was not predictable for adults. Although the gravity of the situation of a missing child and the impact on his parents needed to be emphasised to a younger reader, it does not take away from the amazing writing and intriging storyline. A must read for anyone who has ever felt "invisible" in school or life.
I found this a great book overall. Unlike some books for young adults, this book was not predictable for adults. Although the gravity of the situation of a missing child and the impact on his parents needed to be emphasised to a younger reader, it does not take away from the amazing writing and intriging storyline. A must read for anyone who has ever felt "invisible" in school or life.
April 12, 2020
A fun & wonderful read! I loved this book from start to brilliant finish! Things Not Seen is an interesting, creative and I believe successful way to introduce disability to teens and adults. Bobby Phillips wakes up one morning and is invisible; throughout the book invisibility is shown to parallel living with a disability. One passage early in the book says: "... it's not like I've got the chicken pox or the flu or something. This is completely...different, and it's happening to me, and it means that I can't do anything like I did it yesterday. So that's why I'm saying...what do I do?"
Soon Bobby meets and becomes friends with Alicia who is blind. Because one of them can't see and the other can't be seen, they make a great team. The way Alicia's mother reacts to Bobby is very humorous. She says to Alicia: "What does this young man wear when you meet with him?" and Alicia replies, "On really cold days, he wears Saran Wrap, but most of the time he's naked." Bobby recounts his first visit to Alicia's house saying "Her mom lets me in, but she says, `stand right there', and then she runs - really runs - and brings me a long white terry cloth robe to wear."
I really enjoyed the writing style of Andrew Clements and have since read the two follow up books:Things Hoped ForandThings That Are, as well as FRINDLE. Other great books for teens (and older) on disability issues include: Rules, Hurt Go Happy, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
Soon Bobby meets and becomes friends with Alicia who is blind. Because one of them can't see and the other can't be seen, they make a great team. The way Alicia's mother reacts to Bobby is very humorous. She says to Alicia: "What does this young man wear when you meet with him?" and Alicia replies, "On really cold days, he wears Saran Wrap, but most of the time he's naked." Bobby recounts his first visit to Alicia's house saying "Her mom lets me in, but she says, `stand right there', and then she runs - really runs - and brings me a long white terry cloth robe to wear."
I really enjoyed the writing style of Andrew Clements and have since read the two follow up books:Things Hoped ForandThings That Are, as well as FRINDLE. Other great books for teens (and older) on disability issues include: Rules, Hurt Go Happy, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
March 12, 2009
Andrew Clements really kept this interesting and reallistic. If it was a series, I would have devoured it in a few days.
Read
July 28, 2011Clearly by looking at other books Clements wrote are for children or teens. However, myself not being a children nor a teen, reading his book, 'Things Not Seen' was definately not just another teen book from Clements.
At first, when I read about two or three chapters I thought this book will be about an avarage teenager looking for the real meaning of life and becoming more mature. (You know just another kid book thing) However, as I flipped through the book, there were more meanings to it.
Of course just like other stories about a teen, this book talks about an irresponsible teen growing up to be a mature young adult. Before the invisibility happened, Bobby's parents decided what is good for him or what he had to do. But after becoming invisible, soon he finds out that he is the one who needs to change and take in charge of his own life. By doing so, his problem (of being invisible) was solved and he bacame more responsible.
However, there are more important factors to look at.
Firstly, the bilndness comes out a lot in the book. The girl, who Bobby meets at the library, is a blind so when they met she did not know about Bobby's little secret and soon becomes his friend (or more than just a friend). She(the blind character) was the key to this story. If she wasn't a blind then it would've been almost impossible for Bobby to change and deal with his problems maturely. It was just because she was a blind, they became friends and grew up to be more mature while helping each other's problems. When the girl needed help, Bobby became her eyes, and when Bobby needed help, she became his body. This was quiet remarkable how the arthur thought about putting to completely unusual characters and made things work.
Moreover, when Bobby truned invisible, his parents did not know where to look at when talking to him. Bobby's mom wanted to touch and feel him to make sure he is there. During the whole time when Bobby was invisible, his parents needed his guide in order for them to know where he was (even Bobby describes how anxious his parents looked when they could not 'see' him.). The way that Bobby described about just observing his parents and how they reacted made it seemed like they are blind. By reading this part of the book, I could get a glimpes of how people with blindness might feel. Also, through the part where Bobby describes how other people act when they see the blind girl walking by herself (how people would not get close to her, and they glance at her but never stare) made me rethink about how the society thinks about people with disabilities.
Who decides what is normal and what is abnormal? This question kept popping out while I read this book. Of course not everyone becomes invisible or blind. But it could happen to people and there is no certainty that will not be me. A few years ago my mother was diagnose with breast cancer. I've never thought one of my parents will have such a thing. (and of course my mother didn't either.) But surely I realized that nothing is for certain. Anything could happen to anyone. (right?) Back to my point, who really decides people with 'visible' disability are abnormal? I can't even defind what really is being normal and what is not. Can anyone in the world say, 'I am a hundred percent normal'? by reading this book, we need to rethink about the definition of normality and abnormality.
Secondly, this book also contains another message; the way of looking at a life. Towards the end of the book, Bobby finds another person who become invisible like him about three years ago. That person (a woman) lived invisible for three years without even trying to find a way to get back to her life. She managed a way to not communicate with others in person and went out when necessary. Even when Bobby called her to tell her how to become visible again, she did not want to hear him and told him not to call anymore. By reading about her and knowing how she felt before 'the' incident made me understand about her situation. She probably felt meaningless about her life and when even she was not invisible she felt like the whole world is seeing right through her. Her situation with her parents were not satisfying although she always misses them. Also, I could assume that her self-confidence is at low. On the other side, Bobby (by becoming invisible) realized how much he missed being at school talking to his friends, (even he wasn't a very popular kid and had only few friends) playing instruments with others. He wanted so bad to have a regualr himself back, and when he did he couldn't be more happier about his life. Being in the same situation (in a very rare situation), Bobby and the woman had totally different perspective of view their problems. For Bobby not being able to be seen was a misery but to the woman it was a refuge. Not being able to be seen by others made her feel more comfortable and feel sheltered from her reality (living with her what-she-thought miserable life). This part was surely unexpecting and I was surprised, because there are alot of times that I thought some people's life was simply easier and better than mine since they were born with a lot more things than myself. But even two people are given the same exact thing, the result could come out very differently. If one is sucessful than others, it is not because he/she was born with more things but because that person looked at the situation differently and made a crisis into an opportunity. This book tells this lesson very clearly.
In conclusion, this was not just another teen fiction from Clements but it had deeper thoughts and messages that could make its readers rethink about ourselves.
At first, when I read about two or three chapters I thought this book will be about an avarage teenager looking for the real meaning of life and becoming more mature. (You know just another kid book thing) However, as I flipped through the book, there were more meanings to it.
Of course just like other stories about a teen, this book talks about an irresponsible teen growing up to be a mature young adult. Before the invisibility happened, Bobby's parents decided what is good for him or what he had to do. But after becoming invisible, soon he finds out that he is the one who needs to change and take in charge of his own life. By doing so, his problem (of being invisible) was solved and he bacame more responsible.
However, there are more important factors to look at.
Firstly, the bilndness comes out a lot in the book. The girl, who Bobby meets at the library, is a blind so when they met she did not know about Bobby's little secret and soon becomes his friend (or more than just a friend). She(the blind character) was the key to this story. If she wasn't a blind then it would've been almost impossible for Bobby to change and deal with his problems maturely. It was just because she was a blind, they became friends and grew up to be more mature while helping each other's problems. When the girl needed help, Bobby became her eyes, and when Bobby needed help, she became his body. This was quiet remarkable how the arthur thought about putting to completely unusual characters and made things work.
Moreover, when Bobby truned invisible, his parents did not know where to look at when talking to him. Bobby's mom wanted to touch and feel him to make sure he is there. During the whole time when Bobby was invisible, his parents needed his guide in order for them to know where he was (even Bobby describes how anxious his parents looked when they could not 'see' him.). The way that Bobby described about just observing his parents and how they reacted made it seemed like they are blind. By reading this part of the book, I could get a glimpes of how people with blindness might feel. Also, through the part where Bobby describes how other people act when they see the blind girl walking by herself (how people would not get close to her, and they glance at her but never stare) made me rethink about how the society thinks about people with disabilities.
Who decides what is normal and what is abnormal? This question kept popping out while I read this book. Of course not everyone becomes invisible or blind. But it could happen to people and there is no certainty that will not be me. A few years ago my mother was diagnose with breast cancer. I've never thought one of my parents will have such a thing. (and of course my mother didn't either.) But surely I realized that nothing is for certain. Anything could happen to anyone. (right?) Back to my point, who really decides people with 'visible' disability are abnormal? I can't even defind what really is being normal and what is not. Can anyone in the world say, 'I am a hundred percent normal'? by reading this book, we need to rethink about the definition of normality and abnormality.
Secondly, this book also contains another message; the way of looking at a life. Towards the end of the book, Bobby finds another person who become invisible like him about three years ago. That person (a woman) lived invisible for three years without even trying to find a way to get back to her life. She managed a way to not communicate with others in person and went out when necessary. Even when Bobby called her to tell her how to become visible again, she did not want to hear him and told him not to call anymore. By reading about her and knowing how she felt before 'the' incident made me understand about her situation. She probably felt meaningless about her life and when even she was not invisible she felt like the whole world is seeing right through her. Her situation with her parents were not satisfying although she always misses them. Also, I could assume that her self-confidence is at low. On the other side, Bobby (by becoming invisible) realized how much he missed being at school talking to his friends, (even he wasn't a very popular kid and had only few friends) playing instruments with others. He wanted so bad to have a regualr himself back, and when he did he couldn't be more happier about his life. Being in the same situation (in a very rare situation), Bobby and the woman had totally different perspective of view their problems. For Bobby not being able to be seen was a misery but to the woman it was a refuge. Not being able to be seen by others made her feel more comfortable and feel sheltered from her reality (living with her what-she-thought miserable life). This part was surely unexpecting and I was surprised, because there are alot of times that I thought some people's life was simply easier and better than mine since they were born with a lot more things than myself. But even two people are given the same exact thing, the result could come out very differently. If one is sucessful than others, it is not because he/she was born with more things but because that person looked at the situation differently and made a crisis into an opportunity. This book tells this lesson very clearly.
In conclusion, this was not just another teen fiction from Clements but it had deeper thoughts and messages that could make its readers rethink about ourselves.
March 2, 2009
This book surprises - the idea of an invisible boy seemed too far-fetched for a novel that would otherwise fit into the catagory of realistic fiction. But Clements finds a way, in the creation of Bobby's relationship with Alicia, to make this a story that digs deeper into other issues about invisibility. When will Bobby's parents stop ignoring him to see him for who he really is? Who sees Alicia for who she really is now that she's blind, and what can she now "see"? This was a good choice for discussion with my 6th graders.
September 17, 2011
This book is an under-appreciated young-adult classic. An everyboy named Bobby wakes up one morning to find himself invisible. But his biggest concern isn't how to use this new power for good or evil; it's simply how to get back to his normal life. The characters are all incredibly well written, and Bobby's thoughts are engaging and familiar, or at least they would be if I'd ever been invisible. Though it has a few bits of sci-fi in it--mainly centering around Bobby becoming invisible, and attempting to become visible again--it's more or less a coming of age novel, with a heavy dose of adventure. There are many surprises: some of them, temporarily worrying plot developments, and others, heartwarming discoveries and insights. I really, really liked this book--after all, I read it over 10 years ago and I still remember it well enough to say all this. And yes, it deserves a five star review. It may not be your typical classic, but I know I'll be re-reading this book soon now that I've recalled it, and I know I'll do so over and over again in the years to come.
August 3, 2016
Intelligent SF for teens? A fable for all ages about people who are "different" - ? An adventure for MG readers? Never mind the labels, just read it. I did, twice, and now I'm going to read the second, which I own, and try to find the third....
(But don't worry if you don't want to start a series - the first stands alone just fine.)
(But don't worry if you don't want to start a series - the first stands alone just fine.)
February 9, 2011
Almost anyone can relate to the feeling of being invisible, of being ignored. But can anyone know what it's truly like to become invisible. This book is a book for younger children but it nevertheless brings to perspective the reality of the world we live in today. We have parents that don't completely know their children because they lead such busy schedules and a society where being handicapped can mean being ostracized and becoming invisible.
Bobby wakes up one morning, invisible. No one can see him. Even though many an author could have come up with a story about Bobby causing mischief and having fun with his invisibility the whole story through, the author actually shows that invisibility is a hindrance and not a gift as many people wish to believe. Yes, Bobby does have some fun with his invisibility, which is completely rationale since the character is only thirteen but the story quickly begins to center on the fact that being invisible is more complicated than it seems. Bobby quickly finds Alicia, a girl who had recently become blind. She is the only person to which Bobby can reveal himself to because she understands what it's like to not be seen. She is the version of Bobby that exists all around us and is not based on science fiction. The book looks into the significance of becoming invisible through the guise of invisibility while digging deeper into the real life matter. Invisibility is becoming afraid to do the things you don't think you can do anymore. But the books shows that anything can be done if you are dedicated and committed to fighting for a place in the visible world. It's a book that shows there is more to be seen than what is just in front of us.
In style and writing the book is very honest. If the character gets mad he gets mad. The author does not prevent the characters from having real emotions. The characters react like real people would. They are not unbelievably gracious. I want to write characters that are truly possible and not idealized versions of people. Bobby acting petulant during the beginning of his situation is like what a real thirteen year old would do and I am glad that the author wrote the scenes to reflect real life.
Bobby wakes up one morning, invisible. No one can see him. Even though many an author could have come up with a story about Bobby causing mischief and having fun with his invisibility the whole story through, the author actually shows that invisibility is a hindrance and not a gift as many people wish to believe. Yes, Bobby does have some fun with his invisibility, which is completely rationale since the character is only thirteen but the story quickly begins to center on the fact that being invisible is more complicated than it seems. Bobby quickly finds Alicia, a girl who had recently become blind. She is the only person to which Bobby can reveal himself to because she understands what it's like to not be seen. She is the version of Bobby that exists all around us and is not based on science fiction. The book looks into the significance of becoming invisible through the guise of invisibility while digging deeper into the real life matter. Invisibility is becoming afraid to do the things you don't think you can do anymore. But the books shows that anything can be done if you are dedicated and committed to fighting for a place in the visible world. It's a book that shows there is more to be seen than what is just in front of us.
In style and writing the book is very honest. If the character gets mad he gets mad. The author does not prevent the characters from having real emotions. The characters react like real people would. They are not unbelievably gracious. I want to write characters that are truly possible and not idealized versions of people. Bobby acting petulant during the beginning of his situation is like what a real thirteen year old would do and I am glad that the author wrote the scenes to reflect real life.
January 20, 2024
I read with my daughter. A very good book.
February 27, 2020
This book was super strange. I mean like really really really strange. Honestly the idea of going out into public naked so nobody sees floating clothes is a little disturbing. Despite the strangeness, I really loved Bobby and Alicia a lot, and I liked the overall story.
November 11, 2025
Invisibility is a different way of living. A fun & wonderful read! I loved this book from start to brilliant finish! Things Not Seen is an interesting, creative and I believe successful way to introduce disability to teens and adults. Bobby Phillips wakes up one morning and is invisible; throughout the book invisibility is shown to parallel living with a disability. One passage early in the book says:
"... it's not like I've got the chicken pox or the flu or something. This is completely...different, and it's happening to me, and it means that I can't do anything like I did it yesterday. So that's why I'm saying...what do I do?"
Soon Bobby meets and becomes friends with Alicia who is blind. Because one of them can't see and the other can't be seen, they make a great team. Things Not Seen does contain PG rated scenes of nudity. The way Alicia's mother reacts to Bobby is very humorous. She says to Alicia: "What does this young man wear when you meet with him?" and Alicia replies, "On really cold days, he wears Saran Wrap, but most of the time he's naked." Bobby recounts his first visit to Alicia's house saying "Her mom lets me in, but she says, `stand right there', and then she runs - really runs - and brings me a long white terry cloth robe to wear."
I really enjoyed the writing style of Andrew Clements and have since read the two follow up books:Things Hoped For and Things That Are, as well as FRINDLE. Other great books for teens (and older) on disability issues include: Rules, Hurt Go Happy, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
I believe there are invisible people among us.
Related Works: Flowers for Algernon, Catch-22, Great Expectations, The Lord of the Rings, The Scarlet Letter, Lord Jim, In Our Time, Cat’s Cradle, A Wrinkle in Time, The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway, Charles Dickens, Welcome to the Monkey House, The Invisible Man, Winnie-the-Pooh
Related Television: Gilligan's Island, I Love Lucy
Favorite Passages:
. . . Mom's a literature freak. If she catches me looking bored, she grabs a book and shoves it in my face and says I have to read twenty pages, and then if I want to stop, I can. A lot of the time I get hooked. Like on Lord Jim. That was a strange one. And Hemingway. She made me read In Our Time, and then I read all his books. And she gave me Catch-22 and Cat's Cradle. So I got hooked on Vonnegut. An I even read Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. High density, but good.
On my own I read stuff like Tolkien and A Wrinkle in Time. And Michael Crichton. And I just finished The Odyssey. That was a surprise. It was actually good. And I've found some good books on Dad's shelves - Richard Feynman especially. He's this very funny physicist - which are not words that usually go together.
Mostly I like books that have a world I can get into. And I guess that's because books have always been so much more interesting than my life. Until today.
_______
"Watch TV or something." That's what the not says.
So I say to myself, Fine. But I think I'll do the "or something" part.
_______
Everything is different. Except it's not. It's me. I'm what's different.
_______
As he talks, I shed layers, tossing stuff onto the marble table below the big beveled mirror. Gloves, scarf, sunglasses, hat, coat. Just like at breakfast, I feel a surge of power from knowing that I can see his face, but he can't see mine.
I read his face as he talks. His eyes drinking in the phenomenon again. His eyes narrowing, his forehead wrinkling as he tries to see and comprehend. His mouth talks, but his eyes never stop hunting, looking for some hidden laws of physics that could explain the missing head and hands that ought to be sticking out of my black turtleneck shirt.
_______
Naked invisible boys are not allowed to gasp and wheeze.
_______
Nothing feels right.
Because when fear begins to crawl, it just keeps coming.
Light is good, light is very good. But the windows behind all the curtains are dark, and behind every curtain there's a horror story, a real one. It's the real ones that come crawling at me through the night.
The alarm system is blinking. That's supposed to make me feel safe. It's blinking next to every door. The alarm system has eyes and fingers all over the house. It senses things. The system will shriek when something outside starts to come through a door or a window.
But fear doesn't need doors and windows. It works from the inside.
________
Because it's not like I wanted this. It's not like I'm some mad scientist who planned and studied and dreamed about becoming invisible all his life, and now it's happened, so now I can use my powers to take over the world.
_______
I an bear it, so I'm going for a walk. Today. Right now. In the sunshine. Because I can. Because I want to. Because I'm not going to just sit around and wait for stuff to happen anymore. I'm still me, and I have a life. It's a weird life, but it's still mine.
It's still mine.
_______
I'm out in public, but I am completely alone. There's action all around me. People are doing things and saying things, but it's like they're in a different dimension, like they're on a stage or a screen.
_______
It's the look of someone who's trying to process impossible information.
Because when something impossible happens, everything else comes unglued.
_______
Sometimes you have to tell someone else what it's like. Because if you don't, you'll go nuts.
_______
When I woke up this morning, I got scared. Not scared like the last four mornings. Not scared by the sudden rediscovery that my body is missing. I got scared because I woke up already knowing that I'm like this. That means I'm getting used to it. Nothing's changing, and I'm just rolling along, going with the flow. I'm adjusting to a serious maladjustment!
And that's truly frightening.
_______
So one thing I learn is that maybe everyone should have a near-death experience now and then.
_______
And it feels like I'm making progress for a day or two. But by the end of the second week, I'm out of ideas, and no matter how I look at all the information, all I see is an invisible kid looking at nothing in a mirror.
_______
". . . if I need to have a search warrant to accomplish that, then I can certainly get one."
Mom waves her hand as if to whisk away that idea.
"Oh, don't mind me, Miss Badger."
"It's Ms. Pagett," says the woman in blue.
Mom laughs lightly, still smiling. "Yes, Ms. Pagett. Please forgive me. I must sound lie I'm ready to call a press conference and accuse you of being a jackbooted government thug or something."
________
I know my mom swears once in a while. Like if she burns her hand on a pan, or if her computer freezes when she's trying to print something. But when that social worker and the cops leave the house, Mom cuts loose. The A word? She shouts it. The B word? Mom shakes her fist and hisses that one. She stomps around the first floor of the house, legs stiff, face red, and she works her way through the entire alphabet of swear words, including some stuff I've never heard anyone say before.
_______
We both hang up, but it's like there's still a connection. I can feel it.
And it feels good.
_______
"This sounds like a book I really need right now. Discouraging and disturbing, yet also deeply depressing. Thanks so much for sharing. Maybe you should start Alicia's Book Club. Here's your slogan: 'Books to Push You Over the Edge.'"
_______
Alicia says, "So you're saying . . . maybe there's this whole squad of other invisible people out there somewhere? . . . That's pretty hard to believe."
"Is five invisible people harder to believe than just one? Is five or ten or a hundred any weirder than one? Okay think about this: Do you and your dad ever talk about life in outer space?"
_______
My hand is cramping up from holding the roll of money so tightly. I wait till the coast is clear and tuck the cash between my left arm and my rib cage, hidden by a layer of non-reflective flesh.
_______
There's a gust of wind from the east, and I shiver. I turn to go inside.
And I feel like something has ended. Or maybe begun.
Or maybe both.
_______
I half wake up, wresting with a dream. This guy named Hoffman has kidnapped Alicia and locked her away in a tower, and I'm going nuts looking for a way inside. Then I discover a secret panel that looks like thick pink glass, but it's just a hologram, and I walk right through it. Inside, Alicia is chained to a table, and these electrodes are hooked to her temples, and she's straining at her chains, and beams of sharp green light are shooting out of her eyes and burning holes in the ceiling. Hoffman is wearing a caveman suit made out of old brown pants tied on with neckties, and he's got his hands on the power dials, and behind him there are two jail cells with Mom in one and Dad in the other.
_______
And this is the scary part of my plan. Because I've decided to just tell the truth. Because it takes truth to find truth, right?
_______
I ask, "Why Florida?"
"Why do you think? Ever try walking around naked in Denver in the wintertime"
And I see why she went south. She took a plane. Just rode the bus to Denver International, found a flight that wasn't too full, and walked on. Sat up in first class and stole food from people who were sleeping.
_______
"And the Internet? It's made for people like me - like us. You don't every have to go outside if you don't want to."
_______
And it's like the whole world has shifted about ten feet to the right. I'm not where I used to be, and I see it, and Dad sees it too, and he sees me seeing him see me.
_______
During this speech, it's like I'm in a time machine. All I hear is what I've been hearing for fifteen years: Everyone else has decided what's best for me. They're all sure. They've mad up their minds. And now they're telling me. They're telling me how they've decide my life will be. I'm a runaway. I'm a fugitive. I'm a milk carton kid. I'm officially missing. They've decided.
My jaw muscles tighten. I feel my face twist, feel my hand clench. They have such a grand plan for me.
I want to scream. I want to froth at the mouth and swear and stomp my feet and break up some chairs and throw chicken soup all over the place. And I want to yell, It's my life! You can't leave me out of the decisions about my own life! You are not in charge here!
But I control myself. In a calm voice I say, "I think I need to get some rest. I'll eat later."
_______
Sheila thinks I don't understand her. But I do. That's the thing. I do understand. Because a week ago, back when there was no hope of a comeback, I didn't have any responsibilities. None. I was a floater. A week ago it was all about living, just living, minute by minute. No tomorrow, no future. No tracks. No expectations. Not really here. Mostly gone. And there's a kind of freedom in that. And I wonder if I'll miss it.
________
Years don't scare me much anymore.
_______
I think it's raining from my basement room
but basements make for faraway ears,
and rain dries up so quickly.
I still think it was rain.
I think a wind is blowing up above
but wind is such a meaningless thing,
invisible and always gone.
I still think it was wind.
I think I'm up there in the wind and rain
but dreaming is always done in bed,
and so many winds and rains are dreams.
I still think it was me.
_______
there are mirrors in my house. i remember them. i still touch them, smooth and cold. i used to look. all the time. people do that. not just me. its true. store windows. little mirrors in cars. makeup mirrors. anything that reflects. and not just girls. everybody. all the time. to remember what they look like. to make sure they dont disappear. like maybe theyre already gone.
i was almost gone bobby. i was almost all the way disappeared. i couldnt remember if i was real. i couldnt see who could love me. i couldn't see anything there to love. i couldnt find a reflection. anywhere. i needed a mirror so bad.
and that was you bobby. invisible mirror. i see me. i see you.
love alicia
"... it's not like I've got the chicken pox or the flu or something. This is completely...different, and it's happening to me, and it means that I can't do anything like I did it yesterday. So that's why I'm saying...what do I do?"
Soon Bobby meets and becomes friends with Alicia who is blind. Because one of them can't see and the other can't be seen, they make a great team. Things Not Seen does contain PG rated scenes of nudity. The way Alicia's mother reacts to Bobby is very humorous. She says to Alicia: "What does this young man wear when you meet with him?" and Alicia replies, "On really cold days, he wears Saran Wrap, but most of the time he's naked." Bobby recounts his first visit to Alicia's house saying "Her mom lets me in, but she says, `stand right there', and then she runs - really runs - and brings me a long white terry cloth robe to wear."
I really enjoyed the writing style of Andrew Clements and have since read the two follow up books:Things Hoped For and Things That Are, as well as FRINDLE. Other great books for teens (and older) on disability issues include: Rules, Hurt Go Happy, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
I believe there are invisible people among us.
Related Works: Flowers for Algernon, Catch-22, Great Expectations, The Lord of the Rings, The Scarlet Letter, Lord Jim, In Our Time, Cat’s Cradle, A Wrinkle in Time, The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway, Charles Dickens, Welcome to the Monkey House, The Invisible Man, Winnie-the-Pooh
Related Television: Gilligan's Island, I Love Lucy
Favorite Passages:
. . . Mom's a literature freak. If she catches me looking bored, she grabs a book and shoves it in my face and says I have to read twenty pages, and then if I want to stop, I can. A lot of the time I get hooked. Like on Lord Jim. That was a strange one. And Hemingway. She made me read In Our Time, and then I read all his books. And she gave me Catch-22 and Cat's Cradle. So I got hooked on Vonnegut. An I even read Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. High density, but good.
On my own I read stuff like Tolkien and A Wrinkle in Time. And Michael Crichton. And I just finished The Odyssey. That was a surprise. It was actually good. And I've found some good books on Dad's shelves - Richard Feynman especially. He's this very funny physicist - which are not words that usually go together.
Mostly I like books that have a world I can get into. And I guess that's because books have always been so much more interesting than my life. Until today.
_______
"Watch TV or something." That's what the not says.
So I say to myself, Fine. But I think I'll do the "or something" part.
_______
Everything is different. Except it's not. It's me. I'm what's different.
_______
As he talks, I shed layers, tossing stuff onto the marble table below the big beveled mirror. Gloves, scarf, sunglasses, hat, coat. Just like at breakfast, I feel a surge of power from knowing that I can see his face, but he can't see mine.
I read his face as he talks. His eyes drinking in the phenomenon again. His eyes narrowing, his forehead wrinkling as he tries to see and comprehend. His mouth talks, but his eyes never stop hunting, looking for some hidden laws of physics that could explain the missing head and hands that ought to be sticking out of my black turtleneck shirt.
_______
Naked invisible boys are not allowed to gasp and wheeze.
_______
Nothing feels right.
Because when fear begins to crawl, it just keeps coming.
Light is good, light is very good. But the windows behind all the curtains are dark, and behind every curtain there's a horror story, a real one. It's the real ones that come crawling at me through the night.
The alarm system is blinking. That's supposed to make me feel safe. It's blinking next to every door. The alarm system has eyes and fingers all over the house. It senses things. The system will shriek when something outside starts to come through a door or a window.
But fear doesn't need doors and windows. It works from the inside.
________
Because it's not like I wanted this. It's not like I'm some mad scientist who planned and studied and dreamed about becoming invisible all his life, and now it's happened, so now I can use my powers to take over the world.
_______
I an bear it, so I'm going for a walk. Today. Right now. In the sunshine. Because I can. Because I want to. Because I'm not going to just sit around and wait for stuff to happen anymore. I'm still me, and I have a life. It's a weird life, but it's still mine.
It's still mine.
_______
I'm out in public, but I am completely alone. There's action all around me. People are doing things and saying things, but it's like they're in a different dimension, like they're on a stage or a screen.
_______
It's the look of someone who's trying to process impossible information.
Because when something impossible happens, everything else comes unglued.
_______
Sometimes you have to tell someone else what it's like. Because if you don't, you'll go nuts.
_______
When I woke up this morning, I got scared. Not scared like the last four mornings. Not scared by the sudden rediscovery that my body is missing. I got scared because I woke up already knowing that I'm like this. That means I'm getting used to it. Nothing's changing, and I'm just rolling along, going with the flow. I'm adjusting to a serious maladjustment!
And that's truly frightening.
_______
So one thing I learn is that maybe everyone should have a near-death experience now and then.
_______
And it feels like I'm making progress for a day or two. But by the end of the second week, I'm out of ideas, and no matter how I look at all the information, all I see is an invisible kid looking at nothing in a mirror.
_______
". . . if I need to have a search warrant to accomplish that, then I can certainly get one."
Mom waves her hand as if to whisk away that idea.
"Oh, don't mind me, Miss Badger."
"It's Ms. Pagett," says the woman in blue.
Mom laughs lightly, still smiling. "Yes, Ms. Pagett. Please forgive me. I must sound lie I'm ready to call a press conference and accuse you of being a jackbooted government thug or something."
________
I know my mom swears once in a while. Like if she burns her hand on a pan, or if her computer freezes when she's trying to print something. But when that social worker and the cops leave the house, Mom cuts loose. The A word? She shouts it. The B word? Mom shakes her fist and hisses that one. She stomps around the first floor of the house, legs stiff, face red, and she works her way through the entire alphabet of swear words, including some stuff I've never heard anyone say before.
_______
We both hang up, but it's like there's still a connection. I can feel it.
And it feels good.
_______
"This sounds like a book I really need right now. Discouraging and disturbing, yet also deeply depressing. Thanks so much for sharing. Maybe you should start Alicia's Book Club. Here's your slogan: 'Books to Push You Over the Edge.'"
_______
Alicia says, "So you're saying . . . maybe there's this whole squad of other invisible people out there somewhere? . . . That's pretty hard to believe."
"Is five invisible people harder to believe than just one? Is five or ten or a hundred any weirder than one? Okay think about this: Do you and your dad ever talk about life in outer space?"
_______
My hand is cramping up from holding the roll of money so tightly. I wait till the coast is clear and tuck the cash between my left arm and my rib cage, hidden by a layer of non-reflective flesh.
_______
There's a gust of wind from the east, and I shiver. I turn to go inside.
And I feel like something has ended. Or maybe begun.
Or maybe both.
_______
I half wake up, wresting with a dream. This guy named Hoffman has kidnapped Alicia and locked her away in a tower, and I'm going nuts looking for a way inside. Then I discover a secret panel that looks like thick pink glass, but it's just a hologram, and I walk right through it. Inside, Alicia is chained to a table, and these electrodes are hooked to her temples, and she's straining at her chains, and beams of sharp green light are shooting out of her eyes and burning holes in the ceiling. Hoffman is wearing a caveman suit made out of old brown pants tied on with neckties, and he's got his hands on the power dials, and behind him there are two jail cells with Mom in one and Dad in the other.
_______
And this is the scary part of my plan. Because I've decided to just tell the truth. Because it takes truth to find truth, right?
_______
I ask, "Why Florida?"
"Why do you think? Ever try walking around naked in Denver in the wintertime"
And I see why she went south. She took a plane. Just rode the bus to Denver International, found a flight that wasn't too full, and walked on. Sat up in first class and stole food from people who were sleeping.
_______
"And the Internet? It's made for people like me - like us. You don't every have to go outside if you don't want to."
_______
And it's like the whole world has shifted about ten feet to the right. I'm not where I used to be, and I see it, and Dad sees it too, and he sees me seeing him see me.
_______
During this speech, it's like I'm in a time machine. All I hear is what I've been hearing for fifteen years: Everyone else has decided what's best for me. They're all sure. They've mad up their minds. And now they're telling me. They're telling me how they've decide my life will be. I'm a runaway. I'm a fugitive. I'm a milk carton kid. I'm officially missing. They've decided.
My jaw muscles tighten. I feel my face twist, feel my hand clench. They have such a grand plan for me.
I want to scream. I want to froth at the mouth and swear and stomp my feet and break up some chairs and throw chicken soup all over the place. And I want to yell, It's my life! You can't leave me out of the decisions about my own life! You are not in charge here!
But I control myself. In a calm voice I say, "I think I need to get some rest. I'll eat later."
_______
Sheila thinks I don't understand her. But I do. That's the thing. I do understand. Because a week ago, back when there was no hope of a comeback, I didn't have any responsibilities. None. I was a floater. A week ago it was all about living, just living, minute by minute. No tomorrow, no future. No tracks. No expectations. Not really here. Mostly gone. And there's a kind of freedom in that. And I wonder if I'll miss it.
________
Years don't scare me much anymore.
_______
I think it's raining from my basement room
but basements make for faraway ears,
and rain dries up so quickly.
I still think it was rain.
I think a wind is blowing up above
but wind is such a meaningless thing,
invisible and always gone.
I still think it was wind.
I think I'm up there in the wind and rain
but dreaming is always done in bed,
and so many winds and rains are dreams.
I still think it was me.
_______
there are mirrors in my house. i remember them. i still touch them, smooth and cold. i used to look. all the time. people do that. not just me. its true. store windows. little mirrors in cars. makeup mirrors. anything that reflects. and not just girls. everybody. all the time. to remember what they look like. to make sure they dont disappear. like maybe theyre already gone.
i was almost gone bobby. i was almost all the way disappeared. i couldnt remember if i was real. i couldnt see who could love me. i couldn't see anything there to love. i couldnt find a reflection. anywhere. i needed a mirror so bad.
and that was you bobby. invisible mirror. i see me. i see you.
love alicia
November 30, 2010
"It's a Tuesday morning in February, and I get up as usual, and I stumble into the bathroom to take a shower in the dark. Which is my school-day method because it's sort of like an extra ten minutes of sleep.
It's after the shower. That's when it happens.
It's when I turn on the bathroom light and wipe the fog off the mirror to comb my hair. It's what I see in the mirror. It's what I don't see.
I look a second time, and then rub at the mirror again.
I'm not there.
That's what I'm saying.
I'm. Not. There."
Okay, so that's the back of the book snipet... but it's also the very first paragraph in the book. WHAM! Drops a load on us right of the bat. Normally, that might be wonderful, but I thought maybe we should atleast know (bobby's) name before we jump into the whole 'I'm invisible' thing.
I expected to go through a lot more to wind up invisible. I expected a sort of 'life being invisbile' thing, which I sort of got, but it was not exactly how I had envisioned it going.
Bobby's invisible, blah blah blah. He runs around either dressed to visit the artic or naked. He meets a blind girl. We follow both of their stories of growing and self realization. Our Blind girl, Alicia sort of makes the story for me. She helps Bobby. Bobby helps her. I wish there was a little more to their relationship than what we got.
The cause of this mysterious invisibility was ridiculous! I'm no scientist, but you have to admit it was a little odd!
Blankie + Some crazy Solar power/Spirit in the Sky= Invisibility
Thanks Mr. Clements, I'm sure there are tons of scientists who were just waiting on said information. The mystery of invisibility is now solvd. Thanks.
It's after the shower. That's when it happens.
It's when I turn on the bathroom light and wipe the fog off the mirror to comb my hair. It's what I see in the mirror. It's what I don't see.
I look a second time, and then rub at the mirror again.
I'm not there.
That's what I'm saying.
I'm. Not. There."
Okay, so that's the back of the book snipet... but it's also the very first paragraph in the book. WHAM! Drops a load on us right of the bat. Normally, that might be wonderful, but I thought maybe we should atleast know (bobby's) name before we jump into the whole 'I'm invisible' thing.
I expected to go through a lot more to wind up invisible. I expected a sort of 'life being invisbile' thing, which I sort of got, but it was not exactly how I had envisioned it going.
Bobby's invisible, blah blah blah. He runs around either dressed to visit the artic or naked. He meets a blind girl. We follow both of their stories of growing and self realization. Our Blind girl, Alicia sort of makes the story for me. She helps Bobby. Bobby helps her. I wish there was a little more to their relationship than what we got.
The cause of this mysterious invisibility was ridiculous! I'm no scientist, but you have to admit it was a little odd!
Blankie + Some crazy Solar power/Spirit in the Sky= Invisibility
Thanks Mr. Clements, I'm sure there are tons of scientists who were just waiting on said information. The mystery of invisibility is now solvd. Thanks.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2020
For a basic book like this, I was surprised. This was a great book and I really enjoyed reading it. I read many books by the same author in 2nd grade, although this is definitely targeted for 5th graders(which I am not). I loved this book through and through, and I was very genuine, which I loved. I can't seem to find the next 2 books for free ANYWHERE, so I'm sad. ToT If you read this I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
January 15, 2025
*Sigh* I still love this book
February 23, 2018
I chose this book because I wanted to take a break from mystery/thriller. It had been a while since I had read fiction, and the plot of the book sounded interesting. The cover also caught my eye.
A fifteen year old boy, Bobby Phillips, wakes up invisible one day, not knowing why or how. Even his parents, who are nerds for a living, can’t figure it out. Missing school, being home alone for days, and having nothing to do drives him insane. He decides to go to the library, invisible, and accidentally bumps into a girl. Fortunately, he lucks out, and the girl is blind. Because she can’t see that Bobby is invisible, she assumes he is a normal person. Days pass and Bobby still can’t seem to figure out what has happened to him or how to fix it. Will he ever return to normal? Or will he be invisible for as long as he lives?
I liked how the author wrote about the parents as well. Usually, in these types of books, the main characters are the only ones who are focussed on. Clements, however, actually shows how the parents felt about everything, their problem-solving, their worrying, and everything in between. I also like that the author explains uses science as somewhat of an explanation, rather than just saying it was a miracle of some sort.
To be honest, this book was not all that great. It starts off interesting, but then seems to go on forever, and not much happens. It’s almost like the author started writing but didn’t know where to go with the book. He drags the plot on and on, and then a sub-plot, and then another, and again. It gets boring and annoying to follow. I also thought it was weird how Bobby was always naked so he could be invisible. I feel like roaming around the cold state of Chicago naked would be the last thing to do if you were invisible. Additionally, I did not like Alicia's character. She was too sarcastic and rude, and took everything too seriously. Bobby would try to lighten the mood but she would stay uptight, as well as take anything said to her offensively. Even thought Bobby was the invisible one, she always played victim, and made everything about her.
A fifteen year old boy, Bobby Phillips, wakes up invisible one day, not knowing why or how. Even his parents, who are nerds for a living, can’t figure it out. Missing school, being home alone for days, and having nothing to do drives him insane. He decides to go to the library, invisible, and accidentally bumps into a girl. Fortunately, he lucks out, and the girl is blind. Because she can’t see that Bobby is invisible, she assumes he is a normal person. Days pass and Bobby still can’t seem to figure out what has happened to him or how to fix it. Will he ever return to normal? Or will he be invisible for as long as he lives?
I liked how the author wrote about the parents as well. Usually, in these types of books, the main characters are the only ones who are focussed on. Clements, however, actually shows how the parents felt about everything, their problem-solving, their worrying, and everything in between. I also like that the author explains uses science as somewhat of an explanation, rather than just saying it was a miracle of some sort.
To be honest, this book was not all that great. It starts off interesting, but then seems to go on forever, and not much happens. It’s almost like the author started writing but didn’t know where to go with the book. He drags the plot on and on, and then a sub-plot, and then another, and again. It gets boring and annoying to follow. I also thought it was weird how Bobby was always naked so he could be invisible. I feel like roaming around the cold state of Chicago naked would be the last thing to do if you were invisible. Additionally, I did not like Alicia's character. She was too sarcastic and rude, and took everything too seriously. Bobby would try to lighten the mood but she would stay uptight, as well as take anything said to her offensively. Even thought Bobby was the invisible one, she always played victim, and made everything about her.
May 20, 2018
Things Not Seen was kind of interesting to read.
One day Bobby, a 15 year old boy, buys an electric blanket and wakes up the next day invisible. Of course things get pretty complicated for his family and his life. His dad, who is physicist, is trying to figure out what exactly happened to him and maybe try to bring him back in a way. Then the whole school situation is a no-no because he can't go. He's freaking invisible. So, now everyone thinks he's some missing kid.
A bunch of crazy things happen in this book and I really enjoyed it. I also really enjoyed meeting Alicia.. well, Bobby meeting Alicia. She's blind so it doesn't really matter if he's invisible in a way. She can't see him.. but she also can't touch him either. However, the thing that was just so weird to me was that Bobby was basically naked the entire time he was invisible. Which I get that he probably wouldn't want to wear clothes because he's invisible.. but he's just hanging around with Alice naked. She's his crush and I just couldn't wrap my head around that really weird situation for the longest time. Kind of made me cringe but there's nothing I can do about that.
Bobby's life was a complete mess when he became invisible on accident. Everyone starts to wonder what happened to him or where he actually is. It was an interesting story but it was also so freaking weird for me to read.
In the end, I ended up loving Bobby and Alicia's relationship throughout the book. Some things kind of weirded me out in the book but I did enjoy the overall outcome of it all.
One day Bobby, a 15 year old boy, buys an electric blanket and wakes up the next day invisible. Of course things get pretty complicated for his family and his life. His dad, who is physicist, is trying to figure out what exactly happened to him and maybe try to bring him back in a way. Then the whole school situation is a no-no because he can't go. He's freaking invisible. So, now everyone thinks he's some missing kid.
A bunch of crazy things happen in this book and I really enjoyed it. I also really enjoyed meeting Alicia.. well, Bobby meeting Alicia. She's blind so it doesn't really matter if he's invisible in a way. She can't see him.. but she also can't touch him either. However, the thing that was just so weird to me was that Bobby was basically naked the entire time he was invisible. Which I get that he probably wouldn't want to wear clothes because he's invisible.. but he's just hanging around with Alice naked. She's his crush and I just couldn't wrap my head around that really weird situation for the longest time. Kind of made me cringe but there's nothing I can do about that.
Bobby's life was a complete mess when he became invisible on accident. Everyone starts to wonder what happened to him or where he actually is. It was an interesting story but it was also so freaking weird for me to read.
In the end, I ended up loving Bobby and Alicia's relationship throughout the book. Some things kind of weirded me out in the book but I did enjoy the overall outcome of it all.
February 11, 2020
"You know how Hemingway writes? He couldn't write about this girl's face. Because he'd say something like 'It was a pretty face.' And that wouldn't be enough. This face needs someone like Dickens, or maybe Tolstoy. Someone who'd take a whole page and spend some time on her eyebrows and her cheeks, or maybe notice the shape of her mouth when she's concentrating on walking with her cane."
That quote is when I fell in love with this book. This book is wonderfully written and paced perfectly. Clements doesn't get lost in the details and every line is significant to the story. He also ended at the perfect moment in my opinion, which is why I will not be reading the next two books.
There's not really any drawbacks to me for this book, so I feel a bit bad not giving it 5 stars. It was incredibly well-written, and the characterization and plot were great. It just isn't 5 stars to me for some reason, though I would definitely recommend it (especially to the intended audience, kids). One thing I really liked is that Bobby has a lot of emotions and anger and stuff but he is really sophisticated and in control of his emotions when he speaks, which I found very impressive given that you can see how angry he is at times in his narration. Very impressive emotion control for a teen!
That quote is when I fell in love with this book. This book is wonderfully written and paced perfectly. Clements doesn't get lost in the details and every line is significant to the story. He also ended at the perfect moment in my opinion, which is why I will not be reading the next two books.
There's not really any drawbacks to me for this book, so I feel a bit bad not giving it 5 stars. It was incredibly well-written, and the characterization and plot were great. It just isn't 5 stars to me for some reason, though I would definitely recommend it (especially to the intended audience, kids). One thing I really liked is that Bobby has a lot of emotions and anger and stuff but he is really sophisticated and in control of his emotions when he speaks, which I found very impressive given that you can see how angry he is at times in his narration. Very impressive emotion control for a teen!
November 13, 2014
This book is amazing. The conflict of the story would never happen in real life, but the way the author shows how the main character struggles, it seems very real. You will connect with the main character, Bobby Phillips as he tells his story. Along the way, he makes an unexpected friend who sees the real him. That's one thing I didn't enjoy about the book - it's too cliche. Besides that one fault, the story is very well written and actually portrays a normal teenager without overdoing it. You should definitely give this book a try.
January 8, 2011
I started reading this book a while ago but kinda forgot about it (until now).
I'll try to come back to it and finish it someday soon ;))
Image source
February 24, 2023
Man, there are some GOOD 6th grade books out there! I haven’t read very many science fiction books and this one was on my shelf and holy crap, I loved every second of it. It’s about a 17-year old boy who wakes up to find that he’s invisible and how he navigates his life. Hooked me right from the beginning and I cried at the end. 10/10
May 3, 2022
I really liked this book. It shows Bobby's quest to visibility with real characters and interesting dialogue.
May 21, 2025
I read this book 16 years ago and think about it at least 8 times a year. And for that I have to give it 5 stars😂
February 5, 2019
Imagine waking up one day and not being able to see yourself. Imagine being invisible but not trying to scare your parents, and don't even think about school. Imagine living in a world that feels like you're the only one that doesn't exist in it. That's what happened to Bobby Philips.
Ever since Bobby has been invisible, his parents tried to figure out things, how he would live his life being invisible since they couldn't figure out how to turn Bobby uninvisible. As his parents keep babbling on about him, he thought, "All I hear is what I've been hearing for fifteen years: Everyone else has decided what's best for me. They're all sure. They've made up their minds. And now they're telling me. They're telling me how they've decided my life will be. I'm a runaway. I'm a fugitive. I'm a milk-cartoon kid. I'm officially missing." This made him so angry, so frustrated, that his jaw muscles tightened, his face twist, his hands clench.
When Bobby figured out that there was another person in the world with the same problem as him, he contacted her and found out that her name is Sheila and she had been gone for 3 years. Towards the end of the story, Bobby changed back to his old self, and tried to tell the Sheila how to turn back to her normal self. But she refused, she said to forget Bobby ever found her, and to not tell anybody. Sheila didn't want to change her life again, she didn't want to have everything happening at once after all the things she had already done in her life. She didn't want to start worrying about things like her weight and her hair. Sheila's already decided where it ends, it ends with her. Bobby doesn't get to change it for her. She's made a life that she likes.
Sometimes in life, people will try decide what they think is right for you, but never think about how you will feel about it. But in the end, it's really just your life, not their's. They don't have the right to control it.
Ever since Bobby has been invisible, his parents tried to figure out things, how he would live his life being invisible since they couldn't figure out how to turn Bobby uninvisible. As his parents keep babbling on about him, he thought, "All I hear is what I've been hearing for fifteen years: Everyone else has decided what's best for me. They're all sure. They've made up their minds. And now they're telling me. They're telling me how they've decided my life will be. I'm a runaway. I'm a fugitive. I'm a milk-cartoon kid. I'm officially missing." This made him so angry, so frustrated, that his jaw muscles tightened, his face twist, his hands clench.
When Bobby figured out that there was another person in the world with the same problem as him, he contacted her and found out that her name is Sheila and she had been gone for 3 years. Towards the end of the story, Bobby changed back to his old self, and tried to tell the Sheila how to turn back to her normal self. But she refused, she said to forget Bobby ever found her, and to not tell anybody. Sheila didn't want to change her life again, she didn't want to have everything happening at once after all the things she had already done in her life. She didn't want to start worrying about things like her weight and her hair. Sheila's already decided where it ends, it ends with her. Bobby doesn't get to change it for her. She's made a life that she likes.
Sometimes in life, people will try decide what they think is right for you, but never think about how you will feel about it. But in the end, it's really just your life, not their's. They don't have the right to control it.
October 22, 2022
This was a very enjoyable book! It had a very different feel than most of the other books I've read by Andrew Clements. Most of what I've read has been more realistic, and this was definitely more on the fantasy side. This story brought up lots of thought provoking points and also had a really strong character who was visually impaired. I read book 2 of this trilogy several years ago, but I'm excited to read it again now with this backstory in my head and then continue on and read the whole trilogy.
August 20, 2024
I always considered Andrew Clements as a top tier author growing up, I loved Frindle and many of his other books. Having reread this, I stand by that. The writing here does such a good job of conveying emotion, and it doesn’t feel sparse on details like many kid/ya books. The relationship between Bobby and Alicia also sticks out as very nuanced and well written. This is very high level stuff for a book written for a child audience
December 31, 2025
A re-read! Loved this one growing up and still love it. It’s truly a YA book. It’s smart, not too provocative even though he’s running around invisibly naked. I just think it’s clever storytelling with how he figures out how he came to be invisible in the first place. I also really like Alice. She’s not just a love interest but has a mind of her own with aspirations of her own. This book feels very realistic when it comes to communication in my opinion and I feel like a lot of books these days don’t have the same level of character communication.
January 24, 2022
{Rated PG} I read this book because my 7th grade son is reading it in his class. Although the story is about an invisible boy and a blind girl, the underlying meaning and self discovery that they both have along the way is the true plot of it all. The references to being and feeling “invisible” to others has a whole new meaning when you read this book.
December 21, 2019
This book was really scientific with love involved. I really like this book because I really I'm into physics. This book shows how Bobby Phillips turns invisible and the one day after bumps into a blind girl named Alicia plus, how some real life relationships are with parents. I couldn't stop thinking how Alicia was so comfortable with Booby Phillips being naked all the time when they went walking out in the streets. I would recommend this book to people that like science plus romance a bit.
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