The Mostly Invisible Boy by AJ Vanderhorst

No one outside his immediate family can see 11 year old Casey Grimes, which means he’s extra excited about getting lost in the woods over summer break. Little does he know he’s about to stumble onto something big.

Casey and his 6 year old sister, Gloria, don’t have any friends, because no one can see them for more than a couple of seconds. However, after a sleep out in a huge tree in the forest behind their house, the two children discover a world of magic and adventure in the Sylvan Woods, where Casey and Gloria are extremely noticeable.

Be it Narnia or Hogwarts, the idea of a magic world hidden from, but coexisting with our own, is endlessly appealing. The Sylvan Woods and the school that Casey and Gloria find are imaginative and entertaining. The idea of the sentry trees and the changing paths in the wood were my favorite elements, and I wish the magical aspects had been explored more, but this is most likely influenced by my adult perspective. However, even as a child I was never a fan of school stories, probably because I was too ill to go to school, but I know they have an enduring appeal to youngsters.

The characters are likable and age appropriate. My favorite character is Gloria, who has the ability to see the truth in things, but I like Casey too. The characters they meet in the Sylvan Wood are interesting, and I like how enemies become friends.

I felt somewhat misled by the title and the beginning of the book. I’m not sure how Casey and Gloria’s invisibility came about, aside from a throw away line at the end, and I think the manner in which the parents were quickly got out of the way was unnecessary.

This book is about the Sylvan Wood, the magic and monsters that live there, and how Casey and Gloria find a place where they belong. I can’t fault what happens to the characters once the action gets going.

I award The Mostly Invisible Boy…