Surviving middle school (or any level of school for that matter) is no joke – especially when your crush becomes public knowledge! But, this is a book that might help make that journey just a little more enjoyable for some. Regardless of which character you are drawn towards, both girls encourage readers to consider the events and actions that drive the people around us. But at the same time, it was so valuable to see the amount of effort Katie put in to have her ‘perfect’ life. I mean, where was this book when I was going through middle school?! Granted, I always had my nose in a book rather than a sketch pad, but the feeling of being that little bit awkward and pushed to the outskirts of the school society was one that really rang true. I’m not going to lie though, I related waaaay more with Emmie than I ever did Katie. The limited number of characters really helps with this too, as even though you do have to do a bit of attention switching, the central story thread and shared characters keeps everything in line and on track throughout. As a result, I couldn’t help bu think that this was a perfect transitional book – if a young reader is well versed in graphic novels, it’s a great book for adding in a little more prose and extending that concentration window and for those that read prose almost exclusively, it’s a gentle introduction to the info-packed world of visual mediums. The panels were laid out in an easy to follow manner, and even when events took place in the gutter, it was always clear what was going and who was the subject of the action.
I loved how vivid the illustrations were, with simple lines and block colours. My take away at the end was not that popular or ‘less intellectual’ kids only read graphic novels, and that the heady types read ‘real books’, but rather that any medium is perfect for telling any story and reaching any reader. Not only did this highlight Katie’s ability to relate with others and Emmie’s highly introverted nature, but it also played subtly on the stereotypes surrounding readers. I adored everything about it – from the artwork to the prose, to the characters and the events, it created a beautifully believable journey that can be enjoyed by young readers and adults alike.Īt first I was a little thrown by the fact that Katie’s portion of the book were in comics format while Emmie’s were I’m traditional prose, but this really worked to create an enhanced mood for both characters. Invisible Emmie is, by far, my favourite middle school read of the year.
Then Emmie’s very private, very embarrassing scribbles fall into the wrong hands.
What both girls do have in common are their strong feelings for the same boy, Tyler Ross. This debut novel from US cartoonist Terri Libenson follows two girls who could not seem more different: shy, observant, wallflower Emmie and loud, popular, cheery Katie. Themes: Friendship, Family, Middle School, Crushes, Individuality Genre: Comics, Graphic Novel, Middle Grade Fiction, Children’s Fiction Quirky, insightful, and deeply intuitive this one transported me straight back to middle school, my first crush, and the crazy journey that comes with learning to feel comfortable in your own skin. Today I’m back at it with a review for the fantastic Invisible Emmie by Terri Libenson.
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