Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements

Bobby Phillips wakes up one morning and he is invisible - this is not just a concept - he is invisible. No one can see him, but he is still there. If he puts on clothes his family can see the outline of his body, but he has no face and no hands. Naturally all the questions begin - why did this happen? How did this happen? How long will this last? What might happen if others especially the 'authorities' find out? Will Bobby have to live at home in his room for the rest of his life? 

In answer to the last question, Bobby is not prepared to stay home. So, after his parents head out to work, he puts on layers of clothes, a woolly scarf across his face and sunglasses and he heads to the library. No one even looks at him - this is Chicago, and it is a cold day. In the library Bobby takes off all his clothes hides them in a roof cavity in the boy's bathroom and then he sets off to explore this familiar and yet somehow now unfamiliar place. It is a lonely day for Bobby, but he makes a few discoveries about himself and about other people. As he leaves the building, with his clothes back on, he bumps into a young girl. Alicia is blind - not just vision impaired - she cannot see after a head injury. This pair seem like the perfect combination to be friends. Over the coming days Bobby tells Alicia he is invisible and together they set out to solve this mystery. 

This book is filled with science theories because Bobby's dad and Alicia's father are both scientists, but it is Bobby himself who pieces together the possible cause of his invisibility. There are complications - Bobby does have to move around the city naked, and it is cold. His parents are involved in a car accident and while they are okay both are kept in the hospital for a few days, so Bobby has to navigate his new life alone. The school and the welfare people demand to know why he is not at school. The explanations and the feisty reactions of Bobby's mum are sure to make you smile. And there is the complication of a new relationship. Alicia is still working through adjusting to her new reality and Bobby has very little experience talking to girls. I enjoyed watching the ups and downs, highs and lows, and communication mishaps of their bourgeoning relationship. 

Yes, this story is very far-fetched but it also has an internal logic that I found fascinating. This is a Young Adult book - mainly because the two main characters are high schoolers. This book was published in 2002 but I was pleased to see it is still in print. 

As always, Clements’s genius for developing credible plot lines (even from oddball premises) makes suspension of disbelief no problem. His characters, each one fundamentally decent ... are easy to like. A readable, thought-provoking tour de force, alive with stimulating ideas, hard choices, and young people discovering bright possibilities ahead. Kirkus star review

While technically I suppose you'd have to call this a science fiction novel, it is a perfect crossover book for readers who don't normally read that genre. This is a book about Bobby and what he discovers about himself, his family, and people in general. I think you'll enjoy this one. I know I did. YA Books Central

"Clements's story is full of life; it's poignant, funny, scary, and seemingly all too possible. The author successfully blends reality with fantasy in a tale that keeps his audience in suspense until the very end."--School Library Journal

The only problem with this book is that it is one that sort of defies a convincing description. I really enjoyed it-- the details are spot on, the explanations don't stretch credulity too far, and the reaction of the parents is one with which many students will identify ... Ms Yingling

I picked this book up at a recent charity book sale - mainly because I am a huge fan of Andrew Clements. This book is very different from his middle grade titles such as Frindle; The Janitor's Boy; The Jacket; The Landry News; and my own favourite Extra Credit. 

If you do need a book to read that is similar to Things not seen perhaps look for this one:

This book was the 1980 CBCA winner. Not long after I read this book I was standing in the queue for McDonald's in the city. I stood at the counter for a long time and was totally ignored by the server. It felt as though the invisibility I read about in Displaced Person had become my reality. I just checked my copy of Displaced Person and I find it interesting that this book has only 138 pages. Such a powerful story. Maurice Saxby said: "It is an extended image of alienation; the mental state when one feels a nobody; the black cloud, the wedge of ice that site close to the heart when one journeys alone. It is also a metaphysical examination of reality and unreality; a speculation ... of what lies beyond the realm of human understanding. It is a tight, tense and gripping story with a poignant and poetic ending."