The Invisible Boy

The Invisible Boy (ages K-2nd Grade) by Trudy Ludwig is a powerful story of a young boy who struggles to fit in and as a result, feels ” invisible”. The Invisible Boy  is powerful in many ways and can teach a child valuable lessons about treating others with kindness and respect. The symbolism in this book is beautiful and should be a part of any home or school library.

The Invisible Boy is about a boy named Brian who feels “invisible” (great opportunity to discuss what feeling ” invisible” is). When I began this book, my daughter actually thought Brian was invisible but as the story developed, she realized that he became less invisible as he felt better about himself and developed confidence.

Brian is not someone any of the kids want to play with until a new student named Justin comes to school. Justin makes him feel included and treats him with kindness and respect. He compliments his creative artwork  and appreciates his kind words.

This book is timeless and can be read over and over again with children. A younger child may not understand the symbolism of feeling “invisible” but can understand what it feels like be left out. For an older child, he or she can discuss their own experiences with feeling “invisible”. I think as a parent it can be valuable to share your own experiences of feeling left out or “invisible” in certain situations. I love this book because most children and adults can think of that one person that Brian reminds us of. Whether Brian reminds of us ourselves or someone else that we never paid enough attention to in school.

Are you a teacher? Check out this lesson plan that is aligned with Common Core Standards here.

For more information about Trudy Ludwig, check out her website here.

Carryover Activities: This is an excellent book to read during mealtime as you are sitting down with your children. Discuss the emotions that Brian felt and why. What does feeling invisible mean? Ask your child if they ever felt invisible. Share your own stories of feeling this way and how you navigated through the situation. There are also discussion questions in the back of the book which are very helpful plus recommended books for adults and children related to this topic.

The Invisible Boy

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