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How to Stay Invisible
My Side of the Mountain meets How to Steal a Dog in this high-stakes and heartfelt middle-grade story of a young boy and his dog surviving on their own in the woods.
Being alone is something Raymond is used to.
Twelve-year-old Raymond Hurley has never had a place to call home. His free-wheeling parents move their family from town to town, and he’s living in a trailer in a brand-new state when one day, they just up and abandon him. All alone with nothing but a duffle bag full of clothes and his reliable pup, Rosie, he is forced to live in the woods behind his middle school.
With a fishing pole in hand and survival guide checked out from the library, Raymond scrapes by and doesn’t tell anyone his secret. This isn’t the first time he’s had to rely on himself. However, when winter days get colder and finding food becomes nearly impossible, Raymond makes new friends, including a curious coyote, in unexpected places. Soon, he learns that his fate will depend not just on his wilderness skills, but on the people and animals he chooses to trust.
In How to Stay Invisible , Maggie C. Rudd takes readers on a journey of survival that speaks to friendship, adventure, and the everyday wonders of nature. In middle school, blending in is easy but sometimes the braver thing is being seen .
Being alone is something Raymond is used to.
Twelve-year-old Raymond Hurley has never had a place to call home. His free-wheeling parents move their family from town to town, and he’s living in a trailer in a brand-new state when one day, they just up and abandon him. All alone with nothing but a duffle bag full of clothes and his reliable pup, Rosie, he is forced to live in the woods behind his middle school.
With a fishing pole in hand and survival guide checked out from the library, Raymond scrapes by and doesn’t tell anyone his secret. This isn’t the first time he’s had to rely on himself. However, when winter days get colder and finding food becomes nearly impossible, Raymond makes new friends, including a curious coyote, in unexpected places. Soon, he learns that his fate will depend not just on his wilderness skills, but on the people and animals he chooses to trust.
In How to Stay Invisible , Maggie C. Rudd takes readers on a journey of survival that speaks to friendship, adventure, and the everyday wonders of nature. In middle school, blending in is easy but sometimes the braver thing is being seen .
240 pages, Hardcover
Published June 27, 2023
59 people are currently reading
956 people want to read
About the author
Maggie C. Rudd
8 books31 followersMaggie C. Rudd is from rural North Carolina where she lives with her two boys. When she isn't writing, she is teaching high school, making forts, or outside getting muddy with her kids. She is the author of the picture book I'll Hold Your Hand.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
July 19, 2023
yeah, i’m fine. i’m completely fine. just wiping snot and tears at 1:40 am over a 12-year-old boy who was abandoned by his parents and left to fend for himself in the woods behind his middle school with the help of his dog rosie, a coyote named hank, and an old man who lost his son to war and wife to leukemia.
i’m not crying as i type this, definitely not. that lump in my throat is nothing new, and my red eyes are from lack of sleep. definitely not from all the crying.
i’m not crying as i type this, definitely not. that lump in my throat is nothing new, and my red eyes are from lack of sleep. definitely not from all the crying.
January 21, 2024
“There are worse things than being alone.”
🐕
Raymond and his parents recently moved to a new town, but that’s nothing new to Raymond. They move all the time, but this time they moved without telling Raymond. He walks home to find their trailer locked and his dog alone. Left with no other choices, Raymond ends up living in a hollowed out tree behind his middle school with his dog, Rosie. For months Raymond relies on his survival skills, knowledge, and help from a few allies, including an old vet and a wandering coyote.
🐺
THIS BOOK GUTTED ME. I tried to start it several times over the break, actually crying on page two. TWO! But I powered through tonight, crying for the three hours it took me to get through it. What an emotional rollercoaster that I’m not sure I would recommend to many people, unless you’re looking for a tearjerker of a story that will rip at your heartstrings from beginning to end. It was especially hard to read as an educator because I’m constantly wondering what I’m missing—who I’m not seeing because they’re trying so hard to be invisible. But maybe that’s why you should read it.
CW: animal death, vomit, illness, hospitalization, parental abandonment, death, leukemia (mentioned), death of a child, food insecurity, unhoused child, blood, prison
Any book that makes me cry the entire time and scream I HATE THIS BOOK gets 5 ⭐️ 🤷🏼♀️
🐕
Raymond and his parents recently moved to a new town, but that’s nothing new to Raymond. They move all the time, but this time they moved without telling Raymond. He walks home to find their trailer locked and his dog alone. Left with no other choices, Raymond ends up living in a hollowed out tree behind his middle school with his dog, Rosie. For months Raymond relies on his survival skills, knowledge, and help from a few allies, including an old vet and a wandering coyote.
🐺
THIS BOOK GUTTED ME. I tried to start it several times over the break, actually crying on page two. TWO! But I powered through tonight, crying for the three hours it took me to get through it. What an emotional rollercoaster that I’m not sure I would recommend to many people, unless you’re looking for a tearjerker of a story that will rip at your heartstrings from beginning to end. It was especially hard to read as an educator because I’m constantly wondering what I’m missing—who I’m not seeing because they’re trying so hard to be invisible. But maybe that’s why you should read it.
CW: animal death, vomit, illness, hospitalization, parental abandonment, death, leukemia (mentioned), death of a child, food insecurity, unhoused child, blood, prison
Any book that makes me cry the entire time and scream I HATE THIS BOOK gets 5 ⭐️ 🤷🏼♀️
April 13, 2024
I loved this book so much. Raymond has already been through so much in his short life, and then he has to learn to survive all on his own. The author really makes you care about him and the friends he makes along the way. You wonder how he'll endure all the new challenges he is faced with. It touched my heart for sure. 😭
April 2, 2023
I cannot express how important this book is. Having been a child who often didn't have all they needed and who felt the sting from remarks made of other students who didn't realize other people experienced a different life, I felt seen in a way I never thought I would be.
December 9, 2023
What an emotional ride. Complex, sad and unbelievably difficult situation. I was invested in all the main characters and Hank and could not put it down. Twelve year old me would have loved this book and adult me would definitely recommend it.
March 12, 2023
I recieved a free eARC of this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.
Raymond has never had much stability in life. In fact, he's been in three schools so far in 6th grade. But when his parents leave him and his dog behind, he has to survive on his own, with his fishing gear and a survival guide from the school library, and not much else. Who can Raymond turn to and trust?
I remember loving "My Side of the Mountain" as a kid, where a teen runs away to the woods and creates a life for himself there, xomplete with a house in a tree, a falcon, and lots of woodcraft. It made it sound romantic. Or, earlier, The Boxcar Children, where a family of abandoned kids set up house in an old railroad boxcar, furnished from the local dump. It made it sound fun. In both cases, there was a satisfactory solution where the kids involved got to keep both their independent hideaway but got a home with supportive family as well. They're, in retrospect, fantasy, just as much as Harry Potter or Narnia.
How to stay invisible is not romantic or fantastic at all. Raymond is a kid just trying to survive and go to school. He's living on the school cafeteria, food scavenged from the school dumpsters, what he can catch while fishing, and the occasional squirrel his dog catches. His best friend at school has a parent in prison and, while not living in the woods, is equally rejected. The adult he ends up getting help from is a social recluse who lives in an old hunting cabin.
What's more, while teachers express concerns about Raymond's grades and appearancs, they still miss the fact that one of their 12 yr old students is living on his own, without adult support.
This is a book that shows just how dire the situation can be for some kids in our classrooms and in our world, and how even carinf adults can miss the forest in the trees. It also shows the resilence of life-and how sometimes kids see more than adults do.
This is an excellent book. I think a lot of kids will find Raymond's struggles engaging. I hope not too many find it relatable, because if Raymond's life is their life, they're in bad straits indeed. This book deserves a place in libraries and classrooms, and would be an interesting shared reading and discussion book.
Raymond has never had much stability in life. In fact, he's been in three schools so far in 6th grade. But when his parents leave him and his dog behind, he has to survive on his own, with his fishing gear and a survival guide from the school library, and not much else. Who can Raymond turn to and trust?
I remember loving "My Side of the Mountain" as a kid, where a teen runs away to the woods and creates a life for himself there, xomplete with a house in a tree, a falcon, and lots of woodcraft. It made it sound romantic. Or, earlier, The Boxcar Children, where a family of abandoned kids set up house in an old railroad boxcar, furnished from the local dump. It made it sound fun. In both cases, there was a satisfactory solution where the kids involved got to keep both their independent hideaway but got a home with supportive family as well. They're, in retrospect, fantasy, just as much as Harry Potter or Narnia.
How to stay invisible is not romantic or fantastic at all. Raymond is a kid just trying to survive and go to school. He's living on the school cafeteria, food scavenged from the school dumpsters, what he can catch while fishing, and the occasional squirrel his dog catches. His best friend at school has a parent in prison and, while not living in the woods, is equally rejected. The adult he ends up getting help from is a social recluse who lives in an old hunting cabin.
What's more, while teachers express concerns about Raymond's grades and appearancs, they still miss the fact that one of their 12 yr old students is living on his own, without adult support.
This is a book that shows just how dire the situation can be for some kids in our classrooms and in our world, and how even carinf adults can miss the forest in the trees. It also shows the resilence of life-and how sometimes kids see more than adults do.
This is an excellent book. I think a lot of kids will find Raymond's struggles engaging. I hope not too many find it relatable, because if Raymond's life is their life, they're in bad straits indeed. This book deserves a place in libraries and classrooms, and would be an interesting shared reading and discussion book.
July 4, 2023
This book was heartbreakingly beautiful, and I found myself constantly crying towards the end. I loved how strong and resilient the main character was, but also how he had this vulnerable side. The other people in the story felt very real to me as well, and they all tangled up in the story well. I can only recommend this book. I absolutely loved it.
July 23, 2025
I read this over a few hours today, continuing my middle school age book binge of late. It’s impressively done, and regardless of how realistic it could be (a credulity stretch for sure), it is certainly heartbreaking what some kids truly deal with at home. In this case, a 12 year olds parents simply abandon him and it is not the first time, so he camps out in the woods to prevent having to go back to a “children’s home”. I felt some strong emotion with this one.
July 18, 2024
Not only is this a survival book like Paulsen’s Hatchet, Freeman’s Alone and even more closely, Jean Craighead George’s My Side of the Mountain, it is a book about being loved, cared for and SEEN. Raymond Hurley’s parents have never seemed to want to be parents and as a result, Raymond has taken care of himself pretty much exclusively for as long as he can remember. But this time, his mom and dad seem to have truly vanished with no intention of seeing him again. Forging a home in the woods near his middle school was an accident, but between the hollowed out log, the fishing, and the dumpsters behind the school, he is making it just fine by himself. Then classmate Harlan begins to make a place for himself in Raymond’s life. Next, Lexi begins to seek out his company, and finally, Stigs rescues Raymond’s dog Rosie and takes the pair under his wing during her healing time. Maybe he needs help after all??
Rudd’s debut middle grade novel kept me hooked from beginning to end. All three middle school characters, Raymond, Harlin and Lexi, made me laugh and warmed my heart and the trio really demonstrated the kind of loyalty that should be present in friendship. Loved how Stigs, the loner adult, found a way to help Raymond in big and little ways and several teachers and a librarian were a source of support to a young man in crisis. Yes, it is hard to believe that none of the adults did more to intervene on Raymond’s behalf, but I have to think that if the snake hadn’t happened, one of those adults would have stepped up in a bigger way.
Text is free of profanity, sexual content and violence. Representation: diverse family configurations, Raymond’s parents were taking pills, Harlin’s mom is in jail and his dad struggling with his own demons which could be mental illness or drug abuse. Target age: grades 4-7
A 2024-2025 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee.
Rudd’s debut middle grade novel kept me hooked from beginning to end. All three middle school characters, Raymond, Harlin and Lexi, made me laugh and warmed my heart and the trio really demonstrated the kind of loyalty that should be present in friendship. Loved how Stigs, the loner adult, found a way to help Raymond in big and little ways and several teachers and a librarian were a source of support to a young man in crisis. Yes, it is hard to believe that none of the adults did more to intervene on Raymond’s behalf, but I have to think that if the snake hadn’t happened, one of those adults would have stepped up in a bigger way.
Text is free of profanity, sexual content and violence. Representation: diverse family configurations, Raymond’s parents were taking pills, Harlin’s mom is in jail and his dad struggling with his own demons which could be mental illness or drug abuse. Target age: grades 4-7
A 2024-2025 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee.
March 10, 2023
This book is an absolute masterpiece and it deserves way more than I’ll be able to say right now. I literally just finished reading and I am still coming down from the emotional rollercoaster. I will add a full review later. I just needed to say while the emotions are still high how much this story impacted me. It broke my heart and gave me hope. It made me curse the cruel world we live in and say a prayer of thanks for the kind souls who live in it. Well done, Maggie. I’m honored to call you a friend.
November 11, 2024
Raymond's parents are not the greatest, but he never imagines that they would leave town without him. When he arrives home after school one evening to find the trailer locked and his dog, Rosie, tied up outside, he realizes that he and Rosie are on their own. In the woods behind the middle school, he finds a hollow log for shelter and, over time, builds up a campsite where he and Rosie can survive. He keeps attending school, where he can get breakfast and lunch, and between fishing, trapping, and dumpster-diving, manages to find enough food for himself and Rosie. But it's getting colder in the woods -- and it's getting harder to keep his secrets from friends and teachers at school. How long can he make it on his own?
As a kid, I enjoyed books like My Side of the Mountain, and would probably have been equally intrigued by Raymond's adventures (with a dog, no less!). As an adult reader, I was so stressed out the whole time I was reading, and even when I put the book down I still felt anxious. So, the writing is good and it kept me on the edge of my seat, is the positive way to look at this! If you like survival stories, this one is recommended. Spoiler for animal lovers:
One quibble with the survival details: Do not use river rocks to make a fire ring! Stones that have been in water can have water molecules trapped inside them, and when those molecules are heated (like, by your campfire), they can explode.
As a kid, I enjoyed books like My Side of the Mountain, and would probably have been equally intrigued by Raymond's adventures (with a dog, no less!). As an adult reader, I was so stressed out the whole time I was reading, and even when I put the book down I still felt anxious. So, the writing is good and it kept me on the edge of my seat, is the positive way to look at this! If you like survival stories, this one is recommended. Spoiler for animal lovers:
One quibble with the survival details: Do not use river rocks to make a fire ring! Stones that have been in water can have water molecules trapped inside them, and when those molecules are heated (like, by your campfire), they can explode.
January 9, 2024
It touched me deeply. My little and I read this together and we were both moved to tears multiple times and left with such hope at the end. What a great story! It was pretty special being able to share the experience of reading this book with my little one.
**Hello book friends! I'm currently transitioning over to StoryGraph as I enjoy the digital book experience there better than Goodreads. I will be cross-posting for about a month until I shut down my GR and am wholly over on the new platform. If you are interested in checking it out, I can be found here: app.thestorygraph.com/profile/robert_....**
**Hello book friends! I'm currently transitioning over to StoryGraph as I enjoy the digital book experience there better than Goodreads. I will be cross-posting for about a month until I shut down my GR and am wholly over on the new platform. If you are interested in checking it out, I can be found here: app.thestorygraph.com/profile/robert_....**
November 25, 2023
If you like sobbing for three hours straight, getting your heart ripped out and stitched back together, this is the book for you. Omg, I am completely wrung out.
OK, I had to change my review from 5 stars to 3 stars. Usually, books that make me cry get 5 stars, but I have been thinking this over and just feel kinda manipulated. My emotions were manipulated. I realize that our foster care system sucks in the U.S., and I know protective services has failed many vulnerable children, but I feel like this story could've been finessed a little bit.
I'm still thinking about it...
OK, I had to change my review from 5 stars to 3 stars. Usually, books that make me cry get 5 stars, but I have been thinking this over and just feel kinda manipulated. My emotions were manipulated. I realize that our foster care system sucks in the U.S., and I know protective services has failed many vulnerable children, but I feel like this story could've been finessed a little bit.
I'm still thinking about it...
August 31, 2024
this book was everything from heartwrenching to heartwarming. it is a story of loss and found family, loneliness and empathy, and friendship in all its forms. it definitely pulled my heart strings and made me cry in many places. i recommend this book for all ages- i think theres a lesson in there for all walks of life.
December 16, 2023
Wow! This ended up being one of my very favorite reads of the year! Raymond is such a resilient kid, but my heart broke over and over to see him struggle through things no kid should ever have to handle. The story serves as a reminder that we never know what someone else is living through and to pay attention to signs that someone needs help. 🐶 🦊 🎣 🔥 🌲
August 21, 2024
Very good! Very exciting! A modern My Side of the Mountain and tbh better. The storyline was much more survival based vs homeless based which will probably appeal to more audiences. No major happy endings with some sad sad pieces, but it was really good and I would definitely recommend!!
August 25, 2024
This book, one of the SSYRA picks for 2024-2025, was compelling and plot-driven -- up until the end. The resolution was disappointing in that it didn't fit with anything that had happened previously in the narrative. Author Maggie C. Rudd painted a wonderful picture of Raymond, who faced large and numerous struggles after his parents deserted him, but the rather jarring turn of events at the end of the novel felt stilted and unsatisfying. There are so many other rich, satisfying endings that could have played out, and frankly, I was surprised and slightly disappointed that the author did not choose one of them. Other than the ending, the book is well-written and compelling. It also forces one to think about who in a school -- or anywhere, really -- might be trying very hard to stay invisible.
October 21, 2024
Oof, so so good. Great for Hatchet fans looking for outdoor survival, but with a great big dose of family trauma and healing. Lots of real emotions and people. I had to finish this and know what would happen to Raymond.
May 7, 2025
This was absolutely heartrending and an incredible journey. I didn’t want to leave it behind when I read the last page. I actually stayed up late two nights in a row, reading, because it was so compelling.
November 30, 2025
2025-26 Mark Twain Award nominee. Great story, endearing characters. The main character's parents abandon him, and he decides to camp out in the woods behind his school. Would be a good recommendation for folks who enjoyed Hatchet.
September 5, 2023
Solid 3.5 star book - I was looking for a survival story and this scratched the itch.
September 26, 2023
What a heartfelt story. I had a few tears at the end. Survival story at its best that includes great characters, both adult and kids. I might never eat a spaghetti dinner again without counting my blessings and thinking of 12 year old Raymond. Gary Paulsen,survival story author extraordinaire ,would have loved this debut novel.
December 2, 2023
So good!
August 10, 2024
This was a great children's book; with great characters and a really good story. I do wish they had found the main character Raymond's parents in the end, but maybe he's better off without them. At least he now has people who truly care about him.
October 4, 2024
My Side of the Mountain but heartbreaking 😭😭😭
January 4, 2025
i will forever be crying over this 12-year-old boy and his pets: dog and coyote.
February 1, 2025
Battle of the Books 2025 #3 - another great book. Daughters enjoyed as well. The importance of being kind, being on the lookout for suffering, and the tragedies all around us are the main messages I took away from the book.
August 30, 2024
ITS SO GOOD
🐺🐺🐺
I CRIED
🐺🐺🐺
I CRIED
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2026
This is a YA book I read with a tutoring student, but it was actually so good I’m just glad I read it in general.
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