Funny details of Brianna and Izzy’s lives ring true as the author explores relatable topics such as middle school friendships, self-discovery, and family dynamics. Libenson stresses the importance of being true to oneself, and readers will root for the characters to succeed.” — School Library Journal
“Libenson captures middle-school dramas—family, friendships, crushes, stereotypes, grades, self-discovery—with candor, fast pacing, and authentic, relatable characters. Positively satisfying.” — The Horn Book
“Libenson nicely touches on classic middle-grade tropes, such as shifting friendships, crushes, and developing confidence. A poignant twist ending adds a heartening note to an already charming story.” — Booklist
“The story is light but resonant for middle graders, with constant comedic asides in the illustrations.” — Kirkus Reviews
Praise for INVISIBLE EMMIE: “This is middle grade fiction at its best. A fantastic debut novel with plenty of laughs and tons of heart. INVISIBLE EMMIE is unforgettable!” — Lincoln Peirce, author of Big Nate
Praise for INVISIBLE EMMIE: “Clever, funny work by a great cartoonist. Reading INVISIBLE EMMIE sums up middle school: You laugh, you cry, you get beaned in the head with a volleyball.” — Stephan Pastis, author of Timmy Failure
Praise for INVISIBLE EMMIE: “This funny and heartfelt tale will ring true for anyone who’s ever felt invisible.” — Victoria Jamieson, Newbery Honor author-illustrator of ROLLER GIRL
Praise for INVISIBLE EMMIE: “In her first children’s book, cartoonist Libenson offers strikingly different visions of seventh grade through two very dissimilar narrators. A well-executed twist will have readers flipping back to see what they missed while cheering the strides made by Libenson’s no-longer-invisible heroine.” — Publishers Weekly
Praise for INVISIBLE EMMIE: “With all-too-familiar middle-school drama and an empowering lesson about speaking up and bravely facing down embarrassment, this should find an easy audience among fans of Wimpy Kid or Dork Diaries books.” — Booklist
Praise for INVISIBLE EMMIE: “Many readers will recognize themselves in Emmie and her friends, who are at once self-conscious and eager to be seen for who they are. A highly relatable middle grade drama.” — School Library Journal
Praise for INVISIBLE EMMIE: “Libenson’s clever tale will entertain readers in the throes of middle school as well as younger students both wary of and intrigued by their near future.” — The Horn Book
Libenson captures middle-school dramas—family, friendships, crushes, stereotypes, grades, self-discovery—with candor, fast pacing, and authentic, relatable characters. Positively satisfying.
Praise for INVISIBLE EMMIE: “This funny and heartfelt tale will ring true for anyone who’s ever felt invisible.
Libenson nicely touches on classic middle-grade tropes, such as shifting friendships, crushes, and developing confidence. A poignant twist ending adds a heartening note to an already charming story.
Praise for INVISIBLE EMMIE: “Clever, funny work by a great cartoonist. Reading INVISIBLE EMMIE sums up middle school: You laugh, you cry, you get beaned in the head with a volleyball.
Praise for INVISIBLE EMMIE: “This is middle grade fiction at its best. A fantastic debut novel with plenty of laughs and tons of heart. INVISIBLE EMMIE is unforgettable!
Libenson nicely touches on classic middle-grade tropes, such as shifting friendships, crushes, and developing confidence. A poignant twist ending adds a heartening note to an already charming story.
03/01/2018
Gr 4–6—This charming book tells parallel stories of two very different girls, using graphic novel format to follow studious, introverted Brianna and a mix of handwritten prose and illustrations for creative daydreamer Izzy. The girls prepare for their middle school's talent show, which turns out to be a pivotal moment in both of their lives. Fans of Libenson's Invisible Emmie will be delighted to revisit some familiar characters. Like the previous title, this tale features a clever ending in which the two girls' stories converge. Some may be frustrated that the big reveal doesn't come until the very last page, but the twist is a satisfying one that invites readers to turn back and revisit earlier chapters. Funny details of Brianna and Izzy's lives ring true as the author explores relatable topics such as middle school friendships, self-discovery, and family dynamics. Libenson stresses the importance of being true to oneself, and readers will root for the characters to succeed. VERDICT A strong purchase for libraries where realistic graphic novels are in demand.—Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA
2018-02-13
This reader-friendly graphic/prose hybrid explores the lives of two very different girls who have an unexpected connection.Izzy and Brianna both, separately, navigate difficult middle school experiences. Brianna, whose story is told entirely in sequential panels, is studious, reserved, and a little lonely. Izzy, who tells her story in paragraphs broken up by illustrations, is an unreliable middle sister with a love for performance and a lot of indifference toward schoolwork. Izzy sneaks out against her mother's wishes to perform in the school talent show, while Bri's mother (also a teacher at her school) convinces her to fill in for a sick actor. Both girls juggle complex family dynamics, shifting friend groups, and boys in the hours leading up to their performances. The story is light but resonant for middle graders, with constant comedic asides in the illustrations. Both girls appear white (based on the color cover), with multiracial supporting casts, and both threads of the story skirt larger issues. The opening pages, in which Bri complains about labels, hint at a larger theme that recedes into the background as the two girls struggle with their interpersonal relationships. Readers primed by the back-cover blurb will spend the whole book waiting for the two stories to intersect, with a surprise reveal at the end that may call for an immediate reread.A solid, not particularly daring addition to the hybrid format for middle-grade readers, mixing drama with heart. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 9-12)
