The Invisible Boy

May 4, 2020
Aspiring investigative reporter Nadia Quick, 12, is on the hunt for a scoop. The only child’s love of Superman, especially “ace reporter” Lois Lane, inspires her to cast neighborhood kids in comics roles—one, whom she witnesses smashing her canoe paddle, as supervillain Paddle Boy, and another, who rescues her dog and then vanishes, as superhero The Invisible Boy. Though Hollingsworth’s spirited heroine imagines herself an observant detective, she can be unaware (for example, not recognizing that her blogger mom is pregnant until she’s informed via a devastating livestream reveal). Still, her instincts to look closer into The Invisible Boy’s circumstances inspire her to track him down and, as she gets to know him, realize that something about his situation feels off. Topical subplots involving children’s right to privacy in parenting blogs and health care for veterans are thoughtfully incorporated, while Nadia’s frequently humorous denseness imparts levity, echoed in Lee’s single-page comics-style panels. A layered exploration of a challenging subject, including an epilogue detailing warning signs of child trafficking and an author’s note. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 10–14. Author’s agent: Amber Caravéo, Skylark Literary.

May 1, 2020
A budding investigative journalist begins her summer as a suspicious neighborhood sleuth until she finds new friends--and a dangerous secret. Nadia's a comic-book lover and reporter-in-training. Like her hero, Lois Lane, she sees supervillains and superheroes everywhere in her mostly white neighborhood. Paddle Boy is the neighborhood villain who once broke her canoe paddle. Invisible Boy is the local man of mystery: a boy her own age who appears out of nowhere to save a dog or leave lemonade for a nice old lady before vanishing again. What a fabulous scoop for Nadia, girl reporter! When the three kids become friends--for Paddle Boy is not the dastardly villain of Nadia's imagination--she wonders why Invisible Boy is always gardening, doesn't attend school, and is always nervously hiding. A conversation with her aunt, a human rights lawyer, leaves Nadia shaken. Eventually the superhero games turn grimly real, but plenty of coincidences keep the adventure optimistic. Each chapter is punctuated with a page from the comic-book adventures of Nadia Quick, Girl Reporter, featuring both villains and heroes--and, sometimes, realities too dark for a witty superhero quip. Informational content about how to recognize and report suspected human trafficking is embedded in an epilogue in the form of a news article written by the most intrepid of middle school reporters. A grim reality approachably and even engagingly presented. (author's note) (Fiction. 10-12)

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2020

Gr 3-6-Nadia Quick's father works at the Pentagon, her mother writes a successful blog for military wives, and her aunt is a lawyer. The family has moved quite often and comic books provide inspiration for Dia. However, her mom's public postings and live streaming cause her much embarrassment and pain. She seeks solace in her favorite Superman comics and her idol, Lois Lane the investigative reporter. In order to emulate this career trajectory, Nadia must win the Junior Journalists Contest at the end of the summer. She starts her inquiry by observing her neighborhood, equipped with a notebook, pen, colorful leggings, and her trusty canine, Wonder Dog. She immediately ends up involved in a mystery as she wonders about the identity of the individual she calls "Invisible Boy." The answers to the mystery become apparent after an unlikely friendship ensues between the pair and their villain neighbor, "Paddle Boy" (also known as Kenny). Dia learns that human trafficking can exist right in one's own neighborhood. This title focuses on a subject often avoided in youth literature, but it does so in an unrealistic manner that may lead young readers to misunderstand the seriousness of the topic. VERDICT A light-hearted read about a dark topic that is so wrapped in imaginary superhero play and bright clothing that the protagonists all appear to be much younger than their actual ages, making the back matter crucial for identifying and reporting suspicions of human trafficking.-Ruth Quiroa, National Louis Univ., Lisle, IL

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.