Author: Trudy Ludwig
Illustrator: Patrice Barton
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, 2013
Length: 30
Genre: Realistic fiction
Analysis:
This book is about Brian, a boy who feels invisible at school. He is ignored by the teacher and his classmates, never chosen to be on kickball teams, and is excluded at lunch. When a new student, Justin, comes to school, Justin gets made fun of and Brian reassures him. After this act of kindness, Justin and Brian become friends, and he no longer feels invisible.
This story is very touching because everyone has felt alone and invisible at some point in their lives. The text tells the story of Brian very well and allows the reader to sympathize greatly with him. However, it is the illustrations which draw the reader in completely. They use color to demonstrate how Brian is seen. At the beginning, everything is in color, except for Brian and the objects close to him. Having Brian be the only thing in the picture which is black and white shows how excluded he feels, and how he is treated as though he were invisible. The illustrator uses white space to demonstrate how small Brian feels in this world. However, when Justin is introduced, Brian smiles at him, and part of his face gets a little color in it! As their friendship strengthens, Brian becomes more colorful, demonstrating that he is finally being seen. This use of color to portray his connections with people is very encapsulating because not only is there a textual difference, but the reader can visually see Brian becoming more welcomed.
Another part of this story which I love is Brian’s illustrations. This almost seems like a side story because it is casually dropped in and would be easy to overlook, but even when Brian is invisible in black and white, he draws in vibrant colors. His imagination is alive throughout the book. I love that the author chose to have Brian be an artist because it defies typical gender roles. Aren’t girls supposed to be the creative ones and boys be the athletic ones? Instead, his artwork is part of why he is able to make friends with Justin, and he gets praised for it.
This book also depicts many different races, which I also greatly appreciate. There are too many books which are whitewashed and many books which purposefully depict race are about heavier topics. In this one, the multiracial classroom seems completely normal, and is very accurate to what classrooms tend to look like today. I am glad that the illustrator chose to depict the racial makeup of this school realistically.
This book serves as a great mirror for the reader, allowing them to relate to the struggle of Brian and feel for him, reflecting on times in their own life where they may have felt the same way. Small acts of kindness can make a huge difference.