3.5

I had a lot of fun with this book because I thought it did a really good job at speaking to its target audience. As a middle grade novel, The School for Invisible Boys has important themes about remaining true to your identity and finding people who will love and respect you as you are.

The main plot revolves around a boy named Hector whose best friend suddenly and unexpectedly becomes his worst bully. After a particularly bad incident has Hector wishing that no one can see him, he discovers that he can make himself invisible on command. It seems like maybe the stories of his school being haunted are not so far-fetched after all.

As a character Hector managed to be mature while also having a personality that I felt was age-appropriate. As a kid who was labeled mature for my age growing up, I could definitely empathize with Hector’s struggles to be seen and heard by adults who were more focused on appeasing the “harder” children in their life.

Within the storyline there are also a few plot-nuggets to spur conversations around race, sexuality, and identity. I think this would be a great book for a middle grade book club or for a parent to read and discuss with their children. My biggest gripe was probably that I felt the sequel push at the end was unnecessary and detracted a bit from the overall message.

I think this might be my favorite Shaun David Hutchinson book. It's a middle grade about a boy who starts feeling invisible and then one day he actually turns invisible. As he is figuring out his new supposed superpower, he meets another invisible boy but that boy has been lost and is running from a monster creature that is trying to eat them at the school. Our main character learns that maybe there are things scarier than bullies. I really liked the setup for this to be a series and I look forward to reading the next book. I had a couple issues with it but nothing serious honestly. I love a good redemption arc and I love friendship stories.

4.5/5 or 8.43/10
Characters-8

The characters in this book were fun. I enjoyed the point of view of the characters, and there was a fun group of characters to follow. I enjoyed Hector, Sam, and Orson the most, while also enjoying hearing from Blake’s point of view at times.

Atmosphere-9

The School for Invisible Boy had two different worlds in one location, and each worked well for me. I enjoyed spending time in both the real world and the invisible world. Each world also has a different group of characters to follow, which was fun.

Writing-9

This was my first book from the author, and I will be reading more for Shaun David Hutchinson. I loved the writing style and tone of this story, and how each of the different worlds had a different style and tone. In the real world, he had a lighter tone for the most part, because Sam and Hector were trying to find clues for the answers to questions. In The Invisible World, there was a darker, more serious tone due to how the story was laid out.

Plot-9

I found this story interesting. I enjoyed the duel timeline and thought that the mechanic worked for this story. This story also had found family vibes with the friends, and the connections, and I loved that. Hector went on a journey throughout this story, and I loved how the interactions with other characters helped him grow as a person. There was a mysterious vibe to this story that I enjoyed uncovering, along with the characters.

Intrigue-8

This was an interesting story. I was wondering where the story was going to go, and interested to see where we were going to go. .

Logic-8

I thought this was a logical story. I am curious as to how the invisible world came to be and have questions about the lore related to the invisible world came to be.
Enjoyment-8

Overall, this was an enjoyable story. I had a lot of fun with the characters in this book.

Here are my Top 5 Reasons to Read!
Middle school is tough! People are not kind and sometimes even good kids make bad decisions…this book embraces it all.
Probably every kid dreams of being invisible and it actually happens for Hector! Is it really as cool as it seems?
A mystery that keeps the reader guessing- who is the new ghostly friend, Orson Wellington and is there really a monster?!?
A reminder to validate children, “But that doesn’t mean they aren’t real. Sometimes children, especially sensitive children, are capable of seeing and hearing things beyond the perception of adults.” ❤️❤️❤️
“Everyone’s welcome here.” A voice for all at the Middle Grade reader level 🏳️‍🌈

This fun story is about Hector, who lives with his mom, his stepdad and his two stepbrothers. Hector is really different from his stepbrothers and his stepdad and so sometimes he feels really alone. It doesn't help that he and his best friend are fighting. He asked his best friend to be his boyfriend, and his best friend responded with a super ugly word. Hector was angry and set his friend's science fair project on fire. Things haven't gone well since, even though Hector has tried to apologize. One day, when Hector is running away from kids who want to beat him up, he hears a voice and hides in an abandoned church. It turns out, there is a story about boys disappearing from his school. This is a very fun mystery to read, with interesting and likable characters. I think the kids are going to like this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children’s for the ARC of this!

My kid (7) and I really enjoyed this book together! I really liked the description of the world that they are disappearing to, the monster, and the side characters. He said he can’t wait for the next one! This one had a good resolution while still leaving excitement for another book.

I read many middle-grade books last year, and I started loving them. This middle-grade novel, "The School for Invisible Boys" by Shaun David Hutchinson, is way more interesting and thrilling than the MG books I read before.

Hector, a sixth-grade kid, finds out accidentally that he can turn invisible. He started exploring his powers and found another invisible boy, Orson, whom Hector had never seen in his school before. Hector started digging for the truth about Orson and found out something terrible.

The plot starts with Hector trying to find ways to save Orson from where he was trapped. Hector was such a sweet boy, but so many bad things happened to him. His stepdad and stepbrother didn't treat him well, and his best friend, Blake, turned out to be the worst bully in his school. The author's way of expressing the pain Hector was going through was very well executed.

The interesting thing about this book is that it was engaging until the very end. Usually, the middle-grade books I have read had good messages, but they didn't have the thrill this one has. I am not saying those are bad, but I haven't read this sort of thrill in MG novels mostly in YA novels.

The character development of every character was amazing at the end. It was all so gradual and made sense. For instance, Hector's brother, Jason, didn't treat him well at the beginning of the story, but then, nearing the end, he was protective. It shows that he loved Hector all along but never expressed himself.

The climax was good. I definitely didn't see the twist coming. Also, I loved how the author ended the story. The cover and the title couldn't be more perfect for the story.

"The School for Invisible Boys" gives Stranger Things vibes for sure. Overall, this is such an amazing fantasy thriller story with significant themes.

I’ve always thought it would be fun to be invisible. Haven’t you? Well, there is invisible like no one can see you even if they tried – this would be great for spies, bank robbers, and eavesdroppers. Then there’s invisible like you don’t matter – that would be great for no one.

This has a little bit of both – a boy, Hector, who is overlooked to the point of actually becomes invisible! This results in finding out about a threat to the school. When Hector meets a new friend who has been invisible for years, things go astray.

Kudos to the author for taking tough topics like bullying and sexual orientation and making a fantastic story any middle grader will be able to connect to. With relatable characters, sprinkles of humor, and a dash of scary, this book will surely be visible in kids’ hands soon.

✨ Review ✨ The School for Invisible Boys by Shaun David Hutchinson; Narrated by Mark Sanderlin

"What would you do if no one could see you? In this surreal adventure, a boy who is used to being overlooked literally becomes invisible, only to realize there may be far more dangerous threats in his school than bullies."

Hector's a sixth-grader struggling through a series of life changes -- his mom just got remarried to a police officer with two sons and so he now has two older step-brothers, he lost his best friend after asking him to be his boyfriend, and just is struggling in a school where he doesn't stand out or feel like he belongs.

When he stumbles on another world, an invisible world, where he meets Orson, a lost boy, and a strange monster, Hector has to try to figure out how to help Orson without losing himself.

A story about belonging and bullies, being different and trying to fit in, friendship and families, this book really delves into these big feelings while exploring a magical parallel world. I loved the messaging here, and the queer representation in a middle grades book!

The audio was pretty good and added positively to the experience -- I read both in audio and book form, and my 10yo is also reading along!

(content notes: there is lots of bullying and preteen unkindness in the book, Hector's former bff repeatedly calls him names (f**) which the book replaces with freak).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: middle grades fantasy/horror, LGBTQ representation
Length: 6 hrs and 56 mins
Pub Date: 06 Feb 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ middle grades fantasy in real world settings
⭕️ stories of kids feeling different finding their place in the world
⭕️ mysterious magic
⭕️ queer representation

Thanks to Random House Children's, Labyrinth Road, TBR and Beyond, PRHAudio and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

Middle school can be tough. You're trying to find yourself, your interests and friends. It's even harder because middle schoolers can be mean. Sometimes, you just want to be invisible.

The School for Invisible Boys is an excellent book for preteens facing challenges like bullying. Hutchinson handles the sensitive topic of bullying with extreme care. I love how Hector, who is often labeled as "not being a boys' boy," acknowledges that words can hurt, sometimes a joke is not always “a joke,” and the constant barge can leave scars. However, he also realizes that words only hold power if we give it to them - a powerful message for any middle schooler.

Other quick highlights:
✨Paranormal vibe: ghosts haunting the school, Hector travels between visible and invisible to become our unlikely hero.
✨Discovering New Friends: learning to find a group of friends who accept you for you and all your talents.
✨Narration: Mark Sanderlin is a new narrator for me. He not only brought the middle school angst but also empathy to the story. There's a hint at the end of the book that suggests Invisible Boys might become a series. I hope that Mark Sanderlin continues as the narrator for the series!

Thank you to Labyrinth Road and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I enjoyed this book so much and will absolutely be purchasing this one for my elementary school library! I would not be surprised one bit to see this title on upcoming middle grade award lists. It’s funny, it’s mysterious, and it’s powerful.

Hector attends a Catholic boys’ private school that is just a little… odd. There are rumors of ghosts and haunted buildings, and students swear they’ve seen, heard, or felt something paranormal at times. Hector chalks these up to be rumors until he has an experience of his own, and finds out that lost things and boys are becoming invisible and forgotten.

There’s so much to unpack here besides the mystery on the pages. This book speaks both literally and metaphorically about the importance of every child being seen, whether via media, by their school community, or by their own families. Underrepresentation is still a real problem, and it’s harder to fight alone than it is together. Hector struggles to fit in with his blended family, his sexuality as a queer boy, and his bent towards sensitivity - which ends up being a huge strength for him.

This book was such an entertaining read but also spoke to me as an educator - that the fight for our students is worth it, and we are more effective when we work together!

This was a great middle grade read. I absolutely love the cover of this book! This was such a well written story that I think many people can relate to, adults and middle graders alike. I really enjoyed this paranormal fantasy.

The School for Invisible Boys has a creative premise and is packed with action and mystery. A reader can take all the action at face value, but there are layers of symbolism here for those who want to look for it and themes around belonging, loneliness, and identity. Told in first person from Hector’s point of view, the reader has a front row seat to all his tumultuous thoughts and feelings. Particularly engaging was the exploration of “invisibility” and “being lost” and how that translated into another parallel dimension. The book’s pacing was strong with a pretty epic climatic confrontation. Although the story had good closure, the epilogue definitely opened the door for an additional book or series.

This book is recommended for readers in middle school (grades 6 through 8), primarily because that is the age of the characters and the issues will resonant with them.

I don't read much middle grade literature, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to read this middle grade debut by one of my favorite YA authors. The School for Invisible Boys was such a great story with important themes, lovable characters, and compulsively readable prose. I rarely wanted to put this book down and craved even more of it by the end. I can only hope that this will turn into a series.

The School for Invisible Boys was exactly the type of story I would have loved as a kid. It was full of cool powers, mysteries, and monsters. Things weren't quite what they seemed in the beginning, and I had a lot of fun navigating the twists and turns as the characters uncovered the truth of the situation. The plot struck a good balance between the fantasy elements of the story and the impacts of the family and friendship dynamics on the main character's adventure. My only complaint is that Hector got over his friend's horrible behavior a little too quickly, but that could just be my age clouding expectations for the characters.

The main character in The School for Invisible Boys, Hector, felt ripped straight from my past experiences. He was nerdy, sensitive, and didn't really fit the mold of what a boy 'should be.' He didn't like sports and used the library as a refuge. He was also queer. His isolation and feelings of otherness broke my heart because I related so strongly to his struggles and was transported right back to my own school library from all those years ago. I appreciated how he never lost sight of himself, though, and the story portrayed his sensitivity as a superpower, which was so awesome. I truly hope Hector's arc inspires so many young boys to embrace who they are.

I appreciated the messages and themes in The School for Invisible Boys. The story highlighted how damaging bullying can be, but it also illustrated that bullying itself can be insidious and not always overtly obvious. It showed how words and jokes that seem like fun can be hurtful and leave lasting scars, which is an important thing for kids this age to learn because middle school can be vicious. I also loved how the monster was used to portray how bullying feeds on a cycle of fear and disparaging others for their differences. There were just so many great messages in this book, and I think kids will learn a lot from reading it while also having a great time.

Overall, The School for Invisible Boys was a solid middle grade debut for Hutchinson. It had a great plot, relatable characters, and impactful themes. I wish I'd had access to a book like this in middle school. Seeing this representation in such a fun way would likely have helped me accept myself a lot sooner. With all this in mind, I rate this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

This was a fun read. I think kids who are looking for books with a scare level similar to Goosebumps will love this one. The pace, action and mystery are sure to keep readers engaged. We absolutely need more elementary books with queer characters, and I love that this book has a queer main character without that being what the book is about. Queer kids can be in all kinds of books! This hints at the possibility of being the first in a series, so I hope to see more of these characters in the future. I think this is sure to be a hit with young readers.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Random House Children's, Labyrinth Road. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Age and Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary Fiction, Magical Realism
Representation: LGBTQ

I started this book and was looking forward to the invisibility and the mystery of this monster. It just wasn't getting to that and was more focused on the bullying. I'm sorry to say this book wasn't for me, and I didn't finish it. There's a definite analogy going on about kids who might feel invisible within the LGBTQ community.

I'm giving it three stars because it will be perfect for the right audience.

Hector is having some interpersonal problems in several areas of his life; his step father and two step brothers, Jason and Lee, are very much into sports. It is also because of the step brothers that Hector has to attend a Catholic school, St. Lawrence's. He's been best friend with Blake for a while, but once Hector asked if Blake would be his boyfriend, Blake has been very mean. This severs Hector from his entire friend group, and he has to eat lunch with a group of misfits known as "the cupcakes". When Blake and his new evil friend Conrad are chasing him around the school with the intent of beating him up, Hector makes the startling discovery that he can turn invisible. He practices with this, and finds that with some effort, he can do this at will. He also meets another boy who is invisible, Orson Wellington. Hector asks the school librarian, Mr. Morhill, for information about the school, and meets his nephew, Sam, who is a girl. This should be quite a shock at an all boys' school, but Sam seems to be able to fly under the radar. In addition to meeting Orson, Hector has come into contact with a tentacled monster inhabiting the school. Orson calls this the "gelim" and the two start to wonder if the monster is affecting Blake. It is a bit odd that Blake was so put out by Hector's admission, especially since he is being raised by two mothers, but the abuse only escalates. How are Orson, the monster, and his classmates bad behavior all tied in to the mysterious history of the school?
Strengths: Being invisible is a superpower that many middle school students would like to have, and it is used to good effect in this story. Private schools are also appealing to my readers in a larger public school, and the idea of an entire abandoned and haunted building on campus is interesting. There are some long time teachers with interesting backstories who are used well in the plot. The interpersonal dynamics between Hector and Blake are some that I haven't seen much in middle grade literature; how does a relationship between same sex friends change if one of the friends introduces an unwelcome element of romance? Blake's reaction is unfortunately common (he repeatedly calls Hector "freak", but the understanding is that another, more hurtful, word is used), but the ending explains this a bit more. The author's note at the end mentions that he was greatly inspired by L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time as well as the work of John Bellairs, and this did have a vintage feel to it.
Weaknesses: I would have liked it if the powers of invisibility were used more, but they were part of the story more for allergorical reasons.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Oshiro's The Insiders or Howard's The Visitors.

I think all of us have felt invisible at some point in our lives. Some people would rather be invisible than face the reality of middle school! The School for Invisible Boys has a little something that every middle schooler can relate to. Shaun David Hutchinson has tackled a plethora of middle school problems from bullying - to cliques - to sexual orientation. This book is well written, has humor, and the characters are relatable and likeable. It also includes that scary vibe that a lot of kids this age crave. It had me cheering for them from the beginning!

What would you do if no one could see you? In this surreal adventure, a boy who is used to being overlooked literally becomes invisible, only to realize there may be far more dangerous threats in his school than bullies.

Sixth grade takes a turn for the weird when Hector Griggs discovers he has the ability to turn invisible. Sure, ever since Hector’s former best friend Blake started bullying him, he’s been feeling like he just wants to disappear…but he never thought he actually would. And then, Hector meets another invisible boy, Orson Wellington, who has an ominous “I’m stuck here. Stuck like this. It’s been years. The gelim’s hunting me and it’ll get you, too.”

It turns out, there is more than meets the eye at St. Lawrence’s Catholic School for Boys, and if Hector is going to save Orson--and himself—from the terrifying creature preying on students’ loneliness and fear, he’ll need to look deeper. With the help of a mysterious new classmate, Sam, can Hector unravel the mysteries haunting his school, and discover that sometimes it takes disappearing to really be seen?

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was really good! I loved how it combined real world problems and ideas with fantasy and science fiction. It was so funny to find out that one of the main characters was a girl and no one could see! I also really enjoyed the plot twist at the end!

To be ignored, to have no friends, to be ostracized is like being invisible, but for Hector, he turns invisible for real. .He is there in his private school, and then he is not, and no one can see or hear him. It is certainly a good way to hide from bullies, one who used to be his best friend, but it is no way to live your life, so he doesn’t remain invisible.

This is not a book about a school that trains kids to be invisible. This is just an ordinary Catholic school for boys where every five years, a boy disappears and no one thinks anything of it.

And there is a monster that only attacks when he is invisible, and there is one other boy who is also there, but he can’t become visible, and he was been lost for three years.

So, Hector has many things he needs to do, save Orson, the boy that is invisible. Defeat the creature. And get his best friend to be his best friend again, who rejected him when he asked if they could be boyfriends, and Blake pushed back so hard he started calling him a three letter word that begins with “f” [Note this word is never used, just referred to].

And while the book concludes, there is a hint that this is the first in a series of adventures that Hector is going to face.

And I for one, am all for it. Great characters, truly one about the horrors of middle school, plus having a fear eating monster out there.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published the 6th of February 2024.