Diaz Gonzalez, Christina. Invisible. Illustrated by Gabriela Epstein. Graphix, 2022. 978-1-338-19454-8. 202 p. $12.99. Grades 4-7.
Invisible is the story of a group of five students who are thrust together for a school community service project strictly because of the language (or the assumption of the language) they speak (Spanish). What the school administration doesn’t understand is that the students aren’t even united by language –their backgrounds and personalities are radically different. The project itself consists of menial tasks in the cafeteria supervised by a grouchy cafeteria manager… until the students discover a homeless family in need and step in to help. Unique to this story is its bilingual nature–paired speech bubbles continually translate from English to Spanish and back as the students and adults communicate with each other. A close observer will also notice a web of encounters between characters’ families in the illustrations even though they had no connection prior to their service project. Not only about a service project, the book also develops each character’s family, history, and challenges through individual out-of-school encounters with each family–there are many mirrors, doors, and windows for readers of this book.
THOUGHTS: Beyond a compelling story linked through a spiderweb of revelations and connections between students revealed primarily through the illustrations, the format of this book is truly unique in that the bilingual text is seamlessly integrated into the novel’s speech bubbles, opening a range of opportunities for readers to: read the text in their first language, read the text in a language they are learning with support, or simply enjoy the richness of two languages presented together. Gabriella Epstein’s illustrations have the same approachable style used in her BabySitter’s Club days, providing the book a ready audience who will reach for the book for the familiarity of the artwork in addition to the story. Highly recommended.
Graphic Novel Hannah J. Thomas, Central Bucks SD