Unvisibles

by Ian Whybrow

When Oliver, a loud-mouthed troublemaker, discovers a "disappearing" formula in an old magic magazine, he is stunned when it works, but when the magazine is stolen--along with the directions for undoing the spell, he must turn to his neighbor Nicky, his complete polar opposite, for help.

Genres: Childrens, Fantasy, Novels, Indonesian Literature, Juvenile

32 pages, Hardcover

First published June 6, 2003

About the author

Ian Whybrow is a British writer of children's books, first published in 1989. He has written over 100 books for children, has been translated into 27 languages and is published in 28 countries. His books are humorous and range from picture books to novels, short stories and poetry.

Reviews

[Josiah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Readers probably know Ian Whybrow best for his Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs picture book (adapted into one of my favorite animated television series of the 2000s), but if you're partial to zany British humor in the vein of Ian Fleming's Chitty-Chitty-Band-Bang or Roald Dahl's many famous works, The Unvisibles might be for you. Join Oliver Gasper and Nicky Chew, twelve-year-old misfits who could hardly be more different from one another, as they team up against boorish school faculty and a seedy antiques dealer who has swindled Oliver's father for the last time if the boy has any say in the matter. Virtual strangers before a twist of magic introduces them, Oliver and Nicky will find out they can accomplish much if they join forces.

Oliver is a mild troublemaker bored by school, and Nicky is a goody two-shoes whose single mother's anxieties have rubbed off on him. Shortly before Oliver's father is gipped by Major Reginald Pugh (retired) out of the full price for some antiques he sells him, Oliver finds an old magazine article among the wares, containing an incantation alleged to make anyone who speaks it invisible. To Oliver's surprise, the magic works. No one can see him. That means he needn't go to school tomorrow! But Oliver doesn't wish to be invisible forever, so he must retrieve the box of antiques his father sold Mr. Pugh. Oliver appeals to next-door neighbor Nicky for help, who has his own worries about the possibility of his mother marrying a screwball fellow named Robbie Williams instead of Mr. Dudzinski, whom she got on with smashingly until she started to appraise him with a hypercritical eye. Nicky has little choice but to help Oliver after the invisible boy does a good turn to alleviate his Robbie Williams problem, and the two are off on an adventure to the city that could solve the difficulties faced by both boys' families. Can Oliver locate the magazine article with the words to turn him visible, or is he doomed to live out his life like this?

The Unvisibles is funny, no doubt about that. Because of the humor and a smattering of nice moments, I considered rounding my one-and-a-half star rating to two. Oliver and Nicky are likable kids, far from perfect but fun to spend time around in a story, and I didn't mind taking this crazy ride with them. In life, villains don't always get their comeuppance and the virtuous often go unrewarded, but you can bet things will turn out okay for our protagonists in this novel. I'm glad I read The Unvisibles, and I hope others enjoy it, too.

[Farah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh buku ini menarik sekali.
Tidak "seliar" imajinasi Roald Dahl, tidak sejadul dan semonoton kisah-kisah serupa dari Enid Blyton, tapi begitu ringan dan menyenangkan. Kisahnya mengalir dengan masuk akal.

Sangat menyenangkan membaca dari awal hingga akhir, dimana latar belakang kedua anak tokoh utama dijabarkan di dua bab terpisah. Setidaknya para pembaca jadi mengetahui bahwa "begini loh, Si Oliver Gasper itu, ayahnya begini, kakaknya begitu.. dan Si Nicky Chew dan ibunya seperti ini...".

Silakan dibaca sebagai bacaan yang benar-benar ringan.
Dijamin, ngga akan mati bosan seperti saat membaca buku-buku Enid Blyton yang kalau dipikir-pikir, cerita seri Malory Towers dan seri St. Claire itu ternyata BEGITU SERUPA.

Dan juga tidak membuat imajinasi pembacanya melonjak-lonjak seperti saat membaca buku2 Roald Dahl..

[Azizah SL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bukunya menarik dan lucu.
Imajinasinya oke meski ga melambung amat. Suka sama deskripsi karakter tiap tokoh, mengalir lancar dan normal sebagaimana adanya.
Cerita khas anak cowo iseng dan kalau saya anak cowo dan mengalami hal yang dialami Oliver, kayaknya saya bakal melakukan hal yang sama juga, lol.

Sayangnya meski ceritanya oke dan lucu, tapi ga begitu bikin saya terpukau banget, pun bahasa terjemahannya ga senikmat membaca terjemahan buku anak karya Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, atau JK Rowling, misalnya.

[Manuel Messina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un romanzo per ragazzi scorrevole e gradevole con un intreccio movimentato e fantasioso. Se l'invisibilità che colpisce come per magia uno dei protagonisti è il motore della storia, più a fondo nella storia la vera invisibilità di cui si parla è quella metaforica dei due giovanissimi personaggi: Nicky che con le sue insicurezze fa di tutto per non farsi notare, Oliver sempre pronto a combinare guai e a fare il buffone è talmente sgradito e incompreso a scuola e in famiglia che riesce a trovare la parte migliore di sé quando non viene più visto dagli altri. Il bello della storia è proprio l'amicizia improbabile ma nutriente tra due ragazzi tanto diversi fra loro, una squadra di "invisibili" pronta a correggere storture e a fare grandi cose. Sullo sfondo adulti imperfetti e genitori perfezionabili e il fascino dell'arte. Da leggere.

[Psyche · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't get to finished the book I lose interest in it

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waaa me ha encantado, es una historia verdaderamente encantadora y divertida, cada uno de los personajes tenía su historia y desarrollo y todo era tan disfrutable que lo ame mucho.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm conflicted with how to rate this book.

I was so looking forward to reading this -- my boys nad I really enjoy the couple of picture books of Whybrow's and based on those, along with the fantasy nature of this, I was looking forward to a really great time.

At times this book didn't disappoint, but just as often, it was ever so dull. I'm quite certain that my 11 and 9 year olds wouldn't make it through this. They'd be too bored at the dull moments.

Surprisingly, this has not been American-ized. This, too, causes difficulty in reading. While I'm more than passingly familiar with many British slang, it definitely slows down the reading process to have to 'translate' some of it.

School Library Journal writes: There is considerable body humor and some crude language. Some of Oliver's pranks verge on criminal. He commits physical assaults, pulls a fire alarm, and impersonates a male teacher making inappropriate personal comments to a female staff member (the man loses his job as a result). For fantasy with a self-discovery theme, steer readers to Bruce Coville's Magic Shop books (Harcourt).

and I would entirely agree. This isn't as funny as the author is trying to make it, nor is the mystery quite as exciting as it's hoping to be. Sadly, this is simply fair.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Si Perusuh!" demikian mereka selalu menjuluki Gasper.

Semua ini bukan tanpa sebab, Gasper mendadak bisa menghilang setelah mengucapkan mantra dari sebuah buku kuno yang ditemukan di kotak lemari antik milik ayahnya. Sayangnya untuk membalikkan lagi wujud seperti semula, lemari itu telah di jual dengan sedikit paksaan kepada seorang tentara pensiunan, Reginald Pugh.

Gasper stres, ia pun mencari akal agar bisa mengambil buku tersebut.

Di satu sisi, kesempatan ini dimanfaatkannya untuk melakukan dendam kesumat kepada guru-guru dan temannya yang suka mengejeknya.

Jujur jika saya masih anak-anak, jelas menyukai apa yang dilakukan Oliver Gasper..hehehe. Tapi itulah salah satu yang bisa dipetik dari buku ini, dendam memang bukan jalan terbaik..

Selain itu, ada nilai kejujuran dan persahabatan. Lihat saja bagaimana polosnya Nicky Chew ketika di ajak Gasper membantunya mencari buku itu. Padahal mereka tak saling mengenal.

Hanya review, bintang tiga untuk The Unvisibles!

[Ugik Madyo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Idenya unik. Tentang Oliver yang 'kecelakaan' abis baca mantra ajaib di majalah kuno. Dia jadi 'hilang'. Tapi yang bikin seru, Oliver adalah anak yang super jahil. Banyak kejadian lucu dan menantang imajinasi dalam buku ini. Salut pada Penulis yang mampu lebur dalam dunia imajinasi anak-anak. Idenya sederhana tapi mampu diramu dengan menarik. Hal ini membuat saya tak bosan membaca dari akhir.

Buku ini saya tamatkan dengan susah payah karena sok sibuk. Seringkali buku ini saya lahap diparkiran atau di toko sambil nungguin Ibu.

[Ori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oliver Gasper menemukan artikel di majalah kuno mengenai mantra untuk "menghilangkan" diri. Iseng-iseng dia mencobanya.. dan berhasil! Masalahnya, majalah itu dicuri dan Oliver tidak ingat mantra yang mesti dia ucapkan supaya bisa kelihatan lagi.. Terpaksalah dia minta bantuan Nicky Chew..

lucu,seru deh.. jd inget masa kecil dulu,pernah py keinginan bisa ngilang.hehehe...

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting adventure of two little boys. but it's just an okay story. with family stories involved, it gives some development, but still no strong impression left. fun to read but not material to be read twice.

[Pradnja · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was among the very first novels i read in elementary, and it still left an imprint in my mind today. i love the story and the unlikely friendship. nick's habit of counting before doing something is a quirk i unconsciously adopted :)

[Mina · Rating 4 out of 5]

serasa menjadi ank kecil lagi...
dimana ini kaya akan imajinasi

[Ingrid h · Rating 5 out of 5]

nice, funny, like it ^_^;

[Tyas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny... but didn't leave any strong impression on me...

[SCLS Youth Services · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unvisibles by Ian Whybrow (2003)

[miss hfan · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Chhoo muntar jaldi"
*Berkali2 kuucapkan tp aku tak kunjung transparan..

Cerita yg sangat menarik & benar2 bermain.
Buku yg bagus ut anak2, banyak pembelajaran di dalamnya..

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

cukup menghibur

[Rei · Rating 3 out of 5]

lumayan lucu bukunya ^^

[Devi R. Ayu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Remind me..how playful the childhood was... and how wonderful to have friend in our life :)

[Desi Puspitasari · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute story, sweet ending, not my 'type', but this is nice anyway.
(i compare The Unvisible to Herr Derr Diebe, lo siento)

[Pujiyanto_x · Rating 3 out of 5]

bagaimana rasanya menjadi tak kasat mata?
seseru dan serepot apakah? nah, buku ini bisa menjawab sebagian rasa penasaranmu.

[Op · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tanpa drama, tanpa makian berkepanjangan, pengalaman singkat dan menyenangkan, juga manis :)

[Ika Indriya · Rating 4 out of 5]

the plot is flow and interesting. i like it... :)

[Palsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I imagined a movie out of this book while reading it. Very entertaining...:)

[Diah Didi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beli cuma gara-gara suka ilustrasi di covernya, untung ceritanya lumayan.